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.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

The footage of Jai Newcombe with a couple of minutes to go ignoring SM on the bench when he tried to talk to him - preferring to ignore him, put on headphones and look away - was damning.

Seriously, did that happen? I had turned off by then.

If what you are saying is true then I would send the player back to Box Hill and I wouldn't recall him until mid-season at the earliest. I don't care who he is. Newcombe has been terrible all season and should really be dropped on lack of form alone. This just compounds the issue.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Do you think i can acclimatise to it and some how not feel moisture on grass when it is really there? No one at the game thought it difficult conditions. Stop buying into this idea they were somehow tough. It was a great night for football. If we are complaining about that, we have fallen very far as a club.

Mate the excuses in here are laughable. It's like most of the fanbase is in denial.

We are terrible. We have not improved under Mitchell. The players refuse to put in a shift which is damning. The recruitment so far is looking half-arsed and we continue to burn draft picks. All of that is an indictment on the coach and club.

But yeah, the grass was apparently wet, as judged by people in here who watched it on telly...and that excuses our lack of effort apparently. Noah Anderson had more ball than our three key midfielders combined. But it was a bit humid so it's ok?

Some of the BS people spout in here.

 

[cryptor]

Are there no consequences for poor behaviours anymore at Hawthorn, or have we gone full CGS with an appeasement policy?

Problem is what consequences can exist? Hard to drop players who deserve to be dropped when there are very limited options to replace them. Cooper Stephens about the only other inside mid available and he’s hardly knocking the door down at VFL.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Problem is what consequences can exist? Hard to drop players who deserve to be dropped when there are very limited options to replace them. Cooper Stephens about the only other inside mid available and he’s hardly knocking the door down at VFL.

Pick guys on effort alone. I don't care who is at Box Hill. As long as they are committed, play them over the overpaid prima donnas who are currently embarrassing the jumper.

It's not like we are winning games anyway.

 

[Flamin Joe]

If the only issue is that it is wet and greasy, ie dew on the grass and hence the ball too, then how on earth do we manage to play at home or Tasmania for that matter in the same conditions? It's a mindset thing for when we play up here that "conditions" come up as a factor and something to fall back on when things go wrong.

Mate the excuses in here are laughable. It's like most of the fanbase is in denial.

I feel like I'm on a political forum arguing with MAGA supporters. What would I know of the conditions, I just live here.

 

[cryptor]

Pick guys on effort alone. I don't care who is at Box Hill. As long as they are committed, play them over the overpaid prima donnas who are currently embarrassing the jumper.

It's not like we are winning games anyway.

Pull up the list, take a look. Specifically who are we dropping and who are we bringing in? The cupboard is very bare.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Pull up the list, take a look. Specifically who are we dropping and who are we bringing in? The cupboard is very bare.

I agree that the cupboard is bare but we pretty much played 3 midfielders down last weekend.

I'd pick any warm body at Box Hill right now and I would jettison Nash, Newcombe and Ward in order to send a message to the group. I'd also put Sicily on notice that as captain of this club he is not leading them as he should.

 

[H00t]

The footage of Jai Newcombe with a couple of minutes to go ignoring SM on the bench when he tried to talk to him - preferring to ignore him, put on headphones and look away - was damning.

Was this with 10 minutes to go? Just after the Chol goal?

If it is there is nothing in that and Newc wasn’t ignoring Mitchell. Mitchell wasn’t talking to him was taking to Finn instead. Or was it some other time?

 

[H00t]

I agree that the cupboard is bare but we pretty much played 3 midfielders down last weekend.

I'd pick any warm body at Box Hill right now and I would jettison Nash, Newcombe and Ward in order to send a message to the group. I'd also put Sicily on notice that as captain of this club he is not leading them as he should.

It’s why list depth is so important. Keeps everyone honest and performing as they know if they underperform there are players ready to take your spot.

It’s probably been the most disappointing thing this year for mine. It’s that hardly anyone at AFL or VFL level is demanding selection with their performances.

 

[BobHawk]

Thinking about some of the issues with the GCS game on Saturday and the Melbourne game a few weeks ago makes me wonder if Sammy isn't simply over thinking the team's prep for games and is overcooking what he wants from the team in terms of how to approach a game and set up based on the opponent and conditions. Both those games were complete disasters. Has this been an issue with how the team has responded? Only Sam can know. But I do think there are problems there and what we are seeing is a team that doesn't seem unified and certainly lacks on field leadership. Anyway, I'm only speculating but maybe give players a bit of leeway to let them play their natural game and think more about basics rather than all the nuts and bolts because the team may just not be ready for all that. The looks on the players' faces is a bit of a giveaway. They don't look like they are enjoying it.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Hate to say it but you are clearly acclimatized to it because the club wouldn’t go to the effort of training “in the conditions” and then talk about how we didn’t “play to the conditions” after the game if the conditions simply didn’t exist like you’re saying.

I really can't grasp how people can't figure out that a team who live, train and mostly play in the southern states might find it a bit harder playing a game in the humidity even if it is not December-January style humidity. I have been in Melbourne during the La Nina seasons when it does get more humid than usual here and even at its worst it is not like a mildly humid day in Brisbane. Yes, it doesn't 100% explain how poor we were but to deny it might make it harder for players who aren't remotely familiar with playing in those conditions is just silly.

I remember a nice spring morning in Brisbane when I was working during Uni and it was a cracking day and about 22-23. This guy comes in rugged up in trackies and a jumper trying to warm himself up and complaining about how cold it is. He goes on to say he is from Darwin - so, yup for him that would be cold. When we visit relatives in Brisbane over Christmas I will sleep with the air con on all night and have zero quilt - conversely my wife's grandmum from Longreach will have a quilt on and talk about how cold it was. Congrats to the Queenslanders on here who didn't think it was that muggy - the Victorian based players probably felt a little different to you.

 

[HoldingThe Ball]

Was this with 10 minutes to go? Just after the Chol goal?

If it is there is nothing in that and Newc wasn’t ignoring Mitchell. Mitchell wasn’t talking to him was taking to Finn instead. Or was it some

10.16 in 4th quarter - no that wasn't it.

Damn you - I'm going to have to re-watch after work....

 

[Gut Runner]

Problem is what consequences can exist? Hard to drop players who deserve to be dropped when there are very limited options to replace them. Cooper Stephens about the only other inside mid available and he’s hardly knocking the door down at VFL.

Why on earth did we get that guy...

 

[Ram-Man]

The footage of Jai Newcombe with a couple of minutes to go ignoring SM on the bench when he tried to talk to him - preferring to ignore him, put on headphones and look away - was damning.

Are there no consequences for poor behaviours anymore at Hawthorn, or have we gone full CGS with an appeasement policy?

If that had happened in Mitchells playing days, I'm pretty sure Hodge Lewis etc would have had a chat about 'attitude'

SM needs to urgently instill some non-negotiable standards - you break them - off to Box Hill for 3 weeks - and enforce them religiously.

Newcombe needs to be pulled up on that sort of BS.

10.16 in 4th quarter - no that wasn't it.

Damn you - I'm going to have to re-watch after work....

I saw that - Jai staring at the grass in front of him - I too would need to watch it again but initially I just thought he looked exhausted and Sam was making a few comments - can't recall headphones but normally they are given as the midfield coach up in the box wanted to chat with him. I didn't read too much into it as I know Jai owes a great deal to Sam Mitchell and that Sam is his number one supporter. Jai turned it round last week, had a down day - but he wasn't alone there - and I think he will regroup for the challenge against North.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Do you think i can acclimatise to it and some how not feel moisture on grass when it is really there? No one at the game thought it difficult conditions. Stop buying into this idea they were somehow tough. It was a great night for football. If we are complaining about that, we have fallen very far as a club.

You're not wrong that the weather absolutely isn't the contributing factor to our poor skills on Saturday night as it has been years since we have had consistently good basic skills. However - moisture on the grass wouldn't be the only contributing factor to the conditions impacting handling a bit. I can do a comparative level of exercise in Melbourne and then do the same level outdoors in Brisbane and the difference in perspiration is bloody crazy. If our players were sweating more than usual that is going to make things different for them.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Ha. David King on SEN saying we need a priority pick.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I really can't grasp how people can't figure out that a team who live, train and mostly play in the southern states might find it a bit harder playing a game in the humidity even if it is not December-January style humidity. I have been in Melbourne during the La Nina seasons when it does get more humid than usual here and even at its worst it is not like a mildly humid day in Brisbane. Yes, it doesn't 100% explain how poor we were but to deny it might make it harder for players who aren't remotely familiar with playing in those conditions is just silly.

I remember a nice spring morning in Brisbane when I was working during Uni and it was a cracking day and about 22-23. This guy comes in rugged up in trackies and a jumper trying to warm himself up and complaining about how cold it is. He goes on to say he is from Darwin - so, yup for him that would be cold. When we visit relatives in Brisbane over Christmas I will sleep with the air con on all night and have zero quilt - conversely my wife's grandmum from Longreach will have a quilt on and talk about how cold it was. Congrats to the Queenslanders on here who didn't think it was that muggy - the Victorian based players probably felt a little different to you.

That doesn't in any way explain the lack of pressure, lack of tackling, lack of being hard at the contest and the fact that we now have guys who won't go when it is their turn.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Ha. David King on SEN saying we need a priority pick.

Hey I'll take one if they're offering. What we do need is games into the kids.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

That doesn't in any way explain the lack of pressure, lack of tackling, lack of being hard at the contest and the fact that we now have guys who won't go when it is their turn.

I never said it did though.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Ha. David King on SEN saying we need a priority pick.

If we finish bottom 3 again we absolutely should get one. If Norf and the Gold Coast get handout after handout then I'll take a priority pick too.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I never said it did though.

No you didn't specifically but the weather and humidity is a moot point. I am not sure why people are muddying the waters with this nonsense.

They'd have belted us regardless of the conditions. We were (and are) insipid.

 

[OnTheRocks]

Breaking news:
Climate change halts Hawks premiership tilt

 

[Franko Armani]

I was a very nice night I thought a slight cold breeze if any.

I didn’t feel a breath of wind, sitting at the open end. Didn’t seem dewy either but the ball slipped out of our hands 99% of the time. Thought it was more packing our dacks.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Ha. David King on SEN saying we need a priority pick.

We'll take it.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Do you think i can acclimatise to it and some how not feel moisture on grass when it is really there? No one at the game thought it difficult conditions. Stop buying into this idea they were somehow tough. It was a great night for football. If we are complaining about that, we have fallen very far as a club.

Do you think we spoke about training “in the conditions” the day before the game, and then about the instructions to “play to those conditions” when the conditions didn’t actually exist?

You think we just made it all up both pre and post game?