Adam The God

We'd be in trouble if they try to enforce some new rules in this area. Our contested style keeps us in games that we would otherwise be blown out of the water in, due to our below standard skills.

Yeah, it was about keeping the ball in motion the whole time. It also throws the opposition off and doesn't give them time to set up defensively. But it requires each and every Hawthorn player to know exactly where there are and where they should be at all times. They also must have the skill to execute these skills quickly and precisely, otherwise you can prevent Hawthorn from scoring.

I've always wondered why there isn't more innovation though. It seems most coaches are pretty conservative. For example, how would a team defend the following: we clear out our forward 50, pushing the rest of the forwards up to the wings, with the exception of Hogan. We have a one-on-one inside forward 50. If the opposition team lose the clearance, we have a one-on-one and if the ball hits the deck, it's up to our blokes to get back and offer support to Hogan. The opposition could simply drop another defender back on Hogan, but we'd then have an extra number at the stoppage, which you'd hope, with smart decision making and spread, we'd be able to utilise to our advantage. The other way the defending side could choose to combat this, is by having a defender playing midway between half forward and the goal square. Once we win the clearance, he zones off to the square to provide a two-on-one. If his team wins possession, he can provide run off half back instead. Anyway, I don't see why something like this isn't tried. It's basically a slightly different take on Pagan's paddock, but if your mids use the ball well, it'd be very tough to defend.

Let's talk stats, shall we? So Patrick Dangerfield averages early 20s for disposals for the last three years and averages one goal a game. Dion Prestia averages late 20s for the past three years. Who would you prefer? Sorry, the article on the AFL website 'Is Patrick Dangerfield worth the hype' got me thinking.

I hope we're following our own blueprint and not somebody else's. I thought that was the learning from this thread. We want to be inventive. I hope Goody has what it takes.

What are you talking about? Are you suggesting we trade Salem? A highly skilled left-footer, who is tough at the contest and makes good decisions. He'd fit in nicely at Hawthorn and he fits in perfectly at Melbourne.

I think this was more about Roos' game style influence on the competition (Sydney, Freo, Melbourne), rather than just an attack on Melbourne.

Fascinating. Bomber Thompson was just asked on AFL 360 whether Paul Roos' game style is good for football. Robbo tried to get him to say it wasn't, but Bomber said, no, Roosy's style is not only stoppage football. He claimed Roos opened us up earlier in the year and that our ball movement has the capacity to be very quick. When they start to 'get it', Roosy will open us up even more. I mean, we knew this, but some on this thread have seemed to dispute it. We should expect next season to be scoring more heavily again. Last year we were defensive-minded, worrying about lowering the opposition's weekly score. This year we are trying to find a balance between defensiveness and offensiveness. Next year we will look to increase our ball movement, by adding pace to our list in the off season and more skill.

Oh, sorry OD. I'm not referring to the one on the boundary. I'm referring to the one that would classify as the forward pocket, but it's barely acute.

He's a right footer, so the wrong side for a right footer, but the angle is not acute.

It's interesting. Gawn has missed the exact same shot on goal against Geelong, Essendon and Brisbane - the last three weeks. It's the one from the left forward pocket.

So we should place stock in what Dermie says? Let's sign players up on that basis. Come on.

And for the record, I used to think Nik Nat was overhyped and he was, but now I've adjusted my views because I've used my eyes and seen his influence on games this year. To be clear, I think his impact was marginal last year. This year, he's become an instrumental part of West Coast's dominant midfield.

This is exactly why using such a small sample size is flawed. I'm certainly not saying Max won't continue to improve, just that it's laughable to say right now he's as good as or better than Nik Nat, after playing only two dominant games against unrecognised/no named ruckmen and a one very good game against Brisbane.

His knees have been wrecked for years and he continues to play on them. I'd say it's almoat a certainty that he'll line up against us.

Roos' 2005 side has outside run. We haven't got that yet. And Goodwin will had the attacking gameplan that I understand will be closer to Clarkson's attacking game plan, but Roosy will have laid the defensive foundations. Contested football will never become unimportant in modern footy.

Neeld was just trying to emulate Malthouse's 2010 style, but with a weaker list.

Gawn's played 6 games. Those stats are heavily skewed.

Exactly. This is what pisses me off the most. I'd be fine with clubs who didn't oppose us getting PPs applying, but what hypocrisy otherwise. Particularly, when they opposed it last [censored] year.

And we're about to break FItzroy's losing record over the last decade.

How do we know JKH is very coachable? Has that been said somewhere?

Gawn is not better than Nik Nat. Ridiculous. Nik Nat is however a flawed player, but his tap work this year has been excellent. Far more consistent than Gawn too.

He's not quick, he's not great at positioning himself in the right areas. His strengths so far has been his agility, but he's shown nothing this season.

Roosy intimated we played like millionaires against Brisbane on AFL 360. 'You try the outside kick, you try the dinky little kick up over the top' etc. He went on to say he didn't like it. I thought that's exactly how we played against the Druggies too. We're too fancy at times. A few occasions where Hogan turned the ball over were those dinky little kicks and he's certainly not the only one. I also felt some of our players (forwards in particular) were a little too unselfish at times. If you're on 50 and there's not a team mate in the goal square by himself, you don't try finessing it through the eye of a needle to a team mate inside 50, you kick the bloody goal.

I'm sure there are others, but they'd be in the minority these days. There would be probably a few who identify with their 'Christian roots' as we call them in this thread, but it's doubtful they practice. But then, they're perhaps just as legitimate Christians as the ones who go to Church once or twice a week.