Autopsy Round 3, 2024 :Hawks fail against Cats

[Billyc]

We smashed their midfield. Won:
I50s by 10
Clearances by 15
Hitouts by 10
Contested ball by 10
Squared the scoring shots.

Worpel clearly BOG.
Wards best game for us.
Same with McKenzie.
Meek is a keeper. Fantastic 2nd half.

Hoping Wiz is OK.

Bring in Butler and Ramsden.

I'm actually quite positive after watching that. I can see the blue sky.

The Ginni treatment is appalling. Something needs to be done.

Those stats don’t reflect the real midfield battle though given Geelong played in bursts. We were smashed early, fought back when Geelong eased off in the second and Geelong then did us over in a burst in the third. That was all they needed to do. The fourth quarter was largely killing time after the delay. When the game was hot, our midfield was beaten and quite badly at times.

 

[brad sue well]

Gin to kick a vs the Pies.

Get to it media.

 

[TylerDurden]

The first quarter was horrible again. And if I'm honest I (and I'd bet most people here) suspected the Cats would ease away again in the third after our second quarter comeback, which they duly did. Thereafter the game went its course with the result never being in doubt unfortunately.

The Cats ability to mark inside fifty was just about the difference; they have a good forward line and we are a bit depleted down back so that isn't a shock.

Lewis was a non-event other than one great grab and his under performance this season is now a serious worry given he is injured again. I said before a ball was kicked this year that he needed to make strides this season for us to progress and now he might only have half a season left to do so. I really think we need to look at a replacement for him, if only because his body lets him down so often. Thank God we got Chol!

Our midfield was better but the Cats midfield was not strong. Meek did ok but he wasn't playing on Gawn either. Still think he has to stay now - Ned took just one mark in the VFL this week and I seriously doubt he's going to suddenly re-emerge as a top ruck anytime soon.

McKenzie showed a lot today and seems to becoming the player we all hoped. Frosty did well. Worps was head and shoulders our best in my opinion.

I'm getting sick of rummaging through the wreckage to find the good! Most of the stats were even, they only had one more scoring shot, we won the clearances....all positives but really, Worps and Mackenzie aside, I didn't see a lot of leadership out there today. Maybe I just missed it in the rain! I'm wet, weary and sick of losing! Ignore me if I'm just whining!!

Have a closer look. We won all of the stats that count, other than scoring accuracy.

 

[HedgeFund]

I know its only been 3 games but has anyone improved on our list from last year? This doesn't include new recruits or rookies

Maybe Mackenzie and that's it

Scrimshaw for mine - he’s been much better

 

[TylerDurden]

Those stats don’t reflect the real midfield battle though given Geelong played in bursts. We were smashed early, fought back when Geelong eased off in the second and Geelong then did us over in a burst in the third. The fourth quarter was largely killing time after the delay. When the game was hot, our midfield was beaten and quite badly at times.

They were. But ultimately we smashed their midfield.

 

[GinniAndTonic]

Wonder where our first win will come from?

Collingwood next week

 

[TAITA]

Worpel has him easy I reckon.

Also Nash's game today not getting a lot of love.

24 disposals, 8 tackles 9 clearances. 71% efficiency. Hardly mentioned but in the wet that is a hell of a game.

Nash is our barometer, our talisman and our metronome, if he isn't getting his hands on the ball, neither are we.

 

[hardway]

Don't think it's his style and it will look like whining. Besides I don''t think he will have to, this will be a big story this week as it should be. He might even get a few free's, but we will have to see if it lasts.

It will come just in time for Ginnivan to get free kicks this weekend against his old side for the laugh factor alone. Will be business as usual the following weekend.

 

[Billyc]

They were. But ultimately we smashed their midfield.

Not when the game was hot.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I think those complaining about ward need to know that he was one that provided the impetus in that second qtr on the outside hard running and 3 or 4 inside 50s he finished with 8 disposals for the qtr. He was on duncan the entire game. I thought he did well considering

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Having a frustrating time of things of late (don’t weep for me I’ll be fine) - that first quarter just had me really dismayed as I don’t mind the rebuild but watching that umpiring on top of those Corio campaigners get all the luck in the world and nothing going right for us was just so bloody hard to watch because we weren’t as far behind as the scoreboard suggested and I started to think we were in for a 2017 Easter Monday style flogging. The next 3 quarters were at least competitive and at times fun - and being at the game with the delays, pitch invasions and rowdy crowd as a good arvo out.

Come to try and settle my 2 year old who won’t go down. In recent days I’ve gotten him to say Hawthorn and when I play the theme song on my phone he says ‘more Hawthorn’. He also says ‘bye Hawka’ when he leaves his room as he’s got a Hawka doorstop. I start to settle him in a dark room and I’m in my retro Hawks tshirt and he points at the logo he’s never seen before and says ‘Hawthorn’.

Long story short - there’s still great moments to be enjoyed in frustrating losses and hopefully by the time this little one is living and breathing Hawthorn these rebuild kids are giving him plenty of reasons to cheer.

 

[grumbleguts]

Only an absolute dim sim could criticise Meek's performance today.

Had him in my Yabbie votes.

 

[Cleavy]

what's the solution to the slow starts? can't keep trying to come back from 5-6 goal deficit at QT.

 

[Wingnut19]

We smashed their midfield. Won:
I50s by 10
Clearances by 15
Hitouts by 10
Contested ball by 10
Squared the scoring shots.

Worpel clearly BOG.
Wards best game for us.
Same with McKenzie.
Meek is a keeper. Fantastic 2nd half.

Hoping Wiz is OK.

Bring in Butler and Ramsden.

I'm actually quite positive after watching that. I can see the blue sky.

The Ginni treatment is appalling. Something needs to be done.

Huh?? Ward???

 

[TylerDurden]

Not when the game was hot.

First quarter. Yep.
Worpel was by far the best player on the ground though.

 

[Stottzy]

Geelong were incredibly accurate in front of goal. 17.4, when just under half the game is raining is good kicking.

Things I liked

-Worpel. Went beast mode in the last quarter.

-Meek. Slow start, but got better as the game went on. The Reeves fanboys calling for his omission is laughable.

-King Chol. Sensational start to his brown and gold career. A real x-factor

-After a shaky start, the midfield were heaps better this week.

-We've played 3 pretty decent teams so far this year. I reckon we've started better this year than last. Should go in with confidence against the Pies.

 

[BobHawk]

Thought the endeavour after quarter time was very good. Many players played at a sustained intensity. I can watch us lose as long as they are all having a go for 4 quarters. The midfield was a big improvement with both Nash and Newc having their best games this season. Very happy to see the likes of Weddle, McKenzie and Watson giving their all. These are such important players for our future. I am a bit concerned with some of the others. Some might get their hands on the ball but aren't very effective. This includes both youngsters and some more senior players. A worry. I disagree with any criticism of Sicily and Meek. Need to consider that Sicily has to take on a big role in the backline and is covering multiple holes and players. He made mistakes today but was still a very steady hand. I consider him and Newc our 2 most important players. And Meek had a real presence out there which unfortunately, Reeves does not. I think he stays number one ruck and I hope that he can deliver consistency because I think the Meek/Chol combo worked very well.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Should have been closer!

 

[eldorado]

We were smashed early, fought back when Geelong eased off in the second .

There's no need to be so pathetic.

Yes, our game was not great, but our second quarter was.

"Geelong eased off"...get your hand off it

 

[hfc70]

Ginnivan needs to wear a neck brace - cause the umps sure aren’t looking out for him

 

[SSSSSS]

Q

Should have been closer!

Certainly felt that way.

 

[grumbleguts]

Pretty sure he wasn’t in the commentary box for that segment anyhow, but call him a coward if it make you feel better.

They mentioned it all game and he didn't bring it up, despite calling it in the Collingwood game last week where he said "I made a career out of doing that. Feel free to be patronising though.

 

[VandoHawk]

what's the solution to the slow starts? can't keep trying to come back from 5-6 goal deficit at QT.

I think this one is squarely on the coaches.

We position far too aggressively at stoppages. It looks nice and flashy when we win it but too often we get sucked in to the ball, or fumble it, and the opposition has a player streaming forward. This was happening last year and should have been dealt with. Leaves our already lax and undersized backline under extreme pressure. For example, I thought Frosty torched Hawkins today but Hawk kicked 4 largely because of that unpressured, quick ball movement.

We got better as the year went on last year and I think that's primarily attributable to Day having pedigree as a defender and adjusting his balance to fill that roll. Also let him win the clearance if there was a fumble.

 

[DogDaySonny]

Meh. We kicked it forward which was nice to see once in a while.

Still beaten handily by seasoned teams with good structure. Going forward we charge hard (when we charge this year) but an opposition team clamps down with a little structure and the inevitable turnover kills us. I don't know why we are out of position but I suspect we're playing such anemic offensive ball at times because we're trying to maintain transition readiness on a turnover. But we can't move it forward and be threatening without charging.

Anyway, I'm hoping game time and maturity will change this aspect of play or else we'll be a bottom third or worse team for a while.

 

[theiaofseed]

Why do people feel the need to explain away any positives by saying x was due to the other team not trying?