Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Josh Ward. Extends to 2025!

[bindas12]

he's at about 35 games ? Hopefully only another 20 games away from being consistent

 

[KermitJagger]

They obviously want to develop him but I feel like not giving him even one CBA is doing him a disservice. They need to find a balance between getting him involved and developing his game, he's losing confidence.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I can see why they want him on the outside. His kicking is the best of the mids. He did that VFL level. They were impressed with his decision making and execution inside 50. Its why he got a game

 

[play2win]

Anyone that watches him closely will see the power of work that he does. May not be racking up the disposals but gee he covers a lot of ground to create options, just needs to improve his timing and awareness of teammates and structure a bit more and he will start influencing games a whole lot more.

 

[cam975]

I think we got this draft pick wrong.
He is surplus to our needs unfortunately. As a mid he's behind Worpel, Newk, McKenzie, Moore, Day and nowhere near as physical as Nash. He's not forcing his way into our midfield unless we have mass injuries.
He can run but not a good overhead mark and not a very good kick on his right foot. I hope one day he can be a Zach Merrett type but he's miles off at the moment.

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[Strapping Young Lad]

He’s still only 20 years old.

 

[CHUBBSS]

I think we got this draft pick wrong.
He is surplus to our needs unfortunately. As a mid he's behind Worpel, Newk, McKenzie, Moore, Day and nowhere near as physical as Nash. He's not forcing his way into our midfield unless we have mass injuries.
He can run but not a good overhead mark and not a very good kick on his right foot. I hope one day he can be a Zach Merrett type but he's miles off at the moment.

On 2306EPN60G using BigFooty.com mobile app

he will be fine

 

[Platten44]

I think we got this draft pick wrong.
He is surplus to our needs unfortunately. As a mid he's behind Worpel, Newk, McKenzie, Moore, Day and nowhere near as physical as Nash. He's not forcing his way into our midfield unless we have mass injuries.
He can run but not a good overhead mark and not a very good kick on his right foot. I hope one day he can be a Zach Merrett type but he's miles off at the moment.

On 2306EPN60G using BigFooty.com mobile app

??? Do you remember our midfield in 2021? He was a must pick at pick 7.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Could have had two goals. Let Newcombe's bomb from 55 sail through on the goal line.

No CBA's is interesting. Thought he was really strong in the first half then couldn't buy a touch in the second. Sometimes that happens on a wing or half forward flank.

He's a genuine midfielder playing out of position at AFL level.

He'll be absolutely fine, but I'm sure he'd love some more exposure in his best position.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I think we got this draft pick wrong.
He is surplus to our needs unfortunately. As a mid he's behind Worpel, Newk, McKenzie, Moore, Day and nowhere near as physical as Nash. He's not forcing his way into our midfield unless we have mass injuries.
He can run but not a good overhead mark and not a very good kick on his right foot. I hope one day he can be a Zach Merrett type but he's miles off at the moment.

On 2306EPN60G using BigFooty.com mobile app

The only midfielders coming through when we drafted him were Maginness and Newcombe.

Absolute no brainer taking him at 7.

 

[smish]

I admit I'm impatient and I've been critical of Ward but have had to remind myself he's being played out of position and not given a good run at it.

A lot of the time with midfielders you see a big increase in output in year 4. See Day, Rozee, Butters, Cerra, Holmes, Brayshaw in recent years to name a few. Hopefully with a good run at it and another preseason then we can see that.

I'm not sure he'll ever be super agile in the Butters/Rozee mould but if he can be quick breaking away from the content (i.e Crisp) that would be fantastic.

 

[perrdan86]

He’s still only 20 years old.

But he hasn't made the all australian midfield yet..

 

[Iceman!]

I think we can just give him some time without declaring him a bust or future superstar...

He has shown some signs but also is struggling to consistently impact games. Totally normal for someone his age, i have no idea what he is going to be in another 50 games but am happy to wait and see and judge him then.

 

[SSSSSS]

Anyone that watches him closely will see the power of work that he does. May not be racking up the disposals but gee he covers a lot of ground to create options, just needs to improve his timing and awareness of teammates and structure a bit more and he will start influencing games a whole lot more.

100%.
He and Harry while they didn't trouble the statisticians were very important for our defensive structure against the Doggies.

They got absolutely nothing out of transition (remember how the Swans killed us last week?) because they were so diligent at covering the next in the chain out of half back. We forced the Dogs to kick long down the line and Scrim/Impey/Weddle and Frost owned the air.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

Looked like they were playing him in a new role.

 

[Hodginator]

No one else I’d rather pick to hit a target on the chest going inside 50.

 

[burner1]

100%.
He and Harry while they didn't trouble the statisticians were very important for our defensive structure against the Doggies.

They got absolutely nothing out of transition (remember how the Swans killed us last week?) because they were so diligent at covering the next in the chain out of half back. We forced the Dogs to kick long down the line and Scrim/Impey/Weddle and Frost owned the air.

He’s currently doing the work of a role player (eg Morrison) As a top 10 pick you’d hope for more upside/impact. Let’s see how the year pans out but seems a fair bit off getting a decent look as an inside mid.

 

[Mississippi]

No one else I’d rather pick to hit a target on the chest going inside 50.

Sounds good in theory - but against the Dogs he only had 6 kicks and, from memory, 3 of them went side-ways or were chips. He's merely servicable at the moment and has to progress to have a greater impact on a game.

I'll agree with you Hodginator when he's spearing 10 kicks (of his 25 plus possessions) inside 50. Hopefully that will happen in the near future.

 

[Sixpence]

Sounds good in theory - but against the Dogs he only had 6 kicks and, from memory, 3 of them went side-ways or were chips. He's merely servicable at the moment and has to progress to have a greater impact on a game.

I'll agree with you Hodginator when he's spearing 10 kicks (of his 25 plus possessions) inside 50. Hopefully that will happen in the near future.

And yet, the other 3 kicks lead to goals.

 

[Mississippi]

And yet, the other 3 kicks lead to goals.

And yet, if we’re talking about hitting targets inside 50 (which is what I was responding to), he did that once - to JMac who had a paddock to himself. Another kick was to a pack where Meek was free kicked and goaled, and the 3rd, a goal to Ward from point blank when he sharked from the pack.

So, not much to say about spearing the ball to targets inside 50.
I’m waiting for him to turn into a Darren Pritchard (who was a 26 draft pick). Hopefully he will, but let’s not gild the lily about him now.

 

[Sixpence]

And yet, if we’re talking about hitting targets inside 50 (which is what I was responding to), he did that once - to JMac who had a paddock to himself. Another kick was to a pack where Meek was free kicked and goaled, and the 3rd, a goal to Ward from point blank when he sharked from the pack.

So, not much to say about spearing the ball to targets inside 50.
I’m waiting for him to turn into a Darren Pritchard (who was a 26 draft pick). Hopefully he will, but let’s not gild the lily about him now.

A goal himself and two bullet passes. The one to Meek would have been marked if he wasn't impeded, he had his hands to it. Not suggesting he's the messiah, but those kicks shouldn't be sneezed at.

 

[Mississippi]

This is the point -
For someone who’s apparently preferred as the player (in preference to all his teammates) to spear the ball inside 50, on his game last Sunday, he had the fewest kicks of all of the Hawthorn players except for MacKenzie and Watson who were subbed out and in. That’s not nearly enough for a bloke who’s an elite kick.

We’re in heated agreement, he’s not the Messiah (not even a naughty boy) - but I’m optimistically hoping he’ll be another Darren Pritchard because that’s the sort of player I reckon our coaches are expecting of a top 10 draft pick.

The fact that he’s been dropped once this year is an indicator that the coaches aren’t happy with his progress to date.

 

[mustang]

I think we got this draft pick wrong.
He is surplus to our needs unfortunately. As a mid he's behind Worpel, Newk, McKenzie, Moore, Day and nowhere near as physical as Nash. He's not forcing his way into our midfield unless we have mass injuries.
He can run but not a good overhead mark and not a very good kick on his right foot. I hope one day he can be a Zach Merrett type but he's miles off at the moment.

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Could he become a point of difference in the side, by becoming someone like Bateman, Crawford in this rebuild, someone that runs hard all day and gets into position to be an option for his teammates.

 

[thehardway]

He’s currently doing the work of a role player (eg Morrison) As a top 10 pick you’d hope for more upside/impact. Let’s see how the year pans out but seems a fair bit off getting a decent look as an inside mid.

Yes he's a role player for now and he needs to accept that as at the moment he's 6th banana behind Newk, Day, Worpel, Nash, and Moore. Probably behind McKenzie too. He can thrive in that. And when the midfield opportunities come up he must grab them and show that he belongs there. Still only 20 and has time but the clock is ticking.

 

[Slainte]

Quite achiever - nothing to worry about.