Analysis Hawthorn rebuild: are they tanking?

[Strapping Young Lad]

It’s probably the clubs that miss finals by a game when Port sneak in or end up in the top 4 at the end of the year that will be most pissed.

Unlikely that much is made of it though, as it’s so far from finals taking place, rather than just a week or two out.

 

[Back One Out]

Port had more scoring shots.

Try watching games before weighing in with useless opinion. You'll have more credibility.

The Hawks played fantastic footy for the best part of 3 quarters last Sunday. They could've should've put 8 or 9 goals on the board by quarter time, such was their dominance in the first 30 minutes. The game probably should've been over right there.

Things fell apart over the finals 30-40 minutes, but the players were gassed. They'd worked their arses off. It was a tough, bruising game.

Let's not overlook: Half the Hawthorn players were 21 or under, or had less the 50 games experience. There were only 6 Hawks with more than 100 games experience. (and one of those was Breust the sub who struggled when he got a run in the 4th qtr, outnumbered by Port defenders)

Port may have ended up with more scoring shots due to playing the game in their forward half over the last 40 minutes, but the Hawks had a zillion chances to put the game away before 3/4 time - many chances which didn't result in a score, but were solid gold chances nonetheless.

 

[Back One Out]

The experts all agreed, "You can't win a game of footy by defending and bleeding the clock for an entire last quarter."

Hmmm... Maybe so...

Ignoring the fact the Hawks were literally seconds away from achieving that very thing.

The last 10 seconds and the "what ifs"...

• If only Meek at the centre bounce had tapped the ball down to his feet instead of out towards Newcombe
• If only Newcombe's tackle had prevented Drew from getting that handball away to Butters
• If only Day had pushed up a metre on Butters and prevented the long kick inside fifty
• If only Hardwick had gotten 1% or 2% extra on his spoil and the ball had gone closer to the boundary
• If only D'Ambrosio had not grabbed possession and handballed it back to Amon & put him under pressure
• If only Karl Amon
  10

  Karl Amon

  Age

  29

  Ht

  181cm

  Wt

  71kg

  Pos.

  D/M

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  16.6

  4star

  K

  9.7

  4star

  HB

  6.8

  4star

  M

  3.4

  3star

  T

  2.6

  4star

  MG

  294.5

  4star

  D

  21.0

  5star

  K

  15.0

  5star

  HB

  6.0

  3star

  M

  6.0

  5star

  T

  2.0

  3star

  D

  10.4

  3star

  K

  6.8

  3star

  HB

  3.6

  3star

  M

  2.6

  3star

  T

  2.0

  4star

  MG

  146.8

  3star

  had literally done ANYTHING else but cough the ball up like he did
• If only Hardwick had moved inches more to his left on the smother attempt from DBJ's soccer and had gotten a touch

If just ONE of those 7 things had occurred in the final 10 seconds, then the bottom 4 Hawks would've won an away game against the Top 4 Power where they scored just one behind over the final 40 minutes. Fact.


Sure, one more Hawthorn goal would've been a nice way to ice the result... I'm pretty sure the rebuilding young Hawks will work hard at improving their fitness and hardness and try to maintain their ascendancy for 4 quarters instead of 3 quarters. That's the plan.

Plenty of criticism directed Sam Mitchell's way for "going defensive", but that was a natural progression of how the game unfolded. It wasn't his super-genius tactic to "shut up shop". The ball wasn't getting down to the Hawks forwards. What's he gonna do? Leave Hardwick standing around doing nothing up forward while Port won the game?

Seems like a smarter move to put our most reliable small defender where the ball is going than where it isn't.

 

[boncer34]

Try watching games before weighing in with useless opinion. You'll have more credibility.

The Hawks played fantastic footy for the best part of 3 quarters last Sunday. They could've should've put 8 or 9 goals on the board by quarter time, such was their dominance in the first 30 minutes. The game probably should've been over right there.

Things fell apart over the finals 30-40 minutes, but the players were gassed. They'd worked their arses off. It was a tough, bruising game.

Let's not overlook: Half the Hawthorn players were 21 or under, or had less the 50 games experience. There were only 6 Hawks with more than 100 games experience. (and one of those was Breust the sub who struggled when he got a run in the 4th qtr, outnumbered by Port defenders)

Port may have ended up with more scoring shots due to playing the game in their forward half over the last 40 minutes, but the Hawks had a zillion chances to put the game away before 3/4 time - many chances which didn't result in a score, but were solid gold chances nonetheless.

Applying the logic of Hawthorn posters is a useless opinion? Interesting.

 

[Back One Out]

Applying the logic of Hawthorn posters is a useless opinion? Interesting.

Apologies. I assumed you were posting your own opinion

You like to conflate opinions of “Hawthorn posters” as though it means anything.

I tend to think everyone has their own opinion

Footy crowds might act like sheep, but get a group of them talking about the game they just watched and they all see things differently

 

[boncer34]

Apologies. I assumed you were posting your own opinion

You like to conflate opinions of “Hawthorn posters” as though it means anything.

I tend to think everyone has their own opinion

Footy crowds might act like sheep, but get a group of them talking about the game they just watched and they all see things differently

Incorrect. At no stage have I said "all Hawthorn posters."

 

[Blackhawk42]

Paradigm shift in play here.

Thread is about Hawthorn tanking for draft picks, filled with opposition supporters clearly revelling in a once powerful side spending years at the foot of the ladder.

Now it's had 6 fresh pages of posts after a 1 point loss to a top 4 side.

Might have to steal something from the Blues after all...


They know we're coming.

 

[Nugett]

Who will be more vocal after today? Opposition supporters or Hawthorn supporters?

If Lions win; opposition supporters, “Hawks stuck in no man’s land with Tassie coming in…. Decades of mediocrity…Young players not up to it, should have tanked last year to get Reid… Obvious tanking should be penalised … Hawks supporters “Yeah but… stats, goal kicking if, would, could, should had happened..”

If Hawks win Hawk supporters “onwards and upwards. Heading in right direction, stats, goal kicking ect …” opposition supporters “Lions didn’t show up, in Melbourne, got lucky, how dumb is Hawthorn, should be tanking for a higher draft pick, with Tassie coming in will be in no man’s land for decades because they didn’t lose.”

 

[SSSSSS]

Who will be more vocal after today? Opposition supporters or Hawthorn supporters?

If Lions win; opposition supporters, “Hawks stuck in no man’s land with Tassie coming in…. Decades of mediocrity…Young players not up to it, should have tanked last year to get Reid… Obvious tanking should be penalised … Hawks supporters “Yeah but… stats, goal kicking if, would, could, should had happened..”

If Hawks win Hawk supporters “onwards and upwards. Heading in right direction, stats, goal kicking ect …” opposition supporters “Lions didn’t show up, in Melbourne, got lucky, how dumb is Hawthorn, should be tanking for a higher draft pick, with Tassie coming in will be in no man’s land for decades because they didn’t lose.”

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Flaghok

 

[juice t]

Are Brisbane tanking

 

[Nugett]

Keep this up, we may play finals this year!

 

[peetoo]

Keep this up, we may play finals this year!

4 from 6 would mean 8 from the next 12. So on the cusp of finals if this keeps up. Would need one more win cos percentage

 

[Bradkli]

And to think we choked against port and could have beaten the Pies..could easily be just outside the 8. Our next 4:

Crows at the G
GWS in Tassie
Richmond
Eagles away

 

[NetworkNerd]

And to think we choked against port and could have beaten the Pies..could easily be just outside the 8. Our next 4:

Crows at the G
GWS in Tassie
Richmond
Eagles away

Could win all 4... could lose all 4

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Finals next year, top 4 contenders in 2026.

 

[eldorado]

Apparently, 44% of people here said we should punished for tanking.

I remember why I tend to stay away from here...Bay 13-Lite.

44% of you!!

Trolls and halfwits


All of you...ALL OF YOU!

 

[SSSSSS]

Apparently, 44% of people here said we should punished for tanking.

I remember why I tend to stay away from here...Bay 13-Lite.

44% of you!!

Trolls and halfwits
View attachment 2001369

All of you...ALL OF YOU!

I voted yes.

 

[eldorado]

I voted yes.

(I saw the poll five minutes ago, and did the same for the reverse troll )

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I voted yes.

Well this is our bottoming out year, after all.

 

[SSSSSS]

Well this is our bottoming out year, after all.

I still need to find some of those Chadwiko pearlers. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Nugett]

Hawthorn tanking for a premiership in the 20’s? Cant be

 

[Nugett]

WTF. I have never seen this level of blatant tanking acceptance by a club. Sam Mitchell outright said he wanted to tank and not meddle around in the middle. Their trade period.

Are the ****ing AFL going to step in and do something? AFL need to go down hard on Hawks and strip them of picks

I've never seen another club purposely and blatantly tank. It's unfair they are doing that to obtain a generational player in Harley Reid

They are completely compromising the draft!!!

Good thing you called the Hawks out on our “blatant tanking” last year. Otherwise all of us Hawks supporters, could only be cheering for Harley Reid. Rather than cheering on a group of a team that other than 2 games has been mostly competitive throughout the season so far. Much appreciated. Any how hope you enjoy watching a player rather than a team that is developing…

 

[STPer18]

Apparently, 44% of people here said we should punished for tanking.

I remember why I tend to stay away from here...Bay 13-Lite.

44% of you!!

Trolls and halfwits
View attachment 2001369

All of you...ALL OF YOU!

I didn't vote originally but now I voted yes.

 

[boncer34]

Hawks fans "lol at people who flock to this thread when we lose."

Hawks fans to this thread when they win