Binmans PA

I don't entirely agree with this either. We were up and running throughout the early and mid 2000s, yet we still weren't drawing the numbers. I'm still not convinced we'll pull big crowds when we rise to the top 8 either. I agree, though that the numbers certainly increase when a team is winning, which is so disappointing. Jimmy and his team have done a wonderful job so far, but so much is still to be done. Now that we've managed to get these members on board, we have to try and get them to matches. One thing I noticed tonight was that Hawthorn do a hell of a lot of competition/giveaways on game day and as strange as it might sound, that might just get a few extra thousand along to games. I know they've been doing that sign crap for a couple of seasons now, but perhaps we should look at doing something like this with our home matches? Over the past year, there's no doubt our club has become more professional. We have seemingly a proper training base, with top class facilities. We've formed a number of little subsidery fan clubs, if you like, such as 'Mates of Melbourne' and so fourth. They're doing a fantastic job, but on game day, we need to think about having something a little bigger than a match day raffle.

Oh, there's no way it was a 1:3 ratio. They easily out numbered us, even in the MCC they probably outnumbered us. As I was driving in there were hoards of Hawthorn supporters going in and many with young families and so fourth, s owe can hardly use that as an excuse either.

To be honest, I don't think he has one. I know it's early and I know he's young, but if you stick another tall in the forwardline, along with Watts, when he finally comes in, when Wonna, Jetta and Jurrah are taking up small forward positions and Maric, Morton and Bate are patrolling the rest of the forward half, I don't see him figuring in our long term plans. Unless, he can put on a bit of weight and perhaps play across half back, but again, we're already looking pretty good for our back half. Personally, I think he started the year reasonably. His attack on the ball was good and his tackling was hard, but the last few weeks he's been very lucky to get the recall. As for tonight, some of his tackle attempts were pretty poor. If we're talking about defensive pressure as well, he completely lacked it tonight.

Starting with Cale Morton's game, there's no doubt he wasn't as effective today, but it's a sign of a good player that even though tagged, he still found the football, with 23 touches. I think what was most notably missing tonight, in his performance, was correct decision making. I don't mean to say all the time, but a few times he got the ball, I thought he used the wrong option. In recent weeks, one of his strengths has been his ability to assess the situation and sum it up quickly. This has enabled him to make the right decision, however that skill let him down tonight. That said, he's still a young player and still learning the game. He's a beauty. Obviously, Sylvia's game was easily the most pleasing and exciting aspect from the Hawks game, but there were many positives we can take from the game. Firstly, Grimes played another very promising game, having the better of Rioli in the first half. His kicking today was "centimetre perfect", as was Sylvia's excluding his shot on goal earlier in the night. Watching FOX SPORTS NEWS, I was annoyed to hear something along the lines of "Hawks produce impressive display to easily account for the Demons". Were they watching the game? They only won by 22 points. That's not easily accounting for an opponent. I thought Hawthorn's second half was pretty pathetic really, especially considering they are the premiers....they didn't play like it. And how about the last 5 to 10 minutes? That was some of the most negative football I've ever seen, even worse than the days of Essendon and Kevin Sheedy. Surely, they had to back themselves to win one on one contests, against the side sitting at the bottom of the ladder? Instead they chipped it 'round and eventually turned it over. I thought some of the Hawks skills were terrible tonight. I think Bailey has his zones right and the team did him credit and the last 5 minutes or so was proof of that. We did, however let ourselves down early on with our kicking. Had we kicked straight like the previous two weeks, we probably would have come closer. Still, 22 points is not a blow out by any means and once again our defense did its job, with an honourable mention to Jared Rivers. He was fantastic down back and was in our top 5 tonight. Maric also showed what he can deliver with sublime foot skills, pin pointing 50 metre passes on more than one occasion. Bennell showed bits and pieces too. Johnson had another solid game and I thought out rucked Campbell for most of the game. Robbo's decision making and kicking let us down again tonight though. I know he's a fan favourite, but his selfishness often hurts the team. On at least two occasions he could have shepparded the ball through for a goal, but instead attempted a mark that was not on and was spoiled. Need I mention his brain freeze on the goal line? As a senior player, he needs to pull his head in next week. If Watts was available next week, I'd play him ahead of Robbo, on Robbo's performance tonight. I'd almost give Newton another try next week, instead. Now back to Sylvia's game. If he can show this sort of endeavour consistently, for 4 quarters, for 22 games, he has the game to become an absolute superstar. I just hope he follows this performance up, with another impressive display next week, against the Saints. His attack on the ball and man tonight was fantastic. He really looked hungry and it was the first time I've ever seen him play four consistent quarters. Remember, he might have had five goals, had he kicked properly early in the peace. Furthermore, there were certainly glimmers of leadership in his game tonight. Finally, another pleasing thing about the game was we weren't blown out of the water. That is becoming a theme when we loose these games. Even when we were down by 55 points, we kept at it and with that we came reasonably close in the end. Had Hawthorn had the balls to play the game out for the last 5 minutes, who knows what could have happened. Another round gone, another major stepping stone in our development. Let's hope next week, we really take up to the Saints and give them a scare. Go Dees! PS. Where the heck were all the Melbourne supporters? I read threads about wanting to play at the 'G and not Ethihad, yet when we have an MCG game, no one turns up! It was embarrassing to be out numbered so easily. Especially, when you think, just over ten years ago Hawthorn were in a financial crisis, just like us.

I think this thread is a bit unfair to be honest. Davey still had an important impact today, he may not have been as damaging as usual, but I'm glad he played. He still put on tackles, ran to receive and set up play. Some people don't seem to realise his importance to the team. If you don't have someone running by for the handball and setting up play, the style of play we play, then it's never going to work. Despite the close attention thrust on Aaron, he still managed 17 touches (14 of them kicks) and set the play up numerous times. IMO Davey has the best defensive pressure in the side, easily. He's the one chasing every time.

My girlfriend's Hawthorn, but she's not all that passionate, so when we make our climb up the ladder, I'm hoping she'll jump ships. She will however be wearing her Hawthorn scarf, when we go on Sunday.

Good answer, Felix. I couldn't have said it better myself.

I would be in on it, except I sit in the MCC. Still, I can sit anywhere but the AFL members.

By the way, Buddy kicked 3 the last time we met them.

Yeah, Cheney's unlucky, but I suppose that's a good sign. It's incredibly tough to get a game down back at the moment. Where the heck are they going to fit Garland in there, when he's eventually fit?

Sewell is probably going to be the worry and Mitchell always kills us. Keep those two quiet and we'd go a long way to winning it.

You've gotta give these kids a go. Maric's doing alright, you just need to give him 5 or 6 games to show something, even if it's minor. He's already shown his finishing capabilities, we should play him for at least the next few matches. As for Bennell, he's played all but one game.

I've said before on these boards that Bennell is the quickest player I've ever seen. I don't think we've seen his fastest yet, either. I'd start Bennell on Rioli. Give the young kid a shot at one of the best small players going around at the moment. If that doesn't work, play Wheels on him or then perhaps Flash. As for Buddy, Warnock should start on him. If that doesn't work we have Martin and Rivers up our sleeve. I think Martin would just about have the mobility and pace to go with Buddy, whereas Jared might not have the legspeed. Rivers should at least start on Roughead. Or what might be even better is give the Roughead role to Frawley and let Rivers play his spare man in defense, dropping back role, that he does so brilliantly.

Yes, I know. I was speaking hypothetically.

No, what I meant was I'd perhaps only swap Maric for Rioli if the draft had been different. I certainly wouldn't swap Morton, he'll be a superstar and as for Grimes he could be anything. I have faith in our drafting of the past 2 years, we've drafted only what we've absolutely needed, rather than average midfielders, one after the other, or rejects from other clubs. We've really stuck to our youth policy, which provides me with great confidence.

Maric maybe, but even still we need to give him time too.

No, he's right we did over use the handball, but like I said, I believe it was our kicking that cost us more.

Yes, we did over handball, but I agree with godees' assessment. It was actually our kicking that cost us the most.

The beauty of Wheels is that he has that experience and the leadership to help the young backline at the moment. He has to play with them. I would not leave Wheels out.

He dominated parts of the Coburg game too.

It's been less than a year though. Was it not obvious, not a lot would change except a few draft picks.

It'd be the same as the much privelledged Friday night games, yet probably not as cold. Glad to hear you're going no matter what. This needs to be the attitude of more of us.

If more of us did this, what's stopping them doing this at home games? Of course, we get the unpopular slots, because we are a problem for the AFL. We don't get enough there no matter what day or time it is. We must rectify this. For the fact that we are one of the problems for the AFL, we are given Sunday games, whre lots of people should be able to get there.

It's funny, because two of the hosts are Melbourne men, but I have always noticed that too.

His salary would have probably sent the club broke anyway. We don't have a VISY board type corporation attached to us, that we can cheat the salary cap by giving him the title of 'environmental spokesman'. Unless, I suppose he could have been 'sprinkler consultant' for the MCC? I agree. Fev won't be around long enough in their premiership window and as it stands they already need another key forward.