Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn - Conor Nash. Extends to 2029!

[Simon Crawshay]

I rarely see his opponent mark it

True but still I feel like having a legit 6 foot 6 midfielder you are wasting their athletic gifts somewhat if they aren't taking marks around the ground.

Ricky Henderson was great when played on the wing for us at being that tallish midfielder who I'm pretty sure actually lead the league in marks one year?

But the funny thing about Nash is that his traits (good ground ball gets, good hands in tight, hard at the contest, good defensive pressure) are more the trademarks of a nuggety 6 foot midfielder than the 6 foot 6 athlete that he is.

 

[CHUBBSS]

True but still I feel like having a legit 6 foot 6 midfielder you are wasting their athletic gifts somewhat if they aren't taking marks around the ground.

Ricky Henderson was great when played on the wing for us at being that tallish midfielder who I'm pretty sure actually lead the league in marks one year?

But the funny thing about Nash is that his traits (good ground ball gets, good hands in tight, hard at the contest, good defensive pressure) are more the trademarks of a nuggety 6 foot midfielder than the 6 foot 6 athlete that he is.

The funny part about Nash is just as you said he is a bit of an anomaly, in saying that we have to remember his only played the game for about 7 years and turns 26 this year. Prime time for a big man technically but reckon that is around 28 and above for Nash because his still growing in the game.

If his kicking and marking continue to improve as they are just rounds out his game and continues to support our midfield growth. Nash is so valuable for team balance amongst just his midfield time.

 

[Slainte]

What happened to all the posts calling for an end to the Irish experiment? I almost miss them.

 

[grumbleguts]

What happened to all the posts calling for an end to the Irish experiment? I almost miss them.

And the best 22 teams that have him playing at box hill until the cab picks him up for the airport.

 

[Slaatybaadfaast]

There's no-one else in the league like Nash. He's a one off. He has opposition coaches perplexed. A superb and unique addition to our midfield mix, he's all guts and glory. Slainté Nashy

 

[hawkman]

And the best 22 teams that have him playing at box hill until the cab picks him up for the airport.

Give it a couple of not so great games and some will be demanding he is dropped

 

[grumbleguts]

Give it a couple of not so great games and some will be demanding he is dropped

Trouble is, the not so great games on the stats sheet are typically the ones where he's had the biggest affect on the result. Taking out the Bontempeli type players is something only someone with Nash's size, speed and tank could do.

 

[The Chad and I]

He's not winning as much of the ball this season.
Anybody noticed why?

 

[KermitJagger]

He's not winning as much of the ball this season.
Anybody noticed why?

All of our mids are down in overall possessions this season.

Nash 24 to 18
Newc 25 to 22
Day 25 to 20
Worps 26 to 20

Can't argue with the results tbh, we're better overall.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

All of our mids are down in overall possessions this season.

Nash 24 to 18
Newc 25 to 22
Day 25 to 20
Worps 26 to 20

Can't argue with the results tbh, we're better overall.

We're getting a better balance of players through the middle (Mackenzie and Moore mainly); our overall disposals per game are down about 15%; yet we are far more efficient.

We're not over-possessing as much, we are more direct and offensive with handball releases and our kicking game is much quicker than in 23.

Nash and Worps were two that often got caught up in the 'ring a rosy' and then boot it long to escape - we have better support pieces this year, and I dare say their effectiveness ratings are actually UP.

 

[Hackysack]

All of our mids are down in overall possessions this season.

Nash 24 to 18
Newc 25 to 22
Day 25 to 20
Worps 26 to 20

Can't argue with the results tbh, we're better overall.

That’s because we’re not &@$;ing around with it.
Great isn’t it!

 

[hawkman]

He's not winning as much of the ball this season.
Anybody noticed why?

As mentioned all the mids are down. Nash has also played as the 2nd ruck a lot more around the ground

 

[Alite]

If we were to compare our current team to the 3peat years then Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.8

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.1

5star

CL

0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.2

2star

is our Brad Sewell

Brad Sewell

Age

40

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.1

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

11.5

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

4.5

5star

CL

4.1

5star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.2

4star

… just Nash is much bigger.

Like Sewell, Nash is not the most skilled player on the field but he is 100% team oriented. He is not a full stopper but he generally wins his matchup.

I have come to realise that Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.8

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.1

5star

CL

0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.2

2star

, for all of his height, will never be a mid that goes fwd to take a mark. He is no Bont. But he can be an anti-Bont = stopping Bont from taking that mark.

Put our new mids in Ward, McKenzie or McDonald against Bont and they will be slaughtered if he Bont takes them to his fwd line. Day may have the smarts but Warps would be fodder as well. Only Nash can deal with people like the Bont … or the future Harley, or a released Mark Blicavs

46

Mark Blicavs

Age

33

Ht

198cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

M/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

7.9

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.2

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

11.1

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.9

3star

CL

0.1

2star

D

8.6

3star

K

2.0

1star

HB

6.6

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.6

4star

CL

2.0

4star

.

Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

26

Ht

198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.8

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.1

5star

CL

0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

0.2

2star

is 100% in our next premiership team because he is unique while also being valuable. He is a moneyball player = he helps create wins.

 

[Tassie Cryptik]

Why no contract announcement?
Should I be worried?

 

[Sixpence]

Why no contract announcement?
Should I be worried?

Nah, he's not going anywhere.

 

[I got the outside word]

Why no contract announcement?
Should I be worried?

Signed but not announced someone has said.

Maybe this week as we need some good news after Saturday.

 

[tommyk72]

Signed but not announced someone has said.

Maybe this week as we need some good news after Saturday.

Hopefully they pick a week where he plays better…

 

[OnTheRocks]

Hopefully he signs on with us. Would be interesting to know if other teams have been interested in him?
Bloos would be a good fit, unfortunately

 

[SSSSSS]

Thought he was the 2nd best player on ground after Meek yesterday.

Was just a brute in the contest.

 

[humid hawk]

10 clearances yesterday - highest on the ground by a mile. 88% time on ground playing as a mid at the coalface shows elite endurance too.

He's a contested weapon and has ultra clean hands to move the ball to a player on the outside. New contract soon pls!

 

[Tassie Cryptik]

There were also the deft touches that weren't possessions but we're clearances to our players. Newk in the 3rd to Sicily for example.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

10 clearances - clear game high
13 contested possessions - equal game high
21 pressure acts - equal team high

Another example of an effective and impactful game despite only having 21 touches.

 

[Mississippi]

Couldn’t agree more with the last few posts.
He’s an absolute brute and is doing so much physical work inside, it’s ridiculous.
As mentioned, even when he’s not getting the ball, his blocking and shepherding is critical for the other mids.
And with Meek dominating, the aggression and strength of our midfield is the major factor in our threatening to play finals footy.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I'll be the first to line up and eat my big slice of humble pie with regards to Connor.

To my eye he didn't look anything like being an AFL player those first three years when he was playing forward pocket yet here we are and he's probably one of the first picked every week in our midfield.

Goes to show you never can tell and individual players develop at very different rates.

 

[Mississippi]

All credit to the coach.
Under Clarkson, Nash was struggling as a half-forward.
It was Sam who saw that we needed toughness in the midfield and that (almost) 2 metre Nash had that ability, especially with his Irish rugby background (schoolboy champion and all of that).

The midfield is the key under Sam. He has worked hard to get the tough nut attitude. Newcombe, Worpel and Day are the key but Nash is the toughest.
Moore also when he plays midfield - he’ll run through a brick wall.
And we’ll surely see the Wiz have his time at centre stoppages. He’ll be a sensation and, with his aggressive attitude, he’d bring down a rhinoceros.

But we need the depth. Mackenzie is looking good. Ward is a smooth mover but has been dropped twice this year to Box Hill. The coaches said to work on his “stoppage craft”. That’s probably code for be harder at the ball - make an impact at stoppages. Yesterday he showed he’s getting there.

Again, whether it’s Nash or Ward or the others, it’s all credit to Sam. Premierships are built on tough midfielders.