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.

 

[Brishawk]

I'd still take that given we're currently more like the San Diego Clippers

Id rather be the nuggets or the wolves

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

If you didn’t already feel like we get done dirty….

 

[peetoo]

Out of contract?

 

[peetoo]

Agreed. By my count at least 7 were umpire effected - turnarounds that led to rapid goals at the other end and soft/non paid frees.

I was really impressed at the competitiveness. We just had the wind sucked out of our sails. As soon as we were behind we panicked more. Then on top of that we dropped our heads following ump decisions.

Most in first half. Sydney ‘earned’ their second half goals

 

[DrSalt]

Am not the most detailed track watcher but I feel like we are slowly getting there but a few aspects of the gameplan / current team mean that it is not working. I am watching from overseas so miss being able to get to the games to see how we set up behind the game so may miss some things. I feel we are competitive for parts of the game, however we are having 5-10 min lapses were they pile on the goals which demoralise the team.

With our current gameplan/how we are playing at the moment - it works when we are able to link up with our running game however it seems to fall apart as soon as the opposition brings the pressure to the ball carrier. Noticed this last year as well, but as soon as the pressure is on, we rush the disposal meaning we often make poor decisions or handball to a player that is already under pressure. Against North, during the 2nd quarter, we looked really slick as North weren't able to pressure the ball carrier, meaning the system looked to work. In the second half, they brought more pressure to the ball carrier meaning we weren't as effective anymore.
Especially in the Gold Coast and Sydney games, they were hunting us in packs and pressure was applied as soon as we got the ball leading meaning plenty of rushed disposals and the gameplan falling apart and not being able to link up. This leads to slowing down transition of the ball and allowing the opposition defence to set up properly. I feel that some teams, are putting more effort into combating our gameplan and they are focusing on trying to disrupt our style of play more effectively than last year. We also don't seem to have many alternative ways to score - haven't really got the tall targets to kick to down the line.
The other side of it, sometimes the disposals are just off - missing what appear to be simple kicks/handballs leading to slowing down or turnovers.

Our forwardline feels diabolical at the moment but we are missing the structural KPF. Hopefully Lewis will be able to come back at some point for structure, otherwise need someone else to step up (Ramsden or Dear) allowing Chol to play the more roving role. Unfortunately, I think Gunston is not providing the structural role that we need and should only be played if we desperately need his experience. Hopefully, getting some key players back over the next few rounds will help improve this area as we are getting the forward entries however we are not converting our chances.

In terms of the backline - Frost has had a really good start to the year. From my mind, it looks like Scrimshaw has taken some of Sicily's role meaning he is not as productive as he has been in the past. Sicily is having to play a more 1 on 1 role instead.

In terms of positive - have really loved Meek, Massimo and Moore - constantly trying to lift the team.

Just some thoughts from watching the games from the otherside of the world but I think we will see some improvement over the coming weeks, and it is not all doom and gloom (Although, I always tend to be optimistic regarding the Hawks and their ability to compete).

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Out of contract?

The Tweet is abridged - if you expand it it says out of contract at the end of 2025.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I was thinking yesterday about how it must be a very unusual role to be a head coach in the AFL.

If you put yourself in Sam's position when he got the role, he had three years to implement his gameplan and shape the list.

If you are into your third year and results aren't going your way do you continue with your current gameplan or do you try something different?

If you completely throw in the old gameplan you lose the previous years work but on the other hand sometimes you need to start afresh and cut your losses.

Of course you can try the middle ground and tinker around the edges.

And then you need to try and work out whether it's the gameplan that is not working or whether you don't have the talent on the list to pull it off.

So many variables.

 

[RobHawk]

I am wondering if our high performance manager, Burge has been put under enough scrutiny.
Not only did we start the season with many soft tissue injuries, we seem to be unable to run out games properly.

 

[onthemoney]

I am wondering if our high performance manager, Burge has been put under enough scrutiny.
Not only did we start the season with many soft tissue injuries, we seem to be unable to run out games properly.

And players frequently looking like they're spent when taking a set shot (that usually misses).

 

[Yardie]

I am wondering if our high performance manager, Burge has been put under enough scrutiny.
Not only did we start the season with many soft tissue injuries, we seem to be unable to run out games properly.

You expend more energy when you are chasing tail for most of the game.

 

[Lickmesocks]

Swans twos started against box hill in much the same way. Fast and potent. Stangers slowly got into it and tbh took over after the extra 30 min break for butler injury. But I think the swans twos were a bit flat after that

They probably missed their flights home

 

[Dont_be_a_Plonka]

I lived through the 90s and early 2000s, but this is hard to take. Maybe you can only accept so many years of a mediocre football team in your life before you give up.

I’m not sure of the pain of watching this team not turn up week after week is worth it.

We have been the most successful side since 1990.
Not to mention this is following our absolute dominance of the 70s and 80s.

I dread to think how you would go following the Saints.

 

[perrdan86]

I am wondering if our high performance manager, Burge has been put under enough scrutiny.
Not only did we start the season with many soft tissue injuries, we seem to be unable to run out games properly.

Why does he have to be put under scrutiny for having soft tissue injuries... Have we even had more soft tissue injuries than all other clubs?...
Id suggest not being able to run out games vs more mature teams whereby most of their players have do more preseasons than us is kind of to be expected...

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I am wondering if our high performance manager, Burge has been put under enough scrutiny.
Not only did we start the season with many soft tissue injuries, we seem to be unable to run out games properly.

It’s not fitness. You only have to look at our GPS numbers each week.

It’s above the shoulders.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

I'd love to get a one-month block in of a healthy Wiz, Lewis and Day and see how we're shaping up after that. Especially as our draw should start opening up with games against teams like Adelaide, West Coast, Freo, St Kilda and starting with the WB this week. I think that will be a lot more telling about where we are at – and if we are still getting pumped with a healthier 22 against mediocre teams then it is time to re-asses our strategy from the top down.

 

[Dont_be_a_Plonka]

Does anyone think Mitchell almost dying and spending weeks in hospital over the preseason might have not exactly helped things?

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Does anyone think Mitchell almost dying and spending weeks in hospital over the preseason might have not exactly helped things?

In what way has that impacted his coaching or our preseason preparation?

Could it have caused a change in perspective for him? Changed his personality?

 

[Dont_be_a_Plonka]

In what way has that impacted his coaching or our preseason preparation?

Could it have caused a change in perspective for him? Changed his personality?

Well he was off for a month and no doubt not on the top of his game for a while after that.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall. The youngest team of the league suffering injuries to important players and positions plays like s**t. It isn't exactly rocket science. And for people who say 'blaming injuries is a cop out'. It isn't a cop out, it's reality. Mix this with a slight drop in intensity and it explains everything.

Yeh we get all that but the reality is that we are soft as butter and our work rate in general is poor. You can’t use the “ bring your mouth guards to training “ routine every week either

We haven’t been this soft since the late nineties and that is a major red flag. Not sure how we fix that in the short term

 

[HedgeFund]

Does anyone think Mitchell almost dying and spending weeks in hospital over the preseason might have not exactly helped things?

Nup.

 

[play2win]

Does anyone think Mitchell almost dying and spending weeks in hospital over the preseason might have not exactly helped things?

Yep

 

[bigmaxi]

Sam will get us there, human sport gets messy. We think too much. See ball get ball kick ball thru big sticks. We’ll get there, But I do like to have a whinge along the way.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

saw it mentioned in the bulldogs thread but it's easy to be prisoners of the moment. 2020 was by far the worst season of Hawthorn I've ever watched, for reasons both due and not due to the club. We were just as bad as we are now with but with one of the oldest lists in the comp and very little young talent besides Day.

At least we have righted the ship and are trying to get as much young talent through the club as possible. Our games in that season were almost unbearable to watch. Getting smacked around a bit last season and this one is nothing compared to how passion-sapping that year was. Makes watching us now more enjoyable if you're able to have some perspective imo.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

If Bartel was a genius he would be coaching.

He is a radio jock.
And works with GWS .....

Who cares what what Jimmy Bartel has to say.

Get real !

He actually makes sense and looks at the game in a simple logical manner. He’s not a shock jock, he’s a thought full contributor

 

[cryptor]

saw it mentioned in the bulldogs thread but it's easy to be prisoners of the moment. 2020 was by far the worst season of Hawthorn I've ever watched, for reasons both due and not due to the club. We were just as bad as we are now with but with one of the oldest lists in the comp and very little young talent besides Day.

At least we have righted the ship and are trying to get as much young talent through the club as possible. Our games in that season were almost unbearable to watch. Getting smacked around a bit last season and this one is nothing compared to how passion-sapping that year was. Makes watching us now more enjoyable if you're able to have some perspective imo.

Very true. I still look forward to games these last 2 seasons.

2020 was very bad and I probably only tuned in because there was very little else to do at that time.