His strong performance is promising that with time Roos can de-Melbourne our younger players.

He's taken along time to get a game at the hawks on a consistent basis.

Says a lot about our development really.

He always had guts. Hawthorn like players with guts. For some reason since the Danniher years we've been a little gun shy of them. Granted that some of the gutsy players we picked in that time were talentless head cases, but a couple of them never go astray.

Let's trade for him.

Not the worst notion. He'll struggle to keep his spot once Stratton and Lake come back, so he could be up for it. We got rid of him because we couldn't fix his disposal. Now that someone else has, why not?

He always had guts. Hawthorn like players with guts. For some reason since the Danniher years we've been a little gun shy of them. Granted that some of the gutsy players we picked in that time were talentless head cases, but a couple of them never go astray.

This is very true.

When I think of Cheney I always think back to an incident I saw at Casey. Under no pressure, he went for a 30m pass across goal to an unmarked teammate. He missed so badly that the opposition got to the ball first. He then charged in and won the ball back himself, only to kick it out on the full. For most of his career that summed him up. He has always been a hard-at-it ball-winner, but his kicking let him down so badly that even with the ball-winning you just couldn't play him in your side (even for us who play McKenzie and TMac regularly). I think it is an enormous credit to the development work they do at the Hawks that they have taken a player we gave up on and over the course of a few years managed to rehabilitate him to the point that they can play him as an undersized CHB and have no concerns either about his competitiveness or his disposal. He's not the brilliant penetrating kick that some of them are, but as long as he has a teammate moving into space for him he's hitting his targets when he should. Frankly, that would rate him in the top 5 field kicks at Melbourne right now.

Well said Carrot Top. The Hawks play hard and he would relish that environment. I can't think of the last time we made a mediocre footballer into a good one.

the tale of cheney's kicking proves that team mates providing good options is very very important to the perception of how good a kick someone is.

Well I thought he got toweled up by Pavlich and was guilty of some pretty poor defending, particularly in the first half, that resulted in scoring shots for the dockers. Some melbourne-like errors in fact, just disguised by a well drilled hawthorn team. Bit harsh maybe. He is a competitive player though, strong in the air and commits to the contest. Could use a few more of those.

Seems to have fitted in nicely in the Hawks' defense. Has been there every time the Dockers have gone deep. Cut off a few low shots at goal.

Hawks fans speak highly of him.

I always liked Cheney, even when others didn't. straight forward honest footballer who'll continue to grow as a player. tough, courageous, honest competitor.

He always had guts. Hawthorn like players with guts. For some reason since the Danniher years we've been a little gun shy of them. Granted that some of the gutsy players we picked in that time were talentless head cases, but a couple of them never go astray.

I think its more about the players we do recruit in the past. flashy outside runners like last centuries. perfect for the northern wing.

oneday we'll start recruiting for finals type footballers.

He's taken along time to get a game at the hawks on a consistent basis.

Says a lot about our development really.

No it doesn't.

the tale of cheney's kicking proves that team mates providing good options is very very important to the perception of how good a kick someone is.

I think it's more a matter of him playing within his skill set, he knows he is not a great kick so plays the percentages, plays more down the line or gives off to someone who is an excellent kick. Maybe it's experience and or coaching but he doesn't take risks with his kicking as someone like Mitchell or Burgoyne will.

He is a good depth player. Something only good clubs have. Can adequately do the job required. May miss out once Lake, Stratton and Schoenmakers return. This is like us having Garland, Frawley and McDonald all out at the same time. Currently the Hawks are the most complete team in the business. I would like to know the rationale to why we did not keep him.

Edited April 4, 201411 yr by america de cali

the tale of cheney's kicking proves that team mates providing good options is very very important to the perception of how good a kick someone is.

.....and especially so off half back. Something I haven't seen in R&B for decades.

Not the worst notion. He'll struggle to keep his spot once Stratton and Lake come back, so he could be up for it. We got rid of him because we couldn't fix his disposal. Now that someone else has, why not?

This is very true.

When I think of Cheney I always think back to an incident I saw at Casey. Under no pressure, he went for a 30m pass across goal to an unmarked teammate. He missed so badly that the opposition got to the ball first. He then charged in and won the ball back himself, only to kick it out on the full. For most of his career that summed him up. He has always been a hard-at-it ball-winner, but his kicking let him down so badly that even with the ball-winning you just couldn't play him in your side (even for us who play McKenzie and TMac regularly). I think it is an enormous credit to the development work they do at the Hawks that they have taken a player we gave up on and over the course of a few years managed to rehabilitate him to the point that they can play him as an undersized CHB and have no concerns either about his competitiveness or his disposal. He's not the brilliant penetrating kick that some of them are, but as long as he has a teammate moving into space for him he's hitting his targets when he should. Frankly, that would rate him in the top 5 field kicks at Melbourne right now.

Disagree. Kicking it 30 metres to 2, 3, 4 hawks all by themselves all night gives me no understanding of his improved kicking. His strength is one on one contested marking and clarkson is using him as he lacks key backs. He aged on but the very few times he was one out he was just ok giving away some goals.

Disagree. Kicking it 30 metres to 2, 3, 4 hawks all by themselves all night gives me no understanding of his improved kicking. His strength is one on one contested marking and clarkson is using him as he lacks key backs. He aged on but the very few times he was one out he was just ok giving away some goals.

I say the act that he was able to hit those teammates is an improvement. He never used to be able to do that.

He is a good depth player. Something only good clubs have. Can adequately do the job required. May miss out once Lake, Stratton and Schoenmakers return. This is like us having Garland, Frawley and McDonald all out at the same time. Currently the Hawks are the most complete team in the business. I would like to know the rationale to why we did not keep him.

If we'd kept him he would be worse than he is now.

It's a lot easier to develop and play good football when your teammates are skilled, your coach is Clarkson and not Neeld, and your leaders are Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Gibson and Roughead instead of...well...whoever we have.

When he played for us, I always thought he was a good mark for his size, and was reliable with his disposal. More knowledgeable judges gave him away to Hawthorn.

Cheney is an an average footballer. We made the right call.

What some here seem to miss is that not every player in a good team is a champion. The fill a role. Its the leadership and the elite players that usually determine ow a team plays. Players that we have been lacking for 7 yrs.

Port is a good example. Good mids and leadership. A lot of average players that play roles. But they also play with heart because the leadership demand it.

A lot of Melbourne players make it at other clubs (a lot don't also !) FFS even Bennell gets a game at West Coke.

That's why possibly losing Mitch CLark is gonna hurt us incredibly. A fit MClark is an elite competitor and talent. He lifts other players, gives them confidence and demands better performances. We need 4 pr 5 players minimum like that..sadly...

I say the act that he was able to hit those teammates is an improvement. He never used to be able to do that.

Because every time he had the ball he was under more pressure at Melbourne.