Ultimate Glory Hawthorn blue sky discussion thread 2024

[Strapping Young Lad]

This year we’re going to have a particular place for positivity. A thread where you can come and feel all warm and fuzzy about the Hawks, no matter what.

It’s not for naysayers or doomsters who turn up in most other threads to question a players worth or form, it’s for posters who are seeing something they like, highlighting the positives and just general blue sky thoughts.

I’ve already seen lots of posters talking about how they’re excited about the draftees and the growth in the list. More of that is what this thread is all about.

Note: the thread will be moderated accordingly, and posts that are only made to post fun at the thread or talk down the positivity will be removed.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Bump?

 

[HeHateMe]

Really like Worpel and Newcombe on the weekend. We are going to have a very powerful midfield for the next decade with these 2.

 

[extractasam]

I’m saying the f word if we beat gws in 2 weeks

 

[Steven Tyler]

I’m saying the f word if we beat gws in 2 weeks

Faaaaark!

 

[BlueWaterHawk]

Faaaaark YEAH!

FIFY

 

[HeHateMe]

Go back 12 months and we were so disfunctional without Lewis and Sic. This year Sic has missed 2 in the last month and Lewis most if the season but we have managed. This is huge step forward for our group.

 

[Mr Lizard]

There is good vibes with this team of Hawks. I am feeling the love.

 

[LRobbo]

I reckon this is the year before the year.
Starting to show we can mix it with anyone, should have 4 wins on the trot.
Still the occasional bad day, but our best stacks up against most sides best.
Draft well, trade well again and finals should be on the agenda from 2025 onwards.

Should win 10 games this year

 

[threesixpio]

Midfield was horrible early in the year but has now returned to where it was last year. Cam McK’s outside receiving and clean kicking is a sight to behold.

My main excitement leading into this year was seeing all the new forwards. Couldn’t be happier with Ginnivan and Chol who are massive upgrades from Cosi and Brockman.

Frosty has had a brilliant year along with Scrimmer. Weddle is steadily becoming awesome.

Meek and Dear’s rise was completely unexpected and makes me rather happy.

 

[Philhawk]

Honestly, I expected gradual improvement from our youth so while comforting, I just assumed it would happen.

It’s the guys like Meek, Chol, Dimma who have me particularly excited. That’s the sign of quality coaching, when the guys you DONT expect to shine are burning brighter than you ever thought.

Thrilled with our slow development.

 

[Gene Simmons]

I predicted that 2024 would be an almost season for the Hawks.. We'd get to the end and look back and be able to pin point 3 or 4 losses that if we had won, we'd be in the top 8... And this would spring board our finals goal for 2025 and beyond.

So far we have accumulated 2 of those losses, Pies & Power which had we won we'd be sitting just one game outside the 8..

Loving our development and the plan, with the addition of 1 or 2 quality FA's there is no reason why a return to Finals in 2025 won't be our goal.

 

[tommyk72]

I predicted that 2024 would be an almost season for the Hawks.. We'd get to the end and look back and be able to pin point 3 or 4 losses that if we had won, we'd be in the top 8... And this would spring board our finals goal for 2025 and beyond.

So far we have accumulated 2 of those losses, Pies & Power which had we won we'd be sitting just one game outside the 8..

Loving our development and the plan, with the addition of 1 or 2 quality FA's there is no reason why a return to Finals in 2025 won't be our goal.

I'd add Essendon to that.

 

[Cyril says]

The club and team seems the happiest I’ve seen them for a very very long time.

And we are playing fun-to-play and fun-to-watch footy.

Talent is going to want to join us again - perhaps especially from soulless black holes like Freo and the Saints.

Things are looking up!

 

[Nugett]

What I’m liking is the building of versatility in the team. Amon is now wing/hfb. Hardwick is now forward/back. Sicily can also play back/forward. Weddle will become a weapon. Bring in Battle next year, who can also play back/forward we start to become totally unpredictable with our set ups.

It was one of our huge reason for our 3 peat, it was our versatility. Burgoyne could play just about anywhere. Mitchell spent time in the middle or down back, Roughead was predominantly half forward, but was just as effective in the ruck/midfield who also started down back. Hodge before he became “The General” down back was effective in the midfield who could kick crucial goals. We had that ability that we could adapt if we lost a crucial player as another would step up. Starting to see it with this new crop. Very exciting times.

 

[Nugett]

This is what we are building towards…

 

[CD Xbow]

Very blue skies as we have a forward line. How much better is the footy when you have effective forwards? Over 12 months brilliant recruiting has given us a potential A grade forward line. All could be real champs. It's a fantastic position to be in.

 

[Manila_Hawk]

I must say, it's quite pleasurable visiting the board these days... Now that we have won a couple.

Dusting off and nuking the planet from orbit seemed to be our only option a month ago.

 

[mustang]

I have always felt this year is the 2006 of the 2008 flag, we won 9 games that year so we need 5 more wins which may happen, was never a finals this year, did I think we were 2004 when things were going bad yes but I started the year with finals next year.

With 2025 us pushing into finals in the hope we win at least a game to give the group a taste.

Hopefully we have got games in McCabe by season’s end also for a big 2025 for him.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

There is youth excitement on every line:

Forwards:

• Dear - kicking goals from day one.
• Watson - peppering away and it'll click eventually
• Ginni (He's only 21!) and is super creative and has a good footy mind

Mids:

• Newcombe (he's only 22!)
• Day (He's only 22!)
• MacKenzie - already doing some sweet sweet things
• CMac - a little hot and cold but it's slowly coming together
• D'Ambrosio - laughing all the way to the bank here.

Defense:

• Weddle - Sam has trialled him as a long down defender even though he would rip the comp as a running wing or HB. He's an absolute gun
• Shammy - bit of a chaos agent but he's got some real chops.

These 10 guys have every excuse in the world to be inconsistent. But I'm loving watching all of them. There are a few more waiting in the wings but these are the guys I get genuinely excited about for the future. This is the new core.

Seeing Scrimshaw reinvented as a CHB is pretty awesome. Any player that reinvents themselves has a mental strength and determination that shows some great signs. Hardwick now a switch man. Chol playing with freedom and confidence is awesome (seriously - finding players that big that have actual hand-eye coordination is such a rare find), and Meek coming from nowhere. There's our spine!

And of course - CJ (speed and creativity), Sicily (defensive skill and offensive kicking), Amon(laser beams) are just a joy to watch for their elite traits.

Even in the losses I love watching this team.

 

[Manila_Hawk]

To add to my earlier comment, I'm very happy that the sky is blue.

But I'm even seeing positive comments about Slobbo in the media thread. We may have over-corrected.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

The games in the lead up to the bye are so crucial. Adelaide is a team about a year ahead of us in the rebuild but has not performed as they’d have liked this year but are finding form. We have GWS at UTAS - we are due to bloody beat them and being in Launceston should give us an edge. Then we have Richmond at the G - if they’re still struggling and we play at our best we might get a nice percentage. I think a finals berth will be dependent on winning these 3 games.

With the ladder so tight this year, heading into the bye at 7W 7L and a percentage just shy of 90 would be a good bedrock for a big second half of the season where we play WCE, Richmond and Norf. We win those 6 games - then finals probably require 13-14 wins and that would have us on 10 overall.

Its a big effort and a young side will inevitably lose games they shouldn’t and win games they’re not fancied in so it’s all hard to predict. While I think 2025 is still the better bet - I’d love to see this side go hard and try and squeeze in this year and let the league know we’re coming.

 

[mustang]

The games in the lead up to the bye are so crucial. Adelaide is a team about a year ahead of us in the rebuild but has not performed as they’d have liked this year but are finding form. We have GWS at UTAS - we are due to bloody beat them and being in Launceston should give us an edge. Then we have Richmond at the G - if they’re still struggling and we play at our best we might get a nice percentage. I think a finals berth will be dependent on winning these 3 games.

With the ladder so tight this year, heading into the bye at 7W 7L and a percentage just shy of 90 would be a good bedrock for a big second half of the season where we play WCE, Richmond and Norf. We win those 6 games - then finals probably require 13-14 wins and that would have us on 10 overall.

Its a big effort and a young side will inevitably lose games they shouldn’t and win games they’re not fancied in so it’s all hard to predict. While I think 2025 is still the better bet - I’d love to see this side go hard and try and squeeze in this year and let the league know we’re coming.

The media are starting to talk about us as one of the teams that could make a run like blues and lions did last year, as they only had 4 wins at the same time last year, and making the prem final and grand final.

 

[Nugett]

Finals…