Selection dissection: There's always the Suns
The Hawks are faced with an embarrassment of riches at selection ahead of an all-too-rare trip to Queensland to play the Suns,.
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GOLD COAST v HAWTHORN
Sunday, 4.40pm
Heritage Bank Arena
It’s good to be back!
After three wins from our last four matches the bye didn’t come at a great time for us, but we now enter the back half the 2023 season playing an exciting style of football with a fully fit list and a lot to look forward to.
The only negative was the pathetic three-match suspension handed out to our captain James Sicily. I’m not sure there is much more that can be said.
Our next three matches are all winnable - Gold Coast, Carlton and GWS and if we play the way we did against the Saints and the Lions we can win at least two of them. Sicily will need to be replaced which will hurt and whilst we all hope it will be Denver Grainger-Barrass, we know it will be Sam Frost coming in.
As mentioned above, with the injury list in great shape, there will be a lot of quality players lining up for Box Hill in the run home. The likes of Chad Wingard, Harry Morrison, DGB, Fergus Greene, Cooper Stephens, Emerson Jeka, Max Ramsden, Lachie Bramble, Josh Ward, Ned Long, Cam Mackenzie, Henry Hustwaite, Jai Serong, Bailey Macdonald and Finn Maginness will be making up the majority of our VFL side each week.
The current depth of our squad is incredibly exciting and will no doubt create a lot of competition for spots on a weekly basis.
With a fully fit list, selection this week will be fascinating. Does Mitchell stick with the same side (minus Sicily) that beat the Lions or does he bring in some experience??
The backline
As mentioned above Sicily will miss the next three weeks. With Sam Frost declared fully fit in the club’s most recent injury report I can see him coming in for Sicily.
Unfortunately I can’t see DGB playing this season unless James Blanck or Frost get injured.
Changkuoth Jiath has missed the past four weeks and is on the verge of returning from a calf injury. In my opinion he has been overtaken by the likes of Seamus Mitchell and Josh Weddle and will need to return via Box Hill.
The midfield
Our midfield unit continue to impress and have justified the club’s decision to part ways with Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara.
Whilst it would be great to see Cam Mackenzie play a full game, he has been excellent as the sub in recent weeks and will most probably get the same role this week.
Josh Ward has been in decent form for Box Hill and is a chance to return with Lachie Bramble the player most likely to make way.
The ruck
Lloyd Meek has been outperforming Ned Reeves recently and looks to be our number one ruckman. Whilst Reeves has had a few decent games in 2023, his year as a whole has been disappointing.
With Max Ramsden coming through, Reeves will need to improve in the back half of the season to cement his spot heading into 2024.
The forward line
Jacob Koschitzke had his best game of the season against the Lions and deserves to hold his spot in the side for the next few weeks.
Mitch Lewis continues to show he’s one of the best key forwards in the game, whilst the likes of Tyler Brockman, Sam Butler and Dylan Moore are combining really well as the small-medium unit.
Luke Breust copped a bad corkie and was subbed out against the Lions but is fully fit and will play.
At selection
What should happen
Out: Sicily (suspended), Bramble (omit)
In: DGB, Ward
FB: Hardwick, Blanck, Impey
HBF: Scrimshaw, DGB, Mitchell
C: Weddle, Nash, Amon
HFF: Moore, Koschitzke, Meek
FF: Brockman, Lewis, Breust
R: Reeves, Newcombe, Day
Int: Worpel, Macdonald, Butler, Ward (Mackenzie)
What will happen
Out: Sicily (suspended)
In: Frost
FB: Hardwick, Blanck, Impey
HBF: Scrimshaw, Frost, Mitchell
C: Weddle, Nash, Amon
HFF: Moore, Koschitzke, Meek
FF: Brockman, Lewis, Breust
R: Reeves, Newcombe, Day
Int: Worpel, Macdonald, Butler, Bramble, (Mackenzie)
Thanks Brad. Yes, Bramble was one of the quieter players against Brisbane but his 3 weeks prior had been good. His leg speed is an important part of the game plan and he'd be stiff to lose his spot. Another game in the twos won't hurt Ward who missed several weeks and then had the bye. It's only one game, but the lack of Frostball and Frost decisions against Brisbane was very nice. I'd be tempted to ask Scrimshaw to play as the second key defender and we have Weddle as the third. That's probably ok against GCS and GWS, but may be an issue against Curnow and McKay in 2 weeks. Whether or not Denver plays for the seniors in the remainder of season 2023 will depend on how he goes with BH - if he performs there as the coaches want, can't see why he wouldn't be given an opportunity. Based on possession numbers, which is only a small part of it, he's really only had the one dominant game with BH, it's not as though he's been in the best each week. It will be tough playing GCS on the rebound up there in the evening, hoping that we can again be competitive.
Out: Sicily (WTF), Bramble Omitted
In: Frost, McKenzie
Sub: Ward