Whitecross - what happened to this guy?

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Was surprised he was being compared with our outside mids by Clarko. For mine he and JOR are competing for a spot as an inside/outside utility. Neither is operating at a level to get into the team ahead of the other fringe players like Howe, Stewart and Lovell.

 

[Qlder_19]

Wss named as BOG fir bix hil yesterday, just getting cloaer maybe

 

[Glorious couch life]

Whitecross has done everything right this year. He's consistently been in Box Hill's best this year, and was our best player yesterday.

I'm not sure whether or not he belongs at the top level these days. The only way to find out is to give the bloke a chance. I do think people forget how good he was in 2012, and I reckon he's earned a promotion next week.

In: Whitecross

Out: Hill

 

[HawksILove]

Whitecross has done everything right this year. He's consistently been in Box Hill's best this year, and was our best player yesterday.

I'm not sure whether or not he belongs at the top level these days. The only way to find out is to give the bloke a chance. I do think people forget how good he was in 2012, and I reckon he's earned a promotion next week.

In: Whitecross

Out: Hill

Whitecross has been playing very good footy lately and I won't be surprised if he is on the interchange bench this week

 

[TallyHawk]

Whitecross has done everything right this year. He's consistently been in Box Hill's best this year, and was our best player yesterday.

I'm not sure whether or not he belongs at the top level these days. The only way to find out is to give the bloke a chance. I do think people forget how good he was in 2012, and I reckon he's earned a promotion next week.

In: Whitecross

Out: Hill

I don't mind this suggestion Hill is being gifted games at the moment. What people forget about Whitecross is his discipline, his one per centers, and his flexibility. If Puopolo goes down injured he is the obvious replacement, don't throw him on the scrap heap yet.

 

[savagelunchbox]

Wss named as BOG fir bix hil yesterday, just getting cloaer maybe

Never trust the VFL website for an accurate best players list. Always trust Ordo, HBD and HoudiniHuddo, they're almost always accurate.

For example:

I don't wish to bag out Wx but if he can't crack senior selection this year after our injury run and playing regular reasonable standard footy at BH, then one can only assume that he is last resort, total midfield beach party massacre, reactor core meltdown, emergency material only. That he can't get a game to date screams out that is his not in Clarko's longer terms plans for the list and hence the future. That he was named as a our best player shows how just how weak our midfield was today because three or four of our mids should have been getting far more of the ball and have far more opportunity to do something creative and damaging with it than a HB flanker trying to stem the tide.

 

[Qlder_19]

I was reading from the HFC website

 

[Blaze Storm]

If nothing else, his current form makes him good depth. I wouldn't be getting rid of him just yet. I would keep him for another year unless we got trade interest. Our mids are getting older and we might need him as a semi-experienced stop-gap rather than throwing both Howe and Lovell to the wolves.

 

[savagelunchbox]

If nothing else, his current form makes him good depth. I wouldn't be getting rid of him just yet. I would keep him for another year unless we got trade interest. Our mids are getting older and we might need him as a semi-experienced stop-gap rather than throwing both Howe and Lovell to the wolves.

There's enough experience both young and old that suggests we don't need him as depth as such and it's more beneficial to give the younger players some experience.

 

[A Cut Above]

His decision making is too slow for the modern game. It was an obvious deficiency in his game pre-injury as well. His worth as a player has been romanticized by supporters due to the misfortune he's suffered, similar to the way Geelong supporters over-rate Vardy.

It'd be nice to see him getting a game for another club as a testament to the hard work he's put in to recover from his knee injury, but to me he's our new Jonathan Simpkin and too many younger guys have gone past him.

 

[bris tarangau]

Would love to see him playing at AFL level again and hoping that it will be this year. At least it shows what loyalty and hard work at Hawthorn can achieve.

 

[Ordovician]

His decision making is too slow for the modern game.

That, and the quality of his decision making are his limiting factors.

 

[Hawks1994]

Presuming Whitey isn't at the club next year, I would like to see him play at least one more game in the gold and brown at the MCG. Horrendously unlucky with his injuries and judging by the celebrations after the GF wins, where he was the centre of attention, tells me that everyone around the club has the highest respect for the guy so one final run for Hawthorn would be fitting

 

[savagelunchbox]

Presuming Whitey isn't at the club next year, I would like to see him play at least one more game in the gold and brown at the MCG. Horrendously unlucky with his injuries and judging by the celebrations after the GF wins, where he was the centre of attention, tells me that everyone around the club has the highest respect for the guy so one final run for Hawthorn would be fitting

I know the Adelaide Crows have given van Berlo copious amounts of send off games, that doesn't apply to Hawthorn. Clarko hasn't given any player a send off game since the club's been in finals contention. In any club's premiership race, they cannot afford to gift anyone any free games.

 

[Hawks1994]

I know the Adelaide Crows have given van Berlo copious amounts of send off games, that doesn't apply to Hawthorn. Clarko hasn't given any player a send off game since the club's been in finals contention. In any club's premiership race, they cannot afford to gift anyone any free games.

You're 100% correct. I'm not for gifting games to those who don't deserve them either. I was more referring to when a best 22 player is 'rested' or has 'soreness' before a game against a non contender, that Whitecross has done enough and been consistent enough at Box Hill to warrant being one of the first in line to fill that spot. It would just be good to see him play at least once more for the Hawks

 

[badboybobba]

Apparently during the trade period he was offered contracts from at least 2 clubs. One being the Lions, the Hawks advised he take one of the offers as his chances of playing for the Hawks in 2016 was slim.
He backed himself in and decided to stay.
In hindsight it probably was the wrong decision but who knows, he is still a chance to crack a game and once you're in the team anything can happen.

 

[Noneedforaname]

Dont see it as gifting games, more that someone else who is being fasttracked (ie.someone who is getting games pumped into them on basis of future potential - not current ability) forgoes a game. Finals are not going to be lost because our 22nd best player gets replaced by another, at worst, 22nd best player for one game.

I think everyone on the list would empathise with his situation. Who amongst them wouldn't want to run round one final time with his teammates. Would someone even put their hand up so Whitey could take their spot in the 22? Could be quite the inspirational moment.

Nostalgic and niave view perhaps, but given the chance to play a role, I think he would reward us with a blinder. Pace and decision making are heavily questioned, but he was quite versatile, able to play back, mid or forward. Jeez he would have been handy without those injuries.

 

[savagelunchbox]

You're 100% correct. I'm not for gifting games to those who don't deserve them either. I was more referring to when a best 22 player is 'rested' or has 'soreness' before a game against a non contender, that Whitecross has done enough and been consistent enough at Box Hill to warrant being one of the first in line to fill that spot. It would just be good to see him play at least once more for the Hawks

If what you've said was the case then Clarko will play someone he believes can help the team now and in the future and will help the club to their next premiership. WX doesn't fit that criteria.

 

[Hawks1994]

If what you've said was the case then Clarko will play someone he believes can help the team now and in the future and will help the club to their next premiership. WX doesn't fit that criteria.

Very true. Still doesn't change the fact I'd like to see him playing for Hawthorn again

 

[Snoref]

The problem with Wx is his speed, seems very slow and his decision making is also slow. We have enough of slow mids already so bringing him in would be a liability.

 

[nickrebellious]

I think he should come in if Shiels doesn't pull up.

 

[SDHawk]

I find it really interesting the way some supporters view WX's role within the squad. No doubting that he is currently (and may always be) on the fringe but I think it's worth considering who he is competing with. I currently see him as the 23rd to 28th man competing with the likes of Langford, JOR, webster, wilsmore, miles, lovell, hardwick and stewart (yes WX couldn't necessarily play the same role as some of these guys but we tend to shuffle the field for the best combination of players according to who's available) for the high half forward, half back and mid/wing type roles. We know that he's relatively versatile having played these types of roles reasonably well in the past (in some ways this is his downside not having defined himself a specific role but clarko loves versatility!). As much as the youngsters listed above are promising (and some incredibly so!), at this point I don't trust that they could perform their role consistently over the course of the season let alone under finals pressure. In that list we have 3 1st year players, 3 2nd year players, 1 4th year player and 1 5th year player. Not a lot of experience there...

We need to consider the real possibility that we get multiple injuries to quality players in the latter part of the season to say the likes of Hodge, Howe and Birchall for example. Do we trust that the youngsters can fill their roles? This week yes, next week maybe, but from then on and in finals for me it's a massive ? And i'm not expecting that they will fill their exact roles or be anywhere near as accomplished but the fact is that WX can perform at a high level (sure not A grade level) under the pressure of finals (of course others will directly fill hodge and birchall's roles and the youngsters would be the new fringe 20-22 players in the squad).

If we weren't in such a period of success (poor us right!), maybe WX wouldn't be on the list and we would be pumping games in the young guys. The reality is that we will be playing finals this year, be a real premiership threat and need somewhat proven depth available. We tend to forget that we had a major list regeneration in the off season with best 22 players Lake, Hale and suckling moving on along with depth players (all with 3+ years in the system) in simpkin, anderson and grimley. Unlike previous years, we didn't bring in any real experience with only Fitzpatrick coming in. I agree with many on here suggesting that if WX is playing we will have had some injuries. That's what depth is for right? The 22 play but you need a quality squad to win a premiership. We already have a number of unproven/developing talent playing (and playing well) in the 22 with the likes of Howe, Brand, Sicily and TOB. As it is they are inconsistent performers at this point in time and we don't know yet whether they will fade as the season wears on.

While WX hasn't set the world on fire, he is performing well given his injuries and seems to be coming into some decent form at the right time of the year. If he can keep this form up and possibly continue to improve and grow confidence in his body i for one won't be surprised to see him fighting for a spot come finals time. Sure there are some question marks over his decision making and execution but who can't say the same about the likes of langford, JOR etc.?

 

[Hawkflag]

Honestly. What rot. I haven't posted in some time but after reading comments by complete lightweights I had to get on.

Whitecross before his first injury was quickly becoming one of our best players. Certainly in our top 10. He could beat his man in 50/50's had a good kick and could lay a tackle. He was always in our premiership sides until he did his knees.

Did anyone see him play live? It's like trying to convince opp supporters the Cyril is great in his first few years. Until you see him in person and in context then best to keep your imagined opinions to yourself.

Ffs

 

[LuckyHawk]

If nothing else, his current form makes him good depth. I wouldn't be getting rid of him just yet. I would keep him for another year unless we got trade interest. Our mids are getting older and we might need him as a semi-experienced stop-gap rather than throwing both Howe and Lovell to the wolves.

I heard on the 3wbc broadcast that there is renewed interest from up north for Whitex again, be interesting to see what happens.

 

[savagelunchbox]

Honestly. What rot. I haven't posted in some time but after reading comments by complete lightweights I had to get on.

Whitecross before his first injury was quickly becoming one of our best players. Certainly in our top 10. He could beat his man in 50/50's had a good kick and could lay a tackle. He was always in our premiership sides until he did his knees.

Did anyone see him play live? It's like trying to convince opp supporters the Cyril is great in his first few years. Until you see him in person and in context then best to keep your imagined opinions to yourself.

Ffs

Top 10? "What rot". There's no way in hell he was even in the class as Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead, Franklin, Rioli, Gunston, Burgoyne, Stratton, Lake, Shiels, Bruest, Gibson, Smith, Birchall... and the list goes on.

If he really was that good he would have got a game because he's gone uninjured for 18 months. Yes, he's had 2 knee injuries, but he hasn't lost a great amount of his pre-injury speed, agility, and his mind hasn't got slower because of the injury. Like Menzel who has had 3 ACL's, he's got back in the side and isn't greatly affect by the after effects.

If he really was a top 10 player then even the slight decrease in his speed and movement would still see him in the side.

Sometimes the fanboi's need to realise that the game goes past some players quicker than other and that speeds up when injuries happen.