Autopsy Round 2, 2024: Hawks go to hell

[hfc70]

Hawthorn “The Hard Way”…………you’re not fcuking kidding !

Bloody hard to watch too.

 

[StillAtLarge]

That game plan effectively gave us no chance to win, or at least hurt Melbourne on the scoreboard. I wonder how many parents dragged kids along to the game for the first (and last) time this year.
Close to unwatchable and will probably shave a good 10-15k off the expected Easter Monday crowd

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

We were flattered by the 55 point margin…

Unless something drastic changes, Easter Monday could be a bigger blood bath than last year.

Geelong notoriously put their footy on the throat when well in control. 55 points would be 85 with them. Scott has ingrained the ruthless attitude in the team which is the way to go.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Reading this thread this morning it seems like not many listened to the press conference after the game.

Do yourselves a favour if you want to understand what went wrong in the first quarter and what our focus is.

 

[Lickmesocks]

That game plan effectively gave us no chance to win, or at least hurt Melbourne on the scoreboard. I wonder how many parents dragged kids along to the game for the first (and last) time this year.
Close to unwatchable and will probably shave a good 10-15k off the expected Easter Monday crowd

Mitchell admitted in his press conference he stuffed up if you listen carefully and then went onto say “the players could not execute the game plan”

9 goal loss with a game plan designed to keep us close.

 

[A Diakos]

Were you expecting us to win every game we played while we're still developing, and kids are getting a go in the middle, or are you splitting hairs because you're disappointed?

He’s expecting more than 9 goals to 3 points conceded from stoppage and teams like essendon not walking it out for easy multiple goals and the quick reply repeatedly to every hawk goal

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Reading this thread this morning it seems like not many listened to the press conference after the game.

Do yourselves a favour if you want to understand what went wrong in the first quarter and what our focus is.

As I thought tbh. Too scared to pull the trigger aka 'phase B of the plan'.

I noticed our switch kicks were often slow and not to the attacking players advantage, holding up play for a second. At this level a second matters and the further switch option is dead.

One thing that I think we desperately need on the wings is someone who is fit that also has pace. Windsor ran all day and has an extra gear. His running created options and cleared space when they were transitioning out of def 50. Not much of that offensive running from our mids.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Mitchell admitted in his press conference he stuffed up if you listen carefully and then went onto say “the players could not execute the game plan”

9 goal loss with a game plan designed to keep us close.

It is sort of shared blame between coaches and players tbh. Mostly on the players not pulling the trigger.

 

[Flukey!]

The disappointment for me is that we are again getting smashed just like we did last year.

The loss is ok. How it happened is not.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

After q1 he was playing a more usual role with not so much chip kicks.

Fritch pulled sicilys pants down

 

[toomanysquibs]

He’s expecting more than 9 goals to 3 points conceded from stoppage and teams like essendon not walking it out for easy multiple goals and the quick reply repeatedly to every hawk goal

Wants everything to go right at all times, despite gutting the list.

Seems a very reasonable, and sensible expectation.

 

[Yardie]

Yeah that’s bullshit. Melbourne aren’t that good.

We should have had a better game plan to combat their allegedly superior behind the ball style.
We played into their hands with our bafflingly weird first quarter game plan.

Melbourne's full ground defensive setup in the first quarter was top tier. We just didn't want to take a risk to crack it and paid for it in silly turn overs as we got strangled.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

As I thought tbh. Too scared to pull the trigger aka 'phase B of the plan'.

I noticed our switch kicks were often slow and not to the attacking players advantage, holding up play for a second. At this level a second matters and the further switch option is dead.

One thing that I think we desperately need on the wings is someone who is fit that also has pace. Windsor ran all day and has an extra gear. His running created options and cleared space when they were transitioning out of def 50. Not much of that offensive running from our mids.

Yeah, I sad to Eldo yesterday, what we would do for an Isaac Smith right now.

Someone that moves through the defensive zone and pulls players out of shape. We were stagnant yesterday.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Mitchell admitted in his press conference he stuffed up if you listen carefully and then went onto say “the players could not execute the game plan”

9 goal loss with a game plan designed to keep us close.

I’d that really what you took from it though?

Maybe listen again.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Yeah, I sad to Eldo yesterday, what we would do for an Isaac Smith right now.

Someone that moves through the defensive zone and pulls players out of shape. We were stagnant yesterday.

I actually think Weddle could play this role. He was causing issues for them in the third when he moved further up the ground. Can take a contested mark too and you know he will run all day.

 

[Yardie]

Wouldn't say he was useless. He was a damaging half forward that just didn't have the tank to be a full time mid the Demons drafted him to be (the early ACL didn't help).

Once he had the aerobic capacity to go with his insane explosive strength and power in 2020 he took over the comp as one of the best in the business.

This is why I always joke that we need to get the fat one in the draft.

Weren't we trying to get him at one stage before he broke out?

 

[hardway]

We were fumbling in the pre game warm up with little pressure, the captain was one of the worse culprits. Not much improved from that point on.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

This is why I always joke that we need to get the fat one in the draft.

Weren't we trying to get him at one stage before he broke out?

I think we had a dip. He did train with us in his under 18 year and we obviously saw the talent.

 

[NICE1]

Just watching yesterday live it again stood out that we need elite players. Ones who turn a half chance into something meaningful.

Game turners, Game breakers, match winners, whatever you want to call them. We don't currenty have them.

Everything is cookie cutter. If it doesn't come to him perfect he won't get it. Kicks and handball just off where they should be. Nothing to make you go, wow that was great play.

The closet thing was McKenzie in the last beating Gawn in the air and putting Lewis into space.

Bingo. This still remains our biggest issue for mine.
I think drafting Wiz and Weddle is a step in the right direction, but we need way more.

 

[HedgeFund]

Mitchell admitted in his press conference he stuffed up if you listen carefully and then went onto say “the players could not execute the game plan”

9 goal loss with a game plan designed to keep us close.

Pretty sure he didn’t say that at all.

He said that (quite rightly) we want to be careful with the footy in our back half, but the players were too conservative / gun shy to pull the trigger on the quicker inside 50 kick.

When we had looks against a very well drilled defensive unit which we didn’t take, it made for frustrating footy as the opportunities were briefly there, but the confidence / ability to execute was lacking.

Not the end of the world. If we are producing the same in a month against weaker opposition then it’s time to get grumpy.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Fritch pulled sicilys pants down

yes, also true, though how much was the easy entries particularly in q4 from center clearance

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Really the second and third quarters we probably matched them in general play.

That first quarter was a shocker though.

To try and play slow, kick to kick footy against Melbourne who set up as well as anyone behind the ball was a weird tactic.

When we moved the ball quicker in the 2nd and 3rd quarters we looked much more likely to score.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

yes, also true, though how much was the easy entries particularly in q4 from center clearance

The entries were relatively easy, yes, however the contests were contests any defender should be able to at least halve. They weren't exactly kicks to an open forward line

 

[Yardie]

Pretty sure he didn’t say that at all.

He said that (quite rightly) we want to be careful with the footy in our back half, but the players were too conservative / gun shy to pull the trigger on the quicker inside 50 kick.

When we had looks against a very well drilled defensive unit which we didn’t take, it made for frustrating footy as the opportunities were briefly there, but the confidence / ability to execute was lacking.

Not the end of the world. If we are producing the same in a month against weaker opposition then it’s time to get grumpy.

What he did admit, from a coaching perspective, is that we haven't adapted to the new ruck rules as well as other teams.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

That game plan effectively gave us no chance to win, or at least hurt Melbourne on the scoreboard. I wonder how many parents dragged kids along to the game for the first (and last) time this year.
Close to unwatchable and will probably shave a good 10-15k off the expected Easter Monday crowd

I don't think Hawks fans went to the ground expecting a win yesterday but you are right that first quarter was putrid. It was unwatchable.

It did improve after the first quarter though.

Hopefully we go into Easter Monday with the mindset of having a crack from the first bounce.