Preview Round 3, 2023: Hawthorn v North Melbourne, 1 April 223, 1.45pm AEDT @ York Park

[almuz]

If CJ was playing for say Pies, Cats or Dees he’d be a bona fide A Grade HBF.

He has gaps in his game but in a team with good structure & game planning those weaknesses get protected.

His strengths are absolutely elite - the coaches have to find a way to play to those strengths more often.

 

[Billyc]

If CJ was playing for say Pies, Cats or Dees he’d be a bona fide A Grade HBF.

He has gaps in his game but in a team with good structure & game planning those weaknesses get protected.

His strengths are absolutely elite - the coaches have to find a way to play to those strengths more often.

Agree with this. He is one to persevere with. It's up to the coaching to best utilise his strengths.

 

[SJT76]

I was unimpressed with Lynch’s ruck work at BH. As a forward target he was OK, but not as a tap ruckman. As an extra mid type ruck, Rama was better. I think he needs to play at least 2 matches in the early part of the season to see him at the top level. If he can handle ruck duties, I’d do it for Reeves. If we’re going to protect him from that for a while longer, for Kosi.

 

[SJT76]

Mids are not working hard enough defensively. We improved from last week but you can see their mids exerted much more pressure than ours despite dominating possession. They only had 51 turnovers for the game. Our forwards and mids just didn’t bring enough pressure and our defenders got caught out of position too often to provide cover. We really need to look at the way we defend. This performance was on the back of a week of focus on pressure. We wouldn’t want to have a let down after that…

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Understand what you’re saying, but based on this CMac is not the first name I’d be dropping

 

[H00t]

Mids are not working hard enough defensively. We improved from last week but you can see their mids exerted much more pressure than ours despite dominating possession. They only had 51 turnovers for the game. Our forwards and mids just didn’t bring enough pressure and our defenders got caught out of position too often to provide cover. We really need to look at the way we defend. This performance was on the back of a week of focus on pressure. We wouldn’t want to have a let down after that…

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Our pressure around the ball definitely wasn’t where it needs to be. But what is letting us down even more is our ability defend space. We let so many swans players have a ton of space.

Increasing our pressure will help limit the oppositions good looks. It’s only part of the problem.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Why is everyone dropping Greene when he’s been our best forward over the pre season, is the only one hitting up and one of the only blokes creating chances?

I think we'll stick with him due to nobody else being there to take his spot, but pre season/vfl form is different to the real thing.

He has not really offered anything once the ball is on the ground, no pressure. He assisted once to Bruest and only managed 3 shots on himself, he missed them all and from the exact same spot, 25 out, on a 45 degree angle. Thats a worry.

 

[SSSSSS]

I'd have Impey in my sights before Frost. Frost at least goes when it is his turn. He's crude and lacks skill but provides a hard edge. It's hard for any key defender let alone one of Frost's very limited skillset to deal with the ball with the speed it is coming into the D50.

I'm really not sure what Impey has to offer in the last two weeks. Skills have been poor and he hasn't committed himself to the contest like he would have in the past.

I'd send him forward to earn his kicks. Played his best footy post-injury up front. Has been underwhelming as a defender ever since.

 

[TDS7]

I'd have Impey in my sights before Frost. Frost at least goes when it is his turn. He's crude and lacks skill but provides a hard edge. It's hard for any key defender let alone one of Frost's very limited skillset to deal with the ball with the speed it is coming into the D50.

I'm really not sure what Impey has to offer in the last two weeks. Skills have been poor and he hasn't committed himself to the contest like he would have in the past.

I'd send him forward to earn his kicks. Played his best footy post-injury up front. Has been underwhelming as a defender ever since.

They both need a spell in my eyes. To be named as leaders of the club and put out that effort is shocking. Say what you will about DGB, but he puts up more of a fight than Frosty. Butler, Brockman, or O'Sullivan in for Impey is a must as well, let's reward some kids who will fight for their position in the side rather than just keep old heads around because they are "leaders". At least Worpel, Dimma, Nash, and Amon look like they actually give a damn.

 

[Strebi3]

Would love someone like O’Sullivan to debut this week. We need a positive spark and I feel a few goals from a debutant who seems like his not afraid to have a red hot crack could be a real team lifter.

I understand the argument to stick with this side and build cohesion and synergy but we need a few magnets to switch as there’s too many not giving enough.

 

[TylerDurden]

The players who won't defend need a spell, and to practice at BH.

It's not negotiable.

 

[Yardie]

Just thought the prediction was a pisstake, didn't think it actually happened lol.

I think you actually like us being poor so you can come on here and act like you are superior than everyone else. You probably need to seek some professional help with whatever underlying issue you have.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

The players who won't defend need a spell, and to practice at BH.

It's not negotiable.

So everyone?

 

[H00t]

So everyone?

Some would be defending more than others. It only takes a couple of breaking points across our defensive position for it to all fall apart.

 

[Burtman]

I think we'll stick with him due to nobody else being there to take his spot, but pre season/vfl form is different to the real thing.

He has not really offered anything once the ball is on the ground, no pressure. He assisted once to Bruest and only managed 3 shots on himself, he missed them all and from the exact same spot, 25 out, on a 45 degree angle. Thats a worry.

Tbf none of our forwards have produced any sort of pressure. Probably just the yips cause Greene is a great set shot, rarely misses so I’d back him in to straighten that up. I just don’t think dropping the only bloke who could get the ball in the forward 50 is a great idea. I think he’ll only get better as we get another key forward in and he isn’t getting a key defender. He has a great workrate and goal sense, something we’re severely lacking atm

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I think you actually like us being poor so you can come on here and act like you are superior than everyone else. You probably need to seek some professional help with whatever underlying issue you have.

I can tell you that I enjoyed the 2012-2015 period more, but appreciate your concern.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

yeah I think CJ provides too much of a POD to our team. I think Sam will persevere with him and try and play him into form. But based on output over these first two games he'd be the first one I'd drop.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Tbf none of our forwards have produced any sort of pressure. Probably just the yips cause Greene is a great set shot, rarely misses so I’d back him in to straighten that up. I just don’t think dropping the only bloke who could get the ball in the forward 50 is a great idea. I think he’ll only get better as we get another key forward in and he isn’t getting a key defender. He has a great workrate and goal sense, something we’re severely lacking atm

Neither do I. But more because we have nobody else.

 

[Perko2017]

Scrimshaw if he's fit. DGB because he's at least a natural defender, unlike Impey who could be sub. IMO Long was best for Box Hill and he couldn't do worse than Nash or Finn who don't hurt oppositions. Chad, if he's right, for Greene or Kozzi. Brockman, Butler and others need to do more at VFL level. Lynch didn't do enough. I liked Jed Rule so he's one to follow. Weddle also has some class and Harry Morrison

1

Harry Morrison

Age

26

Ht

184cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

0.9

3star

D

13.4

3star

K

9.8

4star

HB

3.6

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.6

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

18.4

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

7.0

5star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.2

4star

CL

2.0

4star

will go close to returning.

 

[Mercy Seat]

There are no saviours in the 2s.

Just young kids who might come on in the next few years.

No Buddies or Roughies or Cyrils.

We need to be realistic. Our list is made up of journeymen, late pick success stories and kids who are finding their feet.

Sam has his work cut out with what he has currently. Even Clarko struggled with what he created.

We need more high level AFL players on the list. Hit the top end of the draft for 2 more years and pray for a gun trade/ free agent like a Ben King.

It's a slow burn but will turn quickly if we get it right.

Disagree on the journeyman stuff, however you’re right in that there is no saviour that will change our fortunes. Lewis plays yesterday we still lose by 10 goals +.

It’s structure, form and confidence and these will take time and more games for it all to slowly gel.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

If CJ was playing for say Pies, Cats or Dees he’d be a bona fide A Grade HBF.

He has gaps in his game but in a team with good structure & game planning those weaknesses get protected.

His strengths are absolutely elite - the coaches have to find a way to play to those strengths more often.

This is the issue Sam has with a bunch of our established players who’ve had ordinary starts to the year, does he give them a set number of weeks knowing that they’ve been given a bit of a shit sandwhich with such a young midfield not either servicing them or protecting them, or does he just pull them out of team and replace them with even less experience.

I think the answer is clear.

 

[CobberRodgers]

I wouldn't mind to see his leap in the forward pocket as well. Would definalty create some nervous defence with his pressure.

The pressure part would be my main interest. We just seem so easily exited. You can’t be a good team these days without elite forward pressure. We don’t really have any atm.

 

[RoughysMullet]

Finn stays in- he’s lucky we need him to tag LDU
BTW- How on earth do box hill have a bye in round 2 - seems ridiculous when we need to see who’s performing at the lower level

 

[burner1]

Making wholesale changes to move out underperforming senior players is likely to only make our lack of structure and cohesion worse. I think someone like CJ needs structure as he doesn’t read the game as well as others.

We don’t have a lot of senior options to improve the midfield really. Morrison will help a bit with our defensive shape and maybe Moore moves up but it’s really just otherwise swapping inexperience for inexperience.

Maybe the bigger ground will suit us? It’s normally scrappy in Tassie which should favour the Roos mids.

 

[hawkman]

Finn stays in- he’s lucky we need him to tag LDU
BTW- How on earth do box hill have a bye in round 2 - seems ridiculous when we need to see who’s performing at the lower level

Think he is better at tagging outside mids than the inside mids. Apart from Miller last year his best jobs have been on the outside ones

 

[TylerDurden]

Is Chad back this week?