Round 4 Selection Dissection
HI match committee chairman Angry Brad resurfaced during the first term against the Blues, but has calmed down appreciably ahead of Sunday's clash with the Saints.
Hawthorn v St Kilda
Sunday April 10, 3.20pm
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sigh! That one hurt.
After coming out firing the week before against Port Adelaide, we came out firing blanks against the Blues and it cost us dearly. A heart breaking one-point loss after coming back from 41 points down during the second quarter.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Once again, the youngsters stood up and nearly got us over the line.
Losing isn’t great, but if we are going to lose playing the way we are, that’s OK. At least it’s exciting and we can see the direction Sam Mitchell is taking.
Moving on to this week against the Saints in what looks to be a very winnable game. 3-1 will look a lot better than 2-2. Stop Max King and we are home!
The backline
Surprise, surprise…our backline once again delivered and nearly got us over the line. Backline MVP goes to CJ! He is going to give us all so much joy over the next decade. Frost was once again fantastic.
DGB played his best game. Hopefully his ankle injury isn’t too bad and he can get up this week. Sicily continues to show why many rate him as our best and most important player.
It was also great to have the classy Will Day back, playing his quarterback role. He did limp off in the last five minutes with looked like cramp. Hopefully it’s nothing serious.
We may be forced to make one change this week with the underrated Jack Scrimshaw suffering a shoulder injury in his 50th game. Hopefully he gets up.
Like the week before, our midfielders once again owe our defenders each a slab of premium beer. 64-46 inside 50’s against, yet the Blues forward line of McKay, Curnow and De Koning kicked under 75 points.
The midfield
Smashed yet again!!
As expected, Cripps, Walsh and Kennedy were simply much better. We lost clearances 37-31 and centre clearances 18-7.
Jaeger O’Meara continues to disappoint. Tom Mitchell does not look to be 100 per cent fit and is struggling to have an impact in the middle of the ground. James Worpel was better than previous weeks.
Time for the senior midfielders to lift!
St Kilda’s midfield is average at best. Other than Jack Steele and Brad Crouch, they lack depth. If our midfielders can’t get on top this week, we are in a world of trouble for the rest of the season.
A big positive last week was the continued form of Jai Newcombe, Connor Nash, Josh Ward and Connor Macdonald. The quartet have all outperformed our more senior players to start the season.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I’ll let you decide.
The ruck
Ned Reeves battled manfully against the Blues, whilst Conor Nash did a decent relief job. With how young and raw Reeves still is, we need to be playing two rucks.
With Big Boy out for at least half the season, hopefully Max Lynch clears concussion protocol and will be back this week. We will need his grunt and size against Ryder and Marshall, who are arguably the league’s top ruck combo.
The forwards
Unfortunately our forwards struggled to have an impact.
Mitch Lewis, Jack Gunston and Chad Wingard were all quiet. Wingard looks to have another soft tissue injury, this time to his calf and will miss this week. Sam Docherty and Jacob Weitering were just too good on the day.
Dylan Moore was once again our best forward. He would currently be in the All-Australian team. How do you like them apples @kanecornes?
What should happen:
In: Lynch, Phillips, Long (Debut)
Out: Wingard (Injured), Scrimshaw (injured), Maginness (omitted), Howe (medi-sub)
B: Hardwick, Frost, DGB
HB: Jiath, Sicily, Day
C: Ward, Nash, O’Meara
HF: Moore, Gunston, Worpel
FF: Macdonald, Lewis, Breust
R: Reeves, Mitchell, Newcombe
Int: Phillips, Morrison, Lynch, Long (debut)
Sub: Howe
What will happen:
In: Lynch, Phillips, Long (Debut)
Out: Wingard (Injured), Scrimshaw (injured), Maginness (omitted), Howe (medi-sub)
B: Hardwick, Frost, DGB
HB: Jiath, Sicily, Day
C: Ward, Nash, O’Meara
HF: Moore, Gunston, Worpel
FF: Macdonald, Lewis, Breust
R: Reeves, Mitchell, Newcombe
Int: Phillips, Morrison, Lynch, Long (debut)
Sub: Howe