Autopsy Round 1, 2023: Bombers beat the Hawks

[Judd2Sewell]

I agree with this except the first sentence. Lewis would have made a huge difference, we had opportunity's, mostly in the first half where Lewis would have been perfect.

They were missing more players.

Who would Hawthorn fans prefer - Weiderman or Kosi?

If we put that to the forum pre game I wonder how much in Kosi's favour it would have been. These were the two players leading the lines today due to the injuries to Lewis and 2MP.

Never mind no Stringer, who loves to feast on us.

 

[Daylight Scrimshaw]

For 2 years we've been bombing the ball inside 50 to no one, need to be better....

8 years…


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[user33]

Sorry but Jeka doesn’t seem to be the answer. I know he’s had limited opportunities but has never really shown much when given a chance.

Jeka is a defender. But I think he should be given a shot in Kosi’s position, cause Kosi won’t ever be up to it unfortunately

 

[Denver Day Lewis]

Result sucks but more concerned about the lack of effort from some players. Need to nip that out quick.

Has been a growing issue since 2016.

Motivation was a crucial factor back then. Senior premiership players simply didn't have that internal drive week in, week out. Understandable, but frustrating.

Then Clarkson and Covid made life difficult, it seems. Smith cracking the sads and running off down the highway summed it up.

And now, as predicted, becoming demoralised is a potential danger if our performances don't show improvement week to week.

There seems to be great camaraderie with the younger brigade. But with fewer wise heads to guide them, we'll need some of the young crew to step into the leadership vacuum created by the departure of so much experience, to focus and motivate their peers.

"If the old blokes aren't stepping up, why should I" needs to become "Well if no-one else is going to f%&#ing do it, I might as well" for these kids.

I think we'll be OK, it's just a matter of when (and a couple of KPPs.)

 

[HeHateMe]

They were missing more players.

Who would Hawthorn fans prefer - Weiderman or Kosi?

If we put that to the forum pre game I wonder how much in Kosi's favour it would have been. These were the two players leading the lines today due to the injuries to Lewis and 2MP.

Never mind no Stringer, who loves to feast on us.

Honestly either wouldn't have made a difference maybe a Tom Lynch. But I'm putting this win down for Brad Scott.

 

[extractasam]

I get we’re young and whatever and it’s going to take time but that was as piss weak an effort as I’ve seen served up for a long while. That margin could’ve been reduced 4-5 goals on effort alone.

The redman goal after the hand off from Merrett was the cherry for me, you could see him wandering up from 50 metres away and was clear as day what was going to happen. Not an opponent within 30 metres of him. Genuinely asleep at the wheel today we were. You just wanna see effort and today wasn’t it - can cop that stuff in Rd 15, but Rd1, spare me

 

[PT Bar None]

The Jeka that pinged a hammy and is out for the next 5 weeks? We're saying he should be playing instead of Kozi?

 

[HedgeFund]

Jeka is a defender. But I think he should be given a shot in Kosi’s position, cause Kosi won’t ever be up to it unfortunately

Kind of ignoring the fact Jeka was a drafted as a forward, has played at Box Hill as a forward for 2.5 of the 3 years he’s been in our list and was only switched to defence for 3 weeks at Box Hill (before playing 4 AFL game as a defender), to put a rocket up his bum.

Plus he won’t be available until Rd 6 at best.

 

[Wingnut19]

did cooper stephens play VFL today?

 

[PenAndPaper]

I'd love to know the stats on how many scores they got going coast to coast from kick ins. We had almost non-existent pressure on their kick ins, it was ridiculously bad.

Anyway some positives:

• Worpel - thought he did well and was back close to 19 form.
• Mackenzie - fantastic, what a debut. He is so composed and his delivery was outstanding. The similarities to Mitch are uncanny.
• Macdonald - Thought he worked really hard to provide a link, was a little uncharacteristically clean but his work rate was solid.
• Ward - Did a lot without being super noticeable. Love his workrate.
• Hardwick - This bloke is just the heart and soul of this club right now. Can play him anywhere.
• Meek - Liked his work around the ground, didn't get a heap of it but used it well and provided a tall option on the lead.

 

[SSSSSS]

Really like Dimma up forward. Would like to persist with that once Tank is back.

 

[JoeHawk]

Leading has been an issue for about 5 years. That's where a high draft picks will help. Someone who has been taught for years to lead, rather than a forward who has been playing second fiddle

It was frustrating seeing bombers forwards clunk one grab marks in the forward line and us dropping similar contests. Kosi really struggles one on one let alone pack marks.

 

[Roddy]

Went today, that was hard to watch. I think that promising praccy match against the Pies gave us a little false promise.


What we all need now is patience, lots and lots and lots of patience.....

 

[Dipper Here]

We won the first quarter and saw some wonderful signs of what could be.

I mean that’s a positive. Least we won a quarter with some flair.

 

[hamohawk1]

Went today, that was hard to watch. I think that promising praccy match against the Pies gave us a little false promise.


What we all need now is patience, lots and lots and lots of patience.....

think it got mentioned via one of the broadcast games that the pies did a 12km running session the day before this game.

makes me think we're just not that fit.

 

[Lotus]

That's a very poor performance for a long time. Good first quarter but not sure what happened after that.

Cam Mackenzie .
It's very obvious we're missing Mitch Lewis badly. I'm just grateful that we won't play at the MCG for few weeks, the ground looks amazing but very slippery.

This is round 1, yes we might get beaten soundly like this week after week, but I'm just hoping that people will still turn up to the game.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

It's disappointing and concerning that Scott had Essendon looks like a much more organised side, with an actual gameplan, in the space of a few months - whilst we looked like we had no plan at all.

If they had a full team out there today I could accept a hefty loss. They have more class players on their list. They quite a few underdone plus their 2 best forwards out yet it made no difference at all to the result. Reason is they had a structure and were disciplined to the task at hand. It was bordering on a training drill the 2nd half. They barely got a scratch on them. That's whats galling about today and no amount of blissful ignorance from some posters will change that.its not going to get better if you don't get the basics right to begin with.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

Apart from all that and for something completely different, Wingard is injured again .

Yep - 6 pages in and everyone bar you is ignoring the giant elephant in the room. Chad Wingards body is simply not fit for AFL. I’ve been banging on about this ever since we brought him in. Today he couldn’t even get through the first friggin game of the season without the standard soft tissue injury. Clarkos shocking insistence of bringing in Wingard at any cost still haunts us to this day. Won’t be here in 24.

 

[Dewnior]

Haven’t watched the recording yet and I’m sure it will be sobering viewing BUT to me from what you have said the positives outweigh the negatives- Worpel listed as a positive is fantastic news as that’s continued evidence that he’s come good; Sicily/Dimma/CJ/Newk/Day played poorly, at least in part… doesn’t worry me as they have consistently shown they can do better, Kozi’s capacity to do what we need him to is a real and ongoing concern. Not new.

Overall, yes, it’s disappointing we lost but not too worried- onto next week!

Now I have to watch it -out atm

It's just my opinion, but if you must watch, I strongly recommend the 1st quarter only and then switch off

 

[hfc70]

Positives -
1. We get to play Eagles & Roos this year.
2. Harley Reid

 

[Dewnior]

Really like Dimma up forward. Would like to persist with that once Tank is back.

Agree. The net gain of Hardwick forward and Moore back is in the negatives.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

I walked away very disappointed today and pose the following questions

CJ - Are we getting the best out of Him? Is HBF really his best position? And should we expect better from him with a handful of howlers almost every week?

Ruck - we need to ask HQ if ruckman can kick out at the opposition ruck at centre bounces with no intention of going for the ball, and then adjust accordingly. This appears to be a tactic against Noodle at present. But he would want to improve. A lot.

Frost - why is he trying to thread passes into the middle of the ground.

Moore - opposition have done their homework on him. He better expect bigger opponents more regularly, and our coaches need to help him out accordingly.

Chad - are flashes going to be enough moving forward considering the clean out last season?

Kozzie - No. I know the cupboard is bare for big forwards but we are wasting valuable time playing him. And even if he gets it, it is heart in mouth stuff. Feel for him but he just doesn’t have any forward craft.

Dimma - there is something in the wind with his role in the team. Had a so-so pre season and he may not be suited to the game plan moving forward. See Scrimshaw. I don’t know, maybe I am just reading too much into it.

It was a very disappointing day. The umpiring was just as puzzling as some of our play. But getting absolutely pantsed by a fellow bottom 6 side after a positive first quarter was in no small part due to having an almost non existing forward line or any defensive pressure.

And the amount of dropped easy marks around the ground causing unnecessary pressure just topped it off.

Edit, who was that debutante they kept yelling Ripa late on in the game

 

[Judd2Sewell]

If they had a full team out there today I could accept a hefty loss. They have more class players on their list. They quite a few underdone plus their 2 best forwards out yet it made no difference at all to the result. Reason is they had a structure and were disciplined to the task at hand. It was bordering on a training drill the 2nd half. They barely got a scratch on them. That's whats galling about today and no amount of blissful ignorance from some posters will change that.its not going to get better if you don't get the basics right to begin with.

Agree completely. Scott has had a few months to instil a game plan and turn it around, Mitchell has had two preseasons and a full season of games, and there was absolutely no sign of a discernible plan in place.

That's a big concern. I would be more understanding if this was Geelong, Sydney, Collingwood or Melbourne that outplayed us and forced us to play to their gameplan, but this was Essendon, a side that finished below us and was tipped (mostly by Hawthorn fans) to finish below us again.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Clearly we are just lulling the Bombers in to a false sense of security for 2023.

Well there is always next week!

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

As I said if you cannot stomach that , log out and we will see you in 40 or so games .

It was a mess mate swallow your pride and acknowledge it. Has nothing to do with waiting another 40-50 games if you can't do the simple things well.