Great podcast summing up the mood of the Hawks community.
I’m all for getting in Barrass if it’s just one first rounder. We traded in a 31yo Brian Lake and he played a large role to deliver us 3 premierships.
Also, Josh Battle was the top rated forward in his draft year so gives the Hawks the flexibility that Sam loves.
Speaking of Sam, his coaching right now is ‘A’ grade.
He’s not shying away for putting the pressure on the players and thanks to the tightness of the competition he’s been able to essentially prepare the team each week as though it’s a finals campaign.
So win, lose or draw in the next few weeks it’s great experience and preparation for the glorious years ahead.
Re: Tom Barass - first round pick esp if we finish higher than current position might not be enough - what would get them over the line would be throw in WA boy DGB, who, if we get Barass and Battle won't be getting a game. The Eagles have shown some interest in him in the past.
Thanks guys. Can never listen live since it on at 4am and that's a little early for our household
The vibe of "is this real?" and the related "is this sustainable?" are understandable.
We are experiencing non-linear improvement. It can be jarring.
We are playing top 4 football. That doesn't mean we are a top 4 side, yet.
But the quality and the signs are there.
We have a lot of guys coming up together with 40 plus games and accruing experience very fast.
You can see the learning in action. The rate will slow down but the path is set.
We may make 8th spot this year and that would be nice but no mater we are looking at very strong 2025. Echoes of 2007 into 2008?
Evidently the club believes this also with its list of targets.
At the beginning of the year I would have said stay in the draft - at all cost - but now with the evidence before our eyes - I would support trading picks for ready made players.
We have seen a flag on average about every 6 to7 years. The biggest gap in my lifetime was the dark period from 1991 to 2008. It's been 9 years so far and 2025 will make it 10. That is too long for this club not to stand on the podium.
I hate to rain on your parade but I think that we are a bit ahead of ourselves in terms of our list and a premiership.
Whilst it is not always the rule eg Bulldogs in 2016, most permiership sides have 5 or more A graders. We don't. We have Day and Sicily and a few that show potential (Watson, Weddle, Newcombe), some developing (Croc, Ginni, McKenzie, Ward, Dear..), some better than average soldiers (Scrimshaw, Amon, D'Ambrosio..) and so on. What we DO have is a great eveness down to the last 4 or 6 in our best 23 which is better than a lot of sides. When we were won the 2008 flag we had Hodge, Mitchell, Rioli, Roughead, Lewis, Croad and the 8 minute man - Stewie Dew - turned it on. We need more A Graders. We need the "potential" guys to move up a level. Barrass helps, but not for a long time.
Great podcast summing up the mood of the Hawks community.
I’m all for getting in Barrass if it’s just one first rounder. We traded in a 31yo Brian Lake and he played a large role to deliver us 3 premierships.
Also, Josh Battle was the top rated forward in his draft year so gives the Hawks the flexibility that Sam loves.
Speaking of Sam, his coaching right now is ‘A’ grade.
He’s not shying away for putting the pressure on the players and thanks to the tightness of the competition he’s been able to essentially prepare the team each week as though it’s a finals campaign.
So win, lose or draw in the next few weeks it’s great experience and preparation for the glorious years ahead.
Re: Tom Barass - first round pick esp if we finish higher than current position might not be enough - what would get them over the line would be throw in WA boy DGB, who, if we get Barass and Battle won't be getting a game. The Eagles have shown some interest in him in the past.
Hawthorn werent bad in our first few games!!
They should have beaten Essendon (10 more points) just missed by 5 pts v Pies, played without Day and Meek and showed plenty.
The Hawks are Building fast !!!
Thanks guys. Can never listen live since it on at 4am and that's a little early for our household
The vibe of "is this real?" and the related "is this sustainable?" are understandable.
We are experiencing non-linear improvement. It can be jarring.
We are playing top 4 football. That doesn't mean we are a top 4 side, yet.
But the quality and the signs are there.
We have a lot of guys coming up together with 40 plus games and accruing experience very fast.
You can see the learning in action. The rate will slow down but the path is set.
We may make 8th spot this year and that would be nice but no mater we are looking at very strong 2025. Echoes of 2007 into 2008?
Evidently the club believes this also with its list of targets.
At the beginning of the year I would have said stay in the draft - at all cost - but now with the evidence before our eyes - I would support trading picks for ready made players.
We have seen a flag on average about every 6 to7 years. The biggest gap in my lifetime was the dark period from 1991 to 2008. It's been 9 years so far and 2025 will make it 10. That is too long for this club not to stand on the podium.
I hate to rain on your parade but I think that we are a bit ahead of ourselves in terms of our list and a premiership.
Whilst it is not always the rule eg Bulldogs in 2016, most permiership sides have 5 or more A graders. We don't. We have Day and Sicily and a few that show potential (Watson, Weddle, Newcombe), some developing (Croc, Ginni, McKenzie, Ward, Dear..), some better than average soldiers (Scrimshaw, Amon, D'Ambrosio..) and so on. What we DO have is a great eveness down to the last 4 or 6 in our best 23 which is better than a lot of sides. When we were won the 2008 flag we had Hodge, Mitchell, Rioli, Roughead, Lewis, Croad and the 8 minute man - Stewie Dew - turned it on. We need more A Graders. We need the "potential" guys to move up a level. Barrass helps, but not for a long time.