Game Day North vs Hawks, 4:40pm, Sunday, Shepparton

[Kangaroos4eva]

Sounds like *

They're getting there, there's a few good posters, but they're outnumbered.

 

[Black2Blue]

Caught the last 3 quarters on the big screen. Enjoyed the game. Intensity was good. Useful hit out with only a bit of hammy soreness for Dish the only ailment.

Very happy with my boy Mason Wood, definitely took the points in the play-off with Blacky.

Benny Jacobs looking strong and assured.

Sammy Wright showing last year won't be a flash in the pan.

They say you need big-bodied mids to play finals footy. Cunners is now a biggggg-bodied mid.

JZ looks lean and mean.

Sugar.....how old is he? Jeeeeeeeeeeez.

JMac the general.

And happy with the Taz/Tipp performance down back.

Good day at the footy pub.

 

[Passmore]

Best on field was Gibson? What the f is he smoking, swallow actually had an opponent and dominated, Thomas, others were equal or better.

Johnny Ralph gold there.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Anyone have a gif of Cunners breaking that tackle like a beast.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

I really liked Basti's last quarter work, that desperation to push the ball out in the ground was awesome.

 

[ozzyoslo]

That's Tippett isn't it?

NOoooooo Josh Mc Millian mate.

 

[Digga Hole]

Actually Ralph has invested a bit more time in our direction so far this preseason........he dropped the ball by prewriting his article about hawthorn.Plain laziness in my books.

Check his Twitter account, more hawk focused than the article


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

NOoooooo Josh Mc Millian mate.

They didn't? I had it on mute for most of it.

 

[ozzyoslo]

They didn't? I had it on mute for most of it.

Nah....still digging those media types that troll our pages.

 

[SnowRoo]

This game review from Little Jonny Ralph is something special. He masturbates over the brilliant performance of Hawthorn for the whole article before saying a single complimentary thing about North 3 lines from the end...



IMAGINE a trio of Krakouer brothers running rampant together as a premiership contender went about its business.

North Melbourne and Hawthorn entertained the masses at Shepparton’s Deakin Reserve before the Roos charged with four late goals to win.

Yet if the Roos once enjoyed the quicksilver brilliance of Jim and Phil, it was hard not to think we were enjoying that flashback except in yellow and brown colours.

Anyone wanting reasons to back Hawthorn for a three-peat needed to look no further than Cyril Rioli, Bradley Hill and Jed Anderson.

Anderson isn’t anywhere near Krakouer calibre but the improvement of the indigenous trio is yet another reason why the Hawks are a marauding presence for rivals.

Rioli set the game alight in the first quarter — five touches, five tackles — and Hill has played six straight finals of such quality the sky is his limit.

Of course all the normal Hawks stars shone — Brian Lake commanding in defence, the sharpshooters Jack Gunston and Luke Breust hitting the scoreboard.

But if Rioli’s hamstring stands up, if Anderson can take pre-season form into the real stuff, and if Hill continues his progression then the Hawks become scary good.

They did all they needed to until the last term, until suddenly their early-March tune-up went pear-shaped.

With Rioli (rested at half time) and Luke Hodge (bruised back) sidelined, the Roos kicked the last four goals from nowhere to snatch an unlikely win.

Last week they had roared home with six last-quarter goals against Adelaide to fall just 10 points short, but this time they surged past the reigning premiers.

Alastair Clarkson, sitting outside the coaches box as assistant Cameron Bruce took charge, won’t mind losing a humdrum NAB Challenge game.

But he wouldn’t have liked seeing the Roos run harder or longer, or the ill-disciplined Jordan Lewis coathanger on Lindsay Thomas that resulted in the supergoal that saw the Roos take the lead.

Still, no point getting too hot under the collar about a March contest where both sides saw plenty to like.

Former no. 2 pick Jon O’Rourke did enough to show he belongs in Hawks colours, kicking a pair of others and setting up another in an 11-possession possession game..

James Frawley’s debut stinker was quickly forgotten as he did exactly what Hawthorn is asking of him — break even on a big gorilla (Jarrad Waite and Aaron Black) and allow best-afield Josh Gibson to zone off.

And Hawthorn’s old blokes haven’t missed a beat, including a pair of 32-year-olds in Shaun Burgoyne and Sam Mitchell masquerading as 25-year-olds.

There was plenty to like too from preliminary finalists North Melbourne, even if normal service resumed for Jarrad Waite.

The new Roo was reported for a swinging arm on Ben Stratton but can thank AFL footy boss Mark Evans — watching in the stands — for his new tribunal system.

He looks set for only a $1000 fine, not the old 125-point charge that would have seen him with 93 carry-over points hanging over his head all year.

Hawks dasher Isaac Smith limped off with a lower left leg injury in the third term and was not seen again, while Luke Hodge copped a Leigh Adams knee to the back and didn’t play the last term.

The Roos smashed the Hawks in the stoppages despite missing Nick Dal Santo and Daniel Wells and surged with five second-quarter goals, including Brent Harvey’s supergoal close to the half-time siren.

Andrew Swallow was supreme, Sam Wright bounced off half-back and when semi-final hero Ben Brown came on in the second term he immediately straightened the Roos up.

Still, it is hard to read much into the scoreboard or even any minor lapses from two sides who we will only judge in the heat of September.

Hawthorn takes on St Kilda on March 19 ahead of its Round 1 clash against Geelong, while North Melbourne’s last NAB Challenge game is against Richmond on Saturday March 21.

Big Win for the Hawks

After the disappointment of NAB 1 the Hawks chose to take a stronger line up into Sundays NAB 2 game. And to great effect, holding the opposition goalless in the first quarter. To come through the day with no injuries and some shining performances was an outstanding win for the Hawks.

Hawthorn amassed 26 clearences to dominate inside 50's going inside 50 times for the game. Their hardness and ferocity at the ball clearly shown winning the tackle count by +10. An increased awareness of rule changes and foresight in giving at the knees with precision also allowed the Hawks to extract 26 classy additional possesions from the men in charge, an unheard of 1:1 ratio with their stellar clearance work.

Jordan Lewis was back to form of years passed with a strong move in the last quarter leaving his opponent on the ground in his dust, his efforts turning the match when needed. Boom recruit James Frawley looked more at ease slotting into Hawthorns power house defence and without doubt played his finest game for the club. Jono O'Hawk looks like he will add plenty snatching 2 clinch goals and double figure quality touches.

Looks like the offseason additions will have the Hawks clear favorites for another premiership and rightfully so.

On the other side of the field North Melbourne had 2 ex players lining up in the brown and gold who starred with David Hale slotting 2 beauties at critical times in the game, and Josh Gibson adding kicking supergoals to his CV to combine with his aerial dominance, easily nailing his first goal as a Hawk in the 3rd quarter right when it was needed to quell and opposition run on.

Next up the Hawks will look to dominate the hamstrung Saints, while Richmond plays in 2 weeks.

Even Scott could not believe the events unfirlling like another Hawks flag in front of him.















Am i doing it right? I so wanna work with Carro, im not against romance in the workplace

 

[niko11]

So Mason Wood is one of the fittest at the club! I wasnt aware of this..

 

[Luke72]

Best on field was Gibson? What the f is he smoking, swallow actually had an opponent and dominated, Thomas, others were equal or better.

That's OK, as soon as someone questions one of his calls he changes his view. They have been laughing about it on SEN

 

[shinboner magic]

Taz and tippett big thumbs up.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

Robbie Tippett and Josh Tarrant looking the goods.

 

[FAILTOSUCCEED]

Gibson was BOG along with Lewis. No doubting that.

Perfect hit out without our silk squad in Wells, NDS and Higgo.

Things of note:
Wright super impressive, Maj definitely should not make the R1 cut, Tippo/Taz holding down the backs a lot more convincingly this week, Swallow will only get better after that hit out, Adams is nowhere near good enough and Jacons starting to believe in himself and showing more hunger and determination for the contest.

I wish Durdin and Dumont played.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Between Walker, Jenkins, Roughead and Gunston our talls have conceded 3 goals so far. Not bad.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Taz was marking a lot better, just needs match conditioning.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

Swallow, Bastinac, Black, Adams.....very unstable set shots.

No improvement over the years.

 

[ozzyoslo]

Taz was marking a lot better, just needs match conditioning.

Again he's surprisingly fast...

 

[niko11]

Didnt catch the presser but on AFL site Brad is quoted as saying "We had the Worlds Tallest Attack"

 

[BoomerBrownlow_29]

Quick post-match chat with Andrew Swallow:

 

[BoomerBrownlow_29]

Didnt catch the presser but on AFL site Brad is quoted as saying "We had the Worlds Tallest Attack"

See below.

 

[GreatBradScott]

Actually Ralph has invested a bit more time in our direction so far this preseason........he dropped the ball by prewriting his article about hawthorn.Plain laziness in my books.

not JR's biggest fan but willing to give him benefit of the doubt. match reports are old-world and pointless, there's no time for proper analysis and reflection because a deadline is something like a half-hour after the match. this leads to general cliches and hamfisted perspectives on the thing. thankfully becoming a thing of the past, give me mid week articles any day of the week.

 

[kingcarey1]

Brad Scott talking up Adams' performance....

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Again he's surprisingly fast...

he is extremely quick for a big man.

he is one of the best big athletes in the comp, its why the club rates him so highly.