Autopsy Round 21, 2024 : Hawks snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

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Was thinking the same, almost like it’s intentional to see how we react in game?

The more I reflect on this game the more I'm confused about it.

We left 7 rotations on the board in a hard running match, we only had Moore attend a centre bounce outside of the rucks and our main mids, and he only attended 1. Sam left positions mostly the same, he never really tried to have Day shake the tag up forward, in the backline or otherwise. We didn't see much of Newc in the forward line, Ward in the centre. Sicily wasn't really thrown around as would be expected when we were struggling for a target.

Strange game, strange coaching.
My thinking too, Steve Kerr for example does this a lot with GS where the other team gets a run on and he doesn't immediately call TO because he wants the players to learn to deal with it.

Sam has spoken a lot about how it can't be the coaches setting the standards – it must be the players. That was the change after the GC loss that turned us from the 17th-ranked side into a potential finalist. Internal goals in games, like scoring 120 vs Adelaide and Collingwood – from the players.

Obviously the coaches still have to make changes to win games and we didn't make any at all when the tide started turning on Sunday. But there's going to be lots of big finals where another team steals momentum mid-quarter and there isn't a whole lot the coaching box can do.

I think Sam is learning to straddle the line between letting the players figure it out and grow, versus where the coaches need to have an influence and change the way the game is played, whether that's through matchups, ball movement or structural strategy.
 
Not selecting Finn to sit on Whitfield was a head scratcher.

Guys clocked up nearly 40 disposals the past month.

As soon as i spotted that i knew it will come back and bite.

It did.

Selection errors has cost us some games this year.
Not convinced Finn coming in and locking down Whitfield wins us this game tbh. I'd rather have the lesson be more positive (that is, more focussed on what we can do rather than stopping what the other team can do). The biggest one was that our fwd 50s were too shallow in the last quarter. If we get an extra 15-20 meters on it we have a better chance of:

  • forcing a stoppage
  • giving our team time to set up defensively
  • allows our smalls a better chance to get involved and apply pressure on the ball carrier in congested play vs slow play
  • gives more room to make structural changes and be proactive rather than reactive
  • gives better chance to score
  • tire their defenders out a bit more as they have more ground to cover

but because we didn't, our smalls had to work harder up the ground to apply pressure to their HBs, which causes a chain reaction of defenders being out of position, covering other people's men and ultimately leaving everyone gassed and momentum with GWS.

that simple change wins us the game more than, or regardless of, playing Finn on Whitfield, and is a more valuable lesson for the coaches and players than just bringing in Finn as a stopper (when he hasn't been tagging at AFL or VFL level for months)
 

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Boy this has been a tough week for watching sport!

In the space of 4 days I have witnessed the Hawks blow a 28 three quarter time lead and seen the Boomers blow a 24 point lead against Serbia to lose in OT 😢
 
Not convinced Finn coming in and locking down Whitfield wins us this game tbh. I'd rather have the lesson be more positive (that is, more focussed on what we can do rather than stopping what the other team can do). The biggest one was that our fwd 50s were too shallow in the last quarter. If we get an extra 15-20 meters on it we have a better chance of:

  • forcing a stoppage
  • giving our team time to set up defensively
  • allows our smalls a better chance to get involved and apply pressure on the ball carrier in congested play vs slow play
  • gives more room to make structural changes and be proactive rather than reactive
  • gives better chance to score
  • tire their defenders out a bit more as they have more ground to cover

but because we didn't, our smalls had to work harder up the ground to apply pressure to their HBs, which causes a chain reaction of defenders being out of position, covering other people's men and ultimately leaving everyone gassed and momentum with GWS.

that simple change wins us the game more than, or regardless of, playing Finn on Whitfield, and is a more valuable lesson for the coaches and players than just bringing in Finn as a stopper (when he hasn't been tagging at AFL or VFL level for months)
I agree, Whitfield got most of his stats when we were in front and had the run of play.

When we lost the game it was much more that they managed to start winning some of the midfield battle. The combination of their drive off half back and us losing our complete domination through the middle was what tipped the scale, I don't think Finn helps there as a tagger.

What I will say though, is that having Finn allows us to run a tag at stages if we ever needed to. He would have also provided more run and more pressure through the last quarter. If we lost anything by not having Finn, that was the main kicker.
 
Part of the reason why I thought Newc had a good game but not a great one, and why he didn't get more coaches votes. He got a lot of clearances, a lot of hard ball, but he also mindlessly put them on the boot and was responsible for a lot of those shallow entries. Being that he is typically a player who puts them long and deep, he'll learn from that.
 
He didn’t get the midfield opportunity he previously did, you have no idea why, stop guessing. The result of his performance was not good but there were many others, you’re doing all this after one bad game, calm down.

Hey Dewyyy

You’ll better tell the selectors they have no idea what they’re doing - Ward the only man dropped this week, and not even in the extended squad.
Dropped for the 3rd time this year and unlikely to play senior footy for the remainder of the season.

There’s a reason for that and unfortunately he may have a hard road ahead.


.
 
Hey Dewyyy

You’ll better tell the selectors they have no idea what they’re doing - Ward the only man dropped this week, and not even in the extended squad.
Dropped for the 3rd time this year and unlikely to play senior footy for the remainder of the season.

There’s a reason for that and unfortunately he may have a hard road ahead.


.
Odd post. He got dropped, played a poor game alongside others, but played two good games prior. The amount of chances he gets compared to others is extremely low, and it is frustrating for me as a fan and most likely him. He will be back in the side as he is too good not to be, but he’s also good enough to work on whatever he’s been sent back for.
 
Hey Dewyyy

You’ll better tell the selectors they have no idea what they’re doing - Ward the only man dropped this week, and not even in the extended squad.
Dropped for the 3rd time this year and unlikely to play senior footy for the remainder of the season.

There’s a reason for that and unfortunately he may have a hard road ahead.


.

He's had some poor moments but he's shown some really positive signs at other times. His problem at the moment is handling pressure. It didn't look good in last week's game. Unfortunately, its meant that he isn't playing in a high-stakes game this week.

He will be given more high-pressure situations in the future, I'm sure. But he will need to become more comfortable in these situations and to start succeeding in them otherwise those opportunities will dry up too quickly.

Progress is not linear and Sam has mentioned many times that there is often a lag effect between learning and performing. It would be wise to remember that.

I personally think he's just far too classy overall, eventually he'll adapt to the pace of the level, put the young nerves behind him and become a solid contributer that we can depend on. He should pass 50 games next season, then I think everyone will have a better read on his situation.

Would love to see some Dylan Moore level of desperation in the way he plays, some aggression and to put any self-defeating doubt behind him. Gotta get that dog in him.
 
He's had some poor moments but he's shown some really positive signs at other times. His problem at the moment is handling pressure. It didn't look good in last week's game. Unfortunately, its meant that he isn't playing in a high-stakes game this week.

He will be given more high-pressure situations in the future, I'm sure. But he will need to become more comfortable in these situations and to start succeeding in them otherwise those opportunities will dry up too quickly.

Progress is not linear and Sam has mentioned many times that there is often a lag effect between learning and performing. It would be wise to remember that.

I personally think he's just far too classy overall, eventually he'll adapt to the pace of the level, put the young nerves behind him and become a solid contributer that we can depend on. He should pass 50 games next season, then I think everyone will have a better read on his situation.

Would love to see some Dylan Moore level of desperation in the way he plays, some aggression and to put any self-defeating doubt behind him. Gotta get that dog in him.
If I had to say anything I would definitely say that last part, he doesn’t have the desperation of getting the ball, or even demanding for it. He’s far too nice.
 

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Autopsy Round 21, 2024 : Hawks snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

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