Preview Hawks v Pusscats : Changes and predictions

[randall boner]

Neither team interested in winning this week....Zero to gain/Lose other than injuries & moral victory....Real thing in 2 weeks time!

Send out the Box Hill side!

Agree

 

[Nankervis brothers]

Why is it a dead rubber? With a better percentage a win puts us on equal points which equals a home final. Do you guys expect a home final at Skilled again? If we win next week it won't happen

Your question is well answered by fpm84. It's a dead rubber because we play each other at the G in a QF regardless of result, unless something bizarre happens in rd 23.

 

[Nankervis brothers]

There are no finals to be played at Skilled.
Nankervis brothers is right because all that really is at play for both clubs this week is bragging rights/psychological advantage and the choice of shorts in the first week of the finals.

Let's not overlook the importance of choosing the colour of shorts. Massive stakes there!

 

[dipper86]

Well it's not as simple as that!! Doc played on Walters in rd 3 & beat him as he has many dangerous smalls in the last 2 yrs. He was beaten, however has barely trained the past 2 weeks with a calf injury. You try chasing Walters at Subi with that preparation & carrying an injury! Burgoyne & Stratton didn't do any better!!

I think you'll find he played on Ballantyne in that game....either way we flogged them in all areas of the game.
You find out the most about players when under pressure. When the midfield is getting beat and as a defender you have no place to hide...he failed, he wasn't the only one though. As a match up it was all wrong, Lithers was the right man pace and agility wise. He was far too quick and agile for Dureya, and gained metres on him in a blink of an eye....it was an easy hit up for Fremantle.

 

[StingBitten]

Sorry for the intrusion - after playing both your teams over the last two weeks its easier to see which one is elite and which one are the pretenders. You'll utterly destroy them.

 

[Bardo State]

I'm usually a (very) big advocate of Duryea's. I think he has a combination of attributes that will see him as a great back pocket for Hawthorn for the next decade or so. Saying that, he really has been out of sorts a few times this year in terms of getting disoriented defensively. I'm not too sure whether he can continue to keep Lithers out of the team.

Another thing is that I highly doubt Schoe will be dropped. People here keep asking for it and it just doesn't happen. Gibson was being done over by Pavlich early and the wrong Lake turned up. In big games when Schoe has gone into defense he has fairly consistently kept his direct opponent in check. When the game looks like it could be slipping away and an opposition forward is getting off the leash, Clarko consistently puts Schoe back in defense. Needs to be in the 22 IMO. Of course everything is dependant on match ups but I'm fairly confident that barring further injuries, come finals time, Gibson, Lake and Schoenmakers will be in the 22 and Spangher will be an emergency.

 

[hawkheart]

Inconsistency of our back 6 is a real problem, obviously due to injuries and suspension. Do we have time in the next two games to build cohesion?

 

[Thaihawk]

Hi, sorry to drop in, I know there is this weird Big Footy 'thing' between our clubs that everyone takes very seriously.

But I am curious as to how Hawthorn fans view this game, as it seems like a 'dead rubber' to me. Geelong will win its final H&A game against BRIS. HAW will easily account for an injury depleted COLL. So the result of this game is kinda irrelevant. Barring a massive upset in rd 23, we play each other in the QF regardless of who wins this match.

Of all the games our clubs have played in recent years, the stakes seem very low in this one. Not sure what to make of its significance.

I wonder if either - or both - teams keep their powder dry. Perhaps they go the other way, and experiment a little? Is a win important psychologically? It certainly was for Geelong in 2011, when we trounced the Pies in a similar dead rubber in the last round.

Again, not sure to make of this one......

We have a big surprise in store. We are going to play the wives and girl friends, and still expect a win!

 

[becalm]

Still have no idea why Litherland was dropped. He plays great on small forwards and he can run it out the backline with ease. May not pinpoint the kick but we he takes off we gain almost 80 metres easily.......on top of that he has showed he is a very good lockdown defender.

Duryea is good but not as good as Lithers and doesn't bring any run. Lithers was needed against freo as we looked very very slow. The job Lithers did on Betts was amazing and was suprised they didnt play him on Walters who was underdone yet killed Duryea.

IN Spangher, Litherland, Ceglar, Sewell, Roughead
OUT O'Brien, Duryea, Suckling, Hale, Schoenmakers

Agree with all those changes but no way will it happen. When was the last time we had 5 changes.

 

[Siri]

Those suggesting there is nothing to play for are kidding themselves. Beat the Cats this week & all the bullshit talk about them having it over us will dissipate. I would much rather play them in the finals having recently beat them & with the media off our backs. Given their recent dominance of us you'd be lieing if you said it wasn't so! Winning form is good form "and we play to win", not just go through the paces.

 

[becalm]

If they are not going to mark it both Roughead and Gunston need to bring the ball to ground for our small crumbing forwards inside 50 and put the Geelong back six under pressure. We can't allow Taylor, Mackie and Enright to take uncontested marks time and time again. We need to look for that short option going inside our forward 50. We simply can't bomb it in long because we won't win this game that way.

Yes. Harry Taylor had 19 marks against Freo 2 weeks ago. If we bomb the ball in long I'll be put in a padded cell.

 

[becalm]

Might sound a little harsh but, these are the changes i want for this week,

Shoe ommited (nothing against him just for match ups), sucking inj, durea and o brien omitted Hale 1 last chance, you either put in and stand up or Ceglar is the man.


In: Rough, Spanger (defensive foward role on Taylor, dont let taylor mark and always make the contest to bring it down to ground level.
), Sewell and liqualand.

Yes. Like the Spangher defensive forward role on Taylor.

 

[becalm]

Well it's not as simple as that!! Doc played on Walters in rd 3 & beat him as he has many dangerous smalls in the last 2 yrs. He was beaten, however has barely trained the past 2 weeks with a calf injury. You try chasing Walters at Subi with that preparation & carrying an injury! Burgoyne & Stratton didn't do any better!!
Doc has played every game bar 1 so Gus was hardly dropped for him. Gus has rarely been put on a power forward except for Sydney & he only spent so e time on them anyway!!! I hope you never criticized Cheney as he has had to do it every game he played & is 5-6 cms shorter than Gus!
I thought Gus should have replaced Spangher so I'm not against Gus but when you have Birchall Suckling as your main rebounding backs along with hodge Mitch & Burgoyne when they are there it's not the most important thing to the team balance!! As Phil said Gus has some defensive deficiencies which are known by the coaches & players & not so obvious to the couch experts!

If Doc was under done why wasn't Litherland playing.

 

[Harper_Hawk]

There is everything to play for right now, Hawthorn are not in form. Didn't play well against Melbourne..maybe played half A good quarter in that game and played A good quarter this week with woeful conversion and a midfield that got smashed this week.

Playing into form would be a priority I would think. Particularly for players like Mitchell, Gunston, Gibson, Stratton, Hill, Hale and Lake...all look out of sorts and out of form to me. Lewis and Hodge are holding this team together at the moment. Just.

 

[Main Man]

Mitchell, Hill and Lake need to find some form if we are to win it, the rest just had an off day yesterday in my opinion, not too concerned but I want to see a respone unlike some people who are suggesting this is a nothing to play for game.

Beat them well and I have no doubt we would go into the first final with great confidence.

 

[becalm]

Clarkson is going to keep playing doc over lithers and hale over ceglar, both wrong for mine. The side is set now with only roughy and hopefully Cyril to come into the side, recent past players at the club have said the coach wants his preferred side out their right now. Cegs and lithers are only going to get in if we have injuries.

So we may lose a final because Clarkson is pig headed and stubborn. I hope his gut feelings are right.

 

[dipper86]

So we may lose a final because Clarkson is pig headed and stubborn. I hope his gut feelings are right.

Correct.

 

[macdaddio]

Talk around the town is Porkins back is giving him trouble again and may miss.. Heaps Cats fan also not happy with Varco and SJ.
I'm guesing they will all have their best game for the season this week!!

 

[spotthedot]

yes it is that simple, is that you Mrs Duryea?

If he is injured, why was he playing then?

How much run does he have? how much time does he soak up when he gets a kick? how often does he get caught unawares? how many times did he watch his player make a contest?

What's with this !!!!!!! do you think that makes your point more valid?

This is my view, it's as simple as that, like it, lump it or go and have a cry.

and he was wearing new boots and they were a bit tight!

 

[spotthedot]

Clarkson is going to keep playing doc over lithers and hale over ceglar, both wrong for mine. The side is set now with only roughy and hopefully Cyril to come into the side, recent past players at the club have said the coach wants his preferred side out their right now. Cegs and lithers are only going to get in if we have injuries.

I hope you are wrong with this call...if correct we are in the also rans for 2014!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I really want to see Litherland back in the side this week.

 

[savagelunchbox]

I wonder if we've learned from the last 11 times and not bomb the ball in time and time again? If it's taken 11x and they still haven't figured it out, I doubt they will on the 12th especially if Clarko keeps Hale in the side which is almost guaranteed.

 

[TyHawk]

Langford needs to play the Mid size defender role and stick on the likes of Motlop, Walters and Parker throughout the finals IMO. He has pace and endurance to play that role, this would allow Sewell to come in and play in the guts to give Jordy a chop out! Mitchell is worrying me the most though, he's defense is way off ATM in the stoppages and with Hill and Smith not knowing the names of their opposing players that leaves a very " unaccountable" midfield group which allows the oppo Mids to keep overlapping and basically bombing the ball deep keep the Hawks defence under immense pressure! This mindset has to change and the good news is IT CAN and It DID during the Finals last year! Watch the first half of the QF then the second half and anyone can see the distinct counter punch in that game then we did this for four qtrs in the GF as well! Hawthorn left a " vacuum" particularly at the stoppages to coax Dockers to play more daring football on the weekend but we got impatient and completely lost our way in the third term. Having said that there were some really worrying signs though!

 

[Rev08]

Shoey! Mighty boot on him!

If Shoey is allowed to run around without an opponent he will cause havok as he can kick long over zoning defenders or hit up short targets.

Just like the NM game when Hansen let him run around on his own? That worked out real well for us...

Schoe is not going have any positive impact on the rest of the season. Hopefully a big preseason will see him up and about next year, but it's just not happening this year (especially as a forward).

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Talk around the town is Porkins back is giving him trouble again and may miss.. Heaps Cats fan also not happy with Varco and SJ.
I'm guesing they will all have their best game for the season this week!!

I like Varcoe