Coach Sam Mitchell's direction for the club and 2024 news

[Strapping Young Lad]

If anyone wants to have a listen about what the data is saying in regards to whether we have actually gotten worse this year have a listen to this from the 9:15 mark.

I know a few people have already touched on it, but the data is also showing that our results this year have been slightly better despite actually putting out a younger team and dealing with some injuries.




And here.

 

[PenAndPaper]

We got smashed in the midfield by a far more experienced midfield, I don't understand so much hate for Mitch. Statistically in the game we were quite close in most statistics except centre clearances and inside 50s which kind of go hand in hand. I didn't see Saturday quite as much of a problem with Mitch's tactics but more our immature midfield unit.

Hawks
Age: 22
Games: 50

Dees
Age: 28
Games 163

 

[TylerDurden]

We got smashed in the midfield by a far more experienced midfield, I don't understand so much hate for Mitch. Statistically in the game we were quite close in most statistics except centre clearances and inside 50s which kind of go hand in hand. I didn't see Saturday quite as much of a problem with Mitch's tactics but more our immature midfield unit.

Hawks
Age: 22
Games: 50

Dees
Age: 28
Games 163

Starting midfield was Newk, Nash and Worpel. Same as last year. Doesn't add up.

 

[HawthornHawk]

Only two games in but we're looking like a side who got rid of a coaching position that specifically oversaw contested work.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

For all the doom, we were 0-2 with a 20% worse percentage, which is worth 1% over the season.

Aand Geelong round 3 could be a direct comparison

Difference is last season we were all prepared for a season of struggles and development, given how far the list was gutted.

There was more expectations and hype coming into this season - especially with the additions of Ginnivan and Chol (expectation of immediate improvement), and to a lesser extent D'Ambrosio, Watson and Gunston.

We then had the coach talking about there being no ceiling to what we can achieve this season, and leaders like Moore talking about Finals.

Roll on to the practice match and the second half of the Doggies game happened, which was foreboding to say the least.

Right now we are 0-2 with a percentage of 60, which is horrible. We couldn't even manage to trouble Melbourne, who had their two best defenders go down during the game.

We have Geelong, Collingwood, GCS, North, Sydney, WBD, Saints, Port, Brisbane, Adelaide, GWS then Richmond coming up. We could be 2/12 at the end of the run if we play the way we have.

 

[FB19]

Too early to be this concerned but right to question. If you view this year as development focused it’s not a shock at all. Only bad thing was the first quarter don’t ever want to play like that unless we are saving a game.
I don’t like some of the language used it is misaligned to where we actually are. The Sam is a genius stuff needs to be ignored, he’s a first time coach with no runs on the board. Also the language from the club saying it’s a balance of development and performance is totally misaligned. You don’t see a major uptick in performance with a list this young, a major overhaul in the forwardline and missing key players. We were better against Essendon and Melbourne this year than last year (early game not late game) especially if we don’t roll out that first quarter and fix up our defensive work in the centre square.
By end of the year we want same wins approx, 15+ more games into high draft picks who establish as best 22 and some others emerging like ramsden and butler. That’s my criteria for being on the right track. Then draft a POD gun mid and trade out/in to start balancing the list.

 

[HedgeFund]

Too early to be this concerned but right to question. If you view this year as development focused it’s not a shock at all. Only bad thing was the first quarter don’t ever want to play like that unless we are saving a game.
I don’t like some of the language used it is misaligned to where we actually are. The Sam is a genius stuff needs to be ignored, he’s a first time coach with no runs on the board. Also the language from the club saying it’s a balance of development and performance is totally misaligned. You don’t see a major uptick in performance with a list this young, a major overhaul in the forwardline and missing key players. We were better against Essendon and Melbourne this year than last year (early game not late game) especially if we don’t roll out that first quarter and fix up our defensive work in the centre square.
By end of the year we want same wins approx, 15+ more games into high draft picks who establish as best 22 and some others emerging like ramsden and butler. That’s my criteria for being on the right track. Then draft a POD gun mid and trade out/in to start balancing the list.

I’m not as worried about notching the same wins as 2023 (though I did predict we might get one or two more this season, which may well still happen).

I’m more interested in our percentage being closer to 90 - 95% at the end of the year. That would indicate we are more competitive in more games and less prone to blowouts.

I can’t see us flogging any teams other than WCE and North, so it won’t come through 15 goal victories. Being able to stay in touch with most sides most weeks by playing a consistent level is the platform we want for 2025 and beyond.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I’m not as worried about notching the same wins as 2023 (though I did predict we might get one or two more this season, which may well still happen).

I’m more interested in our percentage being closer to 90 - 95% at the end of the year. That would indicate we are more competitive in more games and less prone to blowouts.

I can’t see us flogging any teams other than WCE and North, so it won’t come through 15 goal victories. Being able to stay in touch with most sides most weeks by playing a consistent level is the platform we want for 2025 and beyond.

Did you see us flogging Brisbane and Collingwood?

 

[The hands of stone]

Difference is last season we were all prepared for a season of struggles and development, given how far the list was gutted.

There was more expectations and hype coming into this season - especially with the additions of Ginnivan and Chol (expectation of immediate improvement), and to a lesser extent D'Ambrosio, Watson and Gunston.

We then had the coach talking about there being no ceiling to what we can achieve this season, and leaders like Moore talking about Finals.

Roll on to the practice match and the second half of the Doggies game happened, which was foreboding to say the least.

Right now we are 0-2 with a percentage of 60, which is horrible. We couldn't even manage to trouble Melbourne, who had their two best defenders go down during the game.

We have Geelong, Collingwood, GCS, North, Sydney, WBD, Saints, Port, Brisbane, Adelaide, GWS then Richmond coming up. We could be 2/12 at the end of the run if we play the way we have.

If Sam comes out at the start of the season with some leaders and gives it ' hey we are a developing side , we need to add layers to our game , its exciting the young players ......but we likely finish bottom 4 '

Thats garbage messaging . Saying there is no ceiling in performance is 100% the right thing .
If Moore and senior players think we are capable of finals , thats what I want to hear players say .

We are decent kicking boots off being 1-1.
We just lost to defensive side Ive seen in ages . A team that kept the Dogs ( who just bbq'd GC ) to 2 goals in a half .
And if you watch that game , youll see they would have done it without lever and May too .

 

[Steven Tyler]

Difference is last season we were all prepared for a season of struggles and development, given how far the list was gutted.

There was more expectations and hype coming into this season - especially with the additions of Ginnivan and Chol (expectation of immediate improvement), and to a lesser extent D'Ambrosio, Watson and Gunston.

We then had the coach talking about there being no ceiling to what we can achieve this season, and leaders like Moore talking about Finals.

Roll on to the practice match and the second half of the Doggies game happened, which was foreboding to say the least.

Right now we are 0-2 with a percentage of 60, which is horrible. We couldn't even manage to trouble Melbourne, who had their two best defenders go down during the game.

We have Geelong, Collingwood, GCS, North, Sydney, WBD, Saints, Port, Brisbane, Adelaide, GWS then Richmond coming up. We could be 2/12 at the end of the run if we play the way we have.

Which 2 are we beating?

 

[Steven Tyler]

Did you see us flogging Brisbane and Collingwood?

A 4 goal win isn’t a flogging

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

A 4 goal win isn’t a flogging

Please, they kicked 3 goals in a half of footy.
We had our way with them, with the worst forward line in the comp.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I’m not as worried about notching the same wins as 2023 (though I did predict we might get one or two more this season, which may well still happen).

I’m more interested in our percentage being closer to 90 - 95% at the end of the year. That would indicate we are more competitive in more games and less prone to blowouts.

I can’t see us flogging any teams other than WCE and North, so it won’t come through 15 goal victories. Being able to stay in touch with most sides most weeks by playing a consistent level is the platform we want for 2025 and beyond.

Yeah our percentage would be a great indicator as to how we are tracking. Wins and losses aren't the be all and end all of this season.

Personally I want to see the game plan come to life, and I hope we play an attacking brand of football without copping hidings from sides.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Which 2 are we beating?

North, Richmond and maybe Adelaide. I'm currently not confident with any of them though, but I expect we will improve by the time we face them (we simply have to).

 

[PenAndPaper]

Starting midfield was Newk, Nash and Worpel. Same as last year. Doesn't add up.

I'm adding all mid rotations including wings. It does add up.

 

[HedgeFund]

Did you see us flogging Brisbane and Collingwood?

No.

25 points and 32 points are not “floggings”.

I’m talking 10 goal+ wins which boost percentage.

We won’t be racking up those for a while yet IMHO.

 

[eldorado]

Which 2 are we beating?

None of them!!!!


We're just going to lose forever!




FOREVER!!!


FOREVER!!!

 

[TheFourPillars]

None of them!!!!


We're just going to lose forever!




FOREVER!!!


FOREVER!!!

 

[grumbleguts]

We kick straight against the scum and we're 1-1.

People reacted just like this after losses during the 3-peat.

 

[Flukey!]

I’m not as worried about notching the same wins as 2023 (though I did predict we might get one or two more this season, which may well still happen).

I’m more interested in our percentage being closer to 90 - 95% at the end of the year. That would indicate we are more competitive in more games and less prone to blowouts.

I can’t see us flogging any teams other than WCE and North, so it won’t come through 15 goal victories. Being able to stay in touch with most sides most weeks by playing a consistent level is the platform we want for 2025 and beyond.

Increased % is a great indicator of improvement. Ours is at 60% so we have some work to do.

 

[Mrzohs]

Starting midfield was Newk, Nash and Worpel. Same as last year. Doesn't add up.

The numbers are poor to start the season. Clearances, Tackles, Pressure acts (Newk,Nash,Finn,Ward,Mackensie)

Worpel can hold his head high contested possies, clearances, score involvements, presurre acts are sitting at elite.

Throw in W.Day absence and we have fallen off the cliff.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I watch us and have no idea what we stand for. What sort of team are we trying to be because there is no defined style of play at present?

For all of Sam’s talk about the future being based on offence, we had 53 marks in the first quarter on the weekend, most of them in the back half. That’s more marks in any quarter by any team in 2023.

I am not seeing improvement. In fact, we have gone backwards.

What does this even mean?

What does Collingwood stand for?
What does Melbourne stand for?
What does GWS stand for?

It's just something that Jono Brown and Garry Lyon say when they mean "that team isn't playing well and their system isn't working". But it's just such a ridiculous phrase.
Nobody looks at the best teams and says "oh wow you can really see what they stand for". or "Geelong really stands for kicking goals." It's up there with calling a team a 'proud club'. Completely meaningless.

Also - I think it's pretty clear that the first quarter against Melbourne was a complete outlier in terms of intent and execution. The other 7 quarters we've played this year has had a much more direct approach towards goal. But since we're losing the midfield so badly every attack starts from the back pocket and we're playing on the opposition's terms. So of course we can't see the intended style of play

 

[Kenyan]

Really missing Will Day around the stoppages. Newcombe has started slowly but Melbourne's bigger bodies, Petracca and Oliver smashed us. Reeves is a big worry - way too slow.
I'm sure we will see a more aggressive response this week.

 

[mustang]

With more and more clubs playing some version of the Richmond game plan that won them flags.

I’m just hopefully that we are developing a game plan that can counter this going forward, as we won’t win anything just following the leader.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

No.

25 points and 32 points are not “floggings”.

I’m talking 10 goal+ wins which boost percentage.

We won’t be racking up those for a while yet IMHO.

Stop. Just stop.

I know you love playing the contrarian and you’re playing to an audience of white flag wavers like Eldo so eloquently implied above, but we smacked both sides in the contest and had comfortable wins despite having the worst performed forward in the comp.

 

[HedgeFund]

Stop. Just stop.

I know you love playing the contrarian and you’re playing to an audience of white flag wavers like Eldo so eloquently implied above, but we smacked both sides in the contest and had comfortable wins despite having the worst performed forward in the comp.

It’s about building percentage by scoring 10-15 goals more than the opposition. That’s what clearly is meant by a flogging…..which builds percentage - my point.

Hit out and clearance dominance doesn’t boost your percentage does it?

Surely you understand that.