News Welcome to Hawthorn: Kade Simpson assistant coach

[Dewyyyyy]

Loved his addition so far, proved a lot of people wrong too

 

[extractasam]

I'll be the first to admit I was very sceptical of his appointment with how our backline was functioning early on but absolutely cannot fault his contribution this year. He has been absolutely fantastic.

I think everyone would’ve been in their own right. We were leaking plenty of big scores and Simpson was a totally untried coach with 0 experience. Its impressive he’s the headmaster of a backline that regularly plays without many notable good gorilla key defenders. #1 for point against the last 6 weeks (I think) I’m just surprised there’d been no chat around it at any stage!

 

[The Chad and I]

hard to pinpoint credit for any part of the ground bc they're all doing the team thing to an elite standard.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I'll be the first to admit I was very sceptical of his appointment with how our backline was functioning early on but absolutely cannot fault his contribution this year. He has been absolutely fantastic.

Same here. I thought he might be too inexperienced for a rebuilding team, which could prove to be costly. It was a big risk/reward hire, and i believed a rebuilding team would need an experienced backline coach, as the defensive unit was going to be under the pump.

But both he and Mitchell have worked some magic this season.

We've gone long periods in games where we have stopped the opposition kicking goals:

We kept Carlton to only 2.6 goals from the 22nd minutes in the first quarter onwards. They only kicked five goals for the match.

We kept the Crows to 3.4 from quarter time. And two of those were kicked at the very end of the game, almost as sympathy goals.

We kept Collingwood to 1.11 in the first half, and to 4.12 in the first three quarters of the match.

We kept WCE to 4.9 for the entire match.

The whole team contributes to this, but obviously special credit needs to go to the defensive unit and coaches.

 

[Hawker55]

It's almost as if Sam Mitchell knows what he is doing.

 

[tommyk72]

You and me both mate. I was a tad worried we looked all over the place. I couldn't have been more wrong he has been enormous in our push to play finals this year.

As someone who gets to training, can you give us a little more insight into his role TFP? What are you seeing out there on the ground?

 

[TheFourPillars]

As someone who gets to training, can you give us a little more insight into his role TFP? What are you seeing out there on the ground?

So every line coach has his own drills that they practice week to week. For the backline after a game we then focus on specific issues. Like marking contests boundary line throw ins ruck contests and set ups around these. Building familiarity around each other.

The most important thing touch wood has been our backline continuity. They have grown as a group the longer the season has gone. They trust each other and know that their team mates have their backs. It builds confidence and aggression and leads to the way we play.

 

[Yardie]

I'll be the first to admit I was very sceptical of his appointment with how our backline was functioning early on but absolutely cannot fault his contribution this year. He has been absolutely fantastic.

I'll put my hand up as well. Shown me wrong.

 

[moginie]

Prior to the crows game he was the guest at the Hawthorn members function. Didn't say anything outrageous or controversial. What does come across is that our coaching staff are all completely on the same page. What Sam had said in the previous week's press conference was repeated. They all know where we are headed and where we want to be.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I'd expect some clubs (Carlton in particular) to approach Simpson over the next year or two.

 

[HedgeFund]

It's almost as if Sam Mitchell knows what he is doing.

Totally agree that the coaches know what they’re doing, but have a look at our back 7 for the season

Frost - 31 / 180 games / 21 in 2024
Impey - 29 / 193 / 21
Amon - 29 / 166 / 21
Sicily - 29 / 156 /18
Hardwick - 27 / 168 / 21
Scrimshaw - 26 / 103 / 20
Weddle - 20 / 38 / 21

So this is a very experienced, amazingly settled defensive group. Hardly a game missed by any of them in 2024 and aside from Weddle, it’s a group of old stagers in the prime of their career.

Simpson has been gifted what every backline coach wants - continuity of personnel. He also gets to work with a very experienced group of defenders.

That opportunity to play each game together means they are able to become very predictable to each other and to develop collective trust.

It’s the epitome of a line coaches dream TBH.

 

[mustang]

Totally agree that the coaches know what they’re doing, but have a look at our back 7 for the season

Frost - 31 / 180 games / 21 in 2024
Impey - 29 / 193 / 21
Amon - 29 / 166 / 21
Sicily - 29 / 156 /18
Hardwick - 27 / 168 / 21
Scrimshaw - 26 / 103 / 20
Weddle - 20 / 38 / 21

So this is a very experienced, amazingly settled defensive group. Hardly a game missed by any of them in 2024 and aside from Weddle, it’s a group of old stagers in the prime of their career.

Simpson has been gifted what every backline coach wants - continuity of personnel. He also gets to work with a very experienced group of defenders.

That opportunity to play each game together means they are able to become very predictable to each other and to develop collective trust.

It’s the epitome of a line coaches dream TBH.

Add in Barrass who will be 29 and Battle will be 26 come the start of next year, compared to the rest of our team will be the first area of the ground in a few years that will need replacing first.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Add in Barrass who will be 29 and Battle will be 26 come the start of next year, compared to the rest of our team will be the first area of the ground in a few years that will need replacing first.

Who cares mate if we win a premiership. This never ending fascination with the draft. Guess what If we win one more players will want to come to us we will have to start a queue to keep them out.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Add in Barrass who will be 29 and Battle will be 26 come the start of next year, compared to the rest of our team will be the first area of the ground in a few years that will need replacing first.

We still have some young defenders developing:
18 - McCabe
19 - Ryan
20 - Macdonald
21 - Serong
22 - Mitchell
23 - Blanck

I don't think Macdonald will be a long-term prospect for us, and Serong and Mitchell may garner some outside interest and look elsewhere. But regardless we still have some options developing and waiting in the wing.

 

[mustang]

Who cares mate if we win a premiership. This never ending fascination with the draft. Guess what If we win one more players will want to come to us we will have to start a queue to keep them out.

Not saying we need to use the draft just they will need replacing first.

Compared to the rest of the team

 

[mustang]

We still have some young defenders developing:
18 - McCabe
19 - Ryan
20 - Macdonald
21 - Serong
22 - Mitchell
23 - Blanck

I don't think Macdonald will be a long-term prospect for us, and Serong and Mitchell may garner some outside interest and look elsewhere. But regardless we still have some options developing and waiting in the wing.

Like to keep Serong maybe as Frost replacement next year, or even as the 3rd forward.