Player Ratings: Hawks vs Pies
Who ate all the pies?
Let me preface these ratings by saying that it is much, much, much more pleasant doing these ratings after a win.
Sifting through the stats, looking back at notes that have been scribbled down throughout the game and reliving some of the finer moments is certainly an enjoyable activity.
So for the second week in a row, here are my pleasant, enjoyable, happy, and generally positive player ratings.
Lachie Bramble – 8.5/10
What a recipe. Let’s start with his 538 metres gained - the most on the ground of any player by far. Add in six marks and seven score involvements, a pinch of two bounces, and combine with 25 touches at 88% disposal efficiency. Bon appetit. Lachie Bramble has been a tasty find, and it is strange to think that after having little effect against the Bulldogs in our pre-season practice match, it took him a while to crack into the team. But he has already put together quite the menu (sorry!) in his eight games of AFL footy and he is now widely acknowledged as a key ingredient (sorry again!) in our current rebuild. So good to watch.
Tyler Brockman - 5/10
Didn’t have much of a role to play having been activated as the medical sub for James Worpel and coming into the game for the last quarter. But he played his role in the final term - five touches (four effective), two marks and three score involvements. Was a handy addition in the final term and held his own well.
Shaun Burgoyne – 8/10
A great game from our wily veteran that included his first goal for the year. He registered 18 touches of which 17 were effective, and pulled in 10 marks to marshal the defensive 50 with his trademark poise and composure. Fingers crossed that we will somehow be allowed to attend the MCG when we take on the Tigers in the final round of the season - his farewell will clearly be another highlight from 2021.
Jon Ceglar 8/10
We highlighted in our main preview that Cegs had been selected with Brodie Grundy in mind, and this was a clear indication that we were all in on winning this contest. Ceglar accounted for himself pretty well in the day. Led our team for clearances, contested marks and had an impressive eight score involvements. Had 21 hitouts, 20 disposals and six marks - but more importantly together with McEvoy, the pair combined to nullify Grundy’s effect on the game despite what the stat sheet suggests. Will be interesting to see which side of the selection hammer he falls on next week.
Sam Frost - 8.5/10
You live by the Frostball, you die by the Frostball. Against the Pies, Frostball chose life. His seven marks included three which were intercepts, as part of his five total intercepts for the game. It was the courage to leave his opponent that impressed the most, often following the ball and not the man to great effect. Registered spoils, rebounds from defensive 50 and took the game on - with his highlight coming in the third when he set up Moore’s second goal. Played with an abundance of heart which is an important commodity through a rebuild.
Ollie Hanrahan - 3.5/10
Just the nine touches for Ollie, and with a number of clubs sniffing around our uncontracted small forward, this performance didn’t do much to convince the powers that be that he should be given a new contract. Never really in the game, and when you look through the team sheet it is hard to find non-contributors - unfortunately for Ollie he was one of them.
Blake Hardwick - 9.5/10
Game number 100 for Dimma and you could mount an argument to suggest this was in the top handful he has played to date. Led the team for spoils, intercepts and one percenters, and was top three for metres gained with 467. 28 touches, 11 marks and bossed Collingwood’s small forwards, Hardwick will be polling maximum PCM votes for this performance. 89% efficiency as per usual - Hardwick is the very heartbeat of our defensive unit.
Kyle Hartigan – 6/10
Cops a lot of flack and has perhaps taken over the mantle from Sam Frost as the whipping boy down back. He had eight possessions which were all effective, but also registered four clangers thanks largely to his three free kicks against. He made a number of professional frees to stop certain goals and give our other defenders time to regather when the ball was breaking quickly. An integral part of our back six as he takes the opposition monster, but time to start future planning for who that will be in two to three years time.
Daniel Howe – 6/10
A tricky one to rate. Howe has had a relatively good year, but my biggest knock on him is his impact across the game over four quarters. In the past six games he has played, his first halves have totally overshadowed his second halves, and that’s exactly what happened yesterday. Howe had 13 touches and kicked a goal in the first half - including an incredible snap with four minutes left in the second term to extend our lead to four goals. But in the second half he only had it five times and registered two marks - effectively fading out of the game entirely. Want a more balanced performance but has done enough to stay listed for 2022.
Jacob Koschitzke - 7/10
One thing is for sure - even when he is not getting much of it, Kosi works his backside off to try and get into the game. His second and third efforts together with his defensive efforts up forward are heartening for a young forward learning his craft. Finished the day with three goals which was great reward for effort and great to see him linking up well with his old sparring partner (😉) Mitch Lewis up inside the forward 50.
Mitch Lewis - 6/10
Six marks and a goal for Mitch Lewis who is now working pretty well together with Kosi inside forward 50. Covered plenty of distance around the ground and has a great work-rate - but perhaps more importantly he is contesting which is what we want to see. Is benefitting by having McEvoy up as a big body around him.
Ben McEvoy – 6.5/10
After an opening quarter where he did not register a possession (had one tackle and two hit-outs), Big Boy came into the game instantly in the second. Our captain took a mark deep in the forward line inside the first minute of the second term which he slotted through, and had other moments of significance throughout the game. McEvoy registered 14 hit-outs (six of which were to direct advantage) including a textbook palm down to Nash who ran into goal in the third quarter. Was mainly deployed as a stay at home forward so would have been disappointed that he didn’t hold onto a few more ‘almost’ marks - finishing the day with three.
Tom Mitchell – 9.5/10
What a performance. Hate to sound like a broken record, but Tom Mitchell is beyond elite. I just hope that in his PCM acceptance speech he thanks Tom '‘no one is physically driving it yet, but Tom Mitchell is the one that would be happy to go” Morris, for the almighty gee up. 44 touches (ranked first) at 84% disposal efficiency, 10 marks (third), a goal, 12 score involvements (first), eight clearances (first) and seven inside-50s (first). The complete performance and the architect of the win. Oh, and three votes - AGAIN. Love that the Pies don’t rate him, love that his teammates do.
Dylan Moore – 9/10
Dyl Moore. Loves. A. Goal.™ What a season he has been having this year - kicking another two goals and reeling in Luke Breust for our top goal kicker in 2021. His first was a brilliant set shot left-foot snap from the boundary and he followed that with a quality goal on the run from 50 at the start of the third term. Worked hard again across half forward and with 20 touches had a huge impact on the game.
Harry Morrison 4/10
Joins Ollie Hanrahan as the only two players not to get a pass mark in this game. It was a disappointing welcome back to the big stage for Morrison who had 15 touches but failed to make a significant impact. Had two decent chances to flash home goals, but both of those opportunities ended up failing to trouble the scorers and was our worst ball user on the ground going at 60% disposal efficiency. Should he be nervous heading into the final two games of the season?
Conor Nash – 8/10
Two in a row! Another fantastic performance in the guts from Nash - he really did add a new element to the midfield unit. In the first quarter alone he had a number of great tackles, a huge defensive spoil running back inside defensive 50, and was the big body we needed in the centre. Nash had a team high five tackles, had four clearances, 20 touches and seven score involvements - as well as running on to an elite Ben McEvoy palm down to snap truly. As with most of our fanbase, will have my fingers crossed that he can make it three decent performances on the trot when we take on the Dogs next week.
Tim O’Brien - 6.5/10
Was fantastic in the first half and seems to be pretty settled in his new role back in defence. Took eight marks to half time and had 11 touches before totally falling away in the second half when he had three possessions and just the two grabs. Went at 92% efficiency which we keep saying is his best redeeming quality. Was rag-dolled by Darcy Cameron in the final quarter who then marked and goaled - perhaps exposing his defensive frailties. But on the balance had another solid outing.
Jaeger O’Meara – 7.5/10
Another good performance from Jaeger who seems to be relishing the change of personnel rotating through the midfield - with Nash and Wingard complimenting our core mids from recent times. Nailed a set shot from outside 50 to start the third term and finished the day with 27 touches but didn’t need to be the big bodied beast with Nash sharing that load.
Tom Phillips – 8/10
Might have been the best game Phillips has played for us despite the fact that we did not get to see one of his trademark snap goals. With 26 touches and eight marks to go with seven score involvements, Flip clearly enjoyed being out there playing against his former teammates. 500 metres gained was the second most of any player on the ground - he has put together a good few weeks of footy and will look to carry that momentum through the final couple of rounds in the season.
Jack Scrimshaw - 9.5/10
Another brilliant showing from Scrimma who was clearly one of our best players on the day. With 26 touches and 12 marks Scrimshaw owned the Collingwood half forward line, and the highlight of the day was when was the final part of a brilliant passage of team footy which saw him running into attacking 50 and ramming the ball home for a goal. Confident intercepting, reading the play, and so effective by foot, Scrimma continues to be an absolute bargain recruit.
Liam Shiels – 8/10
Pup had a good day out at the MCG, and at the moment seems to fit into the Tom Phillips category. When Titch, JOM and Worps are firing, Shiels and Phillips seem to be more effective as outside ball users. When the core mids aren’t in the game, then he seems to get shown up. Shiels made most of his 26 touches count and worked hard down the wings and up around half forward to have an impact. Was a solid contributor across all four quarters.
Chad Wingard - 9/10
Another outstanding performance from Chad, who again provided a touch of class when deployed through the middle and higher up the ground at half forward. He had a lot of it early, and his ball use and delivery set him apart from many others as the game unfolded. Only Tom Mitchell had more possessions than Wingard who finished the day with 30 - his offensive threat highlighted with six inside-50s and eight score involvements. Looked pretty happy as the group walked off the ground which was heart-warming.
James Worpel – 6/10
It was the seventh game in succession that Worps has kicked a goal, and it was a good one too in the second quarter where he ran to forward 50 and duly converted from long range. Only had the 13 touches but that is due to being subbed off in the third quarter with an injured foot. Has had a great second half of the season, and will hopefully be right to play next week.
