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

[extractasam]

Is there a world where Ward plays as a Wing/Centre Bounce mid regularly in the same game(s)? Or is he purely in line to play as a full time CBA midfielder. People shitting on Mississippi’s opinion is a bit harsh imo, I certainly couldn’t tell you who he is going to be dislodging from our midfield group in the next 2 years.

It potentially opens up the possibility of us doing things like playing talls as a sub, injury cover maybe more I’m not thinking of.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Is there a world where Ward plays as a Wing/Centre Bounce mid regularly in the same game(s)? Or is he purely in line to play as a full time CBA midfielder. People shitting on Mississippi’s opinion is a bit harsh imo, I certainly couldn’t tell you who he is going to be dislodging from our midfield group in the next 2 years.

It potentially opens up the possibility of us doing things like playing talls as a sub, injury cover maybe more I’m not thinking of.

He has more talent than everyone in the midfield besides probably Day, Newcombe would be there abouts. I rate him very highly with his class, workrate and overall game, has so many ways to end out a good player and top qualities.

Midfielder who can go onto the wing and maybe HF. Hybrid mid with class and elite skills.

 

[The Chad and I]

both Nash and Worpel can rest and rotate through the forward line.

Nash started there and maybe too many have forgotten Worpel’s crazy match winning goal vs Essendon.

They CAN play there.
Just not as effectively as Newcombe.
If it allows Ward and MacKenzie to develop and give the team added flexibility then I think we must explore these options

I suspect we have been desperate to establish winning form and then keep it given our horrendous start.

Next season we will have a bit more room to try these moves out.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

Still think he'll be a great player but clearly has some things the club wants him to work on.

Remember the furore on here re: Scrimshaw last year? That worked out well.

Of all things Ward is extremely driven and hard working. Making the going tough might help him strive and get the best out of himself for both his career and us as a club.

You have to manage different players differently. Sam has been big on this. Hopefully the coaches are right that Ward will respond

 

[H00t]

Our mids have to find other positions if Frenchy and Ward are to find their way in.

Day needs to work on his forward work. Jai looks better there currently. Worps and Nash are the ones that really can only play in the guts.

I think it’s more the other way around. It’s up to Frenchy and Ward to force their way in rather than our other mids opening up a spot for them.

They will still get a little go as they are but if they want mid time they need to be good enough to get mid time.

Especially with our team now gunning for finals.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I think it’s more the other way around. It’s up to Frenchy and Ward to force their way in rather than our other mids opening up a spot for them.

They will still get a little go as they are but if they want mid time they need to be good enough to get mid time.

Especially with our team now gunning for finals.

I agree and we only know what we do, but for Ward to play 2/3 good games and get dropped shows how harshly he’s being treated compared to others given more opportunities without the same pressure.

 

[Iceman!]

I agree and we only know what we do, but for Ward to play 2/3 good games and get dropped shows how harshly he’s being treated compared to others given more opportunities without the same pressure.

He has played 40 games over 3 years where he has Almost never strung together multiple weeks of good football at this level. He hasn’t been treated harshly at all, he’s a young player still figuring out his game and where he fits at this level.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

He has played 40 games over 3 years where he has Almost never strung together multiple weeks of good football at this level. He hasn’t been treated harshly at all, he’s a young player still figuring out his game and where he fits at this level.

Do we all have short memories? His first two seasons everyone was happy with where he was at, he was playing consistently good footy as a winger, he did this last year (with CBA mixes).

 

[Iceman!]

Do we all have short memories? His first two seasons everyone was happy with where he was at, he was playing consistently good footy as a winger, he did this last year (with CBA mixes).

He was fine but didn’t set the world on fire, he benefited by the fact we were a rebuilding team that weren’t prioritising winning. Now we are, he needs to be better if he wants to demand a best 22 spot, which he still has time to do.

 

[PenAndPaper]

Do we all have short memories? His first two seasons everyone was happy with where he was at, he was playing consistently good footy as a winger, he did this last year (with CBA mixes).

I agree he was good as a winger the past two years, he's been very comfortably surpassed in that role this year by Massimo though.
Ward also gets caught HTB a lot more than he should and that's at both AFL and VFL level. He is quite a slow player with ball in hand.
He's young so obviously still has time but I'd like to see some more improvement in how quick he makes decisions next year.

 

[H00t]

I agree and we only know what we do, but for Ward to play 2/3 good games and get dropped shows how harshly he’s being treated compared to others given more opportunities without the same pressure.

I very much doubt he’s being treated harshly at all. Even during his good games he could very well be not doing everything the coaching group wants.

Rather than not being given the same opportunities he’s not taking the opportunities he’s given compared to the other players. Which is why they appear to be treated better.

It’s not like the coaching group has a vendetta against Ward. They want him playing which is why they picked him 3 games in a row and brought him back into the team.

 

[Glenferrie Arty Deco]

He's a stoppage midfielder who's been dropped again for underperforming in a wing role, the world won't end. But we do need our first line mids to become a tad more versatile, can't be just rolling with nash+worps+newc+day for the next 10 years. That's where we're gonna need Ward and Mackenzie at some stage.

 

[OnTheRocks]

McGrath vibes

 

[earthworms]

not getting traded lol. legendary work ethic. only concern is the concussions.

 

[Flukey!]

I am sure (without any real knowledge of the situation) that he will be the 200 gamer that Mitch is planning he will be.

 

[burner1]

He’s a 3rd year mid who’s on fringes of a side that has had barely any injuries (outside the first 5 weeks), one of best performed league for last few months and has a very settled ‘big 4’ core midfield group that is performing very well and complements each other well.

If we had a more ‘normal’ injury run he’d be playing every week.

But also agree with concerns that he needs a reasonable jump in performance to make as a starting inside mid and to date wing doesn’t seem his spot.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

He was fine but didn’t set the world on fire, he benefited by the fact we were a rebuilding team that weren’t prioritising winning. Now we are, he needs to be better if he wants to demand a best 22 spot, which he still has time to do.

He was better than fine, go look back.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I agree he was good as a winger the past two years, he's been very comfortably surpassed in that role this year by Massimo though.
Ward also gets caught HTB a lot more than he should and that's at both AFL and VFL level. He is quite a slow player with ball in hand.
He's young so obviously still has time but I'd like to see some more improvement in how quick he makes decisions next year.

He seems to think too much and gets caught when he isn’t adjusting to the pace, haven’t seen it as much recently tho so I have to disagree, but Mackenzie was the same.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I very much doubt he’s being treated harshly at all. Even during his good games he could very well be not doing everything the coaching group wants.

Rather than not being given the same opportunities he’s not taking the opportunities he’s given compared to the other players. Which is why they appear to be treated better.

It’s not like the coaching group has a vendetta against Ward. They want him playing which is why they picked him 3 games in a row and brought him back into the team.

Yeah as I said it’s just what we know and see, we don’t know the directives.

 

[Iceman!]

He was better than fine, go look back.

I don’t need to, I have watched almost every game he has ever played. He wasn’t good enough to cement himself in the team. He has time, he has talent, but currently he has a lot to prove still.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I don’t need to, I have watched almost every game he has ever played. He wasn’t good enough to cement himself in the team. He has time, he has talent, but currently he has a lot to prove still.

I’ve watched everyone of his games and most of his 18s. His first two seasons he was locked into the side, especially last year. Where he was impressive as a winger rotating inside. Fine is an understatement.

 

[Iceman!]

I’ve watched everyone of his games and most of his 18s. His first two seasons he was locked into the side, especially last year. Where he was impressive as a winger rotating inside. Fine is an understatement.

Disagree, he got his 20 a game but I don’t think his impact was anywhere near what we hope he will be capable of going forward and has shown at VFL level. He has been a solid C+ so far, nothing wrong with that. You severely over rate what he has accomplished so far though

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Disagree, he got his 20 a game but I don’t think his impact was anywhere near what we hope he will be capable of going forward and has shown at VFL level. He has been a solid C+ so far, nothing wrong with that. You severely over rate what he has accomplished so far though

He was very good last year for a second year wing/mid. He was able to find it and use it well whilst his running capacity shone, especially defensively. Has definitely stagnated a little this season but as everyone knows development isn’t linear. I just feel you have a short memory, like many, saying he’s shown nothing or minimal at AFL is silly.

 

[Holy Rioli]

He seems to think too much and gets caught when he isn’t adjusting to the pace, haven’t seen it as much recently tho so I have to disagree, but Mackenzie was the same.

this happens because he tends to wait for the ball to come to him, rather than move to it. When pressured he gets less time to make a decision or even gather the ball because of this trait.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

this happens because he tends to wait for the ball to come to him, rather than move to it. When pressured he gets less time to make a decision or even gather the ball because of this trait.

I think it genuinely just comes down to him being too nice, not wanting the ball enough.