Autopsy Round 14, 2024 : Hawks skin Tigers

[FB19]

Good professional performance but with some frustration again, shows we still have a lot of upside but how quickly can expectations raise? 2 months ago I just wanted to be competitive now I’m yelling at the screen again. It’s good to be back! God these rebuild things aren’t that hard are they…

 

[tommyk72]

That was amazing from Will Day.

That and his tackle. His matrix moment was good, but that launching tackle was one of the best things I’ve seen in a footy field for many years.

 

[A Diakos]

Can we all stop with calling criticism hate? that’s ridiculous and I’m hoping hyperbole. I don’t agree with the assessment on CJ either but I am not going to attack someone for having a different opinion even if I believe it is wrong.
CJ is working his way back from a long layoff and doing a lot of unrewarded running. Also if any of the things said are true that will see him out of the side pretty quickly as it won’t be tolerated for long.

watching the replay I thought CJ played pretty well

I agree those with a strong opinion otherwise aren't necessarily haters or to be labelled racists

he has some areas to work on as do most players ...he has some unique attributes too and only played 50 games, so the best is ahead for him

I note his disposal has been better of late imo

Part of the rascal pack along with ginny wiz Connor Mac and potentially bazalenko if he comes across

 

[TylerDurden]

Other thing, is that opening goal aside, Dusty looked bog average. Fair to say he's cooked and it's time for them to play more kids.

And their entire side didn't give a yelp after that goal. Insipid when you consider how big the occasion was for their club.

 

[MasterSamurai]

CJ is getting it around 10-12 times a game but still looks quite dangerous when around the contest, so, with fitness hopefully hitting 90% after the bye, I can see him and Massimo becoming the best pairing of outside mids in the comp! He is extremely important for us moving the ball frwd at high speed.
Just on worps, I don't care about stat padding, he is absolutely making excellent decisions and execution is spot on going inside 50!

 

[Off The Couch]

Never seen so many Tiger supporters at a game, great atmosphere BEFORE THE GAME, pretty quiet during the match. Strange game, the Tigers always turned up and upset us when we were winning premierships, perhaps those days are gone now.

A couple of points:

1. I spent the whole of Selwood’s career calling him out as a cheating, cowardly fraud. Please don’t allow our players to drop into tackles to draw frees. It is embarrassing

2. Those supporters criticising players, go to the games and watch what they’re doing. CJ is playing a different game, doing more defence in the forward line. You need to be there and watch their movement.

3. For those watching on TV in WA, Conor McDonald played another great game; he’s playing outside the contest, giving an outlet for the quick handpass/kick.

4. Richmond were totally, absolutely rubbish.

5. Great to have another W - let’s keep it going.


Go Hawks!

I’m still not a fan

 

[Simon Crawshay]

One thing to note was that Meek did a good job of negating Nankervis's influence on the ground.

Nank probably just popped Meeks on points but he didn't have his usual influence and Meek provided his usual good work in close (his handballs are very good for a guy his size).

I think we have a big enough sample size to confirm that Meek is now a bonafide quality AFL ruck. Not at the level of Gawn (god level), Grundy (semi god) or Marshall but comfortably sitting at the next level down with the likes of Nankervis.

And I don't think it's a coincidence that our winning form has coincided with his arrival.

 

[Slainte]

CJ is getting it around 10-12 times a game but still looks quite dangerous when around the contest, so, with fitness hopefully hitting 90% after the bye, I can see him and Massimo becoming the best pairing of outside mids in the comp! He is extremely important for us moving the ball frwd at high speed.
Just on worps, I don't care about stat padding, he is absolutely making excellent decisions and execution is spot on going inside 50!

Worpel's attack on the ball has also been outstanding. He hits every contest with pace and intensity. I guess that has always been his strength and his clean disposal is something relatively new but the great thing is that his improved disposal has not come at any cost to his natural game.

 

[Roddy]

Worpel's attack on the ball has also been outstanding. He hits every contest with pace and intensity. I guess that has always been his strength and his clean disposal is something relatively new but the great thing is that his improved disposal has not come at any cost to his natural game.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Worps, and I'm desperate for him to stick around. At the pointy end of my favourite current players.

If we lose him, especially to the pussies, I'll be very upset.

 

[cs61]

Worpel's attack on the ball has also been outstanding. He hits every contest with pace and intensity. I guess that has always been his strength and his clean disposal is something relatively new but the great thing is that his improved disposal has not come at any cost to his natural game.

Worps is also stronger than he looks, and his continued bash and crash all game, along with Newk, Nash, Meek and Day really wears the opposition down. I'm seeing the benefit of Burge, as our players like Worps and Newk seem to have just that 5-10% extra burst from the stoppage, and also Sam Mitchell's fingerprints all over on those bullet short passes inside the forward 50. Worps is a really hard trainer himself as well, so a lot of credit to how hard he's worked on his game to become a top quality AFL midfielder.

Very hard to shut us down at the moment for a whole game. Our midfield keeps coming, even when having quiet periods just keep attacking the contest and bringing defensive pressure. Same with our runners, eventually the cracks open and we are finding space. Particularly hard to play at MCG, Tassie and Marvel. The challenge will be how we go in Geelong, GWS away, and Adelaide away in our run home with some different sized grounds.

 

[TylerDurden]

Worps is also stronger than he looks, and his continued bash and crash all game, along with Newk, Nash, Meek and Day really wears the opposition down. I'm seeing the benefit of Burge, as our players like Worps and Newk seem to have just that 5-10% extra burst from the stoppage, and also Sam Mitchell's fingerprints all over on those bullet short passes inside the forward 50. Worps is a really hard trainer himself as well, so a lot of credit to how hard he's worked on his game to become a top quality AFL midfielder.

Very hard to shut us down at the moment for a whole game. Our midfield keeps coming, even when having quiet periods just keep attacking the contest and bringing defensive pressure. Same with our runners, eventually the cracks open and we are finding space. Particularly hard to play at MCG, Tassie and Marvel. The challenge will be how we go in Geelong, GWS away, and Adelaide away in our run home with some different sized grounds.

We play Adelaide well. 2 losses that should've been wins.

Hardwick absolutely loves playing fwd there too.

 

[diggydig]

In defence of the people with concerns around CJ taking contact, I would not agree, but note that there were similar concerns about Hartung & Hill. Seems to me a misunderstanding of the role of the winger. I was a bit concerned about CJ competing in packs where we had adequate cover, in the first half, as it removes an exit option that commences the attacking transition; I was hoping he was told not to do it.

For those who are not convinced that this is the reason for the criticism, I would suggest that you consider initiating a competing site. We could call it BigotFooty. , so we know who's who.

 

[bigmaxi]

i love Sis for giving it to Lynch and continuing to do so as they split up at the end of the quarter. A veritable verbal spray that the Tiger player who was shepherding Sis away seemed to have a wry smile, he knew Sis was on the money and that Lynch is a dick but was doing the team thing. Absolute Gold.

 

[Flamin Joe]

1. I spent the whole of Selwood’s career calling him out as a cheating, cowardly fraud. Please don’t allow our players to drop into tackles to draw frees. It is embarrassing

Maybe it's because I'm biased, but if you are talking about Watson I think the high frees were there and he didn't milk them.

The reason I believe this is because it's pretty obvious Watson oozes class and he damn well knows it. When he's about to be tackled in a sitaution like the high frees he received, his first reaction isn't I'm going to milk a free, his first reaction is I'm going to take full advantage of my agility, speed and lack of height and I'm going to slip this defenders tackle (get under him if I have to) and snap a ripper to light up the 'G. If I get a free it's a bonus.

So often when you see head high tackles where the player is drawing the free you see them lifting the arm or in some cases it almost looks like they are aiming direct for the players arm with their head. I saw none of that with the Watson frees, he genuinely looked like he wanted to take the defender and beat him fair and sqaure one on one. That's the way he plays and I dare say that's how the umpires interpreted it.

 

[Topiary]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Worps, and I'm desperate for him to stick around. At the pointy end of my favourite current players.

If we lose him, especially to the pussies, I'll be very upset.

From what I hear, he is staying and wants to be a one club player. Appreciates he is an important member of our midfield group.

 

[KermitJagger]

Maybe it's because I'm biased, but if you are talking about Watson I think the high frees were there and he didn't milk them.

The reason I believe this is because it's pretty obvious Watson oozes class and he damn well knows it. When he's about to be tackled in a sitaution like the high frees he received, his first reaction isn't I'm going to milk a free, his first reaction is I'm going to take full advantage of my agility, speed and lack of height and I'm going to slip this defenders tackle (get under him if I have to) and snap a ripper to light up the 'G. If I get a free it's a bonus.

So often when you see head high tackles where the player is drawing the free you see them lifting the arm or in some cases it almost looks like they are aiming direct for the players arm with their head. I saw none of that with the Watson frees, he genuinely looked like he wanted to take the defender and beat him fair and sqaure one on one. That's the way he plays and I dare say that's how the umpires interpreted it.

I think it's because you're biased. I think that's fine, fans should be biased - no one likes the obsessively "realist" supporter that craps on what being a fan actually means.

That said, Watson's high free kick in the pocket was the textbook definition of a drawn high free. He lowered himself into extremely intentionally.

 

[Argy]

From what I hear, he is staying and wants to be a one club player. Appreciates he is an important member of our midfield group.

Shades of Bud's "I want to be a one man team"!

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I think Meek is the best of the second tier rucks as someone mentioned earlier. He's not a 20 possession, goal per week, outlet mark type ruck.
But he's a beast that is getting the absolute most of out himself and is now someone the opposition needs to plan around. I reckon he's maybe 6th best ruck in the league for overall impact? Not that I could name 5 I would rather ahead of him other than Gawn.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Worps, and I'm desperate for him to stick around. At the pointy end of my favourite current players.

If we lose him, especially to the pussies, I'll be very upset.

The more I watch the Cats the more I see how much they need a player like Worps. Their midfield is pretty dire TBH.

I reckon they will come pretty hard at James with a godfather offer (plus a nice land package thrown in). Like you i hope we keep him as he's always been one of my favourites.

 

[Glacier]

I find no issue with drawing high frees at all
Selwood did it all career
Who cares

 

[Leather Poisoning]

The more I watch the Cats the more I see how much they need a player like Worps. Their midfield is pretty dire TBH.

I reckon they will come pretty hard at James with a godfather offer (plus a nice land package thrown in). Like you i hope we keep him as he's always been one of my favourites.

Cats will be interesting to watch this off season.

They tend to replenish pretty well. They've topped up with a range of players, from the top end (Cameron, Issy and Danger) to role players like Stengle. They do it pretty well.

I think they're just holding on. When guys like Myers, Close, Atkins, Bowes and Bruhn are running around their best 22 - it's a bit slim and their great systems and defense are holding them in good stead.

Think they'll be aggressive - hopefully they raid Sydney and GWS again.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I find no issue with drawing high frees at all
Selwood did it all career
Who cares

There are many different ways of doing it. Some are disgraceful, some are acceptable.

1. Selwood - would angle his body almost horizontal if someone came in with a perfect-height tackle. If the tackler stopped dead Selwood would just fall on the ground. He was playing to create high contact. Additionally whenever he was tackled high his eyes went to the umpire immediately. He played in a gross way.

2. Puopolo - a combo of the Selwood style but also the "im short as hell and people need to take that into account when tackling. Puops almost never pleaded with the umpire. He got on with business and if a free wasn't called he'd still have his legs pumping. Acceptable.

3. Moore - goes head first a lot and creates a lot of high contact that wouldn't otherwise be. He's drawing the free. I don't realllly like it but also he just keeps going. Again, he's not looking to the umpire for a free, he keeps playing without flailing arms or deep eye gazing the umpire. he just knows that he's playing in a way that gives him

4. Watson - this guy is a midget. From a starting point - he is incredibly hard to tackle. He's strong and tiny and fast. So they have to use a lot of force to stop him, but also need to be very precise when tackling him. Of course he's going to draw a lot of free kicks. Also, when he does get tackled, cos he's charging through and they need to hold him back it's often a pretty dramatic head high situation. I am so fine with how Watson plays.
Those marking contests where he got taken high - I loved that. He went full charge and stretch for the mark and the opposiiton weren't expecting and didn't know how to defend it. He's found a new midget weapon.

5. Ginni - has learnt not to stop or react when taken high. He still plays in a way that take moderate contact and forces it high. Don't love it but don't hate it. Reckon he's learnt a lesson from his Collingwood time and it's more because he taunts the hell out of everyone. He's not super strong or fast, so this is part of his craft and i get it if he doesn't.

6. Weightman - what a ****ing disaster. This guy loves to make minor contact look like major contact. He'll take a glancing high touch and basically do a backflip while pleading to the umpire. This guy doesn't care if the opposition have just won the ball and are running away. This is the worst kind.

7. Breust - super humble. He puts his head in danger and gets free kicks and goals fairly often. The difference here is that he doesn't make a big deal of anything. Nobody has ever ever criticised Breust for playing in a way that creates free kicks - but he's done it as much as any other small forward. Would be interested in seeing career stats for high contact cos he gets a lot.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I find no issue with drawing high frees at all
Selwood did it all career
Who cares

Tall players have an advantage with their height for marking, etc.

Small players have an advantage with a smaller area to enact a correct tackle.

As a player you make the best of whatever you have.

I don't have an issue with it either. Poppy was an expert at drawing the high free.

 

[Rowie6]

You've got to love the media. Hawks won by 8 goals, and all the news feeds tell us is Dusty kicked a "showstopper" in his 300th game. I'm a big fan of Dusty, but I'm fed up with hearing about him this week.

Also Dusty struggled to get into the game he was comprehensively beaten!



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[Slainte]

On high tackles, a player is entitled to try to evade a tackle. That includes going low. If you are Watson that means very low.