Analysis Hawthorn rebuild: are they tanking?

[HeHateMe]

How Hokball has developed this year has been an amazing story. Hope for all bottom 4 sides that when it turns it can happen fast. When Sam Mitchell came and played for us and was midfield coach in the 18 flag we really wanted him to stay. He's well and truly lived up to expectations.

It's never as good or bad as it seems

 

[Chadwiko]

Care to make a friendly wager?

Which team out of Hawthorn and North wins a final first?

If North wins a final first, you agree to have Chief suspend/restrict your BF account for a period (two weeks? 1 month?)
If Hawks win a final first, I'll do the same in reverse.

Fair cop Hawks your team has obviously exceeded my expectations significantly.

Chief please suspend my BF account for two weeks.

Thanks.

 

[JD888]

Fair cop Hawks your team has obviously exceeded my expectations significantly.

Chief please suspend my BF account for two weeks.

Thanks.

Make sure it is backdated to the 6th and at least you’ll be back for one of the prelims.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Imagine being an Essendon supporter watching Hawks build back up, sail past them and win a final after only a few years outside the 8

 

[SSSSSS]

Fair cop Hawks your team has obviously exceeded my expectations significantly.

Chief please suspend my BF account for two weeks.

Thanks.

 

[hawkman]

Imagine being an Essendon supporter watching Hawks build back up, sail past them and win a final after only a few years outside the 8

And then having a player that was in your squad last year that you didn't think was good enough then dominate their 1st final

 

[blue harvest]

With that failure and Clarkson’s exit, 2 years of drafting under the “genius” rookie coach Mitchell would see the hawks back playing and winning finals apparently.

Great call!

 

[Dragz]

Tanking it to the top!

 

[blue harvest]

Looking at their list profile, Hawthorn still seem a 2-3 years away at least from being a good side. I was one of the fools who thought they could back up their stronger performances last year and be on the fringe of the 8 for season 2024.

Not such a fool after all!

 

[Mr Meow]

Not such a fool after all!

Yeah I went back and forth on whether 2024 would see them climb up the ladder or not. I admit the poor start (and yes I get that there were encouraging signs) made me think it could take longer.

I definitely wasn't writing them off in the medium to long term, it was just a matter of timing.

 

[BloodySwan]

I thought the Hawks had too many inside mids and not enough strong ball users but their game plan is really playing to their strengths.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

8-10 wins would be disastrous for your mob, although i can see it happening. Hawks desperately need some elite talent to compete in about 3-4 seasons, your list is completely void of it and this year is the best chance you've got. Really poor trading has not helped too.

The general consensus from Hawk fans are that they have a top 5 midfield group, BF hawk fans were obsessed with this last year. I didn't see it back then and certainly not this year. Although it is funny seeing the angry responses trying to argue the view

I was replying directly to your post, quoting the players you posted haha

It's funny watching you weasel your way around.

Still waiting for your to list the elite talent, somehow I think I'll be waiting for a very long time.

It's funny, i very occasionally visit this thread, but every time i do you're here. It's impressive how invested you are with your time on this topic


Which ones do you think are elite talents? I'm not surprised you weasel your way out of a query

You have a bag of excuses to match constantly being wrong.

THere has been one constant - you being wrong and dramatically overrating your team and ridiculing anyone who is realistic and thinks they're going to struggle.

Some of the early season 'wack a mole' I was involved in is good for a revisit, blue harvest

 

[VinnieB]

Some of the early season 'wack a mole' I was involved in is good for a revisit, blue harvest

Classless as expected.

If only I could be bothered looking through your posts about the Pies prior to the 2022 and 2023 seasons……

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Classless as expected.

If only I could be bothered looking through your posts about the Pies prior to the 2022 and 2023 seasons……

Classless?
In the immortal world said Chadwick, “just take the L dude”.

You were in here all guns blazing in April saying how wrong I was to think we could improve on 2023.

 

[VinnieB]

Classless?
In the immortal world said Chadwick, “just take the L dude”.

You were in here all guns blazing in April saying how wrong I was to think we could improve on 2023.

 

[VinnieB]

Imagine being an Essendon supporter watching Hawks build back up, sail past them and win a final after only a few years outside the 8

Yep. 20 years since Essendon won a final. Only 9 years for the Hawks.

 

[sr36]

I like the description. Mole works for you. Glad you can see that.

Hawks took a risk on inexperience and it's paying off massively. I sure as hell didn't see it coming, but really don't care about being wrong.

Mitchell looking like he could be one of the great coaches. I think you'll win the flag as you've got a group of serious runners that are running patterns that are ahead of the comp in two phases of the game - spreading the field on defensive half intercept in a way that teams aren't coping with and burning teams on turnover by sprinting at tacklers with support runners holding width. Whilst in retrospect you were right and it was there to see in the back half of last year - I thought it was just other teams being flat on the day making you look better than you were late last year. Ultimately, I think it will either take you getting absolutely smacked in contest, stuffing up an end game scenario, or a very good coach combatting your spread to beat you this year.

 

[hawkman]

I like the description. Mole works for you. Glad you can see that.

Hawks took a risk on inexperience and it's paying off massively. I sure as hell didn't see it coming, but really don't care about being wrong.

Mitchell looking like he could be one of the great coaches. I think you'll win the flag as you've got a group of serious runners that are running patterns that are ahead of the comp in two phases of the game - spreading the field on defensive half intercept in a way that teams aren't coping with and burning teams on turnover by sprinting at tacklers with support runners holding width. Whilst in retrospect you were right and it was there to see in the back half of last year - I thought it was just other teams being flat on the day making you look better than you were late last year. Ultimately, I think it will either take you getting absolutely smacked in contest, stuffing up an end game scenario, or a very good coach combatting your spread to beat you this year.

I'm not sure anyone really saw this coming this season. People were way too dismissive of the talent that we do have though

 

[sr36]

I'm not sure anyone really saw this coming this season. People were way too dismissive of the talent that we do have though

We focus too much on the very top end stars because the media tells us to as they're better for marketing the game and they used to make a huge difference -still do - but with full time players the lesser lights are now good enough that a really well drilled unit that makes it easier for everyone can trump a team like Carlton with an outstanding top end.

Plus the game has turned from the inside being the major thing to how well you can transfer from inside ot outside, intercept and how dangerously you can transition the footy on the outside. It's more about giving your forwards the best chances rather than having the best insiders getting it to the best forwards more often who are stopped by the best defenders - with the development of a few like Weddle and D'Ambrosio, you've currently got arguably the best group of runners in the league and they're so well drilled. The unexpected quick rise years are always the best I think - enjoy it.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Schooled, again.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

100,000 posts and almost 20 years on Bigfooty.
Says it all really doesn’t it……

Yeah, it’s says I love footy and the Hawks like thousands of others here. Who knew.

Meanwhile, you just keep trying to deflect from being so blatantly wrong.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

A 50yr old single male trawling through posts. Good for you.

50yr old single male?

Keep swinging, vinnie.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

A 50yr old single male trawling through posts. Good for you.

Pull your head in Vinnie

You spend as much time on here as anyone

 

[VinnieB]

50yr old single male?

Keep swinging, vinnie.

No need to be embarrassed.
Keep trawling. I’ve got better things to do than point out your numerous posts in 2022 and the start of 2023 about how rubbish the Pies were and then they go a win the premiership.

 

[barbster]

Tanking for sure, just not that good at it