Hawthorn's decision to resign it's older players

[drummond2fevola]

Hawks should blow it up and rebuild.

Hodge is a turnover merchant who embarrasses himself by playing for frees.
Smith
Gibson would struggle in the EJ Whitten Legends Game.
Poppy & Cyril do nothing when the team isn't on top, absolute front runners.
Hard to judge Jordan Lewis as he must have been out tonight with injury.

 

[FootyGeek]

Do not be surprised if a couple of the older group 'retire' during the off season.

Have done plenty, doubt they would want to be part of a rebuild on little coin.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Hodge has played like a frustrated old man the last couple of weeks.

Never write a champion off but he'll struggle next year IMO.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

It was the wise move. It is only one more season and we have blooded many kids. The youngsters will learn from having experience around the place. Hawthorn is by far the greatest sporting organisation in Australia since 1960.

2016 was a free hit for us. We still managed to be relevant and were a kick after the siren away from another preliminary final.

Our record speaks volumes.

KOLOKOTRONIS

#straightsets

Biggest 'where are they at' thread of all time required IMO.

So much talent, but do they get obstinate about their chances of going again next year? Are they a 50s MFC?

Honestly, I reckon the best move is to trade everyone over 27-ish (Spread them to other clubs and to low lying clubs only). rebuild.

Will be Fascinating to watch which way they go.

 

[Randomizor]

Hodge has played like a frustrated old man the last couple of weeks.

Never write a champion off but he'll struggle next year IMO.

Has the pace of an old man too

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

#straightsets

Biggest 'where are they at' thread of all time required IMO.

So much talent, but do they get obstinate about their chances of going again next year? Are they a 50s MFC?

Honestly, I reckon the best move is to trade everyone over 27-ish (Spread them to other clubs and to low lying clubs only). rebuild.

Will be Fascinating to watch which way they go.

Their second tier players got exposed badly tonight.

Shiels, Hill etc were deplorable.


I'd be trying to get rid of them for whatever teams will give in return.

Jarman2Bung

 

[Upgrayedd]

Burgoyne was probably our best, Mitchell was our best player this season, Hodge injured a lot but still contributing

Our over 30 players were not the problem tonight

 

[PetterdHoisted]

Nothing Clarko is saying says 'rebuild'...

 

[SA HAWK]

Their second tier players got exposed badly tonight.

Shiels, Hill etc were deplorable.


I'd be trying to get rid of them for whatever teams will give in return.

Jarman2Bung

Hill leaving for Freo or West Coast.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

Hill leaving for Freo or West Coast.

I heard he's staying at Hawthorn now.

Hopefully.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

Burgoyne was probably our best, Mitchell was our best player this season, Hodge injured a lot but still contributing

Our over 30 players were not the problem tonight

It's a fascinating conundrum.
Clarko focusing on the return of Roughie.

 

[SA HAWK]

I heard he's staying at Hawthorn now.

Hopefully.

Hopefully not.

 

[stfan]

Burgoyne was probably our best, Mitchell was our best player this season, Hodge injured a lot but still contributing

Our over 30 players were not the problem tonight

Except that is the problem, that they are over 30. Or that next year that two will be over 33 and your best two over 34.

 

[stfan]

It's a fascinating conundrum.
Clarko focusing on the return of Roughie.

Unfortunately Roughie has a bigger battle.

 

[Jarman2Bung]

Their second tier players got exposed badly tonight.

Shiels, Hill etc were deplorable.


I'd be trying to get rid of them for whatever teams will give in return.

Jarman2Bung

After 4 grand finals in a row and 3 premierships in a row it took its toll, we werent really up to it this year. Roughy out was a big factor. No tall forwards to give a contest. Small forwards forced to play tall. JOM, Tom Mitchell and vickery in should see the Hawks still a chance next year. At least the bulldogs didnt do as big a number on us as they did against the West Coast Chickens. If anyone should be worrying i think it is the Chickens

 

[frenchconnection]

I think they have 1 more tilt left in them. It will be much harder, they were pretty much the 5 or 6th best team for mine, just scraped through with a few lucky ones. % showed.

But if they don't get that 2017 flag, they are on the way down. These old guys are too slow.

I have always thought percentage gives a better indication as to where your team is at - of course you need to get enough wins on the board as well. Just think this year is an unusual year with only 1 game separating 1st from 7th, and percentage had a big bearing, which means it's all on the day. So who do the doggies play next week - Geelong or GWS?

 

[frenchconnection]

After 4 grand finals in a row and 3 premierships in a row it took its toll, we werent really up to it this year. Roughy out was a big factor. No tall forwards to give a contest. Small forwards forced to play tall. JOM, Tom Mitchell and vickery in should see the Hawks still a chance next year. At least the bulldogs didnt do as big a number on us as they did against the West Coast Chickens. If anyone should be worrying i think it is the Chickens

Funny - haha - NOT!!

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

After 4 grand finals in a row and 3 premierships in a row it took its toll, we werent really up to it this year. Roughy out was a big factor. No tall forwards to give a contest. Small forwards forced to play tall. JOM, Tom Mitchell and vickery in should see the Hawks still a chance next year. At least the bulldogs didnt do as big a number on us as they did against the West Coast Chickens. If anyone should be worrying i think it is the Chickens

I'd be concerned if you're relying on Vickery to lift you back into premiership contention.

 

[FootyGeek]

Hawks should be looking to rebuild.

Chasing flags now after winning three in a row is a fools errand. It can mean much deeper lows. (Nice spot to be in now, but it looks stupid quickly after 15 years)

If they had strong admin, the message would be put across to be stronger with selling value into the draft and rebuilding.

 

[frenchconnection]

Hodge has played like a frustrated old man the last couple of weeks.

Never write a champion off but he'll struggle next year IMO.

Think the mind probably wants to go on, but the body may be saying otherwise!

 

[10571z]

Add Mitchell, Omera and Vickery they could easily be a threat next year

 

[JackFlash]

It's an inevitable decline, 2017 will be a long year for them. It will mean some VFL time for at least two or three of them. Expect a mid season retirement along the way.

 

[Stifler's mom]

Hawks need a better ruckman IMO.

 

[5ammy]

no, I think they were pretty lucky to have gotten as far as they did in 2016.

as to the OP's question; the decision to re-sign the older players was hasty; should've waited until the season was over to assess the situation.

Mitchell, Hodge, Lewis and especially Burgoyne will all be good players in 2017, but you're not going to get improvement out of them, and their best is no longer good enough.

In saying that, there's not a lot of young talent coming through.

Just as worrying for them is the diminished form of Gunston, Birchall, Smith and Hill.

They'll try to load up again on FA's and attempt to trade their way to another flag next year.

Wow, so much wrong in this post I don't know where to begin. Glad you're not on our coaching panel that's all I can say!

 

[Jarman2Bung]

I'd be concerned if you're relying on Vickery to lift you back into premiership contention.

He is at least a tall forward option which we havent had this year. Id be concerned if you guys are relying on Giles to ruck you into contention. JOM and Tom Mitchell should give a significant boost