Well, if Will Day's injury wasn't enough to make me feel flat, then this sure didn't help either!!! During it I found myself thinking that "Angry Brad" is going to resurface again this week, so I hope he has not worked himself up too much. The worst part for me was the Port fans doing the "flying arms" gesture that really was hard to watch that, besides their poor performance, will hopefully motivate our boys to switch back on and come out firing against the cats. I also felt sorry for the fans that went to the game (especially the ones that paid lots of hard earnt money to travel to Adelaide) to have to experience such a poor effort by the team. Anyway, on a positive note, at least as Sam Mitchell says, thankfully there are only a few hours left in the next 24-48 hour period after the game that he often refers to "to let it go" and move on.
A BIG THANK YOU Danny and Nat for doing this instant reaction pod, as no doubt it was a difficult one for you both this week for sure. Listening to your calm voices of reason has definitely helped the HI's community and I want to say Nat that I loved your NSync "Bye Bye Bye" reference which I found very funny and put a smile back on my dial. I hope you have a wonderful time in Tassie and that you get to sit back and relax with your family and watch the boys redeem themselves with a win.
Here, here Tammy, putting that podcast together would not have bene easy and was much appreciated. No doubt we are far better than that first half, but just how much better remains to be seen. We are quite a way off our second half of season 2024, time will tell if we can recapture that form. Thanks again boys.
Sobering. I was concerned about the 15 day break and we just didn't look like we could handle the pace. We are better than that, and will be against Geelong (better be!) but not good enough to win a flag this year. I thought Chol was very poor. If you add in the two finals last year you begin to understand why Mitchell is so keen to fly to Perth and speak to Oscar Allen. I don't understand playing Bruest as a sub. When you have a mid-fielder go down at half time you need someone with some run which is the one thing he doesn't have. We should be giving Huswaite or Serong a chance.
After the Gold Coast debacle last season Dylan Moore announced that mouth guards would be needed at training. Given the insipid effort that was dished up by the players in the first half of the much hyped-up game on Sunday, I suspect that the same will apply, but I ask the question, why "the brutal track session" is necessary?
During the half time break, I did a little reflection and research.
In 2024, after losing the first five games, we won 14 games and lost 9- and if we add the two finals, we won 15 games and had 10 losses..
In the last 10 rounds of 2024 we only lost to GWS by 2 points . We won a final and lost a final by one point. If we add the first four rounds this year, our last 16 games played had us winning 14 and losing two games by a combined total of three points.
Clearly, our hawks were well and truely riding the momentum bus with gay abandon and the media 100% on board with the "Hollywood Hawks," (hate that tag)
We have a young, developing team and as supporters we are enjoying the ride but also hearing Sam mentioning, again and again, that we are nowhere near the finished product.
We have been given Prime TV time and coming with that is the pressure of performance- on repeat week after week.
I am no biorhythm expert but on Sunday night, the Port players were at the top of the biorhythm cycle while Hawthorn were all over the place. Hawthorn supporters at the game and watching on-line were shaking their heads in disbelief at what they were seeing. It wasn't just one player but the entire team looked as they were either playing in sand or on an ice skating rink.
Why does this happen? A fifteen day turnaround from their last game. Four wins on end , not pretty but job done, the 2024 momentum train still running smoothly but showing signs of wear and tear. They are a young side that enjoys playing footy with each other but they also know that they are the hunted now every week and teams are trying to find ways to cut them down to size. I just don't know how well equipped the young players are, as yet, to cope with this pressure. Remember, it started after round 5, 2024!
Following on from Tom, interested in the performance psychology element of all of this. Perhaps one for the mid week pod. Games are won between the ears as much as in the legs and I am fascinated by the impact of Dr Pippa Grange at Richmond.
Thanks for putting this pod up so soon after that performance. I agree with you both that we can’t use the bye as an excuse however we played like a team that had too much time to think about a game. Our coaching group’s strengths seem to be more on tactics and analytical approaches with a little bit of left field thinking (Hickmott) but we might lack that older school emotional type like Kenny the Clown. Is this a motivational gap we have?
Is this a coaching skill Sam is still learning?
Anywho, Sam is good at getting the boys to regroup and bounce back after poor losses so I look forward to a much improved effort against the Cats
Thanks Chaps for the pod a job well done in “ difficult circumstances “ I had that hollow feeling even before the game started and chickened out at half time. Decided to not read or watch any review etc except for HI but happened to catch a bit of Sam on tv last night(a bit of a channel surf was happening) I really like his calm composure but I reckon he’d have the STARE behind closed doors and also the players would be aware of their poor performance .
I’ll be there on Monday proudly wearing my colours ,fingers crossed and cheering loudly.
Ps we’ve banned the “pink” until the season is over !
Tough week for the hawks, but is a great opportunity to mix it up with the injuries coming out of that game/during the week…would like to see hawks rotate CBA a bit, Moore, Weddle, C Mac and Watson come to mind…would add a bit of speed and help keep other teams guessing a bit. Also get some good experience into the group, so team wouldn’t be so reliant on the same players and could adapt to changes in game better. After Geelong game really want to see, Mitchell give some youth a look, McCabe, Serong top of my list…new players add energy to the group and keep things fresh…Morrison and McGuinness look to have stopped playing with the desperation that got them/kept them in the team at the end of last year.
What is stopping Newcombe from playing 4 quarters? - Would win a Brownlow if he could. Still our shining light nearly every week. LOVE him.
CJ - 😖 WTF. Happy with his efforts since returning but undisciplined.
Chol and Finn need to play in the 2’s next week. CMac, Schrim and bring in Jasper Scaife. Surely an untried Scaife will beat Chol’s efforts. I rather see someone having a crack than watching proceedings.
I also want to see Hustwaite so someone else needs to make way and if that’s Harry M so be it. Ned Long would have been handy 🤔
If Ginni is injured then rest him otherwise give him a run in the 2’s too.
Of all coaches, Mitchell should know what is needed for an A1 midfield unit so make the necessary changes now, 5 games down and far from perfect.
We are NOT tough enough! We need another Line in the Sand moment….👊
Calling for Dermie and Vandenberg to rattle the cage.
Agree start Sicily forward next week.
If Geelong beats us then forget the finals, no point making up the numbers.
Interesting job you did recently describing the various statistics. The example used showed up Wardy very well. His stats in Adelaide showed he was only on for 64% of the game (and did not come on until the end of the first quarter) the least of all the midfielders, yet he had 18 possessions and 378 metres gained, second highest of midfielders. No motion of him in your wrap at neither good nor bad. Any comments?
I think Ginnivan has been our most disappointing player this season and the time has come for a spell.
I think he is a smart player but his leg speed is not up to speed and cannot push through a contest the way other players do and goes to ground to easy.He very rarely marks above his head.
Agree with the HI fellas re Ginni looking hampered. Something is going on. His body language supports this. Don't think it's an effort issue - he's got none of his usual hutzpah. We need him 100%, so a rest (not BH) would be appropriate if this is the case.
Agree also re: Finn & Harry. Both had defied their career form/weaknesses on several fronts in 2025 before the weekend, but they were back in depth-player-at-best mode.
The whole thing was utterly bizarre to watch, but highlighted how much of a work in progress we remain, despite all the hype and momentum... Which is fine given our timeline...
We're still a very young group, led by young staff with great depth in some positions and glaring vulnerabilities in others.
Huge credit to Gunno for his bag. What a legend.
Looking forward to Cmac, Scrim and HH getting a run on Monday.
Well, if Will Day's injury wasn't enough to make me feel flat, then this sure didn't help either!!! During it I found myself thinking that "Angry Brad" is going to resurface again this week, so I hope he has not worked himself up too much. The worst part for me was the Port fans doing the "flying arms" gesture that really was hard to watch that, besides their poor performance, will hopefully motivate our boys to switch back on and come out firing against the cats. I also felt sorry for the fans that went to the game (especially the ones that paid lots of hard earnt money to travel to Adelaide) to have to experience such a poor effort by the team. Anyway, on a positive note, at least as Sam Mitchell says, thankfully there are only a few hours left in the next 24-48 hour period after the game that he often refers to "to let it go" and move on.
A BIG THANK YOU Danny and Nat for doing this instant reaction pod, as no doubt it was a difficult one for you both this week for sure. Listening to your calm voices of reason has definitely helped the HI's community and I want to say Nat that I loved your NSync "Bye Bye Bye" reference which I found very funny and put a smile back on my dial. I hope you have a wonderful time in Tassie and that you get to sit back and relax with your family and watch the boys redeem themselves with a win.
Happy Easter to everyone and GO HAWKS!!!
Here, here Tammy, putting that podcast together would not have bene easy and was much appreciated. No doubt we are far better than that first half, but just how much better remains to be seen. We are quite a way off our second half of season 2024, time will tell if we can recapture that form. Thanks again boys.
Sobering. I was concerned about the 15 day break and we just didn't look like we could handle the pace. We are better than that, and will be against Geelong (better be!) but not good enough to win a flag this year. I thought Chol was very poor. If you add in the two finals last year you begin to understand why Mitchell is so keen to fly to Perth and speak to Oscar Allen. I don't understand playing Bruest as a sub. When you have a mid-fielder go down at half time you need someone with some run which is the one thing he doesn't have. We should be giving Huswaite or Serong a chance.
I think Breust coming into the forward half gave Mitchell the comfortability to release Moore into the midfield. That's likely the reasoning.
After the Gold Coast debacle last season Dylan Moore announced that mouth guards would be needed at training. Given the insipid effort that was dished up by the players in the first half of the much hyped-up game on Sunday, I suspect that the same will apply, but I ask the question, why "the brutal track session" is necessary?
During the half time break, I did a little reflection and research.
In 2024, after losing the first five games, we won 14 games and lost 9- and if we add the two finals, we won 15 games and had 10 losses..
In the last 10 rounds of 2024 we only lost to GWS by 2 points . We won a final and lost a final by one point. If we add the first four rounds this year, our last 16 games played had us winning 14 and losing two games by a combined total of three points.
Clearly, our hawks were well and truely riding the momentum bus with gay abandon and the media 100% on board with the "Hollywood Hawks," (hate that tag)
We have a young, developing team and as supporters we are enjoying the ride but also hearing Sam mentioning, again and again, that we are nowhere near the finished product.
We have been given Prime TV time and coming with that is the pressure of performance- on repeat week after week.
I am no biorhythm expert but on Sunday night, the Port players were at the top of the biorhythm cycle while Hawthorn were all over the place. Hawthorn supporters at the game and watching on-line were shaking their heads in disbelief at what they were seeing. It wasn't just one player but the entire team looked as they were either playing in sand or on an ice skating rink.
Why does this happen? A fifteen day turnaround from their last game. Four wins on end , not pretty but job done, the 2024 momentum train still running smoothly but showing signs of wear and tear. They are a young side that enjoys playing footy with each other but they also know that they are the hunted now every week and teams are trying to find ways to cut them down to size. I just don't know how well equipped the young players are, as yet, to cope with this pressure. Remember, it started after round 5, 2024!
Get behind them!!!
Go Hawks.
Following on from Tom, interested in the performance psychology element of all of this. Perhaps one for the mid week pod. Games are won between the ears as much as in the legs and I am fascinated by the impact of Dr Pippa Grange at Richmond.
This is a great shout!
Well done Nat and Danny I watched it live,worst half I've watched in a while but we're 4-1 and we play our arch enemy next Monday Go Hawks 🤎💛
Thanks for putting this pod up so soon after that performance. I agree with you both that we can’t use the bye as an excuse however we played like a team that had too much time to think about a game. Our coaching group’s strengths seem to be more on tactics and analytical approaches with a little bit of left field thinking (Hickmott) but we might lack that older school emotional type like Kenny the Clown. Is this a motivational gap we have?
Is this a coaching skill Sam is still learning?
Anywho, Sam is good at getting the boys to regroup and bounce back after poor losses so I look forward to a much improved effort against the Cats
Thanks Chaps for the pod a job well done in “ difficult circumstances “ I had that hollow feeling even before the game started and chickened out at half time. Decided to not read or watch any review etc except for HI but happened to catch a bit of Sam on tv last night(a bit of a channel surf was happening) I really like his calm composure but I reckon he’d have the STARE behind closed doors and also the players would be aware of their poor performance .
I’ll be there on Monday proudly wearing my colours ,fingers crossed and cheering loudly.
Ps we’ve banned the “pink” until the season is over !
Tough week for the hawks, but is a great opportunity to mix it up with the injuries coming out of that game/during the week…would like to see hawks rotate CBA a bit, Moore, Weddle, C Mac and Watson come to mind…would add a bit of speed and help keep other teams guessing a bit. Also get some good experience into the group, so team wouldn’t be so reliant on the same players and could adapt to changes in game better. After Geelong game really want to see, Mitchell give some youth a look, McCabe, Serong top of my list…new players add energy to the group and keep things fresh…Morrison and McGuinness look to have stopped playing with the desperation that got them/kept them in the team at the end of last year.
With efforts like that forget the GF boys.
What is stopping Newcombe from playing 4 quarters? - Would win a Brownlow if he could. Still our shining light nearly every week. LOVE him.
CJ - 😖 WTF. Happy with his efforts since returning but undisciplined.
Chol and Finn need to play in the 2’s next week. CMac, Schrim and bring in Jasper Scaife. Surely an untried Scaife will beat Chol’s efforts. I rather see someone having a crack than watching proceedings.
I also want to see Hustwaite so someone else needs to make way and if that’s Harry M so be it. Ned Long would have been handy 🤔
If Ginni is injured then rest him otherwise give him a run in the 2’s too.
Of all coaches, Mitchell should know what is needed for an A1 midfield unit so make the necessary changes now, 5 games down and far from perfect.
We are NOT tough enough! We need another Line in the Sand moment….👊
Calling for Dermie and Vandenberg to rattle the cage.
Agree start Sicily forward next week.
If Geelong beats us then forget the finals, no point making up the numbers.
Interesting job you did recently describing the various statistics. The example used showed up Wardy very well. His stats in Adelaide showed he was only on for 64% of the game (and did not come on until the end of the first quarter) the least of all the midfielders, yet he had 18 possessions and 378 metres gained, second highest of midfielders. No motion of him in your wrap at neither good nor bad. Any comments?
I think Ginnivan has been our most disappointing player this season and the time has come for a spell.
I think he is a smart player but his leg speed is not up to speed and cannot push through a contest the way other players do and goes to ground to easy.He very rarely marks above his head.
Agree with the HI fellas re Ginni looking hampered. Something is going on. His body language supports this. Don't think it's an effort issue - he's got none of his usual hutzpah. We need him 100%, so a rest (not BH) would be appropriate if this is the case.
Agree also re: Finn & Harry. Both had defied their career form/weaknesses on several fronts in 2025 before the weekend, but they were back in depth-player-at-best mode.
The whole thing was utterly bizarre to watch, but highlighted how much of a work in progress we remain, despite all the hype and momentum... Which is fine given our timeline...
We're still a very young group, led by young staff with great depth in some positions and glaring vulnerabilities in others.
Huge credit to Gunno for his bag. What a legend.
Looking forward to Cmac, Scrim and HH getting a run on Monday.