Autopsy Round 11, 2022: Gold Coast toast Hawks

[HODGEYROAD]

Compared to his recent few seasons Blake Hardwick

15

Blake Hardwick

Age

27

Ht

183cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.8

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.1

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.7

4star

MG

264.7

4star

D

13.8

3star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.7

3star

MG

264.7

4star

D

15.0

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.4

4star

is having a very poor campaign.

 

[Gut Runner]

Feel detached from this result. After seeing Darwin games in the past, it was obvious it was going to be a tough watch.
Opted for Top Gun. Now I predicted everything that happened in that and pretty sure I did for this game.
Saw the Hawks live in Launceston last week and they were great. AFL are taking the piss by giving the Hawks Tassie to Darwin on 6 day break.

I know Suns were in Ballarat but were back on the GC on Saturday night.
They have played at Darwin multiple times and know what to expect and are hardened for it.
Knowing my love on humidity, I’d be sweating bullets just sitting there let alone getting hammered by a pretty physical GCS.
Very underrated at the moment the Suns. Melbourne have said (before yesterday) that they were the hardest opponent, physically for the season.

Never in this game physically or mentally and from what I’ve seen, the players couldn’t wait for it to end.

No highlights much to speak about from the game, and staggered people are into Howe for his efforts in the ruck. WTF are you expecting him to do? Witts would hammer all 3 of our top line rucks let alone a guy 10 inches shorter who would have never played there in his life.

I look fwd to a return bout in Tassie later in the year.

They moved Howe to the ruck in the last qtr - he wasn't rucking for the first 3.

Whether that was because Kosi and Nash were stuffed and/or injured or to just get Howe to get beaten in the ruck instead of everywhere else around the ground I don't know.

 

[OnionJam]

As a Darwin based Hawk who hasn’t seen us play live for years, I was looking forward to this one. Oh well. Jeez that was some horrible stuff.

A few thoughts:

• Conditions were the same for both sides. It actually wasn’t even that hot or humid, at least by Darwin standards, and the weather on the Gold Coast Is completely different to Darwin, so no advantage there. So I’m not sure why only one team seemed to be fumbling and falling over all the time. It shouldn’t even have been that slippery as there was no dew and it hasn’t rained for a month.
• GC just had so much more run. We were static across the ground and looked exhausted before we’d started. The difference in energy levels was noticeable. They just seemed first to everything and had players free all over the place.
• Leadership - we seemed really quiet, and I was looking to see what Sic might do to rev people up a bit when we started to lose our way, but couldn’t see much. I thought he was our best player on the day but I wonder if we missed Jaegers leadership more than we thought. Not convinced Sic is the best option for captain going forward on that showing.
• Not many positives, Sic and Denver battled on but Dimma, Jars, Frosty all poor. CMac and Butler showed glimpses.
• Fans: Darwin has a pretty chilled vibe. Whilst it must have been disappointing for people coming from interstate to see a performance like that, the loud aggressive morons behind us can made the evening far less any NTFL match I’ve been to.

 

[Gut Runner]

Compared to his recent few seasons Blake Hardwick is having a very poor campaign.

Yeah he isn't on an improving trajectory, but is solid.

doesn't help he has a very raw backline around him.

Easier to be composed when we win the inside 50 count which we haven't in any game this season. He is probably exhausted.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

It's a long rebuilding process that we really only started in 2021, as we wasted the years 2017-2020 trying to remain relevant. But until we get a competent midfield the club won't be going anywhere near september action.

Considering how well we hit the draft last year with a full hand, it’s almost criminal the top up strategy we tried from 2017 onwards.

 

[hawk for 37]

As a Darwin based Hawk who hasn’t seen us play live for years, I was looking forward to this one. Oh well. Jeez that was some horrible stuff.

A few thoughts:

• Conditions were the same for both sides. It actually wasn’t even that hot or humid, at least by Darwin standards, and the weather on the Gold Coast Is completely different to Darwin, so no advantage there. So I’m not sure why only one team seemed to be fumbling and falling over all the time. It shouldn’t even have been that slippery as there was no dew and it hasn’t rained for a month.
• GC just had so much more run. We were static across the ground and looked exhausted before we’d started. The difference in energy levels was noticeable. They just seemed first to everything and had players free all over the place.
• Leadership - we seemed really quiet, and I was looking to see what Sic might do to rev people up a bit when we started to lose our way, but couldn’t see much. I thought he was our best player on the day but I wonder if we missed Jaegers leadership more than we thought. Not convinced Sic is the best option for captain going forward on that showing.
• Not many positives, Sic and Denver battled on but Dimma, Jars, Frosty all poor. CMac and Butler showed glimpses.
• Fans: Darwin has a pretty chilled vibe. Whilst it must have been disappointing for people coming from interstate to see a performance like that, the loud aggressive morons behind us can made the evening far less any NTFL match I’ve been to.

As a Darwin based Hawk, you would of been in a state of shock at 6.00 last Sunday night in 5deg at Launceston… don’t underestimate the effect of the heat (that you are acclimatised to) on this team who were playing off a short break and spent big tickets last week.

 

[William Wonka]

I was there and at ground level, I was watching the game, not moving and sweating buckets. So it probably did play a factor and Gold Coast handled it eat better.

No doubt GC handled it better but unless we are ever playing there again (and God I hope we dont) the game is irrelevant

 

[cryptor]

Suns are at that stage where they can build form across multiple weeks. We're at an earlier stage where good performances are more sporadic.

Not going to waste energy reading into a poor result after such a good win just last week. We're inconsistent at the moment and that is both ok and expected.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

I said it in the gameday thread. We need the senior guys to step up in these situations, and they aren't. It's been a weekly occurrence for a few years now. We need a collective reset inside the club, or we are going to only every tree water. Far too many players who leave it for others, or are past it. Where are our Ben Dixon

Ben Dixon

Age

47

Ht

188cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.8

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.4

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

0.8

3star

G

2.4

5star

, Richie Vandenberg, Joel Smith's from 2005-2007?

On a side note, it's amazing how GC always play their absolute best v us

 

[OnionJam]

As a Darwin based Hawk, you would of been in a state of shock at 6.00 last Sunday night in 5deg at Launceston… don’t underestimate the effect of the heat (that you are acclimatised to) on this team who were playing off a short break and spent big tickets last week.

True, just not sure why it seemed to have no effect on Gold Coast. Who I thought were surprisingly good by the way.

 

[Xtreme]

The loss we had to have but not necessarily the loss we needed right now

 

[Mercy Seat]

As a Darwin based Hawk who hasn’t seen us play live for years, I was looking forward to this one. Oh well. Jeez that was some horrible stuff.

A few thoughts:

• Conditions were the same for both sides. It actually wasn’t even that hot or humid, at least by Darwin standards, and the weather on the Gold Coast Is completely different to Darwin, so no advantage there. So I’m not sure why only one team seemed to be fumbling and falling over all the time. It shouldn’t even have been that slippery as there was no dew and it hasn’t rained for a month.
• GC just had so much more run. We were static across the ground and looked exhausted before we’d started. The difference in energy levels was noticeable. They just seemed first to everything and had players free all over the place.
• Leadership - we seemed really quiet, and I was looking to see what Sic might do to rev people up a bit when we started to lose our way, but couldn’t see much. I thought he was our best player on the day but I wonder if we missed Jaegers leadership more than we thought. Not convinced Sic is the best option for captain going forward on that showing.
• Not many positives, Sic and Denver battled on but Dimma, Jars, Frosty all poor. CMac and Butler showed glimpses.
• Fans: Darwin has a pretty chilled vibe. Whilst it must have been disappointing for people coming from interstate to see a performance like that, the loud aggressive morons behind us can made the evening far less any NTFL match I’ve been to.

Sic gets up and about when we’re winning and is our best player by some margin at the moment. But when the chips are down, he slunks into his shell too much. Watched him closely in the Essendon game and he just didn’t want to be there in the last quarter. Not vocal at all. I have strong reservations if he’s our next captain…

 

[HedgeFund]

As a Darwin based Hawk, you would of been in a state of shock at 6.00 last Sunday night in 5deg at Launceston… don’t underestimate the effect of the heat (that you are acclimatised to) on this team who were playing off a short break and spent big tickets last week.

That would make sense halfway through the 3rd and for most of the last term, but not from the 7 minute mark of the first and onwards. You don’t fatigue that early from playing one day later and coming from Tassie (45 minute flight from Melbourne)

Gold Coast weather is nothing like Darwin. They had to acclimatise just as much as we did.

Hawks were poor between the ears. Work rate was embarrassing compared to the Suns.

 

[HedgeFund]

Sic gets up and about when we’re winning and is our best player by some margin at the moment. But when the chips are down, he slunks into his shell too much. Watched him closely in the Essendon game and he just didn’t want to be there in the last quarter. Not vocal at all. I have strong reservations if he’s our next captain…

Totally agree he’s a classic flat track bully

 

[westhawk]

Compared to his recent few seasons Blake Hardwick is having a very poor campaign.

Yep, and having Impey and Frost along side him is not helping. All three are struggling and sag off their opponents too much. In fact we have too many defenders who play loose.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Yep, and having Impey and Frost along side him is not helping. All three are struggling and sag off their opponents too much. In fact we have too many defenders who play loose.

Hardwick always sags off his man. The problem is now he's lost yards of pace and really nimble small oppo forwards are finding open men/goals. His gap between his worst and best is a concern for sure

 

[Lickmesocks]

Sic gets up and about when we’re winning and is our best player by some margin at the moment. But when the chips are down, he slunks into his shell too much. Watched him closely in the Essendon game and he just didn’t want to be there in the last quarter. Not vocal at all. I have strong reservations if he’s our next captain…

The club is aware of this, the rotation of skippers and less in the leadership group tells us everything we need to know.

Who is going to be our Jack Steele? Someone who puts his head in the hole when needed and lifts the team and does it consistently. We don’t have that person!!!!

 

[Lickmesocks]

Hardwick always sags off his man. The problem is now he's lost yards of pace and really nimble small oppo forwards are finding open men/goals. His gap between his worst and best is a concern for sure

Dimma gets some tough roles, Cameron last week and Rankine this week . Quick elusive forwards are a tough match up for him.

 

[Sixpence]

True, just not sure why it seemed to have no effect on Gold Coast. Who I thought were surprisingly good by the way.

That would make sense halfway through the 3rd and for most of the last term, but not from the 7 minute mark of the first and onwards. You don’t fatigue that early from playing one day later and coming from Tassie (45 minute flight from Melbourne)

Gold Coast weather is nothing like Darwin. They had to acclimatise just as much as we did.

Hawks were poor between the ears. Work rate was embarrassing compared to the Suns.

As someone who grew up in Brisbane and now lives in Melbourne, there's a gulf in humidity between GC and Melbourne! Particularly this time of year. GC would be significantly closer to Darwin and would naturally be an advantage for the GC players. Our players were noticeably more sweaty even at the start of the game.

 

[Sixpence]

Dimma gets some tough roles, Cameron last week and Rankine this week . Quick elusive forwards are a tough match up for him.

Doesn't help when we get smashed in transition too! As a team, we made it a lot tougher for Dimma to win that match up.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Considering how well we hit the draft last year with a full hand, it’s almost criminal the top up strategy we tried from 2017 onwards.

Hindsight is great, but it's worth adding that as great as we did last year - arguably our best ever strike rate for a 12 month period - there's no guarantees at the draft. It can go the other way too.

Agree in principle though, history hasn't been kind to that top up strategy.

But Butler showed some more positive signs last night, Duke learned what it's like to become the hunted, and the whole side were reminded that you've got to show up with intensity to win.

Throw the rest of the game in the trash, and learn from the experience.

 

[H00t]

Just looking through the stats and realised Morrison had the most clearances for us. Our mids needed to step up. Even with no ruckman.

On Morrison he got a lot of ball this week, but I felt his disposal was pretty poor. Certainly not our worst. Just needs to know when to tighten up defensively and when to play looser.

 

[TylerDurden]

So the number 1 pick was forced to tag the mid we took in the MSD last year.
God I love our recruiting team.
Looking fwd to Wednesday night now.

 

[Teamwork Talks]

So the number 1 pick was forced to tag the mid we took in the MSD last year.
God I love our recruiting team.
Looking fwd to Wednesday night now.

Love your positivity Tyler

 

[grumbleguts]

When has it been humid up here with all the rain we've had? Take from someone who grew up down south, it's been very much a wet "traditional" winter this past month with cool days and nights.

I also spent 2 years in Darwin before moving here. Trust me going from this weather up here to Darwin would be just as much as a shock for the Suns players as us.

They wanted it more and were prepared to work for it. Getting sick and tired of everyone writing it off as the weather.


I don't think anyone is blaming the umpires for the loss. Not sure where you are getting that from.

No. I live in Brisbane, lived in Tully (similarly hot and humid to Darwin). There is no comparison between Bisbane/Gold Coast now and Darwin, but as was touched on by the Gold Coast player in the on-field post-match interview, they train their entire preseason in pretty much identical conditions to what is was last night in Darwin. That is an incredible advantage.