Analysis Hawthorn rebuild: are they tanking?

[Kane McGoodwin]

What’s this then?

Clearly a winning combination... capable of taking the Hawks to 18th place.

 

[Philhawk]

Clearly a winning combination... capable of taking the Hawks to 18th place.

You know I’ve been a fan of yours for years, Kane but surely you're joking here…

Result tonight another good example of our talented young midfield growing with each week - but also showing their inexperience and youth.

Midfield was fantastic for a half, then faded badly. They’ll be better for it with time and experience.

Our midfield is literally the least of our concerns.

 

[BuddysBiggestFan]

Tanking?

No

We just suck

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

You know I’ve been a fan of yours for years, Kane but surely you're joking here…

Result tonight another good example of our talented young midfield growing with each week - but also showing their inexperience and youth.

Midfield was fantastic for a half, then faded badly. They’ll be better for it with time and experience.

Our midfield is literally the least of our concerns.

Just stirring your colleague... who doesn't rate my side at all.

He thought Nicks would be sacked by mid-season.

Yes, agree the main issue is overall inexperience & forward line is more of an issue than your midfield.

 

[Outtatym]

They were great tonight if they were tanking

 

[STPer18]

West Coast were starting to give them a bit of a scare but they responded well tonight.

 

[boncer34]

What’s this then?

Delusion

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Just stirring your colleague... who doesn't rate my side at all.

He thought Nicks would be sacked by mid-season.

Yes, agree the main issue is overall inexperience & forward line is more of an issue than your midfield.

I didn't "think" he'd lose his job, I said "Crows have a hard draw, they could lose a bunch of games early, Nicks could be in trouble by the halfway mark" - you lost your mind, and you're still crying about it.
It doesn't matter how many times it's explained to you, you can't actually comprehend what was written and now you're squealing about it in here.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Delusion

No, still the strongest part of our game.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Mitch Lewis is not the Messiah for that forward line. Discuss.

But seriously Round 10 the Harley Reid Cup should be interesting.

 

[Cursed Cat]

No, still the strongest part of our game.

You're a blue sky, green shoots kinda guy Strapping Young Lad - gotta hand it to you.

You'd have been happy for Jaeger tonight no doubt; best game at his new club.

 

[FS25]

Nah - people who say they're tanking haven't been paying enough attention to the evolution of the game these last few years. Managing player loads throughout the year is extremely important so that the team's still fresh in September. You don't have to go too far for an example - just look at Geelong last year. Sure, CJ and Breust could have helped a little in this one, but flags aren't won in May. By doing it this way, their most important players should be free of any niggles when the real stuff starts.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Mitch Lewis is not the Messiah for that forward line. Discuss.

But seriously Round 10 the Harley Reid Cup should be interesting.

Mitch Lewis is a good key forward to build around, no doubt there.
Not the Messiah, no, but he'd get a game at nearly every club.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Mitch Lewis is a good key forward to build around, no doubt there.
Not the Messiah, no, but he'd get a game at nearly every club.

Yeah they needed to keep Gunston. Good player but they have problems everywhere.

 

[boncer34]

No, still the strongest part of our game.

Not a high bar to jump right now

 

[Cursed Cat]

Nah - people who say they're tanking haven't been paying enough attention to the evolution of the game these last few years. Managing player loads throughout the year is extremely important so that the team's still fresh in September. You don't have to go too far for an example - just look at Geelong last year. Sure, CJ and Breust could have helped a little in this one, but flags aren't won in May. By doing it this way, their most important players should be free of any niggles when the real stuff starts.

had me going there for a sec ...

I've said it before; Hawthorn tanked it before the season even began.

They chose to get worse.

They are totally bereft of leadership on the field and it will be more and more telling as the year crawls along and the losses mount.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Not a high bar to jump right now

Peaks and troughs with young sides, like I said last week. If you don't get reward for effort, the effort can drop away.

8 shots on goal from 32 inside 50's at one point(26%) tonight, while Freo were running at 75% for half the game.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

You're a blue sky, green shoots kinda guy Strapping Young Lad - gotta hand it to you.

You'd have been happy for Jaeger tonight no doubt; best game at his new club.

Love Jaeger. Had been disappointing for Freo so far this year, but played his best game tonight.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

H

Mitch Lewis is a good key forward to build around, no doubt there.
Not the Messiah, no, but he'd get a game at nearly every club.

He would get a game at every club. Plays a full season last year he's kicking 50 plus goals. The problem is there's nobody else down there remotely threatening except for an aging Breust. We have barely any decent talls on the list. All our senior players in key position posts are undersized except for Lewis. I'd be tempted to draft the best Key position player in the draft over Harley Reid. That's how dire things are.

 

[lordbob]

Nah - people who say they're tanking haven't been paying enough attention to the evolution of the game these last few years. Managing player loads throughout the year is extremely important so that the team's still fresh in September. You don't have to go too far for an example - just look at Geelong last year. Sure, CJ and Breust could have helped a little in this one, but flags aren't won in May. By doing it this way, their most important players should be free of any niggles when the real stuff starts.

in 2026*

 

[SSSSSS]

Yeah they needed to keep Gunston. Good player but they have problems everywhere.

We tried. He was the only one we legitimately wanted to keep.

 

[Cursed Cat]

H
He would get a game at every club. Plays a full season last year he's kicking 50 plus goals. The problem is there's nobody else down there remotely threatening except for an aging Breust. We have barely any decent talls on the list. All our senior players in key position posts are undersized except for Lewis. I'd be tempted to draft the best Key position player in the draft over Harley Reid. That's how dire things are.

can't argue with any of that.
tough spot, list-wise.

might have to have a crack at big Esava.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

We tried. He was the only one we legitimately wanted to keep.

Can't blame him. Happier place to finish his career at Brisbane than grinding it out in a bottom 4 team.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Lost by 12 goals but won the centre clearances by 5. A successful night.

Pats on the back all round.

 

[Red Bull]

Has DGB been dropped twice now this season ?
If he can’t get a game in front of Frost it’s got to be very concerning.
Even the highest draft picks don’t come with guarantees of making the grade …