Preview Round 14, 2024 : Richmond v Hawthorn, 4:35pm Sat 15th June MCG

[Hodginator]

Any MCC experts know why I can’t buy a GA guest ticket?

Worst case I’ll just buy a reserved seat in the nosebleeds to get them in.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Feel like Sam will have them mentally prepped for this game like the Collingwood game last year.

 

[Rocket72]

Tigers board threads about this game are absolutely tragic, worth a read if you can spare a few minutes and a few brain cells that you’ll never get back.

Go over there and say you've heard that Dusty is starting as the sub...

 

[Rocket72]

I was curious so went back and had a look at red time goals across our season so far. I've just done it by eye on the score worm so might not be including some that would have technically been red time.

I counted 15 goals scored against us in red time. Flipping the result of 2 games (Pies and Port).

Adding 2 wins and deducting 15 goals from our points against takes us from 12th with 88.1% up to 5th with 95.7% (Cats up to 4th, Freo up to 6th, GWS up to 7th, Port slide to 8th, Suns stay 9th, Pies slide to 10th on %)

Perhaps surprisingly I counted roughly the same amount of red time goals scored by us across the season.

I think it's been a trend for while now, teams fatigue later in quarters.

 

[tommyk72]

I think Chol will be fired up for this game against his old club who didn’t rate him. They could use him now that’s for sure.

I hope so. I think the GCS game was his most underwhelming of the year. Would love to see him really turn it on. Maybe they'll swing Kozi to CHB on him

 

[MasterSamurai]

A legend like Luke Hodge had his 300th against the cats and we just lost! I can't see why we can't reverse that against the tigers if we hold our nerve tbh. I understand and respect that Dusty's been enormous in his career and all but he's not much better than your Hodge, Burgoyne, gablett , Selwood , danger types yet he's getting the full celebration mode from the media that I've never seen before. Play our game by running them off their feet and make sure we concentrate on our biggest strength, that is post clearance and ground ball work. Couldn't give stuff about an honorable loss to a manufactured buzz team.

 

[Rocket72]

One thing else to note… Calsher was taking set shots from the boundary deep in the wrong pocket for a right footer and slotting perfect drop punts every shot. Not sure why he kicks around the body on weekends though?

Because all the cool kids do it? Seriously though, there's something about it that feels easier. He's only played footy seriously for a few years, he's still experimenting. Good to hear that his drop punt work is solid.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

Well, in what is turning out to be a massively hyped game, I’m hoping all the Dusty mania provides a useful bit of peace for our guys. If not for Dusty’s 300th, the media would be talking about the Richmond wood on us (as we have here) and how winning the is game is so important to our finals aspirations (as we have here). But instead it’s Dusty 24x7.

I don’t know how our players react, but remembering my early 20’s, I would appreciate a bit of quiet so I can concentrate on my responsibilities in the lead up to the biggest game of my career in terms of hype, crowd and team aspirations.

Different for me i must say, when we were kings.
Before a big game, our coach would always roar, “remember, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog!” We always played against bigger bodied kids in the colts for some reason.
My nostrils were always flaring after that rev up.
And we would kick their arses.

 

[parsons nose]

The hype around the game works on our favour. Ensures that we don't become victims of complacency that may have been present had it been a regular affair.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Jiath coming up to 50 games feels like a surprise to me.

With a lot of other players, I have a mindset of 'wait til he has 50-100 games under his belt, he's primed for a breakout'. Not sure I default to the same grace for CJ.

Jiath has had so many interruptions but my expectations of him are already so high

Unfortunately mostly injury has made it a long time coming. To think he’s 25 and hitting 50 games whereas 21 year old Connor MacDonald hit 50 a few weeks back.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Hawks vs Tigers
B: Impey Frost Weddle
F: Bolton Lynch Martin

HB: Sicily Scrimshaw Amon
HF: Cumberland Koschitzke Mansell

C: D'Ambrosio Worpel Jiath
C: McIntosh Taranto Ralphsmith

HF: Moore Chol McDonald
HB: Baker Balta Rioli

F: Ginnivan Gunston Hardwick
B: Short Broad Vlastuin

Foll: Meek Day Newcombe
Foll: Nankervis Graham Dow

Int: Nash Mackenzie Watson Dear sub:Breust
Int: Sonsie Campbell Brown Miller sub:McAuliffe

Key Matchups
There forward line is dangerous when you have Bolton, Martin & Lynch if they get the ball in there enough there is enough quality there to cause us issues!
Defence Matchups
Impey vs Bolton - I think having Seamus out, has got Impey to play on Bolton, the respected Jars has a big job this week we might lose some run from him this week, but this matchup would excite Jars.
Frost vs Lynch - Will try to clamp the big fella down has done a good job so far this year against the big gorillas.
Weddle vs Martin - has the athleticism to go with Dusty just not sure he has the strength(but who has), it will be good test for young Josh, we have Hardwick for an emergency if we need to break glass!
Sicily vs Cumberland - Cumberland will try and keep the captain honest and play a defensive role on him from intercepting and setting up our attacks from defence.
Scrimshaw vs Koschitzke - Kosi would be fired for the contest let's hope Scrimma continues his good form and when Kosi goes into play as the 2nd ruck it might free up Scrimma to be a loose man due to Richmond not playing another tall forward.

The midfield favors us we have more quality mids but they will have Dusty/Bolton/Baker to fold through there to help Taranto, Graham & Dow.
Midfield Matchups
Worpel/Nash vs Taranto - When Nash is playing midfield he will get first crack at Taranto and then when he rolls over to play as the 2nd ruck Worpel will go to Taranto.
Day vs Graham - it will be a good test for Will getting tagged but I think the cream will rise to the top and if he doesn't get Graham on the inside he will burn him on the outside.
Newcombe vs Dow - Jai can really have a big game having Graham going to Day, looking for Jai getting plenty of ball against the younger Dow.
Jiath vs Ralphsmith - they are both running machines so this is a big challenge for CJ to try and have more influence than Ralphsmith in his 50th game.
D'Ambrosio vs McIntosh - Mass has a big job this week Kam always seems to play well against us running up and down the wing, being a more defensive winger that has a hard edge has me putting Massimo on McIntosh.
Meek vs Nankervis - Big Lloyd is back and if he can nullify Big Nank this will lead us into controlling the midfield game.

Forward line is an even contest our forward line have been connecting well and we can really separate them in to two groups the talls and the smalls
Forward Matchups
Moore vs Baker - this match up of the mighty mouse's is exciting and Baker will go with Moore everywhere he goes whether its forward or midfield.
McDonald vs Rioli - the gut running these two will be doing will be a game within a game itself!
It's whether Connor can influence the game on the turnover when Rioli is running forward.
Ginnivan vs Short - the 3 tiger smalls are very attacking but so are the 3 Hawks boys so it's going to be a fun game of cat and mouse, but Jack was built for the big games and can see him having a big one on Saturday.
Chol vs Balta - Balta is in rare form but so is Mabs and as long he keeps Balta honest it will prevent him from trying to continue to come over the top and help his other defenders.
Gunston vs Broad - Gunners has been in good form in the last 3 weeks but that was against the bigger & bulkier defender(Andrews/Butts/Taylor) where he used his forward craft and agility to break from the big defenders and get the space, this week Broad is a better matchup for Jack, so it's going to be an interesting battle where Jack will need to use his footy smarts.
Hardwick vs Vlastuin - Dimma has a big job this week. Vlastuin to the Tigers is what Sicily is to Hawthorn he organises there defence and is the interceptor type so Dimma is the perfect matchup for him. Because we know Blake can kick goals in quick time if you dont respect him!

My feeling is we will smash the smaller bodies of there midfield and take control of the game in the third quarter and pull away.
Hawks by 26 points

Agree with all of this, although I tend to think Hardwick will be majority defense this week with Seamus out and Watson in.

 

[cryptor]

I think it's been a trend for while now, teams fatigue later in quarters.

Definitely. "Red time" is also a significant amount of time. It's reasonable that goals would be scored for and against in that time. I think people just fixate on the ones against.

 

[matey]

Our interchange bench:

[34] Nick Watson, [16] Massimo D'Ambrosio, [11] Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.8

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.1

5star

CL

0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.2

2star

, [35] Calsher Dear, [15] 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

Not bad.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Outside of Mitch Lewis, is this not our best side?
Close to best side, playing with confidence and flair, they will have their moments but I am confident we will get the chocolates.

Lewis in and it’s by far the best team Hawthorn have had for years.

Hardwick - Frost - Scrimshaw
Sicily - Weddle - Amon
D’Ambrosio - Day - Jiath/Ward
Moore - Lewis - MacDonald
Ginnivan - Chol - Watson
Meek - Newcombe - Worpel
Dear/Gunston - Nash - MacKenzie - Impey - Breust (sub)

Is probably best 22. Barring Lewis it’s spot on.

 

[Nugett]

A legend like Luke Hodge had his 300th against the cats and we just lost! I can't see why we can't reverse that against the tigers if we hold our nerve tbh. I understand and respect that Dusty's been enormous in his career and all but he's not much better than your Hodge, Burgoyne, gablett , Selwood , danger types yet he's getting the full celebration mode from the media that I've never seen before. Play our game by running them off their feet and make sure we concentrate on our biggest strength, that is post clearance and ground ball work. Couldn't give stuff about an honorable loss to a manufactured buzz team.

Also he only had half the fuss made about him reaching 300.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Mollison umpiring our game tomorrow

You have to be kidding

He is a disgrace

 

[Mercy Seat]

Also he only had half the fuss made about him reaching 300.

Don’t think we’ve seen close to this amount of fuss for a 300th before.

I think in part due to what feels like an inevitable retirement fairly soon, coupled with the fact he never speaks so they’ve had to over compensate with all this talk and montages.

 

[Rocket72]

Also he only had half the fuss made about him reaching 300.

In fairness dusty is their best player of all time. Hodge might not be in our top 10. Great player, it’s just that we’ve had some superstars

 

[grumbleguts]

In fairness dusty is their best player of all time. Hodge might not be in our top 10. Great player, it’s just that we’ve had some superstars

Also we've had more 300 (and 400) players than any other club. It's just another game at Hawthorn.

 

[hawkman]

Mollison umpiring our game tomorrow

Payback for Ginnivan getting a free last week. He was the umpire at the centre of the we got it wrong comments from the AFL about Ginnivan on Easter Monday

 

[MasterSamurai]

In fairness dusty is their best player of all time. Hodge might not be in our top 10. Great player, it’s just that we’ve had some superstars

Whoa whoa relax man, Hodge not top 10 all time?? İf a bullet comes your way , it's from me .

 

[Rocket72]

Whoa whoa relax man, Hodge not top 10 all time?? İf a bullet comes your way , it's from me .

I said might not, I reckon he sits about 8, but there would be debate. If you think he’s our best ever you need to read up on our history pal.

Not many teams of the century could afford to play Dunstall in the pocket.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

Also he only had half the fuss made about him reaching 300.

Exactly.
And that’s why we have to kick their arses.
The bollocks about dusty this week has been sickening. Great player? Sure. Legend? Nah, not yet or quite.
The worst was watching Nick Riewoldt swanning around Punt Road, talking the talk about the great man.
The only thing he was missing was… The Great man.
Smash them boys.

 

[Slainte]

I said might not, I reckon he sits about 8, but there would be debate. If you think he’s our best ever you need to read up on our history pal.

Not many teams of the century could afford to play Dunstall in the pocket.

Matthews clearly our best. Hodge a contender for #2.

 

[Rocket72]

Matthews clearly our best. Hodge a contender for #2.

Heard of a guy called Peter Hudson?

Wrong thread to keep going…