Analysis Hawthorn rebuild: are they tanking?

[Strapping Young Lad]

Mitchell would be combing the ranks for some leadership potential.
Sicily has always been an undisciplined player and once again set the tone early last night with a petulant 50m penalty.
Manning up and chasing aren’t really to his liking either.
As senior players in defence last night, Sicily and Frost were appalling.
Mitchell would be desperate for DGB to show something … anything …

You lay it on so thick that all I can do is laugh every time you post at how desperately you will do anything but think about your own club.

 

[Red Bull]

He's not the future. But he (and Nash) are more experienced, maturer bodies that can be used in the midfield rotations to help take the pressure off younger, more talented players.

Mitchell obviously feels this is a better way to develop them than with Mitchell and O’Meara. I was critical of it at the time, but for now I think he’d be happy with how this is panning out.

Worpel was a turnover machine last night as usual.
Was Mackenzie going that badly ?

 

[NetworkNerd]

I doubt anybody on the current Hawks list will feature in their next finals campaign. Decade of bottom 6 to come

 

[freddy mercury]

We actually have a spine. Mitchell just doesn't want to play them and would rather Frost and his stuff ups and Sicily with his loose checking half arsed efforts. I love Sic but am getting sick and tired of him lining up at a key post instead of what he should be doing. The Tom Stewart role. Don't mind Scrimshaw forward TBH. Can take a mark and is tall enough to warrant a tallish defender. Needs to continue with it moving forward.

He's not a very good defender at all. He is best when he plays on the 4th or 5th forward or just plays unaccountable football, which he is sort of doing now

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

He's not a very good defender at all. He is best when he plays on the 4th or 5th forward or just plays unaccountable football, which he is sort of doing now

Are you talking about Sicily?

 

[VinnieB]

I doubt anybody on the current Hawks list will feature in their next finals campaign. Decade of bottom 6 to come

This competition is structured for that not to happen. So, I think you’re wrong here.

 

[freddy mercury]

Are you talking about Sicily?

Yeah, watching last night and previous games he seems to always be behind or nowhere near a direct opponent. But apparent he has lost only 13% of 1v1 contests. I'd love to see how many goals his direct opponents have scored and been apart of scores.

He's always 3 meters behind or nowhere near it.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

He's not a very good defender at all. He is best when he plays on the 4th or 5th forward or just plays unaccountable football, which he is sort of doing now

Is Tom Stewart a good defender? Or just elite at what he does?. That's the point I'm making. He doesn't play on the big boys because he doesn't have to or need to. Were asking Sicily to do something he shouldn't be doing because we have no faith in the key backs on the list around him. It's an indictment on the list management the past few years our lack of talls. Our focus at the draft the end of the year is get the best available mid in the top 3. May not be Harley Reid. Than load up on talls with every other pick. Stockpile as many potential talents as we can so we at least have some depth at both ends of the ground. Midfield is not the problem nor is the ruck.

 

[Red Bull]

You lay it on so thick that all I can do is laugh every time you post at how desperately you will do anything but think about your own club.

As a mod, I’m sure you appreciate posters that stay on topic in threads.
This is a hawthorn thread and there is much to be discussed …

 

[HairyO]

What counts as a clearance:

Clearance: Credited to the player who has the first effective disposal in a chain that clears the stoppage area, or an ineffective kick or clanger kick that clears the stoppage area.

The second part is what matters.

I would count a clearance as an effective disposal. But I would also count an effective disposal as one which doesnt lead to a turnover.

Blindly roost it 40m to a contest then lose the ball is still considered effective. But not to me.

Our problem is we get that 1st clearance but then have no forward line so 75% of the time the ball sails straight back over our mids.

We need another Lewis so we compete in the air and another Breust so we vacuum up the crumbs - or even have a real 3rd leading option.

Mitchell seems very happy to experiment with our mids but we have young defenders and forwarda at Box Hill who are clearly too good for the VFL (Box Hill are playing great this year) but not getting the chance at the Hawks.

Would love to hear the reasoning behind that. Because it feels like we would almost be better putting more of our young mids at Box Hill as well and just do all our development there.

 

[mcnulty]

Their punishment will come from the cultural damage of sending lambs out to the slaughter.

Managing guns, including a young gun, in week 8 is hilarious though

Why would you be surprised about the latter if you’re concerned for the former? That seems partly the point to me.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

As a mod, I’m sure you appreciate posters that stay on topic in threads.
This is a hawthorn thread and there is much to be discussed …

They’re not interested in a discussion unless it’s about clearance differential or how Lloyd Meek was apparently wanted by 9 other clubs.

 

[peetoo]

I come in here and give some well deserved praise and all I get is this hostility.

Lighten up man, the Hawks won the CENTRE CLEARANCES!!

Man you picked kruez as your sig. speaks volumes really

 

[Burtman]

All we seem to recruit is small midfielders that aren’t cutting the mustard and have absolutely nothing up front.

Going to keep repeating it until it gets done. Our recruiters need an overhaul. They have one job. So many wasted picks.

Wtf are you on about? We have close to the biggest midfield in the league, if you’re gonna troll at least have some basic idea of what you’re talking about.

O’Meara would be far better at Hawthorn than Worpel. He was their captain after all, so could at least provide some leadership for the mids.

I think I heard at one stage Worpel was going at 17% by foot.

Freo supporters have wanted O’Meara dropped the last few weeks, worpels year has been miles ahead of jom’s. O’Meara had 2 chances to be named captain and we preferred a cooked Stratton, then a 31 year old mcevoy ahead of him and Mitchell.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Man you picked kruez as your sig. speaks volumes really

What a star he was. I’ve been running with the Paul Bower avatar for a while now too. Coincidentally a similar talent and style to DGB.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

As a mod, I’m sure you appreciate posters that stay on topic in threads.
This is a hawthorn thread and there is much to be discussed …

They’re not interested in a discussion unless it’s about clearance differential or how Lloyd Meek was apparently wanted by 9 other clubs.

Always happy to discuss the Hawks. Didn’t see much of you two for a while after gather round so it’s been hard.

It’s good that you’ve found your voice again after a Hawthorn loss. Get your shots in while you can.

 

[Red Bull]

They’re not interested in a discussion unless it’s about clearance differential or how Lloyd Meek was apparently wanted by 9 other clubs.

It appears Reeves is the choice as number 1 ruckman.
Meek doesn’t offer much forward so i guess Mitchell has to decide whether they can afford to carry him as a chop out option only.
Perhaps 9 other clubs will put the feelers out again at season’s end ?

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Always happy to discuss the Hawks. Didn’t see much of you two for a while after gather round so it’s been hard.

It’s good that you’ve found your voice again after a Hawthorn loss. Get your shots in while you can.

I posted in this thread during gather round. The weekend where Impey under the instruction of Mitchell lost the Hawks the game by pulling the game winning kick short.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I posted in this thread during gather round. The weekend where Impey under the instruction of Mitchell lost the Hawks the game by pulling the game winning kick short.

Oh that’s right, I remember that chuckle worthy post.

 

[Red Bull]

Whilst next week it’s 1st v 18th, Petracca, Oliver, Viney and co will need to be on their games as the hawks midfield have been doing well in centre clearances.
Meek will probably be needed as backup for Reeves as he goes head to head with Gawn and Grundy …

 

[Hamingja]

The game against the Eagles in Tassie in two weeks will be a test of whether or not they are tanking. They should be able to beat the Eagles down there but it is a very early edition of the Harley Reid cup.

 

[VinnieB]

I would count a clearance as an effective disposal. But I would also count an effective disposal as one which doesnt lead to a turnover.

Blindly roost it 40m to a contest then lose the ball is still considered effective. But not to me.

Our problem is we get that 1st clearance but then have no forward line so 75% of the time the ball sails straight back over our mids.

We need another Lewis so we compete in the air and another Breust so we vacuum up the crumbs - or even have a real 3rd leading option.

Mitchell seems very happy to experiment with our mids but we have young defenders and forwarda at Box Hill who are clearly too good for the VFL (Box Hill are playing great this year) but not getting the chance at the Hawks.

Would love to hear the reasoning behind that. Because it feels like we would almost be better putting more of our young mids at Box Hill as well and just do all our development there.

That's what I'm saying. You can be winning clearances but they can be ineffective or turnovers and they will count as a clearance.
May contribute to your efficiency inside 50 being so low.

You may get your hands on the ball first to fire it out but then turn it over with poor disposal. If your midfielders were more effective, they could help by hitting targets.

But the biggest issue with your midfielders in my opinion is that they rarely support the backline. You only have to look at the opposition midfield to see even if they lose centre bounce clearances, they are having big games. Last night was a case in point.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Whilst next week it’s 1st v 18th, Petracca, Oliver, Viney and co will need to be on their games as the hawks midfield have been doing well in centre clearances.
Meek will probably be needed as backup for Reeves as he goes head to head with Gawn and Grundy …

Melbourne are 2nd for both inside 50 efficiency and inside 50’s.
Hawthorn are 18th and 17th. Have you got the lotion ready?

 

[Red Bull]

Melbourne are 2nd for both inside 50 efficiency and inside 50’s.
Hawthorn are 18th and 17th. Have you got the lotion ready?

May and Lever will be ready to feast on Worpel’s offerings.
Mitchell will need solid planning going into this one …

 

[Vindicater]

What’s this then?

Devil's advocate.

You have stacked your midfield full of ball hunters and hackers who don't play full field defense.