Preview Hawks vs Cats - Ins, Outs & all other lead-up discussion

[Flag08]

I like Punky a lot but gee I'd like to see him play well against a top side. He is a bit of a flat track bully at the moment. Hope he chops up Smedts next week.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Breust was dropped in the finals for his lack of effort and lack of defensive pressure, not because he didn't goals. The coaches have been about the defensive side to his game for a couple of years now. I'd say his performance on Friday night was exactly what the coaches wanted to see from him. A couple of goals would have been nice, but a new dimension was on show on Friday night, which aids the team. He'll be a much more complete (and dangerous) player if he keeps those efforts up.

Precisely...

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

In: Shiels

Out: Breust

 

[cantos_tevez]

I don't understand why there are quite a few posters saying Suckling should be dropped??

Yes, he did a few mongrel kicks, one resulted in a goal, but I seriously think his otherwise laser field kicking gives us a huge advantage. Teams can tag him if they want, but then that will just free up another good kicker like Birchall or Guerra. I also think he has a lot of pace and can find space pretty easily.

Finally, I would also like to mention watching Matt Suckling connect his boot with the footy can be an incredibly sensual experience - just sayin.

 

[grizzlym]

Precisely...

It's the joy of the game, I guess: we all see different things. Indeed, place priorities on different aspects.

(Excuse the missing words in my previous post - on iPhone.)

 

[Roughies Boys]

IN: Shiels, Puopolo, Roughead
OUT: Osborne, Bateman, .........

I like our defense as it is. Schoenmakers to Hawkin, Boumann to Pods, Gibson to West. Maybe Roughy can play back when McCauley is rucking. McCauley vs Stephenson all the time

 

[muttweed]

So excited for this game!

Guaranteed to be a thriller!

I didn't get to watch much of the Hawks-Pies game. Why do you all want Breust out? Seems promising to me...

 

[TheFourPillars]

It's the joy of the game, I guess: we all see different things. Indeed, place priorities on different aspects.

(Excuse the missing words in my previous post - on iPhone.)

Yes i agree and for me the fact that he has improved his defensive side means he can play more of a part in the offensive press that we have on sides in our forward line. The more time it spends in there the more likely it is that we will score and the more likely it is that we will win. Who cares who kicks the goals

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Breust was dropped in the finals for his lack of effort and lack of defensive pressure, not because he didn't goals. The coaches have been about the defensive side to his game for a couple of years now. I'd say his performance on Friday night was exactly what the coaches wanted to see from him. A couple of goals would have been nice, but a new dimension was on show on Friday night, which aids the team. He'll be a much more complete (and dangerous) player if he keeps those efforts up.

Preach on brother preach on.

It is the 1%'s that will win us a flag this season. I would rather Breust create 3 turnovers in our forward 50 than kick goals. It will make us twice as dangerous.

 

[grizzlym]

Preach on brother preach on.

It is the 1%'s that will win us a flag this season. I would rather Breust create 3 turnovers in our forward 50 than kick goals. It will make us twice as dangerous.

Agreed. If he snaffles a couple of goals on top of his defensive game, I reckon Clarko will really be over the moon.

 

[SodaPop]

I do like Bruest but with the guys coming in over the next few weeks, it's difficult to see him hold his spot.

Pup, Shiels, Hodge, Roughie and Gilham.

Who gets the chop from the current barring inj & suspensions?

 

[Rioli magic]

Yes i agree and for me the fact that he has improved his defensive side means he can play more of a part in the offensive press that we have on sides in our forward line. The more time it spends in there the more likely it is that we will score and the more likely it is that we will win. Who cares who kicks the goals

Agree with everything you're saying and he could consider himself unlucky if he were dropped, but I'm not sure people are suggesting he be replaced because he didn't kick goals. I think it's just a case of people thinking Puopolo could fill that exact role you describe perhaps a bit better? (assuming fitness if that's why he was out?) It's all part of the conundrum/point of having really solid depth I suppose.

 

[Off The Couch]

IN: Shiels, Puopolo, Roughead
OUT: Osborne, Bateman, .........

I like our defense as it is. Schoenmakers to Hawkin, Boumann to Pods, Gibson to West. Maybe Roughy can play back when McCauley is rucking. McCauley vs Stephenson all the time

Pods will destroy Bouman and I don't think roughy will be bought in for this game but that's just IMO

 

[J0NNY B]

Breust was a good tackler in 2011. I still don't know the reason why it took him so long to get a game.

 

[PenAndPaper]

Er what? WhiteX was outstanding tonight. Think you may need to watch i again.

Not saying he was bad at all i was just saying i would still prefer Puopolo in the team over him if fit.

Them good drugs buddy.......

Maybe Whitecross out??? Oh man, the crap that is posted on this forum. Boumann out for balance? Murphy in for one purpose?

Only ins should come from Shiels, Hodge, Roughead, Puopolo.

All these predictions drive me acutely mad. Why do you all feel compelled to voice your opinions on every possible hypothetical?

I think I might just go to bed.....

Murphy is in for a purpose and that is to shut down Geelong's most dangerous forward and the fact is that he does that. I would never have had Boumann playing in the first place over him. The fact is that Gibson should have been All Australian fullback last year and yet we want to play him as the third tall, i say keep him full back and have Schoey who has had another year to beef up let loose in defence.

There is just no need for Boumann, we need a small defender who can actually shut down the most dangerous small forward since none of the players who played last week could...and that man is Tom Murphy.

I also like that you name 4 players who should be in without telling us your call of outs...

 

[jpzhawk]

Mccauley was servicable last week against one of the comps best rucks, this week he is up against some lesser rucks in Oral and west, i think Mccauley and Hale should go ok and give our mids some good first use of the ball. With Lingy gone aswell, that will also make a diff.
I think Shoey v Hawkins , Gibbo v Pods and swapping.
Boumann would get swallowed up by either of those. The next time we meet the Cats in round 19 , we should have Roughy and Gillham back and in form by then and that will make a HUGE difference ! they won't have anyone different up forward.
Again, this game will be won in midfield and i think we can do that. Mackie will be one thorn in stopping some avenues to goal. Not a bad player and has really improved his game over the last year. He's like their Milburn of a few years back.

 

[hawkman]

I still think Breust is the ideal sub. I would like to see Gunston start to stretch the Geelong defense next week

 

[DEECEE]

Because its a replacement game. Does anyone know what bays at the G have been reserved for hawk members?

 

[hawksfan71]

Hey we won against pies so I dont think there will be any changes, last year we didnt seem to make changes when we won, it works, we won! Unless Hodge is fit, I could see him coming in bcos he was in our last game we won against the cats, remember that day? Hodge will be in this week as it is vital for our confidence and mindset to beat the side that has beaten us ever game, every year, since 2008!!!!! And Hodge is key.

 

[MinerBoy]

I am pretty sure the winner next week will get 4 points. I am also pretty sure the loser will not be deducted 4 points. Apologies for being smart but I don't buy it when commentators talk about this 8 point game, I don't think it exists.

Some tough selection and positioning decisions to be made this week. Stratton seems to be wasted when not on a key forward.

It means we are 8 points better off against that direct side. A side likely to be vying for the same spot towards the end of the year (top 2-4).

Hawks 4
Cats 0

Hawks win = 8 v 0
Hawks lose = 4 v 4

We could be 8 points ahead of them or equal with them. 8 point game.

I realise all games only generate 4 points but the games against the sides you are jostling with for positions do tend to take on that '8 point thing' when it comes to final ladder positions.

 

[hawksfan71]

Oh and I have goosebumps just thinking of next Monday, bring it on, fire it up Buddy.....

 

[realhawk]

One thing is certain, even with scarlett being suspended the cats will still take in a side closer to full strength than us, for the 8th time since the 08 granny, and if they get up in a close one again we will know why. Shiels/poppy in , bruest out.

 

[J0NNY B]

It means we are 8 points better off against that direct side. A side likely to be vying for the same spot towards the end of the year (top 2-4).

Hawks 4
Cats 0

Hawks win = 8 v 0
Hawks lose = 4 v 4

We could be 8 points ahead of them or equal with them. 8 point game.

I realise all games only generate 4 points but the games against the sides you are jostling with for positions do tend to take on that '8 point thing' when it comes to final ladder positions.

Thanks - I also had it explained to me on the weekend. And if We win all our games for the rest of the season, and if (assuming Geelong won against Freo) Geelong also won all their games (except against us), it would mean the difference on the ladder.

Towards the end of each season commentators trying to predict the top 8 always talk about the 8 point games when two teams jostling for a position play each other. But it means nothing if you lose the next week. Freo had four 8 point games in a row at the end of last year, lost them all, and in the end only needed to win one to make the 8. I guess it was like Essendon and the Hawks both losing games towards the end of 2009, almost like both teams didn't want to play finals, until we played each other forcing one team to get the points.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

One thing is certain, even with scarlett being suspended the cats will still take in a side closer to full strength than us, for the 8th time since the 08 granny, and if they get up in a close one again we will know why. Shiels/poppy in , bruest out.

This. What we already know, or think we know...that we have a few mental weaklings, will be highlighted, and hopefully singled out.

Most matches in the past since 08, we've had them on the ropes, but like normal and like against Freo last week, they just get a run on and keep coming back. The big killer will be the area we got mauled in last week...the clearances. I can just see Selwood doing a Pendles and getting it out every time.

Last year in the early match, after we had them 6 goals down, they won an obscene amount of hard ball and it won them the match.

This is the key...and we need Sewell, Mitchell and Lewis to really harden up and beat him, because we will get done if we let them dictate it if we get a run on.

Having no Ottens helps, as he won't drift forward and kill us there...and his ruckwork will be massively missed.

This is the right time to beat them and beat them hard.

 

[kolchak]

Ossie and Whitecross aint going nowhere.

Shiels in for Bateman.

Gihlam in for Shoenmakers

Puopolo might find it hard breaking back in unless either one of Savage/Suckling/Breust is dropped.

Making way for Hodge and Roughead is going to be interesting.