Preview Round 1, 2022: Hawks v North, MCG Sunday March 20th at 1.10pm

[the big lebowski]

Agree with all that. But I'm telling you now, Cunnington is the one that dines out on our midfield every time.
Horne will be a gun, and sympathies for his illness, but I've got comfort knowing Cunners won't be running out against us this time.

Cunners is a gun and very unique. No doubt. Worked his way into a brilliant season last year after missing the year before with the back and starting 2021 very scratchy.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

JHF has been shockingly amazing

Dominic03 , forget about "elite traits" or "ready to explode", I reckon this turn of phrase is something you could really sink your teeth into.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

So, if he plays it's a 50% record over four years?

Hardly "for a change".

Hasn't it only be 3 round 1 games thus far since Chad has been at the club ? That's 33.33 % by my math

 

[The hands of stone]

I’m not here to argue or make predictions. Just wanted to make 3 points:

1: I watched JHF in the SANFL most weeks last year. I agree that his clearance play looked promising for a young player. But certainly not dominant. He clearly looked like he had the tools to be good in there, but that didn’t really translate to a large number of clearances.

2: In the back half of the year North were one of the best teams out of the Center in the comp. Simpkin was 9th best over the year but best for a large period of the the backend.

3: I’ve watched 3 genuine scratch matches this year and JHF has been shockingly amazing out of the centre. Just focusing on that one aspect he has surprised me how good he’s been going given that as we agree, he just looked promising last year. He had 5 yesterday from maybe a qrt all up in the guts. And would have been 10ish each in the first 2. Going up against our best mids.

Im not here trying to brag, argue etc. just stating what I’ve seen.

Onto the match, someone mentioned our backline as our biggest issue. I agree. Aside from Hall maybe missing, Im nervous about our ability to defend, particularly medium and smalls.

No argument from me .
To me he just looked that guy who does everything a bit better then everyone else , if you do that your a pretty special player.

How that translates to AFL proper games , well noone really knows.

I actually like both clubs are happy with their drafting , recruits and the like .
Good for the comp imo .
We really wont actually know for a few seasons.
But its a good exciting ride .

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I think this game will be a real 50-50 match, both pretty young sides that'll likely finish bottom 6 so it should be interesting to watch.

 

[The hands of stone]

Dominic03 , forget about "elite traits" or "ready to explode", I reckon this turn of phrase is something you could really sink your teeth into.

Lift you game Dom

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

No argument from me .
To me he just looked that guy who does everything a bit better then everyone else , if you do that your a pretty special player.

How that translates to AFL proper games , well noone really knows.

I actually like both clubs are happy with their drafting , recruits and the like .
Good for the comp imo .
We really wont actually know for a few seasons.
But its a good exciting ride .

Win, lose or draw, I'm pretty happy with how our list is tracking considering where it was only 18 months ago.

 

[the big lebowski]

Dominic03 , forget about "elite traits" or "ready to explode", I reckon this turn of phrase is something you could really sink your teeth into.

Do you think I’m going overboard?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Do you think I’m going overboard?

I mean, you might not be, but I reckon if anyone rolled over to the North board to claim that one of our draftees work this preseason was 'shockingly amazing' you would expect to get a few laughs.

 

[The hands of stone]

Win, lose or draw, I'm pretty happy with how our list is tracking considering where it was only 18 months ago.

Drafting has been excellent on the face of it and we have a few young guys step up with opportunity .

Its exciting with the expected tough periods coming

 

[The hands of stone]

I think this game will be a real 50-50 match, both pretty young sides that'll likely finish bottom 6 so it should be interesting to watch.

If you ask most North supporters there's only a 20% chance of that though

 

[the big lebowski]

I mean, you might not be, but I reckon if anyone rolled over to the North board to claim that one of our draftees work this preseason was 'shockingly amazing' you would expect to get a few laughs.

Fair enough. But I wouldn’t laugh if I was on the north board talking about Wards clearance work last year, and a hawks supporter came on and said, they had watched him at training get 25 CB clearances over 3 shortened scratch matches. Even if they described it as shockingly amazing.

Well maybe a lol or two if it was Dom.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Fair enough. But I wouldn’t laugh if I was on the north board talking about Wards clearance work last year, and a hawks supporter came on and said, they had watched him at training get 25 CB clearances over 3 shortened scratch matches. Even if they described it as shockingly amazing.

Well maybe a lol or two if it was Dom.

I would hope that no Hawthorn supporter got that excited by centre bounce wins against their own club at training, that they'd need to talk about it on another club board, but people get excited in Feb.

 

[the big lebowski]

I would hope that no Hawthorn supporter got that excited by centre bounce wins against their own club at training, that they'd need to talk about it on another club board, but people get excited in Feb.

Even when said discussion was literally about Center bounces and said player?

That seems a strange thing to hope for, but no worries. I will withdraw quietly.

 

[Slainte]

Even when said discussion was literally about Center bounces and said player?

That seems a strange thing to hope for, but no worries. I will withdraw quietly.

How is Goater tracking for a Rd 1 debut?

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Fair enough. But I wouldn’t laugh if I was on the north board talking about Wards clearance work last year, and a hawks supporter came on and said, they had watched him at training get 25 CB clearances over 3 shortened scratch matches. Even if they described it as shockingly amazing.

Well maybe a lol or two if it was Dom.

Love the Dom drive by hilarious. Good luck feels like an 8 point game already in round 1. More worrying for me is the bottle of red I have on the game with one of yours.

 

[chopflop]

the big lebowski who won your time trial this year?

The reason we win this (and quite convincingly imo) is the fact we are playing the G. Our side could potentially have Ward, Phillips, Moore, Maginess, CJ, Bramble who are all at the pointy end for endurance league wide.

We also have a bunch of guys in that next tier:
Nash, Shiels, MacDonald, Mitchell, Morrison

Who is your best runner? Shaun Atley

18

Shaun Atley

Age

32

Ht

189cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.3

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

8.8

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.2

4star

MG

273.1

4star

D

15.0

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

7.1

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.0

3star

MG

246.4

4star

D

13.6

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

7.4

5star

M

1.6

2star

T

3.0

5star

(is he even still on the list?)

We will run all over the top of you JHF or no JHF.

Marvel, it's competitive. In a paddock, don't think so.

 

[the big lebowski]

How is Goater tracking for a Rd 1 debut?

Well Hall doing a hammy helps his cause but I doubt it. He’s looked very good though in match sim. We are playing him exclusively down back and he’s providing run. His disposal is interesting. Oscillates between average, fantastic, turnover. Our game plan is to be daring and attack the corridor so he’ll be a weapon in a few years.

 

[the big lebowski]

the big lebowski who won your time trial this year?

The reason we win this (and quite convincingly imo) is the fact we are playing the G. Our side could potentially have Ward, Phillips, Moore, Maginess, CJ, Bramble who are all at the pointy end for endurance league wide.

We also have a bunch of guys in that next tier:
Nash, Shiels, MacDonald, Mitchell, Morrison

Who is your best runner? Shaun Atley (is he even still on the list?)

We will run all over the top of you JHF or no JHF.

Marvel, it's competitive. In a paddock, don't think so.

It’s interesting that you’ve mentioned a time trial. We have all new fitness and SC staff on board. Kevin white from the pies is in charge of getting the boys fit. Apparently when noble got to north the was appalled at the fitness levels (and training standards).

I haven’t even heard of a time trial this pre season. Which is a first. That said the word is it has been a punishing pre season with a focus on running in game, during skills work.

So we seem to be coming from a low base fitness wise if you believe all that. It’s a young list so it sounds true.

 

[chopflop]

It’s interesting that you’ve mentioned a time trial. We have all new fitness and SC staff on board. Kevin white from the pies is in charge of getting the boys fit. Apparently when noble got to north the was appalled at the fitness levels (and training standards).

I haven’t even heard of a time trial this pre season. Which is a first. That said the word is it has been a punishing pre season with a focus on running in game, during skills work.

So we seem to be coming from a low base fitness wise if you believe all that. It’s a young list so it sounds true.

I think Simpkin is probably your only naturally elite endurance runner. You have plenty of blokes who can play but on the G I think we will have too much legs for you. If we go evens in CP and Centre clearances, I can't see us losing.

Your other area of weakness is your small backs. Without Hall you lack any meaningful drive.

 

[the big lebowski]

I think Simpkin is probably your only naturally elite endurance runner. You have plenty of blokes who can play but on the G I think we will have too much legs for you. If we go evens in CP and Centre clearances, I can't see us losing.

Your other area of weakness is your small backs. Without Hall you lack any meaningful drive.

Can’t disagree with you on Hall. He’s a rare commodity at the roos, hence we invested in that area at the draft.

Re runners, I’m not willing to disagree with you in theory, but let’s take a deep dive

Mitchell, omera, wingard, Worpel. I see them as your main mids. Sure you have included some additional players. But these first. They are all good players, at or near their prime. But I wouldn’t say running beasts.

Vs

Simpkin, LDU, Greenwood, Thomas

Certainly not a group known for their running output. Like you say Simpkin is above average, but LDU and Thomas are still improving, and whilst Greenwood has dropped weight and covering the ground well, he’s no gazelle.

Phillips, Powell, JHF are all extreme youth. Stephenson is certainly capable of running the wings to great effect. Don’t laugh but Polec too will be used as a player that puts speed on the ball. He is moving very well. McDonald can also be used as a defensive winger.

You mentioned ward, who whilst a strong junior runner, is in his first game and may not even play. CJ? I thought he was touch and go to play, let alone run us off our feet in the last qrt?

Regardless, it does look like you might have a running advantage.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Dominic03 , forget about "elite traits" or "ready to explode", I reckon this turn of phrase is something you could really sink your teeth into.

Righto champ

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Can’t disagree with you on Hall. He’s a rare commodity at the roos, hence we invested in that area at the draft.

Re runners, I’m not willing to disagree with you in theory, but let’s take a deep dive

Mitchell, omera, wingard, Worpel. I see them as your main mids. Sure you have included some additional players. But these first. They are all good players, at or near their prime. But I wouldn’t say running beasts.

Vs

Simpkin, LDU, Greenwood, Thomas

Certainly not a group known for their running output. Like you say Simpkin is above average, but LDU and Thomas are still improving, and whilst Greenwood has dropped weight and covering the ground well, he’s no gazelle.

Phillips, Powell, JHF are all extreme youth. Stephenson is certainly capable of running the wings to great effect. Don’t laugh but Polec too will be used as a player that puts speed on the ball. He is moving very well. McDonald can also be used as a defensive winger.

You mentioned ward, who whilst a strong junior runner, is in his first game and may not even play. CJ? I thought he was touch and go to play, let alone run us off our feet in the last qrt?

Regardless, it does look like you might have a running advantage.

Running advantage is clear. Ward will play and CJ is in full training.

 

[grumbleguts]

You would be the first

He'll be at best the second, Einstein.

 

[Tassie Cryptik]

Has JHF met a Nash tackle yet?