Preview Round 9 - Hawks vs Tigers - Changes and General Discussion

[Easy Slips Catch]

It might. His point was we can hardly be worse anyway so we may aswell throw their accuracy off. We might miskick a few straight ones.

Thank you.

 

[WWSD]

If one of them doesn't get you the other one will! Fremantle certainly found that out didn't they, they were focusing on shutting down Franklin and Roughead was able to get away from Dawson. It's going to be hard for the Richmond back line to stop one of them, let alone trying to stop both!

Match Ups

Franklin vs Rance
Roughead vs Batchelor (massive size difference there)
Hale vs McGuane?
Rioli vs Morris
Breust vs Newman

You sort of get the feeling that one of Franklin or Roughead will kick a bag.

 

[savagelunchbox]

I reckon this week match could easily get 60,000+

Oh good, another prediction based on nothing more than a 'gut feeling', random number that came into your head that you agreed with.

According to your predictions Gilham's due to return this week?

 

[jive]

It will be a tight midfield battle, BUT we should have way too much class up forward for this to be a "danger game". Will be a good test for Lewis, sewelly and mitchell. If these guys get over the tigers Mids we should win quite easily. If they resort to bombing it into the 50 like they did against essendon, our back line will have a field day on the rebound.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

If one of them doesn't get you the other one will! Fremantle certainly found that out didn't they, they were focusing on shutting down Franklin and Roughead was able to get away from Dawson. It's going to be hard for the Richmond back line to stop one of them, let alone trying to stop both!

Match Ups

Franklin vs Rance
Roughead vs Batchelor (massive size difference there)
Hale vs McGuane?
Rioli vs Morris
Breust vs Newman

You sort of get the feeling that one of Franklin or Roughead will kick a bag.

McGuane is out with a minor knee right now.

Looks like Griffiths will be coming in for Grimes, so I'd expect him to get Hale or Roughy (Batchelor getting the other). Also I reckon its a safe bet Ivan will be dropping back to help out similar to what he did against the Cats.

Wouldn't surprise to see Dea on Breust either

 

[Phil McCreviss]

I find it semi amusing some of the points opposition supporters are raising about our perceived deficiencies:

Myth 1
Our backline is our weakness. Yes that makes sense because we have the 3rd stingiest defence in the AFL (actually only a couple of goals off having the best) Infact that defense was before we got Gilham back so it is only set to improve further. I am sure the likes of Nahas, Miller and Riewoldt will rip us a new one though I saw the same shyte on the Freo board before we played them too.

Myth 2
Our midfield is slow. Yes we are one paced insiders and we are worried by teams that spread fast. Yet it is widely recognised that having little whippets running around do not win flags. We are just starting to find the right balance. Our insiders are doing their thing but we now have outside runners to compliment our hard nuts. Young, Smith and Birchall are giving us pace on the overlap.

Obviously Richmond have some up and comers. Out of all of them I really rate Deledio because not only does he have a bit of toe, he has developed in to a solid ball winner with skill. Martin has a future but I don't think his don't argue's are going to work with us. Particularly the Mitchell's and Lewis who won't let go of the tackle. As good as Cotchin is, his body size to me says he is susceptible to hard tags. I reckon if we stop those 3 we should easily account for the Tiges by 5-6 goals.

 

[macdaddio]

I like how Foley says that they have a midfield that other teams should fear..
I seriously don't see their midfield coming close to ours.
Their only forwards they have are short people compared to a Buddy and Ruff and Hale.
Their back line is as thin as it gets and I see Buddy and Ruff cleaning up.
Smith, Savage, Bruest, Cyril, Lewis, Young, Shiels, popy we have a good mix of outside and inside spread of goal kicking speedsters.
Our backline with Ghily, Gibo, Stratton, Shoey has never looked so good for a very long time.
Other teams under rate Shoey but he is very smart and is a good kick, he just needs his mates to help him out every now and then.
We should blow them away and I see a similar style to the Freo and Crows game.

 

[daniel2323]

I'm pretty sure, like every other supporter base all year, we're underestimating the Tigers. Look at the way they have played this year, Hardwick has done a lot of good things over at tigerland. On paper, we should win by 10 goals at least. Just like the Pies, Cats, Bombers and Swans, we are much better sides on paper. Clearly we are deserving favourites and the better side, but Richmond will not role over.

Also, to those dismissing their midfield: watch their games. Their mids are capable of turning games around very quickly, expecially when the opposition drops off with a lead. In the Bombers, Pies and Cats games they came back strongly at one point, expect the same to happen on Saturday.

Don't get me wrong, I think we'll win, but I certainly won't be surprised if it takes a good last quarter to do so.

 

[Roddy27]

It's foolish to underate Richmond.

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

i'm not they are a dangerous team

 

[macdaddio]

Tigers have not had their usuall belting yet this year and they are due for one.
They are 3 years into a new coach and I still can't see them playing finals.
We should account for them pretty easy and I just don't see why some think it is a danger game???

 

[HAWKS HEROES]

they have played pretty good footy last few times and nearly did essendon they are good at pulling things out of the bag so to speak

 

[Phil McCreviss]

It's foolish to underate Richmond.

I think it's foolish to underrate any team. But some of the reasoning behind Richmond winning is comical and indicates no knowledge of either teams strengths and weaknesses.

I really hope Hardwick thinks we have a questionable backline and slow midfield like some of their supporters. That means we will win by 10 goals + like we did last season. Unfortunately I don't think Hardwick is that silly.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

Tigers have not had their usuall belting yet this year and they are due for one.
They are 3 years into a new coach and I still can't see them playing finals.
We should account for them pretty easy and I just don't see why some think it is a danger game???

I don't get this either to be honest. Not saying we disrespect Richmond but honestly if we are to be considered a top 4 team, we should be winning these games reasonably well. Not sure we can belt them like we did last season but 4-5 goals is about right. If we lose, we are not a top 4 team imo.

 

[WWSD]

Tigers have not had their usuall belting yet this year and they are due for one.
They are 3 years into a new coach and I still can't see them playing finals.
We should account for them pretty easy and I just don't see why some think it is a danger game???

I'm with you on this, it's not a danger game. Our midfield should get a lot of entries into the forward 50 to Franklin, Roughead and Rioli, they will feast on this!

 

[Hawkforce]

I don't get this either to be honest. Not saying we disrespect Richmond but honestly if we are to be considered a top 4 team, we should be winning these games reasonably well. Not sure we can belt them like we did last season but 4-5 goals is about right. If we lose, we are not a top 4 team imo.

I agree with this - but I also think the Tiges are capable of very good performances. If Riewoldt was in any sort of the form he's capable of they would have beaten Essendon, West Coast and perhaps even Collingwood.

Hardwick's not far away with their structures. We must be switched on from the start.

 

[Rioli magic]

I think it's foolish to underrate any team. But some of the reasoning behind Richmond winning is comical and indicates no knowledge of either teams strengths and weaknesses.

I really hope Hardwick thinks we have a questionable backline and slow midfield like some of their supporters. That means we will win by 10 goals + like we did last season. Unfortunately I don't think Hardwick is that silly.

Don't forget about Ross Smith!!

One thing they should have is a better understanding of the Hawthorn players than any other coaching group.

 

[macdaddio]

Almost every one in here was calling the Freo a danger game and it would be a close game and it will be low scoring.
We won that game in the first half and kicked a high score and won by 9 goals.
Some times certain teams may look good againts other teams but then when they play us they don't have that same impact as they have on other teams.
Sure Tigers have played a couple good games, but Geelong and Weagles were very tired from previous games and hence why the Tigers came do close and looked good.
Againts the Swans, well had we played them at the G I'm sure we would of had the same result.
The Bombers game they we blown away until the scums got some injured and tired players and that's when the Tigers came back and that's why the looked good.
We had our wake up call and a kick up the ass from that Swans loss.

 

[Rev08]

I don't get this either to be honest. Not saying we disrespect Richmond but honestly if we are to be considered a top 4 team, we should be winning these games reasonably well. Not sure we can belt them like we did last season but 4-5 goals is about right. If we lose, we are not a top 4 team imo.

We lost to the Tiggies in 2008. Don't think one loss can be considered reason for not being a top 4 team.

But I will extremely disappointed if we do lose.

 

[Hodginator]

What's all this talk about losing? Let's get fair dinkum. We'll win by 30+ points

 

[Pessimistic]

Danger game

Read the responses, esp that its wet and windy - scratch that

 

[parsons nose]

Read the responses, esp that its wet and windy - scratch that

wet and windy = more contests. We should have them covered in that part of the game. I think I read somewhere they are 18th this season for contested possesion-can some-one confirm?

 

[gohawkz1]

We lost to the Tiggies in 2008. Don't think one loss can be considered reason for not being a top 4 team.

But I will extremely disappointed if we do lose.

We have already lost 3 games, drop another two games and it'll be difficult to make top 4...

 

[Ned_Flanders]

wet and windy = more contests. We should have them covered in that part of the game. I think I read somewhere they are 18th this season for contested possesion-can some-one confirm?

yes and no

yes - we are 16th for contested possessions:

#16 in contested possessions (1089)
#1 in uncontested possessions (1990)
=#1 in disposal % (75)
#3 in marks (785)
=#13 in contested marks (84)
#9 in marks inside 50 (94)
=#9 in hitouts (306)
#18 in clearances (285)
#14 in tackles (504)
=#10 in running bounces (8)
#11 in goal assists (65)

no (possibly) - one poster on another site has said that if you look at the contested possession breakdown for our games, we are usually up on our opponent for the day. However, because our playing style means we try to minimize clearances, the total number of contested possies up for grabs on the day is less than other games.

Apparently our contested possession differential is 8th.

No idea if this is correct as I haven't been able to find where these stats are recorded, so its assuming the bloke making the claim is getting his info correct.

 

[Changa10]

yes and no

yes - we are 16th for contested possessions:

#16 in contested possessions (1089)
#1 in uncontested possessions (1990)
=#1 in disposal % (75)
#3 in marks (785)
=#13 in contested marks (84)
#9 in marks inside 50 (94)
=#9 in hitouts (306)
#18 in clearances (285)
#14 in tackles (504)
=#10 in running bounces (8)
#11 in goal assists (65)

no (possibly) - one poster on another site has said that if you look at the contested possession breakdown for our games, we are usually up on our opponent for the day. However, because our playing style means we try to minimize clearances, the total number of contested possies up for grabs on the day is less than other games.

Apparently our contested possession differential is 8th.

No idea if this is correct as I haven't been able to find where these stats are recorded, so its assuming the bloke making the claim is getting his info correct.

Probably the three that carry the most weight right there.

Playing very much a keepings off style looking at the possession stats particularly that they are #1 for uncontested yet #16 for contested.

Pressure, pressure, pressure will be the key.