I didn't hear Cam Schwab say anything about it but Don McLardy said something along the lines of "it's a difficult market .. we have a number of opportunities we're progressing" earlier he mentioned that "we have contingency plans in place". On that basis I'm not expecting an imminent announcement. Others may have interpreted this differently.
Could not agree more - Francis Leach is a huge loss to that show. Ox is a boof-head and Mark Allen is an amiable light-weight who knows next to nothing about anything except golf and maybe boxing. When you put them together it's a terrible recipe. Then add Robbo on Thursday nights and it's completely down the toilet - what a combo! I used to really enjoy Francis, Ox and Robbo on Thursday nights with the teams, it was amazing the chemistry Leach brought to that group - only really clear now that he has gone.
When we kicked in from a point Jack Watts positioned inside the centre square - we're going to go long to a contest on the boundary line every time and we're never going into the corridor. He cannot be part of the play with this set-up. I just don't get it.
When we kick into a one-on-one in the forward 50 with Aaron Davey against a significantly taller opponent, why kick it up so he's got absolutely no chance? It's a revolutionary idea - kick it along the ground.
He only played a half last week - expect similar tomorrow. He's got to play so the midfield gets used to the set-up.
Fitz rucked the entire 3rd quarter against I think Ceglar - Bucks and Neeld conspired I reckon. Fitz did well and I liked his around the ground work too.
Pretty strong Hawthorn line-up:
Jordan Lewis
Matt Suckling
Sam Mitchell
Chance Bateman
Clinton Young
Brad Sewell
Kyle Cheney
Grant Birchall
Luke Hodge
Isaac Smith
Cameron Bruce
Jack Gunston
David Hale
Shane Savage
Luke Breust
Lance Franklin
Benjamin Stratton
Ryan Schoenmakers
Liam Shiels
Paul Puopolo
Thomas Murphy
Luke Lowden
Jarrad Boumann
Bradley Hill
Cyril Rioli
Jordan Kelly
Brendan Whitecross
Mitchell Hallahan
Max Bailey
I'm a fan and the biggest plus was that he gets involved in the play.
When it lands on him he can actually grab it which is also a big plus, but he mis-judged the flight a number of times in some fairly comical ways.
To be really competitive we need to develop the top 5 - did anyone see Pendlebury last Saturday night?
But I do think there's a lot of competition for our bottom 5 now - more than there was when we played finals under Daniher - and we'll have at least good players all over the field.
I think it's 22 and then 4 can swap in at half-time so that makes 26 - that list has 29 so 3 won't play.
Captain from Jones, Frawley, Garland and Jamar?
I reckon we're guaranteed to be better than GWS, Port and Gold Coast and guaranteed to be worse than Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Carlton and West Coast
That leaves 10 teams in the middle - we could finish anywhere in that bunch from 6th to 15th.