28.5k at a Friday night game in Melbourne, Hawks have been marching towards a top 2 spot and that's the amount of their ferals that turn up?

They're meant to have 73,000 members, lol please. How many of those supposed 73,000 are made up of 3-game,Tasmanian and pet memberships? I'm guessing at least a 1/3 and i'm being generous.

Definitely not far off the mark.

The thing that constantly surprises me is how many Dees stickers I see on the back of car windows and number plates on a simple drive to work every day (and no small drive either, we're talking all the way up the Monash for half an hour and through Toorak/South Yarra).

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw another car brandishing a sticker for another club other than Collingwood.

I've been looking at Hogan's stats (among others) and decided I'll try to keep my interest up during dead rubber season by cheering on a couple of personal achievement the monster can aim for.

First up, he's chasing Tom Hawkins for most contested marks in a season. Currently just 3 behind - 42 to 45.

He also needs to pick up five or six goals on a few players in a cluster at 44/45 goals, in order to finish the season in the top 10 goalkickers.

Taking the Tom Hawkins comparison and running with it - they are serious hard to split. Some numbers in favour of Hogan, others favouring Hawkins.

Main difference is that Hogan seems to spend more time away from goal up the ground. More inside 50s, fewer marks inside 50, that sort of thing.

Anyway, I'll be keeping an eye on Hawkins and a half-eye on the cluster of other forwards around that top-10 goals mark. Just to observe a little milestone in a big career.

Add to all that - Hogan and Cripps are the clear outstanding pair in the running for the Rising Star award. Their comparative games on sunday might be the clincher! Obviously all the decision-makers eyes will be on that game.

If the AFL are serious Hodge should get plenty.
As dangerous a move as I've seen for some time.
Following up from his elbow to the face of Swallow earlier on in the year.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/video-luke-hodge-bumps-chad-wingards-head-into-point-post-may-see-match-review-panel-penalty/story-fnelctok-1227493842676

I reckon Sunday's match will determine the Rising Star winner. Hogan kicks 5 and it's all over.

So sweet Whoethorn losing....

So sweet Whoethorn losing....

you can say that again

Bruce: "Do you think Hodge knew the post was there?"

Some other [censored]: "Nah surely not, it was definitely accidental."

http://gfycat.com/LivelyUglyBaleenwhale

Yes Frawley is struggling. Not deserved of a game but the hawks are paying him $$$$ bigtime. His disposal is average.

A couple of times he looked the true deer in the headlights. Hasn't fitted in at all. We're Sphanger not injured he would struggle to get a game.

Melbourne could learn a thing or two from Port. After enduring similar circumstances (with far less concessions) they've found a way to exceed all expectations.

We've treaded water.

Their midfield is way ahead of ours. Great attitude (in some games).

Those Hawthorn player sure don't like losing or even the prospect of losing. And I don't mean in the way that inspires their play. I mean they whinged about free kicks as much as the typical one-eyed supporter does rather than just get on with the game.

what hodge did was one of the more deliberate dog acts i've seen.

he's lucky wingard didn't suffer a severe injury.

knowing the mrp, it'll be langford, dunstall and buckenara on the panel and he'll get off with a slap on the wrist.

what hodge did was one of the more deliberate dog acts i've seen.

he's lucky wingard didn't suffer a severe injury.

knowing the mrp, it'll be langford, dunstall and buckenara on the panel and he'll get off with a slap on the wrist.

All they need to do is look at Hodge's face as he lines him. It's completely clear that it's intentional! But as you said, he coulld get off given the mrp lottery

Bruce: "Do you think Hodge knew the post was there?"

Some other [censored]: "Nah surely not, it was definitely accidental."

http://gfycat.com/LivelyUglyBaleenwhale

This again demonstrates why outcome should have no bearing with MRP decisions. Wingard could easily be in a wheelchair right now, extremely lucky to escape without injury.

James Frawley = Cam Bruce 2.0

Anyone know why the Hawks took Lake off rather than Frawley? Not tanking are they?

Hodge deserves 3 for the hit and 1 because he obviously knew the point post was there. Add another week for previous record and it should be 5.

Will probably get 0 weeks and a ssponsorship from the afl

No doubt about it!

Definitely not far off the mark.

The thing that constantly surprises me is how many Dees stickers I see on the back of car windows and number plates on a simple drive to work every day (and no small drive either, we're talking all the way up the Monash for half an hour and through Toorak/South Yarra).

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw another car brandishing a sticker for another club other than Collingwood.

Can't believe Collingwood supporters put pies stickers on cars before they steal them.

Hopefully we can learn something from Port's performance. They can, technically, still make the finals though - maybe that 0.001% chance has kept them going. Hardly matters really.

28.5k at a Friday night game in Melbourne, Hawks have been marching towards a top 2 spot and that's the amount of their ferals that turn up?

They're meant to have 73,000 members, lol please. How many of those supposed 73,000 are made up of 3-game,Tasmanian and pet memberships? I'm guessing at least a 1/3 and i'm being generous.

Hawthorn's members are largely fake.

They've signed up on the back of the club winning flag after flag. They're not real supporters though. We get made fun of for our supporters not knowing who the players are or going to the snow or not really caring, but IMO Hawthorn's supporters are much worse with that.

It may be years and years away, but I long for the time when they fall apart.

When did penalties for incidents become dependant on whether the victim was injured or not, surely the role of the MRP is to hand down penalties to stop dangerous actions. I'd say it's more luck that apWingard was not seriously injured last night. But because no injury he will get off Scott free. Meanwhile Trengove gets 3 for a beautiful tackle that left Dangerfield groggy

It's amazing how Port did this called "applying pressure" and look what happens. They rattled Hawthorn from the start who never got going.

Pressure requires no skill, experience or football knowledge. It is simply a state of mind, how all times can't do it all the time at AFL level amazes me.

Wingard is a genuine star, Hodge deserves four weeks but will get one.

A big part of the pressure though was Ports ability to take the ball away and use it well, this does take skill.

It also takes footy smarts to know how to apply the pressure, it's how you take the Hawks game apart.

Well done MFC for giving Hawthorn a Trojan Horse(James Frawley).

Bruce: "Do you think Hodge knew the post was there?"

Some other [censored]: "Nah surely not, it was definitely accidental."

http://gfycat.com/LivelyUglyBaleenwhale

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-21/five-talking-points-hawthorn-v-port-adelaide

"As Wingard was chasing down a ball deep in the Power's forward line, Hodge appeared to catch the Power star high. And to add a wrinkle of complexity to the MRP's job, at the moment of impact Wingard was up against the behind post, with the force of Hodge's bump appearing to knock his head into the post."

Remember, that is -

"appeared to"... "catch" ... him "high".

That's what we're calling a deliberate hip-slam to the back of the head made to an off-balance bent over player while not competing for the ball and requiring a change of momentum to make contact.

One of the things most obvious in that gif is the way Hodge clearly set himself to the angle then pushed off from his left foot. In fact, watching the feet, you can see that he jumped into Wingard's head, rather than simply continuing to run.

I would be interesting to hear someone argue that was his intended trajectory and Wingard being in the way was an accident, because if Wingard wasn't there, Hodge has just spontaneously changed direction in order to jump into the behind post.

Maybe the Hawks are back to their [redacted] habits of old?

Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Lake - these guys are, at their core, dirty players. Each has a nasty streak, each likes to be overly aggressive. Hiding behind the strength that is their super team (and I'm not criticising their abilities, each is an A-grade superstar), when the team is winning they don't have to be emotional or involved, the win will come. But when they need to fire up to get the team fired up, things like this happen.

Hodge's was an intentional bump to a player's head, in circumstances where he had the time and ability to decide what he wanted to do, and elected to bump. That should be a minimum of 4 weeks on the sidelines, including any so-called 'guilty plea'. This is the kind of act we should be trying to stamp out of the game.

The problem is, Wingard played on. The MRP could well say the impact was 'low'. According to the rules, an intentional bump to a players head, if the impact is low, is worth a 2 week suspension, down to 1 with a guilty plea. Ridiculous.

Well done MFC for giving Hawthorn a Trojan Horse(James Frawley).

Frawley, Sylvia, Scully.

At this rate we'll see Howe leave for more money and someone will give us a top-ten pick for him.

The problem is, Wingard played on. The MRP could well say the impact was 'low'. According to the rules, an intentional bump to a players head, if the impact is low, is worth a 2 week suspension, down to 1 with a guilty plea. Ridiculous.

While he continued to play (well) Wingard didn't actually jump to his feet immediately - he was flat on his back for quite a while. Surely that has to be more than low impact - medium?