Preview Hawks vs West Coast - Changes and discussion

[madhawksfan]

West Coast's soft draw may be our biggest advantage this week. Eagles have played 3 sides with 0 wins between them. The game against the Crows showed what a difference there is between the pressure applied by the top sides and the rest of the comp. Crows looked like a million dollars until they came up against our pressure. I know WC are a better side than Adelaide but it will be interesting to see how they go against our midfield.

They haven't been dominating the clearances as much as would be expected against the opposition they have faced despite having the best ruck combo in the comp. If we can break even from the clearances we should have enough class through the middle to win.

In terms of changes, they should be minimal:

In: Hodge, McCauley (Puopolo maybe)
Out: Bruest, Cheney (Gunston- unlucky but can't go in too tall)

 

[Thaihawk]

Cannot understand the call by some to drop Gunston. He dropped some easy grabs, but would be suited to Patterson Oval, and needs more game time. I'd like to see Hill, Smith, and McCauley and Bouman (if Birch doesn't come up) This, of course is assumong Hodge and Poupolo are not ready.

Changes. Hill > Bruest
Smith > Ozzie
Bouman > Birch - if unable.
McCauley > Not sure, but I think we need him against The Eagles. Would hate to be a selector, bound to upset some, and it will get harder with Hodge and Pop back.

Good problems, and great depth.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Boumann is not as good as Shoey at body contact positioning. I would say Shoey is stronger in the body than Boumann at present.

b-man a chance to play on the resting rucks perhaps? He has the height, as much as anyone we have does anyway.

 

[Buddy Guy]

Cannot understand the call by some to drop Gunston. He dropped some easy grabs, but would be suited to Patterson Oval, and needs more game time. I'd like to see Hill, Smith, and McCauley and Bouman (if Birch doesn't come up) This, of course is assumong Hodge and Poupolo are not ready.

Changes. Hill > Bruest
Smith > Ozzie
Bouman > Birch - if unable.
McCauley > Not sure, but I think we need him against The Eagles. Would hate to be a selector, bound to upset some, and it will get harder with Hodge and Pop back.

Good problems, and great depth.

Cant agree more on your comments re Gunston TH.
We are not "too tall" going in with Gunston, yes he is "tall" but he moves likes a midfielder, given time he is going to be an absolute beauty.

 

[RIOLIUSTAR]

The calls for Norman to be dropped...WTF

He needs game time for the big picture and Subi will suit him perfectly. Oh and he can play abit

Boumann also will be handy this week I feel, could play on there resting rucks and provide plenty of run, again he needs game time for the big picture.

 

[Roughies Boys]

Birchall - Had a corky & will play.

OUT: Breust, Unlucky Young.....

IN: Hodge, McCauley, Smith (Maybe)

Is two for three alright.

 

[Buddy Guy]

Birchall - Had a corky & will play.

OUT: Breust, Unlucky Young.....

IN: Hodge, McCauley, Smith (Maybe)

Is two for three alright.

With respect, but HTF do you know?

 

[HawksILove]

I love to see Bradley Hill play, he will give us a lot of speed around the ground

 

[illnino]

Hard task this week...

Out: Breust, Osborne, Young
In: Hodge, Puopolo, Hill

 

[HawksILove]

Hard task this week...

Out: Breust, Osborne, Young
In: Hodge, Puopolo, Hill

Great ins and outs

 

[twentythree]

With respect, but HTF do you know?

I reckon i saw Birch cop a knee to his thigh in the third quarter.....

And maybe they should stick with Youngy for a couple more weeks to give him a chance to show us what he can do?? continuity

 

[jr4jane2004]

Outs: Cheney, Ozzie, Breust
Ins: Big Broc, El Capitan Hodge, Izzy
Sub: Super Sub Savage

Reasons:

Need Big Broc/Hale to nullify the best ruck combination in the game Coxy and Nick Nat. Chaney will have to make way, had a good game last week though.
Hodgey to come in for Ozzie, who looks to have lost form. Boxhill should fix that.
Breust - great courage son, Izzy the human gazzelle will come in to partner with Youngie in the wing.
Roughie at CHB

 

[Roughies Boys]

I don't think Hill's time has come yet....

Updated:

OUT: Breust (Concussed), Osborne, Cheney/Young (Omitted)

IN: Hodge, Smith (Maybe), McCauley

Who played better Cheney or Young?

 

[PenAndPaper]

garbage, we need plenty of run at Subi and he fits the bill perfectly...other than Smith he is our best runner by a country mile both in distance and pace

Choosing a player purely for their run is unnecessary when we have enough of these players that are an option, who are better players in Young, Shiels, Savage, Smith

 

[Dewnior]

We lose a runner if we bring Broc back in and I think we'll need the extra tall against the Eagles.

Anyone know how Max is coming along?

 

[Leather Poisoning]

We lose a runner if we bring Broc back in and I think we'll need the extra tall against the Eagles.

Anyone know how Max is coming along?

Had a chat to Max at half time in the Frank Grey bar yesterday - 'coming along okay, still a few weeks away' is all he'd say.

Such a ripping guy, has one of those ridiculously deep voices. His wrist only had light strapping on it.

EDIT: and no, he wasn't drinking.

 

[savagelunchbox]

Dunno why posters are calling for Boumann to play on the resting ruck? He'll get monstered by both rucks' size and strength and Nat is far more athletic than Boumann. Team defense is what will win us the game.

 

[xellis]

Broc has to play for mine. Jacobs was pretty dominant in the ruck on the weekend so I hate to imagine what Cox and Naitanui will do.

The defensive unit will really have to be on their game to give each other a chop out, the Eagles forwards will definitely stretch us.

 

[The Kipster]

Choosing a player purely for their run is unnecessary when we have enough of these players that are an option, who are better players in Young, Shiels, Savage, Smith

Young: shirks contests and is not hard enough at the ball...he was terrible

Shiels: Is good for distance not for pace off the mark

Savage: good pace and distance

Smith: pace and distance

Subi oval requires more gut runners than most other ovals, for this reason and his performances in BH have Hill far in front of Dasher...IMO

 

[grizzlym]

Young: shirks contests and is not hard enough at the ball...he was terrible

Shiels: Is good for distance not for pace off the mark

Savage: good pace and distance

Smith: pace and distance

Subi oval requires more gut runners than most other ovals, for this reason and his performances in BH have Hill far in front of Dasher...IMO

And, hopefully, Pup. He and Smith are our best runners, bringing the ball out. Both vital to our best line-up.

 

[Roughies Boys]

I think Boumann should come into help kill the high ball, or Josh Kennedy will be very annoying to watch!

 

[JordanWCE]

Give Hilly a run!!

 

[jesterwester]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say by Wednesday there will be an article along the lines of:

"Worsfold/Glass believe not just one player can stop Franklin but a team defence will be required. Multiple opponents to play on Franklin but the real key to stopping the superstar is by shutting down the Hawthorn midfield"

I think you're more likely to hear that from glass/mackenzie/Schofield from us (or whoever we get to front the media) than woosha. He is very much Johnny tightlips during the week.

Onto the game, should be a absolute cracker, wishing an awesome game with no injuries.

Am wondering for a hawks supporters opinion, is there a particular matchup that you would be looking to exploit? Whether that be freeing up Gibson v lynch/Kennedy/darling in the backing or franklin v Mackenzie, or something in the middle such as Lewis v Shuey?

 

[rich_hawk]

Wondering what people's thoughts regarding Shaun Burgoyne are? I am by no means suggesting he is under performing or should be dropped (I think he's been in our better players this year), but he is a shadow of his former self. Is it to do with his knee, or his age? Or possibly just the role he plays in the team? This guy used to be pretty much in the top five in the comp, a complete jet, and at (just) 29/30, he's not even relevant when talking about current top players in the comp.

 

[Brant]

Hard task this week...

Out: Breust, Osborne, Young
In: Hodge, Puopolo, Hill

Brilliant work Illnino - I like it.

Would you consider BigMac to come in though?

They will play 2 ruckmen (Cox & NicNat) & both will maul Hale & Roughy & will likely blow them up running around the ground. No way they can rest at FF after playing in the ruck against those two - Glass would eat them alive... They must get off the ground for a break & leave our forward line smaller & quicker - otherwise we're gone.

I think this really is a game when Roughy has to play defence & as such we will need 2 genuine ruckmen to play in the ruck. Priddis gets 80 kicks a week as it is. If their ruckmen get free reign & we have 1 x 2nd Ruck (Hale) & 1 x part-timer in Roughy & no big defender we will be 4 goals down at Qtr time.

Even if all BigMac & Hale achieve is to make contests around the ground then they will have done a whole lot more than a Ruck/Forward (Hale) & a Forward/Ruck/Defending Swingman (Roughy) will have done.

If this is the case then I would go:

Outs: Young Osborne Cheney Breust
Ins: Hodge Popeye BigMac Smith

We all know there is no way we will make 4 changes, but hell, our team would look brilliant with those 4 inclusions. I guess it depends on fitness though - no way Hodge or Popeye will come in if they don't have the miles in their legs.

If Hodge doesn't get up then we better hope that Breust is fit. Breust is obviously no Hodge but he is a lot harder & more defensive than Young & a lot more creative & effective (at the moment) than Ossie.