Earl Hood

May was very good in his last few matches prior to suspension so he hasn’t lost it that quickly. I wonder if he was fully recovered after his concussion. And as soon as I saw him line up on Gunston I was worried, he should have taken Lewis but that takes him up the ground and perhaps exposes him for pace. If he plays on maybe trial him as a deep forward.

We won the I50’s, the hit outs, the clearances and contested ball count! All were Goody’s non negotiable KPIs. They once meant something, but in the modern game they mean very little on their own.

What is he doing so far off his man?

We have had more inside 50s! I don’t believe it. Of course all entries are just hack long kicks too easy to predict.

We used to get the contested possessions which covered a lot of deficiencies in system and skill. Once we can’t win the ball we look like an under age team playing against a senior team. The Hawks know all they have to do in a contest is handball/throw the ball to the outside and they have guys waiting to receive and run.

How many of our kicks have been smothered?

I would throw Turner forward and Petty back to play with Lever. Turner in his few cameos forward has kicked goals and appears to understand the need to keep moving and present. He’s agile and can take one grab marks. I would also look at the option of extending May’s career by trialling him as a deep forward who doesn’t have to roam too far from goal. That opens up a chance to trial JVR in the backline where he played much of his junior footy.

I was thinking about that gap last week, we seem to have an ageing brigade and then a group of youngsters on the up. Then when I checked the age profile the real problem is our once highly rated 28/29 year olds, who should be playing their best football are all playing below par, Oliver, Tracc, Langdon, Lever for various reasons but I think hunger, or lack of it, is a major part of the problem. Those 4 playing their best footy would provide great cover to allow the growth of our youngsters.

Interesting Kane Cornes said on SEN whoever the new coach will be needs to deal with the senior players Oliver, Viney, Tracc and Gawn. He is very critical saying they have been mollycoddled by coach and club to the detriment of the team. Interestingly he agreed that any new coach prospect putting that to the board of course won’t get the job. I think he has a valid point although it’s a bit too extreme. Gawn is going nowhere but if there was any trade value, we should look at Oliver or Tracc.

Agree. I was at the game and drawn into the contest of course, so I need to look at the replay but my overall impression is we were mostly outrun by the Dogs and should have been overwhelmed but we stayed in the contest with numerous intercepts inside D50 with quick movement forward. And it was the unpredictability of our forward entries that allowed us to score when we needed to. For once Melk and Fritsch could use their mobility and smarts to greater effect. And we didn’t have opposition KPDs intercepting and marking at will in the drop zone from our normal and repeated, predictable long hack kicks forward.

6 Gawn 5 Pickett 4 TMac 3 Oliver 2 Petty 1 Langford

At what point should a core midfield group be beyond the need for detailed instruction? Gawn, Oliver, Viney and Tracc should, after 10 seasons together be able to read each other’s minds at CBAs.

What are these free kicks for?

Yep the more times I look at it, it was a side on charge at full speed at the player gathering the ball. If it was a tackle, it was a highly dangerous one, admittedly putting both players at risk. One would be tempted to call it unwarranted and rough conduct that a “reasonable player” would avoid.

Jeff Gleeson’s “reasonable player” would have predicted that he wouldn’t get to the ball first and had a duty of care to pull out! Standby for a new definition of what a “reasonable player” can predict.

I note the Channel 7 panel all saying it’s a genuine accident, nothing to see here. Saying Newcomb was not intending to bump but to tackle? apparently. Not sure that counts if the May ruling is a precedent, that is the reasonable player should have pulled out.

This is going to be interesting to see what Jeff Gleesons’ “reasonable player” should have done in that clash, especially if the reasonable player is playing for a club in contention and with the finals coming up. Oh sorry I am assuming Newcomb gets cited.

Don’t call us, we will call you!

Selection will be interesting this week. With Simon moving on will there be any changes in philosophy as to player changes and who plays where?

I have done a bit of personal hiring in my career and for management positions I always choose the candidate who won’t be available for 6 months!

Umpires determining this one. Free kicks in front of goal to Gunston, one wasn’t there, the second one was but the Hawks played on and missed but the umps call it back, ridiculous!

Will Day is looking like the best midfielder in the comp at the moment.

Hawks applying amazing pressure all over the ground. Something we used to do but can only dream about these days.

What’s happened to Hogan, his form has fallen off a cliff.

Given the selections can we push Petty back to work with TMac and Howes and bring Turner forward to work with Fritsch and JVR? Turner seems to know how to lead, has good hands and can kick straight, mostly. Watching JVR last week at the ground, he is really struggling up forward. Doesn’t look like taking a contested mark. And I noted even in space he doesn’t use his body to keep the defender’s fist from the incoming ball as Fritsch would do instinctively. I just don’t think he has been well tutored in the intricacies of the forward craft. But at the moment he is our designated back up ruck and that’s getting him a game.