Preview Hawks vs West Coast - Changes and discussion

[Dixie Flatline]

Gibbo will get the higher playing forward and will try push them up field. Schoey to get the deepest forward of Lynch and Kennedy.

I hope it's the other way around, Roughie. I'd much prefer Schoenmakers play CHB and Gibbo full-back. Teams have made it their mission to drag Schoenmakers towards goal and hope that his opponent can take the contested mark on Schoenmakers in or near the goalsquare. Hopefully Hawthorn can counteract this on Saturday night.

 

[Goody1971]

I think what Carlton have done is living proof that the NAB means nothing.
Really should look at how the Eagles finished last year. Top 4 side that no doubt will have improved aswell. We are also a top 4 side that should have improved. Yes, they have only beaten bottom 8 teams but they have destroyed them. This game is by far our biggest challenge, one that i don't think we will win due to the sheer fact it's in Perth and the crowd advantage their is huge. When they get on a roll over there they are very hard to stop and we have gone mising at times which could hurt us. Shoey is a massive liability down back, their mids are playing well and their ruck duo is top class and confident. It would take a mammoth effort to go home with the points from this game.
If you think the Eagles are nobodies because of who they have beaten, you are sorely misguided.

Don't think I said they were nobodies...they are obviously a very good team, but they haven't faced a tough test yet in the first 3 rounds of season proper, and I believe they will get one from us..

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Match-ups for me:

Gibbo on Q
Schoey on Kennedy
Stratts on Darling
Rough to go back on NicNat or Cox if they go forward

I'd give Sewell the job on Priddis. He's their most important mid for mine.

Then:

Selwood will get Mitchell
Shiels and Lewis to rotate onto Kerr to make him accountable and provide some run the other way.

I'd also play two rucks and have Hale and McCauley generally rotating off the bench with Rough at FF, to keep them fresh. If Rough goes back, then Hale can spend some time forward if needed.

 

[BigAl3001]

Need to acknowledge the home crowd factor in Perth. Undoubtedly affected the demons a couple of weeks back and the umpires were heavily influenced, the differential was 20-1 at half time. Unbelievable but true. So I think we're stuffed.

 

[sTeeL]

Hiw about watch that game instead of calling bias. The demons were atrocious

 

[Neville Bartos]

Hiw about watch that game instead of calling bias. The demons were atrocious

We've been On the wrong end of some massive free-kick differentials interstate before and still won so shouldn't use it as an excuse but it still happens.

 

[realhawk]

Anyone know if poppy will play this week or will he be at box hill, smith will probably come back for bruest and big broc may come in because the Eagles are so tall, the club wont take hodge to perth playing on a fast track like subi after missing a month with a dodgy calf.

 

[xellis]

Heres the injury report brought to you by realhawk (and Mark Evans)

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/NEWS/NewsArticle/tabid/4742/newsId/133386/Default.aspx

Poppy and McCauley available
Hodge test tomorrow
Bruest test (seems unlikely due to 6 day break)
Ellis reoccurence of a calf injury and will have a while on the sidelines

 

[lethal03]

Errrrrr was the leading forward in terms of defensive pressure in the AFL in 2011.

Stop making stuff up

 

[gohawkz1]

Doubt they'll bring in all off Hodge, McCauley, Poppy and Smith...

Maybe just Hodge & McCauley? The flight to Perth might not be the best thing for Smith's back injury...

 

[gohawkz1]

Birchall not on the injury list, so assuming he is ok to go...

 

[The Falcon Strike]

How exactly do you figure that? He was 96th for average tackles last year, well behind many other forwards.

Well most forwards would be lower in tackles purely on the basis the ball isn't there as often and not as many stoppages to obtain the close in tackles.

However - in WC's 25 years of existence, I'm not sure we've ever had a forward with such instinctive defensive pressure as Jack Darling.

I don't have stats for last year, and of course Champion Data keep things like pressure acts to themselves and the media - but I can assure you - Darling is both quick and extremely defensive minded.

 

[MinerBoy]

Darling is both quick and extremely defensive minded.

Yeah, well so's this bloke.

Good luck, should be a good one.

 

[pantskyle]

Need to acknowledge the home crowd factor in Perth. Undoubtedly affected the demons a couple of weeks back and the umpires were heavily influenced, the differential was 20-1 at half time. Unbelievable but true. So I think we're stuffed.

Yep those naughty demons couldn't play fair.

 

[Wundo]

Birchall not on the injury list, so assuming he is ok to go...

Yeah, really. I keep reading reports here and there he'll be out for a while with a knee complaint yet he's not even on the injured list. Then again, neither is Poppy. Go figure..

 

[pantskyle]

Yeah, well so's this bloke.

Good luck, should be a good one.

Even for 5 mins I would love to see that match up.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Yeah, well so's this bloke.

Good luck, should be a good one.

I'd say he is definitely quick...

For some reason - Buddy hasn't really shone at Subi - when for mine it should be a ground he excels at. Given his higher role of recent times, it will be interesting to see if he can hit the scoreboard considerably running into goal rather than at the ball to mark.

We will most likely play Emac on him when hs is forward which does concern me in so much that Emac I think should have his measure in marking duels as it really isn't Buddy's main strength - however once the ball hits the ground the man is just a freak for his build - and it's probably Emac's weakest point.

I know I'm on the hawks board, but i think the area both our sides struggle against the other top 5 sides is star quality in the midfield. Ours is by a margin the weakest, but I think Hawthorn's would be next. Of course it compares favourably against the lower tier teams - but against the top teams you guys have 1 elite player in Mitchell - WC don't really have any except for ruck combination.

Should be an interesting battlle and from a WC POV really want to see how the likes of Shuey, Selwood and Masten go when they are faced against incredibly hard midfielders like Sewell and Lewis. It's one thing running riot against the Demons, another when your opponent is desperate to get their heads over the ball.

 

[Cyril the Squirrel]

Birchall not on the injury list, so assuming he is ok to go...

 

[hodge = gun]

Huge game this week, definite horses for courses approach required

Ins: McCauley, Hodge, Smith

Outs: Bruest, Young, Cheney

Roughead to play deep back and Hodge to play across half back.

Roughead - Kennedy
Shoenmakers - Lynch
Birchall - Darling
Stratton - Resting Ruckman
Guerra - Hill
Gibson - 6th forward (play loose and go third man up as often as possible)

In the midfield I think we can match it with them provided our run and spread is at its best. Watch here for Smith, Savage, Lewis, Burgoyne, Rioli, Whitecross.

Our forward line must be unpredictable, any number of Hale, Whitecross, Rioli, Franklin, Burgoyne, Lewis, Gunston, Osborne, McCauley will find themselves down there at any time, MIX IT UP!

Finally we need a special effort from Mitchell, Sewell, Shiels, Lewis, Burgoyne and Rioli in the clearances.

I was having a good chat with a fellow Hawthorn mate early this week and he said something very interesting - he said that a job like this (going interstate to perth and winning a game against the form side of the comp) can really kick start our season and get the boys up and about, with some momentum going forward for the rest of the year.

Hopefully Hodge can come in and really set the scene PHYSICALLY early, we all know the boys would lift 10% seeing him back!

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Just a question to Hawks fans - do you think Clarkson might just concede the ruck advantage to West Coast and try to hurt us with run?

I know logic says bring Broc back in to contest the ruck - but if Hale and Roughead can do that and allows you an extra runner at Subi - it might be a better way of evening that ledger?

I'm not sure Broc is going to do much mor ein limiting the ruck influence than the other two - and Roughead in particular offers more around the ground - and all he has to focus on in the ruck is creating a nil contest.

 

[illnino]

Just a question to Hawks fans - do you think Clarkson might just concede the ruck advantage to West Coast and try to hurt us with run?

I know logic says bring Broc back in to contest the ruck - but if Hale and Roughead can do that and allows you an extra runner at Subi - it might be a better way of evening that ledger?

I'm not sure Broc is going to do much mor ein limiting the ruck influence than the other two - and Roughead in particular offers more around the ground - and all he has to focus on in the ruck is creating a nil contest.

You read my mind TFS, and I posted as much a few pages back.

I don't often agree with Mark Robinson, but they were talking ruckmen the other night on 360, and Mark said something along the lines of that in 12 weeks time we'll all be talking about Roughead when we're talking the best rucks in the comp.

The guys second and third effort's in the middle are amazing. He also has great disposal by hand and foot so has the ability to set up many forward forays for us, which he's already started to do and do well.

I'm not necessarily against bringing BMac back, he's done well thus far, I'm just not sure which way Clarko will go.

 

[Shupe]

I think you guys should go with the extra runner. No need for Broc.

You guys will probably win this week, I expect the Eagles to get found out a little bit after an extended pre season (Bulldogs, Melb and GWS). First real competition for the year, after you guys have already had good battles with Collingwood and Geelong. I just think we will be lacking some touch.

Can't wait to see Franklin and Rioli live. Love your team.

 

[Roughies Boys]

They said Poppy could have played last week, but they were cautious so it looks like there sounding on the lines of him coming straight back in.

 

[Mojo]

Always been a lot of amicable love between Eagles and Hawks supporters on Big Footy.

Love makes the world go round.

 

[WWSD]

IN: McCauley Puopolo Smith
OUT: Breust (Concussion) Cheney Young

B: Guerra Roughead Gibson
HB: Stratton Schoenmakers Birchall
C: Smith Mitchell Lewis
HF: Burgoyne Franklin Whitecross
F: Puopolo Hale Rioli
R: McCauley Sewell Shiels

INT: Savage Gunston Suckling Osborne (Sub)

EMG: Bateman Young Cheney

I don't know if Hodge will play this week, again I could be wrong. I hope he plays, wouldn't be surprised to see either one of Young or Cheney keep their spot in team for this week.