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.

 

[HedgeFund]

Ok, so the players we picked couldn't handle the heat yesterday. Got it, sounds like a selection problem.

You specifically mentioned picking Lewis, Gunston and Breust.

You also mentioned the decision tactically to allow Geelong a spare defender.

None of the above has anything to do with the midfield, which is the area we were clearly struggling in most of the night - due to the pressure Geelong applied.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Our Hawks simply lack depth! That will change this off season…

 

[OnTheRocks]

You're right, we should have played the other 23 players we have instead.

I didn't say that at all. You're making shit up to suit your narrative & join a pile on, not your 1st time either.

 

[OnTheRocks]

You specifically mentioned picking Lewis, Gunston and Breust.

You also mentioned the decision tactically to allow Geelong a spare defender.

None of the above has anything to do with the midfield, which is the area we were clearly struggling in most of the night - due to the pressure Geelong applied.

You think it was the midfield, I think it was more the forward line that was struggling more. Although I thought Meek tried hard but wasn't giving our mids an advantage.

 

[Sixpence]

I didn't say that at all. You're making shit up to suit your narrative & join a pile on, not your 1st time either.

What am I making up? I haven't accused you of saying anything. Someone said we didn't handle the pressure and you said it was a selection problem. It was our whole team that didn't handle it, so who could we have selected that would have made a difference?

 

[Ned Ryerson]

You think it was the midfield, I think it was more the forward line that was struggling more. Although I thought Meek tried hard but wasn't giving our mids an advantage.

Inside 50s were 63-40 in Geelong’s favour - it’s a pretty bold argument to say the forwards were the reason for the result last night.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Most wins for Sammy as a coach in a season now and it’s only round 18. First time we’ve been had more wins than losses this late in a season since 2018. Loving the trajectory - I was so doubtful after that Suns game but this turnaround has been extraordinary.

 

[KermitJagger]

On the Sunday Footy Show, Will said that a mantra at the club is to "make or break tackles" - they want to be the best team at laying tackles, but also the best team at breaking them because breaking a tackle means you've drawn a player to you and created a free player on the outside. I love that mentality.

To me that's a real indicator of what has started to go better as the season has gone on. Early on I felt we had a lot of players going way too early and way too quickly with their ball use, or we had guys like Newc and Worps that felt like they were getting caught cold multiple times a game. A real highlight of more recent footy is that we're so good at drawing players in and delaying the give to the last possible moment, and our more powerful players are stepping through tackles more regularly.

Day in has certainly helped that, he has an uncanny ability for his size to break through tackles or at least make sure his arms stay free.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

On the Sunday Footy Show, Will said that a mantra at the club is to "make or break tackles" - they want to be the best team at laying tackles, but also the best team at breaking them because breaking a tackle means you've drawn a player to you and created a free player on the outside. I love that mentality.

To me that's a real indicator of what has started to go better as the season has gone on. Early on I felt we had a lot of players going way too early and way too quickly with their ball use, or we had guys like Newc and Worps that felt like they were getting caught cold multiple times a game. A real highlight of more recent footy is that we're so good at drawing players in and delaying the give to the last possible moment, and our more powerful players are stepping through tackles more regularly.

Day in has certainly helped that, he has an uncanny ability for his size to break through tackles or at least make sure his arms stay free.

I've seen Day up close recently and he is a fair unit now, he's developed a lot since his first days in the club when he was 70kg soaking wet.

He's building a similar physique to the Bont, a tall and wide shouldered midfielder who is a lot stronger onger than they look.

 

[Roddy]

Day has that fabulous combination of silky skill AND toughness (apparently he 'loves the tough stuff'), but what I love the most about him is that he seems to have been bred with an unshakeable will to win (pardon the pun). Comes from great stock.

It just oozes out of him.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Day has that fabulous combination of silky skill AND toughness (apparently he 'loves the tough stuff'), but what I love the most about him is that he seems to have been bred with an unshakeable will to win (pardon the pun). Comes from great stock.

It just oozes out of him.

I've said it before but he reminds me so much of James Hird (the player not the man).

A combination of pure one touch skills and hardness/will to win that Hird possessed.

Similar deceptively strong builds as well.

 

[BobHawk]

Where there's a Will there's a way. Grabs me as a very intelligent young man. We should never underestimate how important it is to have intelligent blokes on the field who can think on their feet and lead. Always shows in tight and critical games. We had two of the smartest blokes going around in the AFL during our threepeat. Hodge and Mitchell. We could be entering another very exciting era.

 

[The Chad and I]

We've found a formula to win 10 of 11 games.
That tells me we are pretty close to being a top 4 team at our best, but still need a few things for that to become an expectation.

Maturing of list will improve us significantly.
1 or 2 Free agents

We're not so far away from contending tbh.
If we snatch a finals spot this year, add Battle to the list, then next season could really surprise a few.
There is no obvious great team like Geelong in the 2006-11 era.
Anything is possible.

 

[The Chad and I]

Clarko had his cluster.


This time we've got "Sammy's Swarm"
Mitch has built a fortress of intercepting talls in defence, and it seems the rest of the team except for Meek, Chol and Dear are ALL hard running players who could be interchangeably played across 2 lines (at least) from half back/wings, to wing/fwd, mid/fwds and high half forwards who seem to do whatever the hell they want. We don't actually have specialist small forwards or even small defenders.

5 tallish defenders, 1 ruck, 2 KPF
15 running players.

One thing they all do is attack the contest and ball - RELENTLESSLY.
Absolutely ferocious attack on ground balls and incredible work rate to spread from there.

Collingwood game was a huge statement.
We are back.

 

[Roddy]

We've got a good wad of second ruck options now too, Cholly can go in there, Nashy can, Calsh can pinch-hit.

The only thing is, I feel a bit for the Noodle, will struggle to get a look in if Meeky stays healthy....

 

[peetoo]

We've got a good wad of second ruck options now too, Cholly can go in there, Nashy can, Calsh can pinch-hit.

The only thing is, I feel a bit for the Noodle, will struggle to get a look in if Meeky stays healthy....

We were saying the opposite last year. Where to for Meek

 

[unitedhawk]

Over the past two weeks, I’ve watched replays of the Freo and Collingwood games, focusing on Nashy on the inside and CJ on the outside.

I can now clearly see why Sam loves them both. Nashy creates space on the inside with his astute blocking and sheer size, while CJ does the same on the outside with his burst running. These traits aren’t reflected in stats sheets but the end-product that we all see - our slick ball movement - owes a heck of a lot to what Nashy and CJ do.

I invite anyone who still doubts their contribution to carry out the same exercise that I did - I’m sure you’ll change your mind.

Now, let’s just get them re-signed as quickly as possible please!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Day has that fabulous combination of silky skill AND toughness (apparently he 'loves the tough stuff'), but what I love the most about him is that he seems to have been bred with an unshakeable will to win (pardon the pun). Comes from great stock.

It just oozes out of him.

If you had to drink every time Will does a blind turn or spin out of/break a tackle you’d be a pretty pissed man most weeks.

That’s what I’m loving about him. He’s truly dynamic in there and just changes the scope of how we exit the contest.

 

[nelk boys]

Over the past two weeks, I’ve watched replays of the Freo and Collingwood games, focusing on Nashy on the inside and CJ on the outside.

I can now clearly see why Sam loves them both. Nashy creates space on the inside with his astute blocking and sheer size, while CJ does the same on the outside with his burst running. These traits aren’t reflected in stats sheets but the end-product that we all see - our slick ball movement - owes a heck of a lot to what Nashy and CJ do.

I invite anyone who still doubts their contribution to carry out the same exercise that I did - I’m sure you’ll change your mind.

Now, let’s just get them re-signed as quickly as possible please!

Both are integral to our system and offer points of differences.

Just need both to improve composure, but this will come in more big games.

 

[peetoo]

CJ always did second efforts, but he’s learned to be smarter with them. He’s nashy 12 months behind

 

[CD Xbow]

Clarko had his cluster.


This time we've got "Sammy's Swarm"
Mitch has built a fortress of intercepting talls in defence, and it seems the rest of the team except for Meek, Chol and Dear are ALL hard running players who could be interchangeably played across 2 lines (at least) from half back/wings, to wing/fwd, mid/fwds and high half forwards who seem to do whatever the hell they want. We don't actually have specialist small forwards or even small defenders.

5 tallish defenders, 1 ruck, 2 KPF
15 running players.

One thing they all do is attack the contest and ball - RELENTLESSLY.
Absolutely ferocious attack on ground balls and incredible work rate to spread from there.

Collingwood game was a huge statement.
We are back.

Long term I would be concerned about being a tall short up forward. In a day that suited them, the mosquito fleet were brilliant but Chol and Dear carried a very heavy load. Dear was subbed, leaving us short.

 

[peetoo]

Long term I would be concerned about being a tall short up forward. In a day that suited them, the mosquito fleet were brilliant but Chol and Dear carried a very heavy load. Dear was subbed, leaving us short.

Doubled the difference with dear off.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Long term I would be concerned about being a tall short up forward. In a day that suited them, the mosquito fleet were brilliant but Chol and Dear carried a very heavy load. Dear was subbed, leaving us short.

Gunners comes in for us on different days

 

[CD Xbow]

Gunners comes in for us on different days

Yes, as required. I was so sad ML went down again, the lads had a terrible run. The forward structure would really look fearsome with him playing well. I do worry about the pressure and wear and tear on Dear. We are asking a lot of the young man.

 

[peetoo]

Gunners comes in for us on different days

And after gunner retires, Sicily available to do that