Just a curious question

[jaitachi]

Do you think the Hawks will be premiership contenders in 2010? or the lack of croad and bad ruckmen get us close but not close enuff.

Also if at the end of next season (assuming renouf doenst explode into form) if we could recruit a gun ruckman and also a gorilla back (Shoe might solve the problem? but might need another year or so?)

So do you think Hawthorns premiership window opens truly in 2010 or 2011 (when all the big guns will b firing i hope, and all areas of our ground covered)

I can see a fairly long window if we can keep our group together. Hodge Mitchell Sewell are only 26? So thats at least a 5 yr window there.. Not discounting the up and coming midfielders like Ellis Lewis Rioli, Lewis is same age as Franklin and Roughead, such a young team of guns which will hopefully be able to maintain to their potentional when people retire from their club (croad,cambpell). I cant see anybody else retiring in the next few years? who is our oldest player? burgoyne? he just got drafted.

BUt then again we have lost a LOT of experience, in Dew Crawf, Cambepll, Croad..i I think some more players should step up and boost the team and take on their leadership roles better while improving themse;lves

(btw if buddy can kick 100 goals i reckon we can make GF or almost) (maybe roughy need to kick about 70+ too hehe)

 

[eldorado]

I can certainly see us being contenders with some luck.

Having gone too a few training sessions, the difference between the way they look right now compared to the same time last year is palpable.

There seems a real focus (though all clubs say this, of course)

 

[Hawkinspired]

I believe the quality our our side is far superior to any of the others in the competition. The immeadiate problem is that Footscray, Geelong and St Kilda are all at their peak. IMO we are two years from our peak, but with the quality we have we may be able to snare another early one. The midfield and forward lines will go from strength to strength. Our main issue is defence. I believe Schoenmakers is key to our success. As good as he is looking he still has alot to learn and years from filling he gap. When that happens and If it happens while Hodge, Mitchell and Sewell are all under 30 we will be hard to beat.

 

[SA HAWK]

I think we are 12-24 months away from being a genuine premiership contender if we can keep our stars out of the expansion teams hands and improve our defence.

I don't think our defence is strong enough at the moment and hopefully Shoenmakers can step up in the next 12-24 months and hold down chb.

 

[Watsclarkosmob]

I don't know about you mate but I watch every game expecting to win, and even more so with this quality list. BTW mate did you hear office works are having a sale, forget what it is called but should be right up your alley.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the start of 2008, there were also doubts over our ruckmen and defence. As the above poster said, I go into each and every game with expectations for a win, so I expect the Hawks to do very well in 2010.

 

[grimesy36]

The way I see it is that we aren't much different to the 2008 side who won the cup. We are missing five players from that side, but their replacements aren't a great deal different.

Croad for Gibson. Croad hardly played in the GF anyway.

Crawford for Burgoyne.

Campbell for Taylor. If Taylor gets those ridiculous free kicks out of his game he ain't going to be that bad a player as everyone says he is.

Williams for Hooper. Saw this guy at training yesterday and he has all the goods to be a good small forward for us.

Probably only don't have a suitable replacement for Dew. Surely one of the kids we've picked up and the further development of previous draftees (Cyril and Co) will be able to replace him.

After watching training i'm pumped for this season and can't wait to give it back to all those teams that knocked us off last year.

I'd be pretty disappointed if we didn't come close to winning it this year.

 

[Johnpoland]

I think momentum has a lot to do with any team's chances of success.

Last year we just couldn't put together a sequence of wins - to which injuries contributed a great deal - and there were times I felt we were lacking a bit in the confidence and self belief that would have come with a winning run.

There were a couple of games where we were in a winning position only to come away with a defeat e.g. Port Adelaide, Geelong (harsh), Adelaide when we were running away at the end of the first quarter but just couldn't maintain the momentum.

Hopefully, with a much more promising preseason (and hoping that continues through to Round 1), we can get off to a flyer this year and build on a good start to challenge for the Premiership.

On paper, I don't think there are any lists which are necessarily better than ours player for player, the real difference will come in the players' heads. I'm expecting them to be in a better place this year.

 

[Gene Simmons]

Do you think the Hawks will be premiership contenders in 2010? or the lack of croad and bad ruckmen get us close but not close enuff.

Also if at the end of next season (assuming renouf doenst explode into form) if we could recruit a gun ruckman and also a gorilla back (Shoe might solve the problem? but might need another year or so?)

So do you think Hawthorns premiership window opens truly in 2010 or 2011 (when all the big guns will b firing i hope, and all areas of our ground covered)

I can see a fairly long window if we can keep our group together. Hodge Mitchell Sewell are only 26? So thats at least a 5 yr window there.. Not discounting the up and coming midfielders like Ellis Lewis Rioli, Lewis is same age as Franklin and Roughead, such a young team of guns which will hopefully be able to maintain to their potentional when people retire from their club (croad,cambpell). I cant see anybody else retiring in the next few years? who is our oldest player? burgoyne? he just got drafted.

BUt then again we have lost a LOT of experience, in Dew Crawf, Cambepll, Croad..i I think some more players should step up and boost the team and take on their leadership roles better while improving themse;lves

(btw if buddy can kick 100 goals i reckon we can make GF or almost) (maybe roughy need to kick about 70+ too hehe)

Even during 2008 season the critics were out saying we dont have the backline to stand up in Finals..etc

I expect Hawks to be a serious contender for this years flag, however on the bigger picture - I expect the Hawks premiership window to be truly open over the next 5 years (where a majority of our stars Hodge, Mitch, Sewel,Roughy, Buddy, Cyril...etc) will be pushing their mid/high 20's age bracket.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Definitely.

I think over the past 2 - 3 years things are evening up though. the Saints and Cats have to be strong contenders. I think the Dogs getting Hall will help them and the Pies getting Ball and Jolly will help them too. With us, that makes five real contenders IMO.

 

[hawker5]

I woke up every day in 1964 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1965 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1966 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1967 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1968 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1969 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1970 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1971 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1972 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1973 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1974 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1975 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1976 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1977 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1978 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1979 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1980 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1981 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1982 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1983 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1984 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1985 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1986 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1987 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1988 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1989 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1990 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1991 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1992 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1993 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1994 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1995 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1996 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1997 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1998 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1999 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2000 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2001 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2002 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2003 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2004 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2005 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2006 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2007 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2008 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2009 praying for a flag

9 times my prayers were answered - 9 beautiful times

In 2010 I will continue to wake up every day and pray that I can witness my beloved Hawks win another flag - to think otherwise is not the Hawthorn way.

We have talent, committment, an excellent player list and coaching staff - our club is very well managed and like the 70's and 80's our club is hated by all other clubs for we now demand a single focus - to achieve the very best we can possibly achieve - does that mean we will win the flag in 2010 - I am certainly praying that it is so

 

[jaitachi]

The way I see it is that we aren't much different to the 2008 side who won the cup. We are missing five players from that side, but their replacements aren't a great deal different.

Croad for Gibson. Croad hardly played in the GF anyway.

Crawford for Burgoyne.

Campbell for Taylor. If Taylor gets those ridiculous free kicks out of his game he ain't going to be that bad a player as everyone says he is.

Williams for Hooper. Saw this guy at training yesterday and he has all the goods to be a good small forward for us.

Probably only don't have a suitable replacement for Dew. Surely one of the kids we've picked up and the further development of previous draftees (Cyril and Co) will be able to replace him.

After watching training i'm pumped for this season and can't wait to give it back to all those teams that knocked us off last year.

I'd be pretty disappointed if we didn't come close to winning it this year.

yeh i feel that although some of the players we lost didnt contribute that much in the gf (except williams/dew), and i reckon we've got all the players covered. Except Croad. How well did Croad play in 2008? my memory is a bit fuzzy still, winning a grand final is 1 thing, but having a group of players carrying you all the way to the grand final is another i beleive? Buddy and others helped us get into the Grand Final, so i reckon if the big man hits form again we should get pretty close. I hope Gibson can play Croads role almost as well (can i ask how was Croads form throughout 2008? did he stop the majority of the monster forwards or did he get towelled up a few times too?)

maybe im just being silly or not well informed, but yeh i do miss Croad,he was 190cm? and he took on all the gorillas? amazing (that leap of his helped im sure)

 

[Baz_hawk]

I'm waiting for the NAB cup. Really excited to see some of the young players given the oppurtunity to play and impress coaches and fans alike. I think it'll provide a good indication of our talent depth and also how we will go when the season begins for real

 

[Consumed]

I personally think the reason we didn't win the GF in 2009 was due to a severe lack of teams falling over.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

I woke up every day in 1964 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1965 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1966 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1967 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1968 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1969 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1970 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1971 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1972 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1973 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1974 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1975 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1976 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1977 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1978 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1979 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1980 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1981 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1982 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1983 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1984 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1985 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1986 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1987 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1988 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1989 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1990 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1991 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1992 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1993 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1994 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1995 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1996 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1997 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1998 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 1999 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2000 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2001 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2002 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2003 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2004 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2005 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2006 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2007 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2008 praying for a flag
I woke up every day in 2009 praying for a flag

9 times my prayers were answered - 9 beautiful times

In 2010 I will continue to wake up every day and pray that I can witness my beloved Hawks win another flag - to think otherwise is not the Hawthorn way.

We have talent, committment, an excellent player list and coaching staff - our club is very well managed and like the 70's and 80's our club is hated by all other clubs for we now demand a single focus - to achieve the very best we can possibly achieve - does that mean we will win the flag in 2010 - I am certainly praying that it is so

35 times your prayers weren't answered.
Is there really a god

 

[boozeDragon]

35 times your prayers weren't answered.
Is there really a god

yeah, his name is michael tuck

 

[hawker5]

35 times your prayers weren't answered.
Is there really a god

Merv, seriously dude - 35 times my prayers were not answered - but how many other supporters can say that they have seen their side win 9 flags in their lifetime. Hell we have won more flags in the past 50 years than any AFL team - to say that I and other Hawks supporters around my age have not been blessed is wrong - we truely have therefore my prayers have been answered and I hope that my prayers will be answered in the same way in the future.

 

[eldorado]

Merv, seriously dude - 35 times my prayers were not answered - but how many other supporters can say that they have seen their side win 9 flags in their lifetime. Hell we have won more flags in the past 50 years than any AFL team - to say that I and other Hawks supporters around my age have not been blessed is wrong - we truely have therefore my prayers have been answered and I hope that my prayers will be answered in the same way in the future.

I think you're missing some irony from Merv, mate.

Come on, he even put a wink and tongue-out smilie for you, what more do you want?

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

Merv, seriously dude - 35 times my prayers were not answered - but how many other supporters can say that they have seen their side win 9 flags in their lifetime. Hell we have won more flags in the past 50 years than any AFL team - to say that I and other Hawks supporters around my age have not been blessed is wrong - we truely have therefore my prayers have been answered and I hope that my prayers will be answered in the same way in the future.

Just havin a laugh hawker5.
I often raise my eyebrows at people who pray for a million things and one of them comes true and thus use it is proof of a greater being!

Obviously this is not the place to discuss such matters.

FWIW I often boast of my flag average. Ie One every 4-5 yrs and thus do believe that we are blessed(for want of a better word)

 

[Ordovician]

yeh i feel that although some of the players we lost didnt contribute that much in the gf (except williams/dew), and i reckon we've got all the players covered. Except Croad. How well did Croad play in 2008? my memory is a bit fuzzy still, winning a grand final is 1 thing, but having a group of players carrying you all the way to the grand final is another i beleive? Buddy and others helped us get into the Grand Final, so i reckon if the big man hits form again we should get pretty close. I hope Gibson can play Croads role almost as well (can i ask how was Croads form throughout 2008? did he stop the majority of the monster forwards or did he get towelled up a few times too?)

maybe im just being silly or not well informed, but yeh i do miss Croad,he was 190cm? and he took on all the gorillas? amazing (that leap of his helped im sure)

Croad's form in 2008 was pretty good. He did get beaten a few times in his career by Fevola but he was generally pretty good against the monster forwards like Brown and Rocca.

He may have only been 190 cm but he was 99kg of leg muscle and core strength so he had an exceptional leap, was quick of the mark and was bloody strong. He could play on any type of key forward something that Gibson will never be able to do especially against the larger taller key forwards like Brown, Kosi, Bradshaw, Fevalenko and Ringworm.

Remember that he was selected to play for the big V against the all stars where he took on the All Stars numbers one forward, a certain L Franklin, because that arrogant disrespectful ex-bummer "bomber" Thompson did not want his precious little "greatest full back of time" Scarlett to be given a bath. So yes Croad was pretty bloody good and kept a lid on buddy during the game.

Croad never got the recognition that he deserved late in his career becuase everyone in the media wanked on about how great Scarlett and Glass were so he was never considered elite, probably his kicking let him down, but he was consitently A grade and never had to resort to continual illegal grappling of forwards like the other so called great full backs used to get away with like Scarlett & Hudghton.

His premature retirement has left and enormous hole in the Hwaks defence that hopefully one day will be able to be filled by somebody. The bets around here are on Shoey, but that is simply wishful thinking (because there is no one else to take the role) expecting him to fill the void in the next two or three years. However, if he did acheive the goal of becoming a competent KPD at the age of 21-22 would be a exceptional feat.

 

[hawker5]

Just havin a laugh hawker5.
I often raise my eyebrows at people who pray for a million things and one of them comes true and thus use it is proof of a greater being!

Obviously this is not the place to discuss such matters.

FWIW I often boast of my flag average. Ie One every 4-5 yrs and thus do believe that we are blessed(for want of a better word)

Merv - if you look at the third word in my reply you will see the word dude - now I only use words like that when I am picking up the fact that it is friendly banter - I am not a overly religious person although I married a Catholic and she demands that we go to Church regularly.

In my original post what I was trying to say was that if you dont expect the Hawks to win a premiership every year then you should not be a Hawks supporter - last year I never gave up hope that we could win the flag until the final siren rang out at the end of round 22 - I always held out hope that a miracle would occur.

What I hate is people at the start of each season asking if they think we can win the flag - everyone should have the same answer YES WE CAN otherwise why do we bother supporting our side - Hell I bet even some Melbourne supporters think that this will be their year or that there are some delusional Tigers supporters thinking the very same thing - jokng people.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

What I hate is people at the start of each season asking if they think we can win the flag - everyone should have the same answer YES WE CAN otherwise why do we bother supporting our side.

I agree when it comes to discussing 2010, but when ut came to discussing 2004, I certainly wasn't thinking premierships at that stage

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

Merv - if you look at the third word in my reply you will see the word dude - now I only use words like that when I am picking up the fact that it is friendly banter - I am not a overly religious person although I married a Catholic and she demands that we go to Church regularly.

In my original post what I was trying to say was that if you dont expect the Hawks to win a premiership every year then you should not be a Hawks supporter - last year I never gave up hope that we could win the flag until the final siren rang out at the end of round 22 - I always held out hope that a miracle would occur.

What I hate is people at the start of each season asking if they think we can win the flag - everyone should have the same answer YES WE CAN otherwise why do we bother supporting our side - Hell I bet even some Melbourne supporters think that this will be their year or that there are some delusional Tigers supporters thinking the very same thing - jokng people.

No worries dude
hers's to upping our average

 

[Jade]

Your forward line is exceptionally strong. No arguing with the quality there. Possibly (probably) the strongest in the league depending on how the Brown-Fevola combo works.

Midfield is very, very good. Sam Mitchell is an elite level ball winner, ably supported by the likes of Sewell and co. If Burgoyne can produce the goods, it will be a recruiting coup and you will be close to the best midfield in the league.

Backline is questionable. Can you deal with a team that has multiple options up forward? Can you also adapt to teams that run off half back?

Ruck division is poor. You would need a youth, or a fantastic performance from an existing ruckman.

Can you win a flag?

Of all the teams in the league, Hawthorn will be the hardest to pick next year. I said at the start of 2009 that Collingwood COULD NOT win a flag. I won't say the same about the Hawks.

Your 'A' Graders are exceptional talents. If you manage to develop some depth in you list you may very well challenge.

I don't think you will win the flag but I will be suprised if you miss the 8.

 

[raff23]

The way I see it is that we aren't much different to the 2008 side who won the cup. We are missing five players from that side, but their replacements aren't a great deal different.

Croad for Gibson. Croad hardly played in the GF anyway.

Crawford for Burgoyne.

Campbell for Taylor. If Taylor gets those ridiculous free kicks out of his game he ain't going to be that bad a player as everyone says he is.

Williams for Hooper. Saw this guy at training yesterday and he has all the goods to be a good small forward for us.

Probably only don't have a suitable replacement for Dew. Surely one of the kids we've picked up and the further development of previous draftees (Cyril and Co) will be able to replace him.

After watching training i'm pumped for this season and can't wait to give it back to all those teams that knocked us off last year.

I'd be pretty disappointed if we didn't come close to winning it this year.

Kayler-Thomson is dew's replacement. Is ready made for senior footy this yr. We have all our areas covered, it is now just a waiting game till they develop in particular the backline. But in saying that we can give it a real shake if all things go right and everyone is on the same page.