Preview Round 16, 2024: Hawthorn v West Coast Eagles, 30 June 2024 (Sun), 4:40pm @ Optus Stadium

[crazywildhorse]

They are giving Essendon a decent game without Reid and Kelly. It may just be that Essendon aren't good though

It’s the latter, Essendon are not that good.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Eagles are much improved. We can’t afford to underestimate them. They are due for another win or two.

 

[rei154]

Big challenge on the road I'd imagine.

Really need to come out hard from the get-go.

Does Lewis travel given the knee? Can we chuck him on a haybale in the back of a pickup truck and send him on his way now?

Reid and Kelly back means their midfield will be significantly more confident and will back themselves against us. Big game for Nash imo.

 

[TylerDurden]

Kelly no certainty to play apparently.

 

[cryptor]

Same deal as Richmond, knock them off early before the crowd gets too involved.

I reckon Nash to Reid. Yeo is better right now but Reid is the barometer that will lift the rest of the team if he's allowed to run around doing what he pleases.

As long as we're switched on coming off the bye then I think we win this by 3-5 goals.

 

[TylerDurden]

Nash to Reid is a certainty.

 

[Off The Couch]

Eagles at home is very different from last year and coming off a bye and travel, I won’t be surprised if we drop this game.

I would also be surprised if Lewis first game back is a 3hr plane trip

 

[parsons nose]

If we are serious about our capacity to contend in September we should be putting them away by five goals plus. Our best is a lot better than their best, it’s simply a question of desire. I think a few on her are yet to shift their mindset to the current reality. Understandable considering our past few years of mediocrity. Much like some of the so called expert tipsters who are quick to label the resurgence as a ‘purple patch’.

 

[KermitJagger]

I don't quite understand why people think that West Coast are much improved, they got knocked off by North a few weeks ago and were battered to the tune of 99 points by Adelaide a few weeks prior to that - this was with Kelly, McGovern, Reid, Yeo etc.

Essendon dealt with them fairly comfortably despite being fairly off the boil themselves, back to back losses after having only just scraped over the line against Richmond.

If we're a serious go for finals we need to do away with West Coast by about 5 or 6 goals without really getting to top gear.

 

[HedgeFund]

Eagles at home is very different from last year and coming off a bye and travel, I won’t be surprised if we drop this game.

I would also be surprised if Lewis first game back is a 3hr plane trip

All our wins thus far have been in Melbourne & Tasmania.

Winning in Perth would be a step forward.

We haven’t won there since 2019.

Good test coming up.

 

[TylerDurden]

They're no good. We should shit this in.

 

[theiaofseed]

I don't quite understand why people think that West Coast are much improved, they got knocked off by North a few weeks ago and were battered to the tune of 99 points by Adelaide a few weeks prior to that - this was with Kelly, McGovern, Reid, Yeo etc.

Essendon dealt with them fairly comfortably despite being fairly off the boil themselves, back to back losses after having only just scraped over the line against Richmond.

If we're a serious go for finals we need to do away with West Coast by about 5 or 6 goals without really getting to top gear.

People panicking under the expectation, we should win this game comfortably.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

If we are a chance at finals we should be winning this regardless of location

Don't think it will be easy though with Reid, Allen and maybe Kelly back

If Lewis is right to go, not sure who you take out but I suspect it will be one of Gunston or Dear.

 

[hawk for 37]

When was our last win interstate outside of Tasmania? Been a while. A win this week is no gimme. We have not traveled well for a number of years.

 

[Sizzlesilk]

When was our last win interstate outside of Tasmania? Been a while. A win this week is no gimme. We have not traveled well for a number of years.

Port 2022

 

[peetoo]

If we are serious about our capacity to contend in September we should be putting them away by five goals plus. Our best is a lot better than their best, it’s simply a question of desire. I think a few on her are yet to shift their mindset to the current reality. Understandable considering our past few years of mediocrity. Much like some of the so called expert tipsters who are quick to label the resurgence as a ‘purple patch’.

By the time mindsets are switched, may even need t switch again if we slip into a top 4 slot

We seem to need 14 wins because percentage. Bu that could easily be top 4 the way teams are dropping games

 

[StillAtLarge]

Nash to Reid is a certainty.

It'll be Yeo

 

[daniel23]

Tough game . West Coast will almost be full strength which would be a first for a long time.

 

[RobHawk]

Fresh off a bye, playing for a finals' spot and with virtually a full list we have no excuses.
Comfortable win coming up

 

[Bardo State]

Ginbey, Yeo, Reid, Ryan and maybe Kelly will win plenty through the clearances. But Essendon slaughtered them on the outside and in transition. They couldn't defend the ground when the Bombers moved it from D50 to F50. Top 8 players for disposals were all Essendon.

Break even on the inside, don't allow quick ball movement into Waterman, Allen, Darling and then the Hawks win the game comfortably from intercept and transition.

And for the love of God, do not bomb it long to Barrass.

 

[scrim reaper]

This won't be easy but I back our boys in the rise to the challenge. One you just absolutely cannot drop if you are for real about playing finals.

Their key position posts (especially with Allen back who was pretty good yesterday) are looking great, and at full strength their midfield is also quite good, but as others have said they struggle to defend in transition and lately we have been fantastic in transition.

Another weakness for them is small defenders outside of Hough, so 2 of Ginnivan/Wiz/Moore will have a favourable matchup, could be a big day for the smalls especially with Lewis potentially back to keep Barrass accountable.

Hawks by 18-24.

 

[OnTheRocks]

If we are serious about our capacity to contend in September we should be putting them away by five goals plus. Our best is a lot better than their best, it’s simply a question of desire. I think a few on her are yet to shift their mindset to the current reality. Understandable considering our past few years of mediocrity. Much like some of the so called expert tipsters who are quick to label the resurgence as a ‘purple patch’.

 

[SSSSSS]

Kelly and Reid will be huge ins. Hope Kelly doesn't get up. Loves to carve us up.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Hopefully we can keep the team-lifting hangers and double fend-off streaming out of traffic to launch a goal from 50m plays from Reid to a minimum.

 

[eldorado]

I would like to think that we are currently a significantly better team than them.

But there are always banana peel games, and you only have to be 10% off your game, etc etc yada yada yada...

I think we're all a bit nervous of a downer...