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What was learnt:

1. Confirmation that middleweight is the appropriate category – If there were any lasting concerns as to where the team sits on the divisions with the competition, then this game certainly stamped the Hawks as a team on the rise. This was evidenced more by the manner in which the game was played as against the final result. After the first 5 minutes & Dusty’s goal, having adapted to the conditions on the ground, the team was able to dictate the run of play, leaving aside some wayward goal kicking.

2. The game plan holds up at the ‘G – With the inclusion of a couple of key players from the early rounds of the season – Day & Jiath – it is evident that the Mitchell game plan works at the MCG. With their pace and ability to work in tight spaces in the midfield (Day) and defence (Jiath), the team is much better able to both create and defend in the spaces that the G provides. Earlier games in the year at the ‘G, we were reliant on players such as Maginness, Morrison & Hustwaite to cover these roles and whilst all capable within their skill set didn’t possess the run and carry that these two provide.

3. If you are not adaptable, then you need to be an “expert” in your position – As the season progresses, it is becoming more evident that part of the selection criteria appears to be the capacity for players to be adaptable to play in more than one position. If they are unable to do this, then they need to be “expert” in their role, which is only really applicable to Frost and Meek. If you look at other every other player in the team, they are all capable of playing in multiple positions or roles. The obvious examples from this game were the crumbing goal by Newcombe whilst “resting” forward and Mackenzie being hit up on the lead whilst similarly playing forward.

4. There was a glimpse to the future as Mackenzie as an inside mid – Whilst he was rundown in the end as he ran into the F50 looking to kick the ball forward, it is worth going back and watching his work in the centre square along with the subsequent work fo get himself into the position. If you believe in process over outcome, the process here was exceptional. The next step again is for him to develop his left foot – another entry he had to the City end where his shoulders were pointing to the left of the goals, so he needed a left foot shot/pass rather than trying to fashion something with his right foot.

5. Watson has a problem (or two) – As has been well noted, when taking set shots from 40+ metres, in running wide to his right, Watson has a serious technical issue to address. To his advantage, being young, it is certainly redeemable. I do wonder if it has something to do with lactic acid/leg tiredness in playing at the level. I also recall Breust having a similar issue early in his career where his set shot work wasn’t as accurate as his snapshots. For those who may think Franklin was able to accommodate a similar flaw into his game, I’d suggest that when you have thighs the size of lamp posts rather than street signs and 199cm/105kg rather than 170cm/68kg with legs as wide as street signs, there is a greater capacity to drive through the ball. The other problem for HIs who derided the “Selwood shrug”, I hope that Watson will be able to use his dancing feet to create opportunities for himself rather using his shoulders, It can be disconcerting when even your teammates take notice of it.

6. Finals are on the agenda – Considering the first point above, the run home is as follows:

• Heavyweights – Collingwood, Giants, Carlton

• Middleweights – Geelong, Fremantle*, Eagles*

• Lightweights – Crows, Richmond, North

(* If the games were played at the other venue, then Freo would be higher and Eagles lower.)

With the consensus thinking that 13 wins may get you into the 8 and given our poor percentage, we’d need 14 wins to have a genuine chance, which means that we’d need to go 7-2 on the run home. This means that we’d need to take out one of the heavyweights if you accept the gradings.

Observations:

• The last 5 minutes had a couple of moments which had a little bit of lairizing associated with them e.g. Sicily providing overlap option to Impey with either a poor handball or Sis going one handed which led to a soft goal. Our percentage would’ve been 93.1 rather than 92.7.

• Meek may be a long term watch with his ankle issue as he was having his ankle re-strapped through the ¾ time break. For ruck men, ankles can be as big a concern than a knee.

• The last 8 minutes of the 3rd quarter showed the future with Chol resting on the bench & Gunston subbed off, the F50 at one stage was Dear, Moore, Ginnivan, Mackenzie, Watson & Breust. I’m not sure that it is sustainable, although Dear snapped a goal during this time.

• From a technical perspective, Dear has to improve his kicking routine as both his goals came from shots that didn’t look to be repeatable actions. There is no doubt about his energy and enthusiasm for the contest, there is however a need to be a reliable avenue to goal the hard work up field. It was interesting that Balta matched up on him at the start of the game.

• Tackling and pressure was superb – even in losing the overall tackling stat, to the eye, the pressure on the ground looked to be our way and there was no doubt that our forward half pressure had more of an impact.

• This was the first game where Jiath, by foot, had shown some of the issues that were part of his earlier career i.e. missing targets.

• Kicking around the corner when you are taking shots in the centre corridor has to be addressed.

• Day on the run still has a little work to do to ensure that the line breaks are positives.

• Lowest score against this season with the Tigers only actually had 12 scoring shots with 7 rushed behinds contributing to their score.

• As I messaged to another HI on Saturday morning, I’ve never seen “Emotion” listed in the best players or goal kickers, so I was a little surprised at the level of nervousness that some HIs had about this game.

Starting 4:

1st Qrt: Day (13) Newcombe (16) Worpel (16)

2nd Qrt: Nash (15) Day Newcombe

3rd Qrt: Day Newcombe Worpel

4th Qrt: Nash Day Newcombe

(Meek 17 Mackenzie 8 Chol 5 Moore 4)

(First time I think that Mackenzie has had more CBA than Moore with Day taking a little fewer than others in the Big 4.)

Coach killer:

Scrimshaw trying to hit a dart on his right foot might’ve been a coach killer other than the fact that it got the Dusty goal out of the way early in the game, so there was no momentum changer to wait for – not that it would’ve have matter.

Issue for the fortnight:

Being on the bye week and then having to travel to WA, it will be a test for the professionalism of the young group as Sam alluded to in his presser. As noted earlier, if this game was to be dropped the “finals hope” generated from the past 7 weeks would be lost and the back half of the season could have a very different perspective. The Eagles at home, as has been widely noted, are a very different team at home than away, so it will be a genuine test.

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Michelle Jordan's avatar

I agree with all of Bintang Brad’s early calls…….

As always Mick Cowan raises excellent points to ponder with his great insights.

Unfortunately this team may have to learn the hard way, that footy can be more about inches than miles. One or two poor disposals leading to oppo scores, missing goals on the run and “really bad” set shot decision making by some is overlooked by fans when we win games, but % is crucial when trying to make the 8 or even being Top 4 when good enough. Of course there is time to turn this around in 2024, and this team appears to love a challenge. Sam is correct when saying “far from a finished product” but I get a sense that ALL will know what they need to do to become the finished product “which actually never ends” #GoHawks

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