Who will be better in 2025 - Geelong or Hawthorn?

[Dewyyyyy]

Chol was pretty disappointing in the finals
He can play a role but I suspect he won't be in your best 22 at seasons end

He will be, not sure about the future, his finals series was poor and not physical enough but would greatly benefit from Lewis playing and being the dominant power forward.

 

[adammania9]

Geelong may not get Smith, let alone Oliver

You will definitely get both

 

[randyzany]

The fact that other clubs will now take the Darling Buds more seriously and put more time and effort into scrutinizing and analysing their game plan and come up with strategies/tactics to counter it, it'll be interesting to see whether their winning streak continues unabated or if they end up not doing much in the next 7 years or so like the 1993 Baby Bombers.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

I’m not entirely sure that he did receive bronx cheers. There was a lot of discussion on our board after the fact where most people said that it felt more like recognition of his effort on a pretty difficult night for him rather than derision.

I will say though, that there most definitely is an undercurrent of people (hawks supporters and others)who are quite ready to hurl insults at him and say that he’s lazy or other racially motivated tropes.
One of my mates was at the Semi final and said some of the things being yelled out towards Chol by some hawks fans were pretty disgusting.

I know a fair few around me were cheering in the Dogs game for anytime anyone of the poorer players did something (who had been poor that game) so Chol, Weightman etc don’t think it was anything racism or targeting of a singular players ability either, just a bit of fun because Hawthorn were winning

 

[TheFourPillars]

Look i am sure people laughed at my post last year at the beginning of the year that we were aiming for finals. At 0 - 5 we were not looking good and that got even worse at 1 and 6. However the belief in the system, Sam and each other never wavered we wanted to play our brand and once Will Day got back we unleashed it. There is no doubt we rode a wave of confidence and continued to win but the brand was consistent which meant the players were consistent to each other. What remains to be seen is whether this brand stacks up to more scrutiny. What helps us is that we will be strenghtened as a list by the inclusion of Battle and Barrass that gives us much more flexibility. This on top of the organic growth of our young list.

It only gets harder from here. Yes even harder than to go from outside the 8 to finish 6th. The confidence comes from the fact that several of the players have already gone through a tough initiation just to be AFL footballers. One of them is Vice Captain. Nothing is given to you in the AFL. You have to earn it and take it. I am confident that we are on the rise. and will sustain it next year.

 

[sleep]

Lewis is an A Grade key forward and Chol is pretty good, having another 40 goal season and being a top 5 pressure fwd in the comp, include Dear into this who is promising to be a gun key forward, it’s an odd area to highlight.

Way to shoot your credibility to pieces. Lewis A Grade. hahaha

Keep em coming

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Way to shoot your credibility to pieces. Lewis A Grade. hahaha

Keep em coming

2023
Only 15 games.
25th Coleman (total). (36)
8th Coleman (average). (2.5)

Played games injured.

Still managed 13 disposals a game, 2.5 goals, 5.7 marks, 1.3 contested marks, 6.4 score inv etc

When he first came back against the Dogs he had 1.4 (16 disp 2 ga 11 si) with 11 marks and 3 contested marks.
This after small patch of thumpings, lead him to.
6 goals, 24 disposals (8 shots on goal) 8 marks against West Coast
3 goals 2 behinds 5 marks against St Kilda
3 goals 2 behinds 20 disposals (3 ga 13 si) 8 marks against Port Adelaide
4 goals 1 behind 6 marks against Brisbane
2 goals 15 disposals 4 marks in a thrashing by Gold Coast
2 goals against Carlton in a downer game

20 goals - 6 games
3.3 per game

On par with others like Hawkins, Daniher, Hogan etc.

He was rated elite for big portions of 2022 aswell, where he kicked 2.5 goals a game again, 37 for the year from just 15 games (5 marks, 1.5 contested) 6 score inv.

25th (total) (37) - Coleman
6th (average (2.5) - Coleman

Again.

To think when he is fit, he is definitely an A Grade forward, to think otherwise shows how little you know or little you watch of him.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Geeze these hawks are up and about after 1 season in the 8.

They're like Carlton fans. Both ready to declare a dynasty after being good for 10-15 weeks.

The only difference is that Hawthorn fans are probably right.

 

[TheFourPillars]

They're like Carlton fans. Both ready to declare a dynasty after being good for 10-15 weeks.

The only difference is that Hawthorn fans are probably right.

Dynasty naah we haven't done anything yet. Going from 6th to 1st is harder than anything we have done so far. We need to win 1 before we contemplate dynasties

 

[WatWouldCyrilDo]

Geeze these hawks are up and about after 1 season in the 8.

1 swallow doesnt make a summer.

2 Phones Chol and Mitch Lewis your key forwards.... Sheesh..

Why are you getting so upset that Hawthorn supporters aren't bending the knee to the almighty Geelong, and conceding you'll be much better than us? Is that what you expect?

 

[ShadowCat]

Hawthorn.

The actual best side and depth, is going to be one of the best in the competition.

One of the deeper and more talented sides, with more to come through the draft.

BACKLINE
Blake Hardwick - Tom Barrass - Josh Battle
James Sicily - Jack Scrimshaw - Karl Amon

MIDFIELD
Josh Weddle - Will Day - Massimo D’Ambrosio
Lloyd Meek - Jai Newcombe - James Worpel

FORWARDLINE
Dylan Moore - Mitch Lewis - Connor MacDonald
Jack Ginnivan - Calsher Dear - Nick Watson

INTERCHANGE
Mabior Chol - Cam Mackenzie - Josh Ward - Conor Nash - Jarman Impey

5 man bench?

DEPTH
Maginness
Gunston, Breust
Hustwaite, Morrison
Blanck/Frost, Mitchell
Jiath

It’s a 30 man squad or more of quality with other players developing who well and truly would of played had it been the start of a rebuild, or could play for other clubs.

It’s an overall quality side, has all components covered and this is still a pretty young squad.

Geelong are obviously going to be good again, I just don’t think they’ll be as good, and their side is and has been ageing, this may be a negative with how the games going to be played, Bailey Smith is huge for their midfield however.

I'd say we'd be pretty comparable to that (depth only players who have played an AFL game this far):

B: Zuthrie, SDK, J. Henry
HB: T. Stewart, Kolo, L. Humphries
C: Dempsey, Bruhn, Holmes
FO: Conway, Danger, B. Smith
HF: O. Henry, J. Cameron, Miers
F: Stengle, S. Neale, Close
INT: C. Guthrie, Mannagh, T. Atkins, Blicavs
Sub: Bowes

Depth: Mullin, Stanley, Conway, Duncan, O'Connor, J. Martin, Bews, J. Clark, C. O'Sullivan, Clohesy, Knevitt

Just depends on the development of guys like Conway, Mullin, Clark, O'Sullivan, Knevitt and Clohesy, if we keep developing that next 'tier' to the level of guys like Humphries and Dempsey.

Also, as you'll note, the majority of our 'aging' guys, will now be considered depth. From the start of this year to next year, all of Hawkins, Tuohy, Rohan, Stanley, Bews, Duncan, will be gone/transitioning out. Only C. Guthrie, J. Cameron, Stewart, Danger, and Blicavs will be over 30. Your side is obviously younger given the mass clean out, but we're not the side of 'oldies' anymore.

Will be an interesting watch next year, I've no doubt.

 

[Wojcinski]

people seriously think Mitch Lewis is an A grade talent? 37 goals his best result, 3 seasons ago. He is not an A-grader. He's in the Levi Casboult

30

Levi Casboult

Age

34

Ht

199cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

6.5

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

1.7

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

10.1

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.3

2star

G

1.3

5star

D

9.2

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.0

3star

M

5.2

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.4

5star

/Matt Taberner tier of key forwards

 

[iameviljez]

people seriously think Mitch Lewis is an A grade talent? 37 goals his best result, 3 seasons ago. He is not an A-grader. He's in the Levi Casboult/Matt Taberner tier of key forwards

Not an A-grader yet, but better than those guys.

Don't forget, those 35-goal seasons were from 15 games, in a team that was getting very limited supply. Extrapolating those 15 games out to 22, and that's a 50-goal season.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Lewis being available this year will change things for us. Here's hoping

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

people seriously think Mitch Lewis is an A grade talent? 37 goals his best result, 3 seasons ago. He is not an A-grader. He's in the Levi Casboult/Matt Taberner tier of key forwards

He’s not put together an A grade season, but he’s far greater than those two guys.

Stevie J rated him the 13th best forward, even when he was out injured in 2023.

13. Mitch Lewis (Hawthorn)
Role: Key forward
Strengths: Competitive streak, workrate
Can seriously play. I have been known to tell players to watch this bloke go about his business. He is the most underrated forward in the comp. Crashes packs, kicks goals and just a very smart footballer. Sam Mitchell will be desperate to get the 24-year-old back on the park soon.