Autopsy Round 8, 2024 : Hawks leash the Dogs

[threesixpio]

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Want a Meath Menace t shirt. Would wear

Awesome design too

 

[grumbleguts]

I feel so zen after a win!

Things I loved about the game:

• The intent from our players from the get go, especially senior players from the beginning. Physically not taking a backward step or being bullied by the opponent for once this season which resulted in the scuffles off the ball during play. Frost, scrim and Sicily - love it , bring it each week please even when we are getting multiple goals kicked on us.
• Thought the game and our season was beyond repair after Sicily’s shoulder, but to come out after popping it back in and play like he did - a truer captains game you’d be hard to find.
• It looked as though the players weren’t as restricted in how they were allowed to play this week, seemed we let them play a more natural style of their own and they took the opponent on.
• Killing the ball inside 50!!! Huge!! Jumping on it, holding it in and not letting it spill out makes a huge difference. Defence was massive on Sunday - best effort yet.
• Conor McDonald making the most of his opportunities - how different does that make things?
• Meek - saw him play like this in highlights before we drafted him. Didn’t get that last year and have been vocal about how meek he has played and wouldn’t make it. Has proved me wrong this year. Bullocking ruckman making a big difference to the side. Love it.
• Calsher! Must admit I was nervous going in with only him as a target. He looks a natural, heck, he looks like the best tall forward on our list. Go son!
• Gunston - stepped up big time for the team and his protege!

Didn’t love:

• Was it a record for smothered kicks against us? Must’ve been at least 10 !
• Some soft efforts when players were expecting contact from behind and missed absolute sitters which were momentum killers.
• Not going to mention names, but there was a player that cost us numerous goals with limp efforts when the tough stuff was needed. Also, barely impacted the game. I expect he’ll be dropped this week.

Hopefully the boys build on the momentum and belief from this win! And hopefully, we don't find out Sic is unavailable for weeks after playing out the game. Go Hawks!

One of those smothered kicks was paid a mark. Almost anyone who has ever seen football would have said a ball kicked less than three metres would be deemed, effectively, a smother. Not when a bulldog takes it, then it's a mark. And while we may have had a fairly decent treatment from the umpires on Sunday, Bontempeli seems to be able to do what ever the hell he wants. Runs 4 steps gets tackled, spins 360 disposes of it illegally play on. Anyone else, not in a Geelong jumper would have been held accountable. And are we the only team to be penalised for kicking in danger in the last 20 years? It wasn't even in danger anyway according to the rule.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Anyone listen to Hoyney on SEN provides great insight where we are heading and for us to be patient. We are killing the stat of ground ball gets post clearance which is where we won the game. He provides the most unbiased view in the media because it is based off data

We were 16th of the comp last year at being able to defend ball movement, this year we are 3rd!

That further explains how we were able to keep the swans inside 50s down.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Start of the 3rd Sicily takes a mark and gets boos from the dogs fans. What was that for?

 

[theiaofseed]

Start of the 3rd Sicily takes a mark and gets boos from the dogs fans. What was that for?

He's been boo'd by their fan base since Murphy did his ACL in a marking contest back in 2016.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

He's been boo'd by their fan base since Murphy did his ACL in a marking contest back in 2016.

Well that’s bizarre. Just watched the incident and Sicily had nothing to do with it. No wonder they’re a perennial laughing stock

 

[hawkman]

Start of the 3rd Sicily takes a mark and gets boos from the dogs fans. What was that for?

Every time we play them he always seems to be in a wrestle with Naughton. Before he did his shoulder he was in a couple of scuffles.

 

[CHUBBSS]

Start of the 3rd Sicily takes a mark and gets boos from the dogs fans. What was that for?

No bigger pleb fans in the afl, unbelievable how the boo any free when they have it dished on a silver platter for years

 

[Hawker_85]

tell you what Matt Hill is a breathe of fresh of air.

He is a delight to listen to.

His voice is like having warm honey poured in my ear. A refreshing change from the twonks we have been shafted with on our games recently.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Every time we play them he always seems to be in a wrestle with Naughton. Before he did his shoulder he was in a couple of scuffles.

Ahh yes and the naughton head band saga iirc

 

[Topiary]

It's not a bad stat to own. Shows our boys love a contest.

We are just a little inconsistent with it.

 

[Sixpence]

Ahh yes and the naughton head band saga iirc

Still can't believe he got fined for removing someone's headband. What a joke.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

We are just a little inconsistent with it.

But if we were inconsistent with it we wouldn’t have the numbers we do in that metric though.

6th best side in the last 25 years after 8 Rounds.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

It's actually quite amazing how we can go from a team that looks completely lost and confused v Sydney, to a side that looks mature and knows exactly what we're doing (aside from goalkicking) against bulldogs.

I know I know- young team and all that.

But our decision making in every element - where to kick, who to tackle, when to go fast, when to go slow, when to lock it in, when to spoil v mark - all of these things had like a 40% improvement against the dogs.

Back yourself and your teammates.
When we look overawed it's because the ball carrier hasn't been backing the teammate to get to the right position. When we've looked good the ball carrier is sending it where he ex0ects the teammate to be

The teammate is reacting to the disposal, not trying to create the possession because the initial disposal took too long

 

[Hawkas1988]

For those interested, the Yabby Votes are now finalised for Round 8 and the leaderboard updated

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Shout out my boy Nash for starting on the pine and then winning the first clearance after the dogs dominated the first 5 minutes

Bump

 

[FB19]

I forgot to say how noticeable the improvement in Finn’s kicking was he hit some long targets lace out especially one to Hardwick at 50. Credit to him I thought he was cooked but he is developing into a handy footballer.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

That was created by myself at school while teaching kids to use Canva for a project. Not a Talking Hawks thing, but a Tim the teacher thing.

Ever considered offering the kids a chance for "extra credit"?

 

[spudmaster]

This looking even more impressive after seeing what they just did to the Tigers.