Ins and Outs against Collingwood

[harliquin]

Honestly, I'd like to see Buddy out.
For multiple reasons:

1. Work everyday, and in the magoos on his kicking. He needs a set routine. Let him keep is curve, but get some consistancy into his runup, his length, his follow-through.

2. Get the team to rely less on him. We have other fantastic forwards up there. Less pressure on buddy might help his kicking too.

3. Give Dowler a run. He deserves a game or 2.

We've got top 4 sewn up, time to prep ourselves for finals.

I love buddy as much as the nexts Hawks fan/AFL spectator, but something needs to be done to fix his kicking. We need to stop accepting that this is just how he is. It's not good enough. The kid WILL be the best if he can just get that done. Roughie to spend time with dunstall during the weeks on his kicking.

In saying that, he's just as likely to come out and bag 10-zip in the next game because i've said that. Depends on the day, I guess.

 

[play2win]

if dew doesn't start playing footy in the next 3 weeks, i'd be loath to play him in the finals. players with limited preseasons and disjointed home and away seasons almost always get found out in september. having said that i think he is in our best 22 when fit.

although i love benny mac, i fear that his season is lost. just hasn't played enough footy to be a serious contender for a spot in september. his main hope would be a string of injuries.

 

[hawks_time]

Haha Buddy won't be dropped that's stupid.

 

[harliquin]

I realise he WON'T be dropped. But that's my opinion.

I'd love to hear why it's stupid though. I think my reasons are pretty reasonable.

 

[lethalselbow]

I realise he WON'T be dropped. But that's my opinion.

I'd love to hear why it's stupid though. I think my reasons are pretty reasonable.

It might be your opinion, but it doesn't stop it from being silly.

 

[hawks_time]

It's silly because just because his kicking is off he's still getting the disposals and the scoring shots to get at least 3-4 goals a game which we always need. I'd take 4.10 over 3.0 anyday.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I'd like to see how we go with Buddy out of the side.

I think we'd all be pleasantly surprised.

However, you just do NOT drop someone who kicks 4 goals on a bad day and 8 on a good day. You just DON'T.

If you want to give Dowler experience fine, play williams up the ground and Dowler can play the third tall.

 

[harliquin]

Give me enough shots at goal, and i'll kick four aswell.
Who's to say that someone else won't step up (or step in) and generate another 4 - 8 goals with more accuracy?

I don't expect him out for long - just enough time to settle him down, let the boys work out how to play without him - if god forbid, he ever goes down with an injury - and let him get back to basics.

 

[hawks_time]

That's not how it works, especially in the business end of the season. That's what pre-season is for. And nobody else does get as many shots on goal as Buddy that's why he's in and Dowlers not, for now.

 

[lethalselbow]

Give me enough shots at goal, and i'll kick four aswell.
Who's to say that someone else won't step up (or step in) and generate another 4 - 8 goals with more accuracy?

I don't expect him out for long - just enough time to settle him down, let the boys work out how to play without him - if god forbid, he ever goes down with an injury - and let him get back to basics.

You couldn't even get the ball once to have a shot at goal... so back in your box, you're just being silly.

 

[TwoBeaus]

My only query about Stokes, and I wondered this at the start of the season too, is: If we asked some other fringe players to play in the forward line and don't worry about the footy, just tackle anything that moves, how would they go?

People are saying to drop Tuck ahead of Stokes because he had some poor disposal. But if he got to just sit in the forward line as a tackler instead of playing in the midfield against the current Brownlow medalist how would he go? How about Morton? Would they be able to get the 8 or 9 tackles but do a bit more too?

No! the other players you mention may have bigger tanks but dont have the closing speed that stokes and rioli have. Thats why they were recruited, because we had a deficiency in that area.
When tuck learns to kick he will be an excellent foil for Mitch as a inside midfielder winning contested ball, but never as a small forward.

 

[Gary Shadforth]

Honestly, I'd like to see Buddy out.
For multiple reasons:

Interesting! I was thinking (my brain hurts when I do that) that it doesn't matter how big a name a player is he should not have a mindset that he is un-droppable.

And that goes for Roughie as well. The 4 or 5 goals being missed each week by those two guys may ultimately cost us from taking the silverware and that cannot be accepted just for the sake of glamour.

Willo, pre Lance and Jarryd, emerged as a very reliable kick for goal and now seems to take a third seat in the scoring department. Mind you he hasn't Mark, over recent games, can still be relied on to be more accurate than the two bigger boys.

 

[apiro]

Give me enough shots at goal, and i'll kick four aswell.
Who's to say that someone else won't step up (or step in) and generate another 4 - 8 goals with more accuracy?

I don't expect him out for long - just enough time to settle him down, let the boys work out how to play without him - if god forbid, he ever goes down with an injury - and let him get back to basics.

Harliquin, most of us here share your concerns with Buddy's kicking from set shots. I am no expert so don't know what needs to be done. One thing I am sure about is that better heads than ours at Hawthorn are and have been considering this for some time now. Let's be patient.

Common sense tells me though that you don't just drop the best player in the AFL, Coleman ladder leader, the guy that puts the fright of Moses into every opposition team we play and who despite the goal kicking still does enough (on his own let alone indirectly) to be rated in our top 5 just about every game!

If you did you would just be sending a signal to Buddy that he is simply not a required player and that the HFC are in the suicide business!

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Honestly, I'd like to see Buddy out.
For multiple reasons:

Let me guess - you put some coin on Fevola to win the Coleman medal.

 

[suedehead]

While there are definite concerns about Buddy's kicking for goal, I doubt it's something that can be fixed or even improved in seven days. It'll be something that he has to work hard on over the off-season.

 

[bungholes_premiers]

Honestly, I'd like to see Buddy out.
For multiple reasons:

1. Work everyday, and in the magoos on his kicking. He needs a set routine. Let him keep is curve, but get some consistancy into his runup, his length, his follow-through.

2. Get the team to rely less on him. We have other fantastic forwards up there. Less pressure on buddy might help his kicking too.

3. Give Dowler a run. He deserves a game or 2.

We've got top 4 sewn up, time to prep ourselves for finals.

I love buddy as much as the nexts Hawks fan/AFL spectator, but something needs to be done to fix his kicking. We need to stop accepting that this is just how he is. It's not good enough. The kid WILL be the best if he can just get that done. Roughie to spend time with dunstall during the weeks on his kicking.

In saying that, he's just as likely to come out and bag 10-zip in the next game because i've said that. Depends on the day, I guess.

LOL - I'll excuse your stupidity cos your from the West ...

 

[KingRich]

Dropping Buddy would wreak of arrogance. We have not proved anything yet and should be playing our best side at this time of year.

 

[Hawk-in-syd]

Dew needs to come in soon or never.

Can't wait till 5 minutes till midnight to test his hamstrings.

Exactly, if Dew is right to play we have to play him now so he can gain some form and match fitness so come finals time he is cherry ripe!

If Dew is fit would see them as a direct swap.

We need Dew to get match fit ASAP but he has to do it in the magoos. The fitness staff have got it wrong with him three times this year.

1. Early on in the season Al said we over did him because of injuries to other players durring the game and were forced to play him for 80% of the game when he was only able to play 50%. First mistake bringing someone in that wasn't able to play 100%
2. Came back to early after first hammy and had to be rested again. Second mistake
3. Came back to early again, coudn't kick 50m. Third mistake

The fitness guys should have learnt something and hopefully bring him back via BH where he can play just enough to get fit and not do
anymore damage.

 

[harliquin]

You're probably right about the arrogance, KR. About the only post outlining why my idea is 'silly'. And yes, it is out of left field, but I'm not happy with his accuracy, nor should anyone be. If Buddy thinks that 'close enough is good enough' like the rest of you, we'll end up with Richo the 2nd on our hands. Buddy is a super talent, one that will get better as time goes on, but for now, i'd like to see him out for a week or so, get back to basics, and see if we can get back to how he was kicking earlier in the season, because he's getting worse.

But as for most of the other posters - you're the reason most people hate hawks supporters, stop being so blind and smacking down people who disagree with you. Buddy isn't perfect, yet. The Hawks still have a long way to go before we are truely premiership contenders.

 

[xellis]

Wait... did you say drop Franklin????

Maybe we should drop Hodge for his turnovers in the last qtr too

 

[harliquin]

Hodge had a single bad game. Buddy has been inaccurate all year.

 

[Coathanger]

When you kick more points than goals then you are inaccurate.

You must remember he is getting more ball than any other forward in the comp.Not because we look for him,but he's good enough to either mark it or crumb it. Would love to know how many goals via crumb Buddy has compared to Fevola. Buddy has the extra shots because he works harder than any other player you would put into his spot if dropped.

No one here thinks Hawks supporters are the most hated.

Ever thinks it's just you?

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Fine, I'll be serious.

Buddy averages between eight-ten shots at goal per game this season.

Anyone, including Dowler or Thorp, as a direct replacement would not get anywhere near that statistic.

Buddy draws the opponent's best defender most weeks. Dropping Buddy means that the best defender goes to Roughead or Williams.

Further, as we've seen particularly against Adelaide, if Buddy is not getting enough of the ball down in the forward line, Clarkson can use Buddy to go through the midfield. No team in the competition has a player capable of the aerobic fitness or the strength to stop Buddy when he's on fire. He has the ability to spot up teammates with 50 metre passes.

So, once again, I have to think that you've put some coin on Fevola to win the Coleman medal.

 

[phreeze77]

wtf???

I was critical of Buddy's misses on friday night but the guy has 9 scoring shots a week.. no other forward in the game does it... and he is leading the goal kicking and has been pretty much all season.

He kicks his 4 a game then that is fine by me, Dunstall averaged about that over his whole career and he was the best ever imo.

We need more scoring options .. Rioli and Stokes have been played out of position .. we needed crumbers last season .. we get them then get them up at half forward. We need them in the pocket and we need to play a conventional forward line.

A lead up CHF(Roughy) a classy Half Forward Flank in Willo , and two little crumbers(Stokes and Rioli) under Buddy's feet when he spills em.

I'd rather those young players learnt to be opportunistic first than running out games and applying defensive pressure. Perhaps it is a lesson for them in late career when they are used as crumbers that they are also accountable to chase and harrass.

 

[shotta]

You're probably right about the arrogance, KR. About the only post outlining why my idea is 'silly'. And yes, it is out of left field, but I'm not happy with his accuracy, nor should anyone be. If Buddy thinks that 'close enough is good enough' like the rest of you, we'll end up with Richo the 2nd on our hands. Buddy is a super talent, one that will get better as time goes on, but for now, i'd like to see him out for a week or so, get back to basics, and see if we can get back to how he was kicking earlier in the season, because he's getting worse.

But as for most of the other posters - you're the reason most people hate hawks supporters, stop being so blind and smacking down people who disagree with you. Buddy isn't perfect, yet. The Hawks still have a long way to go before we are truely premiership contenders.

9 weeks isn't really that long.