Preview Hawthorn v Bulldogs, 3 August 2014, 3.20pm @ York Park

[becalm]

Need to keep an eye on Bontempelli, looks to be top shelf.

 

[cryptor]

Woody was obviously hoping to be picked to play for Hawthorn, but there was just something about his answer about my question of looking forward to next week that made me think. I assume, however, that the players haven't yet done their review of the game so who knows.

I sure hope that the coaches don't judge him solely on last night's performance as they didn't play him in his best position at all.

I did notice that he seemed to be played as a forward and just in a variety of peripheral positions. I know the game was on the line so they'd want our best mids lining up at each centre clearance but the same sort of faith shown in Jed Anderson to be thrown in the guts after coming on as sub in his first game (a tight match against the Cats) would've been good given that's his strength.

Certainly didn't do anything wrong from what I saw in the time he on the ground so hope he gets another go, hopefully not as sub.

 

[Angus Young]

Danger game

stop it your making me nervous

F:ck

 

[Angus Young]

IN: Sewell Spang

This is our chance to cement top spot with a nice percentage boost...

Play with intensity and we win...just cant go out there having it pencilled in...

 

[Pessimistic]

Only seven have played all 17 games and have had a recent bye. Those seven pretty solid on saturday so full game resting not so much

 

[Davo-27]

i would keep the team unchanged, Sewell and Spangher can play in the VFL this week and make their cases for inclusion....Hartung will get good experience from a few games in the VFL also

 

[jd1991]

No change - would be harsh to drop woody off one sub game
Agree with Dixie that it won't hurt Sewell to get some game time at BH

dogs have been playing pretty good football so we cannot be complacent otherwise last nights win will be for nought

Especially with Sewells continual soft tissue injuries this year. He needs to show he can do a full game before even looking at bringing him back to the 1s

 

[Davo23]

Thought that happened months ago- around Easter??

With your username, you ought to know!

 

[Flukey!]

Spoke to Woodward at the Box Hill game today briefly. He didn't give anything away but it seemed to me that he was preparing himself to play for Box Hill, not Hawthorn this coming weekend.

It would be very unfair if he didn't get another run next week.

 

[MC_9]

In: Sewell
Out: Langford

 

[Off The Couch]

Especially with Sewells continual soft tissue injuries this year. He needs to show he can do a full game before even looking at bringing him back to the 1s

If it was a final and Sewell is ready to go then he will be played - it's like suggesting Cyril go to BH because of his continual hammies. I'm only suggesting he play BH to allow Woodward to get a full game at senior level - who knows, it could even be Langford out for Sewell

 

[Taskmaster]

Need to keep an eye on Bontempelli, looks to be top shelf.

He is. Gonna be a superstar this kid.

But we will account for the dogs and move on. Bigger fish to fry!

 

[Hodginator]

How does their forward line stack up? What I'm asking is even if Spangher isn't ready, could we afford to play Shoey forward and just have the likes of Gibbo, Stratton and Lithers down back? Surely we could kick a decent score with Roughy, Shoe, Gunner and Punky going at it.

 

[Hawker55]

They lack a real key forward so that could be an option.

 

[Great 2008]

How does their forward line stack up? What I'm asking is even if Spangher isn't ready, could we afford to play Shoey forward and just have the likes of Gibbo, Stratton and Lithers down back? Surely we could kick a decent score with Roughy, Shoe, Gunner and Punky going at it.

They lined up like this (named positions on the weekend). A very young forward line with a sprinkling of up and coming talent. Apart from Crameri and Dahlhaus have not seen much of the others.

HF

• Marcus Bontempelli,
• Stewart Crameri,
• Jake Stringer

F

• Luke Dahlhaus,
• Jack Redpath,
• Nathan Hrovat

 

[TedDougChris]

Forgive the intrusion guys, but just some updates from the Dogs side of things.

Wallis has done a metatarsel (? spelling) in his foot, so will be out for the season. His likely replacement (Clay Smith) did his ACL in the VFL the same weekend.

In terms of KPF's we had Jones kick a bag (6 I think) in the VFL, but has been very hit and miss recently at AFL level. The one other KP-type target is Campbell, but is more of a ruck-forward, but a very nice set of hands. Probably lacks the speed and endurace to chase your back 6 around all day and for some unknown reason has not been given a look in, despite our shortage of forward options. Redpath has been playing at FF, he is a 193 cm rookie listed player, been on the list for 3 years and is 23-ish. A work in progress, but good mark and kick. May just not quite be tall or fast enough for the current style of play.

Defensively Roughie (our one) appears to still be battling shoulder problems, so may or may not play. Austin has been a bit hit or miss and opinion is divided on the Dogs board about his future - both short and long term. Talia and Roberts are the likely (only) replacements here.

We may choose to play Picken in Wallis' spot in the middle (or even Boyd), and bring Higgins back in to the HBF. Otherwise it'll be just if we decided to look at longer term injury management with players like Roughead that will dictate changes to the side.

Best of luck and hopefully it is a good game on the weekend - looking forward to seeing how our kids can cope with the pressure from a finals hardened side...

 

[Brishawk]

If it was a final and Sewell is ready to go then he will be played - it's like suggesting Cyril go to BH because of his continual hammies. I'm only suggesting he play BH to allow Woodward to get a full game at senior level - who knows, it could even be Langford out for Sewell

Where does Sewell play? Hodge, Mitch, Lewis and Sheils all ahead of him for inside mid roles. Burgoyne, Poppy and Bruest the rotations. I just feel Langford's speed really helps us prevent opposition spreading from stoppages and he swoops on the loose ball and creates contests. His disposal is better by foot than Sewell although his decision making is not as good. Sewell better by hand. I'm very concerned we become plodders in the centre if all of the above play in the guts. I reckon Sewell in forces Hodge to the backline which would make us worse off. Hodge is posting near career best numbers (similar to 2010) despite playing some time down back. The backline doesn't need him and he makes our midfield better. IT is harsh on Sewell as he was in form for the last three games prior to injury but I want the best team out there not the best players.

 

[La Vache]

If we take control of the middle like Saturday night then it will be a mauling.

I think Hawthorn by eleven goals.

 

[walhawk]

Where does Sewell play? Hodge, Mitch, Lewis and Sheils all ahead of him for inside mid roles. Burgoyne, Poppy and Bruest the rotations. I just feel Langford's speed really helps us prevent opposition spreading from stoppages and he swoops on the loose ball and creates contests. His disposal is better by foot than Sewell although his decision making is not as good. Sewell better by hand. I'm very concerned we become plodders in the centre if all of the above play in the guts. I reckon Sewell in forces Hodge to the backline which would make us worse off. Hodge is posting near career best numbers (similar to 2010) despite playing some time down back. The backline doesn't need him and he makes our midfield better. IT is harsh on Sewell as he was in form for the last three games prior to injury but I want the best team out there not the best players.

Sewell will still offer more than Langers or Woody in similar roles come September.

 

[Brishawk]

Sewell will still offer more than Langers or Woody in similar roles come September.

The point would be Langers plays a different role. He is a midfield rotation not a first stringer. Plays both inside and out. We just seem to have a lot less of those breakaway from clearance handball chains when Langers is around and he also offers something on a HFF and as a tagger. Hodge was moved away from the midfield after 2008 because of concerns about the once paced nature of the midfield. Went back in in 2010 due to injures and back out again until 2014. What has changed to suggest they can all play in the middle together? Or are you suggesting Sewell can play on the outside? His first few games back he played on the HFF and was useless. Only once Sewell returned to the middle did he have an impact.

Not sure why Woody is relevant here as he played a game a sub and likely won't play finals.

 

[walhawk]

The point would be Langers plays a different role. He is a midfield rotation not a first stringer. Plays both inside and out. We just seem to have a lot less of those breakaway from clearance handball chains when Langers is around and he also offers something on a HFF and as a tagger. Hodge was moved away from the midfield after 2008 because of concerns about the once paced nature of the midfield. Went back in in 2010 due to injures and back out again until 2014. What has changed to suggest they can all play in the middle together? Or are you suggesting Sewell can play on the outside? His first few games back he played on the HFF and was useless. Only once Sewell returned to the middle did he have an impact.

Not sure why Woody is relevant here as he played a game a sub and likely won't play finals.

Langers is faster than Sewell, but I don't see him as offering much on the outside given his skills are very ordinary and kicking has no penetration. If he has a future it is on the inside or tagging. Woody is relevant as he is similar player to Sewell and will be the player that comes out for him in the next couple of weeks.
Who comes out for Lake is the big question.

 

[Badesumofu]

As others have said, most players have had rests at some stage and those who have not don't seem to need one. Also the week off so recently. So I'd be resting guys in the half-back line rather than by giving them a week off. That way we can throw them into the guts if needed, or for short bursts to try to pul ahead of the Syds in the percentage race for top spot.

Want to see Woody get a full game mostly in the middle - seems like the perfect time for it given what I suggested above. I would think there would be minimal changes, no need to rush anyone back and I want to see the 22 who beat the Syds to get another game together as well. I could see Schoey spending some time forward in this match given that the Dogs don't really have any tall forwards who should overly worry us, especially if we win the midfield battle.

Just one more thing, I keep hearing this term 'danger game'. What exactly does it mean? It seems to be applied to the games we're least likely to actually lose, whenever we come up against sup-par but not totally rubbish (and every side in the comp has looked good at one stage or another this year, so there are no true free-win sides this year). I don't get it. Every game is a danger game, in that when you're near the top of the ladder, you have to expect to need 4 points per week in order to just maintain position. So they are all danger games in that sense, but the ones against weaker opposition are the ones that we are mostly likely to actually win, making them less dangerous as far as I can see. Also, lose to the Syds, and it is an 8 premiership point turnaround. Lose to the Dogs, and it's just 4 fewer for us. Less at stake, less likely to lose, therefore: danger game? I don't get it.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Langers is faster than Sewell, but I don't see him as offering much on the outside given his skills are very ordinary and kicking has no penetration. If he has a future it is on the inside or tagging. Woody is relevant as he is similar player to Sewell and will be the player that comes out for him in the next couple of weeks.
Who comes out for Lake is the big question.

You clearly have never seen Langford play at Box Hill then have you?!.....He can be seen very often snagging goals on the run from outside 50 metres. His outside game in terms of run, spread & defensive accountability is far more potent than anything Sewell has to offer!....I still think Sewell has a role to play for us come September when the whips are cracking, as this is his forte....Whether or not he gets a gig in the GF (Assuming we make it) is another question for which I have my doubts about, for the same reasons for which Brishawk has articulated earlier on in this thread.

 

[Pessimistic]

Especially with Sewells continual soft tissue injuries this year. He needs to show he can do a full game before even looking at bringing him back to the 1s

And rioli. He nowhere near the slot in the pecking order he used to be unfortunately

 

[Pessimistic]

The point would be Langers plays a different role. He is a midfield rotation not a first stringer. Plays both inside and out. We just seem to have a lot less of those breakaway from clearance handball chains when Langers is around and he also offers something on a HFF and as a tagger. Hodge was moved away from the midfield after 2008 because of concerns about the once paced nature of the midfield. Went back in in 2010 due to injures and back out again until 2014. What has changed to suggest they can all play in the middle together? Or are you suggesting Sewell can play on the outside? His first few games back he played on the HFF and was useless. Only once Sewell returned to the middle did he have an impact.

Not sure why Woody is relevant here as he played a game a sub and likely won't play finals.

The thing langers has over sewell is flexibility