Autopsy Hawks vs Saints - tear it apart here

[HR Roughnstuf]

I prefer strawberry, actually.

I love that Simpsons ep where homer checks 3 boxes of ice cream and they all have strawberry. 'Marge we need more chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream!'

 

[Hawker55]

A few guys weren't great yesterday, even Cyril was poor.

It's not a game that many of us will look back fondly on but we are in touch with everyone else. We are only percentage off top spot.
We achieved what we had to.

I thought Cyril staged a bit yesterday. NOthing too crazy, but a few times he set up to play for the free well before the ball reached him.

 

[Pessimistic]

I wasn't overly impressed with Hartungs game yesterday. Has no defensive side to his game, struggled to lay or stick a tackle and his decision making isn't flash. I don't know if there will be room for him when Hill returns

Might need a freshen up

Gee if box hill het him back theyll be formidable

 

[JustKickIt]

Has to stop his one arm bullshit. I know he is slight but you aren't going to tackle anyone with a lazy stretch of the arm. Atleast put your 35 kilogram frame into it and run into them.

Didnt he badly hyper-extend his elbow tackling someone last year..... or was that the year before? I wonder which arm that was?

 

[Gralin]

Didnt he badly hyper-extend his elbow tackling someone last year..... or was that the year before? I wonder which arm that was?

2014 he injured his elbow sticking a tackle on Glass from WC, whether it's him or team instructions he's been a lot less willing to wrap players up since that injury

 

[SSSSSS]

2014 he injured his elbow sticking a tackle on Glass from WC, whether it's him or team instructions he's been a lot less willing to wrap players up since that injury

Might just be down on confidence. I guess some players do respond differently. Breust got the shit knocked out of him and went from a timid small forward to a tackling chasing machine with the potential to hurt.

 

[Great 2008]

Mitchell did the work of three midfielders today. That is how terrible our midfield division this year.

Howe and Hartung too fumbly. Suck on that you H campaigners. S's for life. Sicily was good again and Smith provided something for 4 quarters for the first time this year. Stratton was one of our best on in the 1st half but lowered his colours in the second half. I'll give him a pass mark.

Shiels is still not ready. Ditto Hodge. Neither looked 100%.

Breust cost us about 3 goals. Thank god for Pop.

We didn't deserve to win this game. Sammys face said it all. Very lucky but you have to win ugly sometimes.

Just got back from Launceston. The best atmosphere at Aurora in the last quarter for a while.

Very lucky. We miss the big fwd bods in Rough and Hale atm. You can outbody TOB with a Blower-VAC. We are finding it a bit hard to score atm. We have to work really hard.

Howe was fumbly. Hodge a few howlers (was not right). Hartungs first instinct a few times when was winning a contested ball was to brace for impact. Not sure how you can fix that?

Poppy was up there with Sammy for work rate for the day - unreal.

The side may miss Hill more than we think. He is very good in our link up play which was just spluttering along all game.

Despite not being at out or best everybody seemed to be working hard which was great.

As for Sammy I was surrounded by quiet a few Saints supporters and they all talked about how brilliant Sammy is at some point during the game. Glad I got to see that one, Sam was huge.

 

[Blaze Storm]

Just got back from Launceston. The best atmosphere at Aurora in the last quarter for a while.

Very lucky. We miss the big fwd bods in Rough and Hale atm. You can outbody TOB with a Blower-VAC. We are finding it a bit hard to score atm. We have to work really hard.

Agreed. TOB and Sicily are both handy half-forwards (moreso Sicily) but unfortunately we need a full forward.

 

[S Lawrence]

Let's not get too depressed that we have a pack of duds after a grinding come-from-behind win, and lose site of the big-picture - proving for once and for all our ultimate GOAT status by five-peating! The Saints game was the perfect result because it taught our kids so much.

2016 was always going to be the tough one - up and comers leaving through lack of opportunity (Jed, Mitch), kids not getting senior games so that we could lock in the three-peat (TOB, Sicily, Litherland, JOR, Billy, Langford, Howe), lack of first-round draft picks. But Clarko has proven we can rebuilds without falling off a cliff as we did in 09 - 11. The only difference this time is we need to keep winning flags during the mini-rebuild! The club's deliberate strategy last draft was to bring in youth, and Burton, Hardwick and Lovell are clearly the new Buddy, Rough and Mitchell. Meanwhile at least a couple of our 2-4 yearers will make it - Doc's success is the perfect example.

If we can just get through this transition period with a fourth flag, bring in a couple more established guns, and have our latest set of draftees fulfill their potential who knows how many flags in a row we may achieve! Current betting has us at favourite to four-peat - this is not dreaming, this is here and now!

 

[TheFourPillars]

Its a long season guys all we need is the 4 points remember we coming from 5+ weeks behind some of our opponents. We have also had players coming back from injury. We are still winning extremely happy with where we are at with some of our kids getting some real football exposure

 

[cuttlefish]

I'm very happy with who we've beaten so far this season. Huge game against Crows coming up. Should be a belter !!

 

[Changa10]

I don't know what it is about Launceston, it seem a damn big ground, it seems as big as the MCG but it always produces crowded, hectic games. There's very little open play.

I've been there a few times and have not been able to figure it out: is it the fact that other teams crowd our forward line? Or because we play lower teams down there and they come for a scrap?



Please note: I didn't criticise the weather ...

I think that when it is windy up there (and MOST games are) it affects the game more than it would say at the G. Usually the wind comes from the South or South East, and the grandstands on that side are quite low so don't provide a lot of protection.

It looked like Under 10's a few times yesterday, as everyone was around the footy, and all on one side of the ground, congesting it greatly. I'd say this was a St Kilda tactic to try and deny us outside footy. Worked well for them.

We got some horrid bounces etc too, just didn't seem to get the good bounce or be in the right spots for spoils very often either.

Anyhow, take the four points and lift a gear for the Crows on Friday.

 

[MightyHawks86]

I'm happy we've been able to get the wins in a close couple of games. Wasn't the case in the first few rounds last year.

Of course, I'd prefer handing out shellackings

 

[Lord_Espos]

I'm happy with 3 and 1. Gives us time to work into some better form and fitness.

We are still miles ahead of the rest of the competition.

When it gets to the pointy end of the season our intensity ramps up and we smash everyone. No reason to see that's going to change this year.

 

[Hawk-in-syd]

Got the 4 points. Think clarko is trying a few things, moving players around. Noticed lithers way up the ground. Got the kids some more game time and seen where their at. Expecting coaches will be identifying weaknesses and rotating a few through BH. Get a top 4 finish, have the squad ready for September.

 

[moginie]

After watching the replay I want Howe to stay in for Friday's game. I reckon he learnt as much from yesterday as he had from his previous 5 games. It's a tough gig this AFL lark but he played all over the ground, made some tackles, made some blues & overall worked his arse off.

The kid is a keeper. Sicily did well too, and TOB definitely showed glimpses. It's easy to be more lenient after a win, but they deserve another shot next week. If they don't get selected - well there will be reasons for that.

And I won't be upset if Brand gets a callup either.

 

[Davo23]

I'm happy we've been able to get the wins in a close couple of games. Wasn't the case in the first few rounds last year.

Of course, I'd prefer handing out shellackings

Also, in both our close wins, we've come from behind in the last quarter.

Those are pretty impressive wins.

 

[Chubberson]

Tim O looks a decent reader of play. Dunno if it was just me but he also seems to have bit of toe for a big guy. Certainly showed a bit.

 

[Off The Couch]

Adam H has totally lost the plot in the blaming the umpire thread
At this rate he is going to be in a straight jacket by morning

 

[WillowSF]

You did not say Lewis? Once in a generation? Standard good mid, dime a dozen. Get Armitage in our side and he plays the Lewis role just as well, get Cunnington in and the same, get Barlow in and the same. All these guys are good mids, not once in a generation type.

That's a harsh assessment. Jordan Lewis has been very very good for us. Him, Buddy & Rough all coming in at the same time was very important to this sustained period of success.

 

[JoeHawk]

You did not say Lewis? Once in a generation? Standard good mid, dime a dozen. Get Armitage in our side and he plays the Lewis role just as well, get Cunnington in and the same, get Barlow in and the same. All these guys are good mids, not once in a generation type.

Yes Lewis. Between 2008 and now he was an essential part of that group.

 

[MinerBoy]

Adam H has totally lost the plot in the blaming the umpire thread
At this rate he is going to be in a straight jacket by morning

Him, Plugger, gosaints...

Saints supporters. It must be a hard thing.

 

[MinerBoy]

That's a harsh assessment. Jordan Lewis has been very very good for us. Him, Buddy & Rough all coming in at the same time was very important to this sustained period of success.

Not only was it harsh, it was rubbish.

 

[JustKickIt]

Got the 4 points. Think clarko is trying a few things, moving players around. Noticed lithers way up the ground. Got the kids some more game time and seen where their at. Expecting coaches will be identifying weaknesses and rotating a few through BH. Get a top 4 finish, have the squad ready for September.

Do you reckon Gibbo was just rested or actually had an issue? I guess we will never know.

 

[JustKickIt]

Adam H has totally lost the plot in the blaming the umpire thread
At this rate he is going to be in a straight jacket by morning

Is there a thread on how they lost the game by missing an easy shot at goal in the last couple of minutes?