Selection Dissection: Danger Zone 🚨
This isn't the twilight zone, but for the Hawks, this Saturday evening against the Dees is danger zone territory
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Hawthorn v Melbourne
Saturday 16 May @ MCG, 4:15pm
The bloody Fremantle Dockers. Every time!
We are now 1-7 in our last eight games against the Dockers. The loss was made worse with injuries to three of our best and most important players in Tom Barrass, Jack Gunston and Conor Nash.
This week we come up against Melbourne in what looms as a massive clash. The Demons are 6-3 this season and are 5-0 at the MCG. Many had the Dees finishing in the bottom four this season, but their new coach Steven King has done a sensational job since arriving at the club. They are playing an exciting brand of footy and will not be an easy team to beat this week. This is a classic danger game!
Selection this week will be the most anticipated we have seen in recent years, with plenty of potential options for the enforced changes. Also, shout out to CJ, who plays against the Hawks for the first time in his new colours.
The Backline
This week we will see just how important Barrass is, as well as who will stand up with him not in the side! This year, the Hawks Insiders have been strong on Barrass being the one player we could not afford to lose through injury. After suffering a hamstring injury against the Dockers last week, he will miss the next 3-5 weeks, which means he won’t be back until after our bye. He will miss games against Melbourne, Adelaide, St Kilda and the Bulldogs.
Looking to this Saturday evening - even though it would be great to see Noah Mraz debut, it won’t happen. Jack Scrimshaw was the obvious replacement for Barrass but he failed to train today after an injury at training on Tuesday, so won’t be selected. I expect Josh Weddle to return permanently to defence this week. The experiment with him up the ground needs to end.
Josh Battle will need to play on the in-form Jacob Van Rooyen. The big worry for us this week will be who plays on Melbourne captain Max Gawn? Gawn now plays a lot of the game forward so our defensive coaches will have to come up with a plan.
The Demons don’t have a big forward line, so we could also look at bringing in an extra runner with the likes of Bailey Macdonald and Flynn Perez (can also play wing) in the mix. If that happens, we may see Blake Hardwick move forward to help cover the loss of Jack Gunston.
In the mix to replace Barrass: Noah Mraz, Bailey Macdonald, Flynn Perez
The Midfield
Last week against the Dockers was a disaster, most notably in the last quarter. A whopping -8 in clearance and -6 centre clearance in the fourth quarter was not good enough and cost us the game.
It won’t get any easier this week against the Dees with Nash ruled out with concussion. Nash will be a big loss, especially for Jai Newcombe. Nash has been fantastic this season and plays a crucial role in freeing up Newcombe to win clearances.
I think Nash’s best replacement for the role he plays is Henry Hustwaite. He has been in great VFL form playing as an inside midfielder. He is out of contract at the end of this season, so this is likely his last chance to impress. His debut game was against Melbourne in 2024, where he had 15 disposals, two goals and five tackles. If he isn’t selected this week, I expect him to be the Jai Serong of 2025.
Other options to replace Nash:
Finn Maginness: He is dominant as a midfielder at VFL level and has the size to match it with the bigger Melbourne midfielders in Jack Steele and Tom Sparrow. He could also play a run-with role on Kozzy Pickett if required.
Ollie Greaves: He has the size but does he have the tank? I don’t think he is ready yet.
The half forwards: I thought the coach had a poor game last week. Why did Connor Macdonald, Dylan Moore and Nick Watson not go into the midfield more, especially in the last quarter against the Dockers? Surely, this week they spend more time in the middle? Macdonald and Watson both need to play more midfield this week.
The biggest headache for the coach this week will be the match-up for Pickett. He’s a top five player in the AFL this season. Watch for Sam Butler to potentially play a defensive role on Pickett.
The Ruck
The less said about last weeks game against Luke Jackson the better. At least Reeves and Meeky have Max Gawn to look forward to this week! Good luck boys. There’s now also Max Heath, who in the last few weeks has been excellent in the ruck, which has allowed Gawn to play more forward. Hopefully, we don’t lose our voices this week screaming “STOP KICKING THE BALL TO GAWN”.
I actually think Reeves and Meek match-up better against Gawn/Heath than they do against Jackson.
The Forward Line
Jack Gunston suffered a mid-foot sprain last week and has barely trained this week. With a five-day break into Adelaide, he won’t play. It would be great to see Aidan Schubert debut but I don’t think he is ready. I’m not sure Max Ramsden did enough last week and may be omitted.
Calsher Dear trained with the main group today and is a chance to return but Mabior Chol is still a week away. I think we will also see an extra runner come in, likely Jack Dalton. Cam Nairn is another that is close to a debut and can play a half forward role if required.
The small forwards other than the Wizard all had shockers last week and must hit the scoreboard this week if we are to win. To beat Melbourne, we will need to kick 15+ goals.
Dylan Moore, in particular must stand up. His last two games have been poor and he has had a inconsistent start to the season. With the likes of Matt Hill, Jack Dalton and Cameron Nairn performing at VFL level, I’m not sure how many more chances he has to hold his spot. VFL form must be rewarded and we have seen the coach isn’t afraid to make big calls with selection this season.
In the mix: Calsher Dear, Will McCabe, Aidan Schubert, Jack Dalton, Matt Hill, Cameron Nairn
Ben Ronke Of The Week
Latrelle Pickett to take over the Pickett Pocket and kick 3+ goals.
What Should Happen:
Out: Gunston (injured), Barrass (injured), Nash (injured), Ramsden (omitted)
In: Dear, Hustwaite, Dalton, Nairn (Debut)
B: Hardwick - Battle - Ryan
HB: Amon - Sicily - Impey
C: D’Ambrosio - Ward - Ginnivan
HF: Moore - Dear - C.Macdonald
F: Watson - Lewis - Butler
FOL: Reeves - Newcombe - Mackenzie
INT: Meek - Dalton - Weddle - Nairn - Hustwaite
Emg: Hill - Maginness - Morrison
What Will Happen:
Out: Gunston (injured), Barrass (injured), Nash (injured)
In: Dear, Hustwaite, Dalton
B: Hardwick - Battle - Ryan
HB: Amon - Sicily - Impey
C: D’Ambrosio - Ward - Ginnivan
HF: Moore - Dear - C.Macdonald
F: Watson - Lewis - Butler
FOL: Reeves - Newcombe - Mackenzie
INT: Meek - Dalton - Weddle - Ramsden - Hustwaite
Emg: Hill - Nairn - Morrison
Under the pump
No one and everyone at the same time? The draw against Collingwood into the loss against the Dockers puts some pressure on a depleted side to find some form against a team that often troubles us. We will need big games from our key players to win this one.
In the mix
B.Macdonald, Finn Maginness, Flynn Perez, Aidan Schubert, Harry Morrison, Ollie Greeves, Cam Nairn, Matt Leray
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Not one to criticize your content, coz I sub for a reason. But when you hastily added that Scrim is injured and won't play, you forgot to take out the rest of the mentions of him. So, he won't be an option to play on Gawn down back, he isn't in the mix to cover Barrass, and shouldn't be in the team lists :)
Very hard to understand the basis for Maginness AND Morison being selected. Surely Dalton and Bailey McDonald are better options.