Unrestricted Free Agent Josh Battle [UFA 2024] “Make me a Hawk”

[triple treat]

So picks 7 & 8 for Saints and Hawk fans get to watch Owens & Sharman taking speccies on Battle's head given he can't jump

Owen’s, never heard of her and Sharman, nope never heard of her either! Are they any good?

 

[Jeremias]

Owen’s, never heard of her and Sharman, nope never heard of her either! Are they any good?

This is not nearly as funny as you thought it was.

Do better, and if you can't, don't do at all. Thanks.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Going to be a great addition to the backline of Hawthorn allowing Weddle and Sis to be even more attacking

 

[hawkman]

Why would any club pay that much for an average footballer, that plays on the third best forward?

Would hardly call the AA CHF Geelong's 3rd best forward

 

[parsons nose]

Why would any club pay that much for an average footballer, that plays on the third best forward?

Why don’t you ask your own club that. They wrote the book.

 

[Roogene]

Why would any club pay that much for an average footballer, that plays on the third best forward?

Simple, upgrade on Frost who s a butcher by foot. As others have noted frees up the more attacking types.

Most good back lines have a player who fills this role. Clubs value them highly re team balance and defensive structure. Look what happened to the Pies without Murphy. Was he their best defender? No but he was the guy who held the line and often cleaned up others mess.

 

[THE_GUN]

Why would any club pay that much for an average footballer, that plays on the third best forward?

Carlton payed that to McNuggets and also Williams

 

[Ash1337]

I don't think hawks matched saints offer because it would have been reported. Also they have to pay Barrass too and I don't see Battle being on 950k if Barrass at 900k.

 

[HeHateMe]

I don't think hawks matched saints offer because it would have been reported. Also they have to pay Barrass too and I don't see Battle being on 950k if Barrass at 900k.

Yep this, also can't see either being on more than the skipper Sicily.

 

[HairyO]

So is battle now the 2nd player ever to leave a club for less money?

Brian Lake took a pay cut to join us. 3 flags later including a Norm Smith he probably made the right choice.

 

[HairyO]

Simple, upgrade on Frost who s a butcher by foot. As others have noted frees up the more attacking types.

Most good back lines have a player who fills this role. Clubs value them highly re team balance and defensive structure. Look what happened to the Pies without Murphy. Was he their best defender? No but he was the guy who held the line and often cleaned up others mess.

Have you watched us this year? Frost used to turnover at least once a game where the opposition then scored. Sometimes twice or 3 times.

This year he has gone 4 or 5 games in between screw ups. His improvement has been a major part of our defence being one of the best in the comp now.

Mitchell raves about him. And rightly so.

 

[TazHawk15]

So picks 7 & 8 for Saints and Hawk fans get to watch Owens & Sharman taking speccies on Battle's head given he can't jump

Ahh the “Now he does not play for my team anymore he is a spud” routine, it never gets old.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Brian Lake took a pay cut to join us. 3 flags later including a Norm Smith he probably made the right choice.

Big call comparing your current team to that super team. No doubt your current team looks very promising and I rate Mitchell highly as a coach but I have feeling Hawthorn are getting way ahead of themselves here

 

[TazHawk15]

Big call comparing your current team to that super team. No doubt your current team looks very promising and I rate Mitchell highly as a coach but I have feeling Hawthorn are getting way ahead of themselves here

You have a feeling the Hawthorn F.C are getting ahead of themselves?
Or a few Hawthorn supporters are getting ahead of themselves?
Big difference.

Sam Mitchell has been at pains in every press conference after every win this year, in saying “We have not achieved anything yet” and I can assure you that no one at the HFC are getting ahead of themselves.

All Mitchell has said is “We want to build a brand of footy that will succeed in Finals” and since he played in those “Super teams” I think he knows what it takes to win Finals and is starting to prove why David Parkin has described him as “The smartest footy brain he has ever known”

Sure supporters and members like me can say the “Hawks have been winning Premierships at an astonishing rate for over half a century, it’s what we do” but that has nothing to do with the club getting ahead of themselves.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

You have a feeling the Hawthorn F.C are getting ahead of themselves?
Or a few Hawthorn supporters are getting ahead of themselves?
Big difference.
Sam Mitchell has been at pains in every press conference after every win this year, in saying “We have not achieved anything yet” and I can assure you that no one at the HFC are getting ahead of themselves.
All Mitchell has said is “We want to build a brand of footy that will succeed in Finals” and since the Hawks have been winning Premierships at an astonishing rate for over half a century and he played in those “Super teams” I think he knows what it takes to win them.

Like I said I rate Mitchell this was more directed at Hawthorn supporters , my only question is was this the right time to bring in two high priced mid twenties free agents that play similar positions or should they have waited 2-3 years when all your good young players are entering there prime ready to contend? Will this also limit what you can do moving forward I still believe Hawthorn are quality key forward short

 

[QuietB]

Big call comparing your current team to that super team. No doubt your current team looks very promising and I rate Mitchell highly as a coach but I have feeling Hawthorn are getting way ahead of themselves here

Maybe. It is becoming clearer that there is actually a pretty good core developing though. We could not say that 12 months ago. And they are playing pretty dynamic football.

Hawthorn clearly do have some talent emerging and they have a clear identity. I think Battle certainly compliments that.

 

[Hawker399]

We do need a KPF. Looks like no-one to trade for. So have to draft one in the next 2 drafts. Seems there could be handy ones around pick 30 this year. Assuming we keep this pick. If not this year then next season.
In the meantime we will have to use Chol, Lewis, Dear, Scaife, Battle and/or McCabe as our KPF's.

 

[TazHawk15]

Like I said I rate Mitchell this was more directed at Hawthorn supporters , my only question is was this the right time to bring in two high priced mid twenties free agents that play similar positions or should they have waited 2-3 years when all your good young players are entering there prime ready to contend? Will this also limit what you can do moving forward I still believe Hawthorn are quality key forward short

They are bringing them in so they can free up Sicily and Weddle which will make them incredible weapons and we already have that quality key forward in Mitch Lewis who IMO shows more promise than Max King, he has unfortunately just had terrible luck with injuries.

We also have a guy that is going to be a sensational forward in the coming years in Calsher Dear and another guy who the club rates very highly who has sensational marking ability and they think they can develop him into a CHF or CHB but he had his year ruined by a back injury in McCabe.
Also we have a kid named Scaife who is a beast and is showing a bit of promise.

I think the club sees Battle as a Gunston type in that he can play forward or back.

 

[QuietB]

Buddy got Hawks the best possible compo available

Hawks got pick 19 for the best player of his generation

It ended up being a straight swap of Buddy for McEvoy. Now I love McEvoy, but....

 

[TazHawk15]

Buddy got Hawks the best possible compo available

The AFL with their complete bullshit compensation secret herbs and spices.

I am sure Richmond supporters would have been happy to lose Dusty in his prime for pick 19.

 

[beside the seaside]

The AFL with their complete bullshit compensation secret herbs and spices.

I am sure Richmond supporters would have been happy to lose Dusty in his prime for pick 19.

The herbs and spices had nothing to do with the buddy compo though. It's just the rule that you get the compo after your first pick and you were premiers.

 

[TazHawk15]

The herbs and spices had nothing to do with the buddy compo though. It's just the rule that you get the compo after your first pick and you were premiers.

Ah yes that secret herbs and spices rule.

 

[HairyO]

The herbs and spices had nothing to do with the buddy compo though. It's just the rule that you get the compo after your first pick and you were premiers.

That is the point. They should have applied the unusual circumstances rule because pick 19 for by far the biggest contract ever was nowhere near enough conpensation.

 

[HeHateMe]

That is the point. They should have applied the unusual circumstances rule because pick 19 for by far the biggest contract ever was nowhere near enough conpensation.

It's been how long and still it's the biggest ever.

 

[Mitch75]

Like I said I rate Mitchell this was more directed at Hawthorn supporters , my only question is was this the right time to bring in two high priced mid twenties free agents that play similar positions or should they have waited 2-3 years when all your good young players are entering there prime ready to contend? Will this also limit what you can do moving forward I still believe Hawthorn are quality key forward short

Why wait 2-3 years so that our youngsters are entering their prime together? Why not go hard before they hit their peak?

Sam Mitchell has always said that there is no ceiling on how far this group can go, and no limit on how quickly they can get there. I think given the sudden and rapid improvement of the team this year, the penny has dropped that we might be closer to the premiership window opening than we previously thought.

The recruitment of Barrass and Battle immediately strengthens our defence, which despite being much more miserly in the second half of the year, is still vulnerable against tall forward lines. This also helps us tackle the problem of not having a bona fide superstar key forward. Because depending on the match ups, we can now swing Sicily or Hardwick or Weddle forward, all of whom have shown they’re dangerous in the F50 and can kick multiple goals.

The premiership window is about to open, and Mitchell’s aim is to keep it open for as long as possible. Not 3-4 years, but 7-8 years or longer. Hence the spread in the age profile.

Kane Cornes reckons the Hawks should start premiership favourites in 2025. I don’t know about that, but we will definitely be 4th or 5th favourite at worst, no matter what happens this finals series.