Preview Round 14: Hawthorne vs Essendon, York Park, Sunday 20/06/2021 @ 3:20 PM AEST

[eth-dog]

Francis wasn’t there last week though

We still played 2 genuine talls with 3 mediums (Lav, Ridley and Heppell) instead of 1 tall with 4 mediums.

 

[Halftimehero]

We still played 2 genuine talls with 3 mediums (Lav, Ridley and Heppell) instead of 1 tall with 4 mediums.

But now you want Stewart, Francis and BZT with Laverde, Ridley and Heppell?

 

[Ati Tude]

Time to bring back the Draper. Want someone with a bit of campaigner in them against those brown and yellow campaigners.

 

[eth-dog]

But not you want Stewart, Francis and BZT with Laverde, Ridley and Heppell?

I prefer Heppell up the field on a wing but I'm pretty much alone on that front. I want us to give the two tall set up a genuine 5 week shot after the bye. If it doesn't work we can change it but as of last round we concede more goals/inside 50 than all bar four sides, it's something we can fix.

 

[Halftimehero]

I prefer Heppell up the field on a wing but I'm pretty much alone on that front. I want us to give the two tall set up a genuine 5 week shot after the bye. If it doesn't work we can change it but as of last round we concede more goals/inside 50 than all bar four sides, it's something we can fix.

It’s not two though, it’s three and probably really four. Stewart, BZT, Francis and Laverde is never gonna be a good idea.

 

[eth-dog]

It’s not two though, it’s three and probably really four. Stewart, BZT, Francis and Laverde is never gonna be a good idea.

It is though. Laverde and Francis are mediums who have had to play taller due to necessity.

Melbourne play three genuine key defenders and it seems to be fine for them.
Brisbane's preferred set up is with Andrews/Adams as talls, Lester/Birchall/Gardiner as mediums and Rich/Starcevich as smalls and they're pretty solid.
Geelong play Henderson and Blicavs with Henry, Stewart and Kolodjashnij as mediums
Port play Aliir and Clurey as talls with 3 of McKenzie, Burton, Jonas or Bonner most weeks as mediuns

And guess what? They're the four most defensively effective sides in the comp. Funny that.

 

[Halftimehero]

So where does Ridley, Heppell, Redman and Hind fit in with Stewart, Laverde, BZT and Francis?

You’re not playing all of them.

 

[eth-dog]

So where does Ridley, Heppell, Redman and Hind fit in with Stewart, Laverde, BZT and Francis?

As I said. I prefer Heppell on a wing, or maybe Redman can go further afield. Let's at least try it out and give it a chance to succeed (like it did last week against a pretty good forward line) before saying it "is never a good idea" when the best defensive groups in the league are basically adopting the balance I suggested.

 

[Lore]

As I said. I prefer Heppell on a wing, or maybe Redman can go further afield. Let's at least try it out and give it a chance to succeed (like it did last week against a pretty good forward line) before saying it "is never a good idea" when the best defensive groups in the league are basically adopting the balance I suggested.

We didn’t have Francis last week.

 

[Halftimehero]

As I said. I prefer Heppell on a wing, or maybe Redman can go further afield. Let's at least try it out and give it a chance to succeed (like it did last week against a pretty good forward line) before saying it "is never a good idea" when the best defensive groups in the league are basically adopting the balance I suggested.

As I said. I prefer Heppell on a wing, or maybe Redman can go further afield. Let's at least try it out and give it a chance to succeed (like it did last week against a pretty good forward line) before saying it "is never a good idea" when the best defensive groups in the league are basically adopting the balance I suggested.

I’d be 99.9% positive that BZT does not come into that backline that played tonight without someone coming out.

 

[eth-dog]

We didn’t have Francis last week.

Sigh.

It was still essentially the same structure I was suggesting, as I've said 4 or 5 times now. Two talls, three mediums, two smalls. Ridley is flexible enough to play on smaller types still. As is Heppell if push comes to shove. And as I've said, the four best defensive groups in the AFL have near identical structures to the one I'm suggesting.

I’d be 99.9% positive that BZT does not come into that backline that played tonight without someone coming out.

You said earlier that we should bring Gleeson in to push one of Heppell or Redman further afield. Basically the only difference I'm suggesting is that you can do the same whilst playing a second genuine tall. Why does it have to be Gleeson to do that?

 

[Halftimehero]

Sigh.

It was still essentially the same structure I was suggesting, as I've said 4 or 5 times now. Two talls, three mediums, two smalls. Ridley is flexible enough to play on smaller types still. As is Heppell if push comes to shove. And as I've said, the four best defensive groups in the AFL have near identical structures to the one I'm suggesting.

You said earlier that we should bring Gleeson in to push one of Heppell or Redman further afield. Basically the only difference I'm suggesting is that you can do the same whilst playing a second genuine tall. Why does it have to be Gleeson to do that?

Because at least one of Laverde and Francis already play as talls, if not both.

I we were to push Heppell up the ground I’d much rather replace him with Gleeson.

 

[eth-dog]

Because at least one of Laverde and Francis already play as talls, if not both.

I we were to push Heppell up the ground I’d much rather replace him with Gleeson.

Which, I repeat, they're not entirely suited to. They've been somewhat successful but we can utilise them better.

And I disagree. Coming in from last round we went with my proposed 2 talls/3 mediums/2 smalls structure and had an improvement in our defensive efficiency, going from 16th to 14th in terms of goals per inside 50 conceded. This week we went back to only having the one key defender and as things stand, we've gone back down to 17th now, pending the Carlton vs West Coast game.

Also, just a reminder that last game Hawthorne played they had Lewis, Koschitzke, O'Brien and McEvoy playing forward. Even if we do go with that structure Francis or Laverde will still probably have to go with Koschitzke.

 

[Lore]

Sigh.

It was still essentially the same structure I was suggesting, as I've said 4 or 5 times now. Two talls, three mediums, two smalls. Ridley is flexible enough to play on smaller types still. As is Heppell if push comes to shove. And as I've said, the four best defensive groups in the AFL have near identical structures to the one I'm suggesting.

The point I was making is that we didn’t use all of Francis, Laverde, Stewart, BZT in the same backline last week, and it’s unlikely that we would given that BZT came in as a direct replacement for Francis. The club just doesn’t see them that way.

Pushing Heppell to a wing will never happen in the sense of best 22. Those days are done, he’ll rotate there maybe with the interchange or if someone is injured but in general those positions are taken by long term young guys who the club wants to develop. He’s also the only experienced head in defence- the next most experienced is under 50 games unless you’re counting Stewart’s 6 games in defence this season as enough to count as a bit of a general down back.

 

[Lore]

Because at least one of Laverde and Francis already play as talls, if not both.

I we were to push Heppell up the ground I’d much rather replace him with Gleeson.

Gleeson doesn’t seem to be at the level he was anymore.

 

[eth-dog]

The point I was making is that we didn’t use all of Francis, Laverde, Stewart, BZT in the same backline last week, and it’s unlikely that we would given that BZT came in as a direct replacement for Francis. The club just doesn’t see them that way.

Pushing Heppell to a wing will never happen in the sense of best 22. Those days are done, he’ll rotate there maybe with the interchange or if someone is injured but in general those positions are taken by long term young guys who the club wants to develop. He’s also the only experienced head in defence- the next most experienced is under 50 games unless you’re counting Stewart’s 6 games in defence this season as enough to count as a bit of a general down back.

And I'm saying they should try it. Because having two genuine talls, and as I've said about 20 times already in this thread, I know Francis and Laverde have been playing taller this year, is a structure I think the club should actually try to use.

 

[Halftimehero]

Gleeson doesn’t seem to be at the level he was anymore.

Probably right, but I am finding it hard to replace Zaharakis and Mcgrath from outside the team if Smith and Snelling aren’t good to go, bringing Marty in would allow Heppell/Redman or even Hind to play higher.

I don’t have a lot of confidence in Cahill.

Everyone wanted Ambrose brought in on the back of kicking a bag on a Tasmanian state league player in the 2nds, that’s an almighty gap from AFL level.

 

[Lore]

And I'm saying they should try it. Because having two genuine talls, and as I've said about 20 times already in this thread, I know Francis and Laverde have been playing taller this year, is a structure I think the club should actually try to use.

We did try to bring in another genuine tall at the end of last year. If we had succeeded at that we would have two “genuine” talls instead of pushing 193cm marking types to lockdown on 195cm key forwards.

BZT is obviously limited though, and Francis and Laverde playing that match-up is evidently preferred over bringing him into the side. Being a “genuine” tall isn't enough.

And I mean, our senior coach was a defender in his day, and made his name as a coach of defenders. Even now he does the craft session with the KPDs each week. He knows what he’s looking at far better than you or I do.

 

[Lore]

Probably right, but I am finding it hard to replace Zaharakis and Mcgrath from outside the team if Smith and Snelling aren’t good to go, bringing Marty in would allow Heppell/Redman or even Hind to play higher.

Definitely. He’s not dead yet.

 

[Ambrosia]

In: Snelling, Cahill, Draper, Wright

Out: Zaka, McGrath, Philips, Waterman

 

[Megabattimus]

In: Snelling, Cahill, Draper, Wright

Out: Zaka, McGrath, Philips, Waterman

Snelling won't be back for Hawthorn.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ambrosia]

Snelling won't be back for Hawthorn.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Do you have any inside word? If it’s just a simple hairline fracture I expect he’ll be available quickly after the wound heals from surgery.

 

[JayDon]

In: Snelling, Cahill, Draper, Wright

Out: Zaka, McGrath, Philips, Waterman

Waterman stays in.

 

[JayDon]

Waterman stays in.

So does Phillips

 

[Megabattimus]

Do you have any inside word? If it’s just a simple hairline fracture I expect he’ll be available quickly after the wound heals from surgery.

No but he hasn't even had surgery on it yet. They won't know the timeline until that happens and the surgeon can lay out a recovery timeline.

Just think it's ambitious to list Snelling as in for Hawthorn before the performance update happens on Tuesday or Wednesday, that's all.