By AAP
October 29th 2009 @ 1:59am
View The Roar's top AFL writers.
AFL Tipping now live on The Roar. Join now.
Love new art, fashion, music? Check out Aussie site which unearths all things cool and creative.
Related coverage
The story behind Hawthorn’s ruined season
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says the disruption caused by a raft of players requiring off-season surgery was just one of several factors which ruined the side’s defence of its 2008 AFL premiership.
Clarkson says the Hawks will go into the 2010 season with a much fitter list, but emphasised they needed to improve dramatically in a [...]
This article is over 2000 days old and has been trimmed.
Get Australia's best AFL opinion emailed daily.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(6)
Redb said | October 29th 2009 @ 6:27am | Report comment
Hawthorn were a little like Essendon in 1993 in winning the flag as a young team. Injuries, poor form and a number of factors nobbled the Bombers for a few years after that. It took 6 years to be a contender again (1999). So by that logic the Hawks might have a shot around 2015
Kurt said | October 29th 2009 @ 11:23pm | Report comment
Well I suppose time will tell. I didn’t necessarily expect another premiership but I certainly expected at least a prelim final berth. With our list and a good pre-season we realistically should be aiming top four in 2010, I guess it depends in part on Clarko coming up with plan B now that the midfield zone has been worked out.
Freud of Football said | October 30th 2009 @ 12:27am | Report comment
I think Hawthorn 2008 was an enigma, they just performed so well and Geelong so poorly, the result at the end of the season is that the Hawks took the flag but for mine, Geelong were by far the better side throughout the season and with a mixture of bad luck and poor performance succumbed at the last.
Kurt said | October 30th 2009 @ 12:31am | Report comment
Yeah, but Hawthorn still had a pretty good season and were worthy GF participants even if Geelong had a bad day. It’s not like they snuck into the eight and scored a series of massive upsets to win the flag. That’s what makes 2009 such a surprisingly crap performance.
Redb said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:42am | Report comment
I think Crawford was more influential in the midfield that people remember. His delivery to the Hawks top class forward line made a huge difference in the 2008.
I’d only rate Sewell as an A Grade midfiedler for the Hawks in 09.
Redb
Freud of Football said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:56am | Report comment
Yep, have to agree with that. Crawford was the heart and soul of the club. Much like Buckley, harvey and Ricciuto were. Without him they have a group of talented players without the real figurehead.