Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn: Pick 23, Sam Butler

[The Spirit of Cricket]

Reality is that Bruest is losing his natural attacking awareness and capability. Very natural outcome. I too hope OSullivan can be in the small forward mix going forward.

what do you mean by this? i would say his awareness is just as good as it's ever been and why his game is translating so well into his 30s.

 

[kirbatron]

If Butlers fwd craft & decision making match his improved fitness we have a serious player..

 

[thehardway]

In an interview with Ch7 Moore did mention the idea that we could play a bit of small ball with the upcoming season. This might be the way to go in wet weather games.

Lewis, Chol and Breust are locks and depending on conditions, opponents, injuries, and form we could play a combination of Gunston/Ginnivan/Watson/Cmac/Butler. Lots of options. I also think Hustwaite with his mix of height and skills could be a chance. DGB maybe but he's training with the backs. Looking forward to intraclub games where competition will be hot.

 

[cryptor]

Reality is that Bruest is losing his natural attacking awareness and capability. Very natural outcome. I too hope OSullivan can be in the small forward mix going forward.

He has improved his total goals and goals per game year on year since 2020. Kicked a career high 6 goals just 5 games ago against the Saints who went on to play finals.

He’s approaching the inevitable end of his career from an age perspective, but he’s certainly not trending towards a loss of attacking awareness and capability currently.

 

[Topiary]

If Butlers fwd craft & decision making match his improved fitness we have a serious player..

I could not agree more. I just hope he becomes that player.

 

[Topiary]

what do you mean by this? i would say his awareness is just as good as it's ever been and why his game is translating so well into his 30s.

If we expect Bruest will be able to do this by himself even medium term we are failing him on the planning stakes. That is why we are preparing for his inevitable retirement.
I don’t disagree with the general assessment he improved during the year just gone by,(when others improved or returned to the forward line)but we cannot rely upon it continuing.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

If we expect Bruest will be able to do this by himself even medium term we are failing him on the planning stakes. That is why we are preparing for his inevitable retirement.
I don’t disagree with the general assessment he improved during the year just gone by,(when others improved or returned to the forward line)but we cannot rely upon it continuing.

Yeah agree just thought the wording was off. His offensive awareness is how he's able to create space and scoring opportunities even while his speed and agility is declining

 

[MadDawg]

I much rather our Hawks style of 2013/14/15 and having both tall and smalls. If one’s having an of day the others are there waiting.

We had Buddy and Roughy for our talls. A Poppy and Rioli as our speedy small forwards. Whom was complimented by Bruest!

I'd probably take the best forward line in AFL history over anything else too.

Outside of that, I believe smaller forward lines are more effective in the modern game by locking the ball in the forward half and getting repeat scoring opportunites. A two-tall, four-small lineup, to be clear.

 

[kazzooka]

I had that feeling last year in the first month or so that he was struggling. But I do wonder how hard it was for the smalls with Greene and Meek as our key forwards.... It didn't seem a coincidence that all of Breust, CMac, and Moore got into much better form when Lewis and later on Ryan came into the side. Breust was even in AA contention by end of year. I reckon Breust roaming around with so much more support both in the air and with small forwards could see him stay pretty dangerous for another year.

If we had Lewis and other talls playing all games from Round 1 Breust probably would have ended up with 60 goals.

 

[threesixpio]

I could not agree more. I just hope he becomes that player.

What a year that will be if he does ! Finn going up and up too and Day…

Ok I’m crying now. Day always does it to me. Haven’t had this much man love since Hodgey

 

[naysayer]

What a year that will be if he does ! Finn going up and up too and Day…

Ok I’m crying now. Day always does it to me. Haven’t had this much man love since Hodgey

Happy tears mate, happy tears

 

[Dewnior]

I too hope OSullivan can be in the small forward mix going forward.

and/or Bennetts

 

[Dewnior]

I'd probably take the best forward line in AFL history over anything else too.

Outside of that, I believe smaller forward lines are more effective in the modern game by locking the ball in the forward half and getting repeat scoring opportunites. A two-tall, four-small lineup, to be clear.

The beauty of that forward line is that it was versatile and could play tall or small depending on the circumstances. It was and still is the prototype forward line for modern footy.

 

[Flag08]

If Butlers fwd craft & decision making match his improved fitness we have a serious player..

Yep, will be handy if he gets good at the footy bit

 

[naysayer]

The beauty of that forward line is that it was versatile and could play tall or small depending on the circumstances. It was and still is the prototype forward line for modern footy.

Breust, Roughead, Gunston
Rioli, Franklin, Puopolo

Puopolo the underrated component, bringing the tackling heat all day long and still a great user of the ball and gifted goal-sneak as well. Retrospectively, it's hard to understand how we dropped a single game in 2013. It reads like a fantasy forward line.

 

[The Chad and I]

I wanna see Butler back it up by winning the cover of Men for All Seasons calendar.
Anything less is mediocrity

 

[tl92]

The beauty of that forward line is that it was versatile and could play tall or small depending on the circumstances. It was and still is the prototype forward line for modern footy.

Having Rioli and Puopolo as ‘pressure forwards’ who also double as elite goalkickers (more Rioli) is a bit of a cheat code.

 

[Dewnior]

Having Rioli and Puopolo as ‘pressure forwards’ who also double as elite goalkickers (more Rioli) is a bit of a cheat code.

And they could both sit on heads taking marks.

 

[KermitJagger]

And they could both sit on heads taking marks.

Truly not fair comparing pretty much any modern small forward to them.

They were both elite 1:1 players, elite pressure players, elite marks. Cyril was obviously a level above in terms of his goal kicking, field kicking and goal assists but Poppy was no slouch. Cyril may even be technically the best tackler I've ever seen - I reckon if you could find the stats on tackles initiated and tackles completed, he'd comfortably be #1 all time.

When you add Breust to that number, who was also a great pressure forward and great tackler in his own right, it's no surprise we were that good. Pretty sure Roughy and Gunners were always in the top percentile of the pressure stats for key forwards as well.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Truly not fair comparing pretty much any modern small forward to them.

They were both elite 1:1 players, elite pressure players, elite marks. Cyril was obviously a level above in terms of his goal kicking, field kicking and goal assists but Poppy was no slouch. Cyril may even be technically the best tackler I've ever seen - I reckon if you could find the stats on tackles initiated and tackles completed, he'd comfortably be #1 all time.

When you add Breust to that number, who was also a great pressure forward and great tackler in his own right, it's no surprise we were that good. Pretty sure Roughy and Gunners were always in the top percentile of the pressure stats for key forwards as well.

I think it's a measure of how good that forward lines is, and how underrated our back line was, that we beat Freo in a GF without winning the midfield in 2013.

So ridiculous to see those names on paper and consider that Freo were favorites in that game.

Endured a fingernails down the blackboard level train ride from Geelong to Melbourne listening to Cats and Freo fans waxing lyrical about how Hawthorn were no chance.

Hard to imagine anyone looking at the team sheets and saying that now.

 

[Fleabane]

Truly not fair comparing pretty much any modern small forward to them.

They were both elite 1:1 players, elite pressure players, elite marks. Cyril was obviously a level above in terms of his goal kicking, field kicking and goal assists but Poppy was no slouch. Cyril may even be technically the best tackler I've ever seen - I reckon if you could find the stats on tackles initiated and tackles completed, he'd comfortably be #1 all time.

When you add Breust to that number, who was also a great pressure forward and great tackler in his own right, it's no surprise we were that good. Pretty sure Roughy and Gunners were always in the top percentile of the pressure stats for key forwards as well.

Cyril had the most 'leopard-like' tackle of any human I've seen. Wonderful to watch.

 

[KermitJagger]

Cyril had the most 'leopard-like' tackle of any human I've seen. Wonderful to watch.

Freakishly strong for his size which made all the difference. Can't think of a player who could brute force their arm free as soon as Cyril got their wrist.

 

[tl92]

Freakishly strong for his size which made all the difference. Can't think of a player who could brute force their arm free as soon as Cyril got their wrist.

Fast strong explosive and desperate. Not even mentioning his offensive ability. Couldn’t ask for anything more in a small forward.

 

[Bee Dee 63]

I'd probably take the best forward line in AFL history over anything else too.

Outside of that, I believe smaller forward lines are more effective in the modern game by locking the ball in the forward half and getting repeat scoring opportunites. A two-tall, four-small lineup, to be clear.

Was it better than the late eighties/early nineties forward line of Dunstall, Brereton, Buckenara, Hall, Morrissey and Hudson Jnr/Paul Dear?
It's a debatable call; maybe, maybe not. Maybe the sum of the parts was > the individuals.

 

[detox]

Freakishly strong for his size which made all the difference. Can't think of a player who could brute force their arm free as soon as Cyril got their wrist.

I remember in his first year Nathan Bock tried to run through him and cyril took the impact, wrapped his arm up and stripped him HTB. Bock was 100kg. Ridiculous strength.