Earl Hood

I don’t think KK is going to make it back and unless we can draft in several winger types I wouldn’t be unloading Stretch or JKH too quickly. Stretch has a high DE percentage when he is fit and playing amongst a midfield that regularly butcher the ball going forward.

Gee I thought he did play CHF for us at times? And I thought he left us after being blamed in part for our 91 finals loss to the Weagles and cracking it. Didn’t we unload just about everyone over 6’4 except Jimmy and Garry that preseason?

Make it happen, we need some HFC IP input into next years game plan.

Yep Ricky knows more than me that’s for sure, here I was advocating we draft in a Buddy Franklin key forward type and an outside runner similar to Robbie Flower. Sheesh what would I know.

Yes noted those skilful players in the Jeffy highlights package! Traded out Watts and Kent for more grunt oh well. Gee we could use a 2015 Jeffy now with his speed and goal sense. But as I have said in the past did our game plan of 2017/18 kill him? High forward press, congested forward line, multiple forward entries but no space to run. Looking at his highlights package he worked best when he had space and was one on one.

I know he has talent and skill set we need but Has he ever put together a run of good games? He gets injured a bit too I think, not having followed him in particular.

Can the new fitness guy resurrect AVB and JSmith? We can only hope as Hawthorn’s medicos specialise in reinvigorating injured hacks from other clubs, think Burgoyne, Scull#@ and O’Meara for starters.

For heaven’s sake history and the odds are overwhelmingly with us. Don’t panic please. But gee I am getting rather concerned now that I look at the runs needed and wickets in hand! ?

You mean in the 5 games this season where we were leading at 3/4 time? Anyway there is 5 games lost through poor goal kicking and there were a few others where we kicked horribly in the first half and lost so even though we haven’t played well at all this season some accuraacy in front of goal might have seen us on 10 or 11 wins for the season and maybe more as winning builds confidence and form.

Observers keep saying Stretch is not up to it! Do these stats mean anything? 21 disposals this week at 95% effciency, yet he is said to be non AFL standard amongst a squad of players who routinely butcher the ball when they get it.

Hi Dieter, been cruising around Jurien Bay, Geraldton area looking at the wild flowers for a few days then headed south today to Perth to watch the Weagles vs Hawks game. My wife is a mad Hawks fan and yes yet again the Hawks win. Everytime I go to these interstate Hawks matches, they win, I think that is 4 in a row. Everytime I drag her to an interstate Dees game we lose!

Yep watching live tonight the Hawks took them to the cleaners and this loss has most likely cost the Weagles another flag. The Hawks are so well drilled, and have skills and they have a system that works. They always show up to play to the game plan and tactically they play smart to negate their opponents strengths. Next year they get Mitchell back, Wingard, Scully will be better, they might pull Cogniglio as well. They have picked the eyes out of the free agent system and the disgruntled or chronically injured A graders from other clubs. As well they keep developing second round picks into likely future champions, Worpel, Sicily, Mitch Lewis, etc. Yes the Hawks will give it a shack next year, us well who knows!

Yes I am at Optus watching this and my thoughts exactly if only we had those skills in our forward line! The Eagles ball movement in the last 10 minutes is extraordinary! Hard to defend against that although the Hawks are playing well.free kick to Darling was laughable

I am driving in WA only heard the result and looked at stats. How did Stretch go, 21 disposals at 95% efficiency looks OK?

Buck I suspect Brendan McCartney picked up on it early. He said as much to me while I was watching training a day before it the coaching revamp after the bye. As I relayed in a training report he said to me (unsolicited which surprised me) after a training drill that the kids have to learn to not take short cuts, how you train is how you play but they will learn. My take at the time was that they weren’t putting in 100% at training. The next day Macca was shafted in the coaching reshuffle and rumours from DLand were he had clashed with some senior players. We know now he is gone at years end after telling me at the time he wanted another 2 years to get that elusive flag! Lewis’s comments align with Macca’s I think. Yes we have had injuries but the intensity of 2018 has been missing all year and now the group’s confidence is absolutely shot.

You are right height wise but Bradke is miles off AFL standard! A call up could destroy the kid at this stage.

Assuming Gawn is going to get up! If he doesn’t there is only Keilty available to play forward or Frost I suppose. We are almost bereft of players over 192 cm on the fit list.

I would offer Daisy a one year option for several reasons. He is playing good footy, has kicking skills and I like that he is a quirky extrovert type of player that is not carrying the psychological baggage that our list and coaching group is at the moment! Listening to interviews with Lever, Melk and even Goodwin, they seem bewildered at what has happened, basically we are in a dark place not unlike what Roos walked into. We probably need a turnover of 10 or so players, a mix of experience and youth to reset the group’s confidence in themselves.

Goffy that isn’t noughts and crosses, that’s this weeks game plan up on the board! If the Kangeroos get hold of that we are stuffed!

I somehow suspect Lewis may tell him to not bother with MFC as it is a basket case!

No surprise given Roughy and Buddy and co were at the MCG on Friday night. I suspect even if we offered an extension he has had enough of the MFC clusterfluck he has witnessed this year. I would love to hear his real thoughts on how we have ended up where we are.

I still think a decent forward coach should be able to develop a functional forward unit out of what we already have, particularly if we get everyone fit. Talls: TMac, Weids, Petty Flankers: Tracc, Melk, Hannan, JSmith, AVB, a rotating midfielder Harmes/Oliver options: Dunkley, Lockhart, Spargo, Chandler, perhaps May goes forward... ( I don’t think Jeffy and maybe ANB will be there and I think Hunt should play on the wing). first requirement is to get the set shot goal kicking sorted, that issue has cost us 4 or 5 games this year. Get a specialist kicking coach in preseason for heaven’s sake! Then get targets leading at the ball carrier providing multiple targets, spreading the defence; don’t all cluster in one area as the ball is coming in and how about not having everyone flying and no one down for the spilled ball? Surely this so called forward disconnect can be rectified!!!

After attending Friday nights game and then hearing interviews by Melksham, Lever and Goodwin on Saturday I am not sure 4 weeks off for this playing group will be enough to reset their shell shocked mindsets! This group seems to be in a dark place, bewildered at why they are losing, with zero confidence in each other to execute the basics. Goodwin pointed to the fact that they had been tinkering with the game plan to the point that their method of play is unidentifiable and the players are obviously confused. They are not enjoying playing the opposition or with each other, expecting failure no matter who they play. It seems to me the squad was physically banged up at the end of 2018 and took much of the season to recover, if they ever have; now at the end of season 2019 we have a squad mentally traumatised! How long will it take to rebuild their confidence and get them enjoying their football again?

It looks like the entire AFL list can’t kick straight for goal! 0.9 from MFC players.

We were deplorable last night with nothing much to play for, no excuse I know but what is going on with Port? Really struggling to get a score on the board. God help us next week in Hobart!