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The Roar

Clarko's Knuckle Sandwich

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Joined February 2017

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Yep, I agree. For the first time in a lot of years, we smack of a bit of desperation.

The thought crossed my mind that our club as a whole reached such a zenith following 2015, that we’ve lost faith in our supporter base to stick fat during the next year or two of being a middle rung team. Instead, we’ll possibly trade a developing young star for a hail mary x-factor player, in the hopes that the stars allign again soon. It’s confusing to everyone right now.

AFL Trade Wrap Day 5: Dayne Beams, Jesse Hogan, Alex Fasolo and more

It’s paying dividends far sooner than I thought. I keep thinking that the same holes we had last year, a nervous backline and a thin band of specialised mids, will be exposed this year but it hasn’t happened yet. Though the Tigers showed us how much more development we have to go before we are a serious contender this year or next. We were flattered by that score a little.

Hawthorn returns to the race, with a radically different approach to winning

You’re completely right, Hawthorn have had a bit of luck go their way this year. Taylor missing from the Geelong game when he usually carves Roughead up, the Demon’s of old rocking up to the G plus the fact we haven’t left a 15 km radius within Melbourne all month. But the Collingwood game feels like a bit of a stretch. Plus Hawthorn of last year would have allowed those times a sniff and been inept at gaining the scoreboard advantage. Barring the usual Geelong theatrics, that hasn’t happened this year.

If they weren’t able to fire themselves up for the first game of the year, after yet another disappointing season in 2017, then they would have been easy pickings for most other teams. That is just the team they are right now. Granted they have a ridiculous amount of injuries to good players.

Hawthorn returns to the race, with a radically different approach to winning

The obvious difference is Hawthorn had nothing tangible to gain from “tanking”. Our draft hand was massively depleted regardless and we would have only handed St Kilda a higher pick if we had actually given up on the year. It was simply foresight on the part of Clarko and the club to realise we weren’t a threat and to use the 2nd half of the year post bye to experiment. There is a massive difference between that path and the one that Carlton and Melbourne chose to go down years ago.

We mostly gave injured players (Rioli, Birchall, Frawley, Puopolo, Stratton) the remainder of 2017 to rehab before a big pre-season, while accelerating the development of our younger tier that have strengthened the squad as a whole this year.

Hawthorn returns to the race, with a radically different approach to winning

You’re absolutely right. Speed is definitely an issue but you don’t lose by 80 plus points because of leg speed. Hawthorn’s effort in the first two weeks was good, even if the disposal and decision making was poor at times.

The game on the weekend, however, points to bigger problems than just leg speed and I wouldn’t be suprised if there is a mental fatigue running through the place also. The talent drain, on field and off field, is now a serious problem also.

Speed the key to righting the Hawks' season

Of the teams currently without a win, the Swans still look the most likely to have an impact in 2017. Injuries are hurting them no doubt but once Mcveigh, Heeney, Tippett and Rampe are back they will probably start to click into gear. Though they’ve been highly competitive in each game without them.

Papley feels like a pretty big loss at the moment as well, he showed some great poise last year and has a point of difference in the forward line along with Hewett. Hayward and Florent look pretty exciting as their replacements and will be hard to shift from the side.

If they can sneak a few games over the coming weeks and build form towards the end of the year, the Bulldogs showed last year that the bye can reduce the advantage of the top 4 teams come finals time.

Eight quick takes from AFL Round 3

Absolutely, what do you think the likelihood is Andy? Thoughts on the list?

Surely the chances of anyone replicating that level of success are slim for a while. Lots of competition between GWS, Bulldogs, Saints, Dees, Port etc. should keep premierships evenly spread throughout the next 4-5 years

The decline of Hawthorn, and their clouded future

Yep, you would rather have the kind of incredible success they’ve had, followed by a few lean years than simply be a nearly-there team. They continue to lose those great coaches and administrators to other clubs though and eventually that will also bite.

Clarko really is the figurehead of the club now – even more so than Kevin Sheedy was at Essendon – so his drive and experience should keeps the Hawks from turmoil despite how low they may finish in coming years.

The decline of Hawthorn, and their clouded future

Agree they believe that trading out of the draft is worth what they can bring in via trade but eventually you do need to replenish via the national draft. I also feel like Hawthorn believes they’ve got an upcoming free agent to commit verbally, otherwise their willingness to trade out of 2016/17 drafts is a bit careless

The decline of Hawthorn, and their clouded future

Hahaha Fifi will just go where the success is but Ted seems solid. Yeh, the Dingley move will be a huge Gamble. St Kilda’s move to Seaford wasn’t successful but the Hawks feel the gigantic amount of space available and investment will be worth the extra commute

The decline of Hawthorn, and their clouded future

Yep, I wrote this at the start of the week expecting Duryea and Hartung to come back then was pleasantly suprised that Brand is back. Whitecross will be handy too as he was probably the most consistent player during the sputtering last stages of Hawthorn’s 2016

The decline of Hawthorn, and their clouded future

I always find it a little hard to believe that an umpire would deliberately favour one team over the other. It makes no sense. Occasionally, in a pressure cooker at the Domain or Adelaide oval where a crowd might be overwhelmingly for one team, you can see umpires lose their composure a little.

Have to admit that in last year’s GF and last nights game the umpires made some shockers against the Swans but I think it has as much to do with the way the Bulldogs play as anything. They swarm and make it look as though the opposition isn’t making a genuine effort. Some of the free kicks payed last night were gobsmackers but I put it down to just poor umpiring than bias.

Is it really 25 playing 22?

Premiers: Sydney
Runners Up: GWS
Spoon: Brisbane
Brownlow: Marcus Bontempelli
Coleman: Lance Franklin
In 2018 Nat Fyfe will play for: Fremantle (please not Hawthorn)
Definitely will happen: Tigers to make finals
Definitely won’t happen: Tigers to win said final
One really bad prediction: The Footy Show hits creative peak, definitely doesn’t get cancelled at year’s end

2017 AFL Crystal Ball: Read The Roar's predictions for the year ahead

I wonder whether even Clarko will be ruthless enough to make guys like Hodge, Burgoyne and Gibbo play in the vfl should their form warrant it.

It’s a fine balance because keeping those guys on for this year and hoping they can give it one last hurrah is Hawthorn’s only real chance of serious contention. But if the game has finally gone past them, it’ll be a struggle to make finals.

Not sure the midfield depth is there anymore to make a serious premiership tilt.

The Hawks are set to defy football gravity and be better than last year

Haha yep. I personally rate St Kilda a little higher than the Dees. Sometimes you can read names like Petracca, Weideman, Oliver, Salem and be lured by their potential. Are they going to produce what their potential indicates they could is the question? Across 22 games consistently? I have doubts they will.

Also, the stats are interesting about Tom Mcdonald contributing more score involvements than Rance and McGovern per game. But I’d take the other 2 in a heartbeat. Mcdonald’s kicking gives me heart palpitations and I don’t even support the dees.

Melbourne are the best of a burgeoning 2017 AFL middle class

Wow, that is a biting assessment of the Dees. I don’t agree, as I think the importance of the original clubs like the Pies, Dees, Blues, Cats etc is tied to the essence of the game. You can’t segregate the history of the game from the present. I’m not sure that someone of my generation necessarily understands the genuine hatred that a 60/70 year old pies supporter might have towards the blues for instance. However, young and old can still appreciate the achievements of Melbourne during the 50’s/60’s, followed by a long drought. Their struggles give the club it’s soul and we only have to look at the emotion surrounding the bulldogs premiership in ’16, to imagine how sweet a Dees premiership could be in a few years time for their supporters and the competition in general. Both clubs had 39,000 members in 2016 by the way.

I do agree that their mediocrity in recent years has, at times, been a blight on the competition and that their supporter base should be much larger than it is but I suppose the broadness in defining where “Melbourne” is, makes them a tough sell. Do they represent inner-city Melbourne, the CBD? Richmond, Collingwood/Fitzroy, Carlton are three large suburbs that otherwise would probably support Melbourne if it wasn’t for the fact they already have their own historically important clubs, with success post 1970.

The only way to fix some of these issues is to be successful on-field, develop an effective off-field structure and to use characters like Max Gawn, Jack Viney and Christian Petraca to sell the club to kids. Sustained success always increases a supporter base and that’s exactly what the Demons haven’t had for 50 years.

Melbourne are the best of a burgeoning 2017 AFL middle class

Gotta say I feel burned by their finish to the year too. As soon as the expectation was for a finals finish in 2016, they fell in a heap. I mean how can this current Melbourne group get ahead of themselves? Jack Viney acknowledged it himself last year.

Goodwin’s statement that Jack Watts needs to bring intensity “all the time” was a way to show the whole group what’s expected and I expect he’ll be ruthless on guys who shirk playing the way he instructs them to. But whether that means they’ll now have the consistency required over the whole year to finish with 13 plus wins, I’m not sure.

Melbourne are the best of a burgeoning 2017 AFL middle class

My name is Clarko’s Knuckle Sandwich…How much credibility did I have to lose? 🙂

Also, Just an opinion. Not a personal attack on the cats. Your ladder prediction?

2017 AFL ladder prediction: A Sydney premiership?

Not nearly as much as when he was finally finished typing and could get back to his usual internet activities.

Nine quick takes from the AFL weekend

Biting satire Cuck. You seem to be capable of only processing a world where Aussie rules (and probably sport in general) remains the exclusive property of Men. Otherwise those damn Women with their dreams of being given an equal platform to grow their brand of AFL will just get in the way right?

Also, if by the grace of someone sick, twisted higher power, you are married, believe me when I say that maybe procreation isn’t for you. Loved your needless sarcasm though. Cheers mayyte have another frothy.

Nine quick takes from the AFL weekend

The AFLW game between the Lions and Crows was an absolute cracker. Erin Phillips had a bit of an “almost” night but was still influential. Tayla Harris was given a bath by Chelsea Randall and showed her frustration by the end of the game. Also how tough is Eb Marinoff? Her tackles just look like they’ll hurt the next day.

I get the feeling these two teams will meet again in a few weeks time in the GF and both teams will have learnt a lot from it. Adelaide will make better decisions going inside forward 50 in their next meeting but likewise Brisbane’s backline was sublime, they lost inside 50’s 36-18 and yet still won the contest without a contribution from their most versatile tall in Harris.

Nine quick takes from the AFL weekend

Toby Nankervis is exactly what Ivan Maric provided at his best, a physical battering ram around the ground, but with added forward craft. He was often used at full-forward in the NEAFL for the Swans last year and was pretty impressive in that role.

He definitely stood head and shoulders above in the NEAFL and deserves sustained opportunity at AFL level. Being an impactful ruck is tough but he’ll give his all and bust some heads, which is exactly what Richmond could do with.

Nine quick takes from the AFL weekend

I actually had the same thought about Mitch being captain above Hurn but it would have taken serious courage from the club and also him actually wanting to do it, which I doubt he would. Why not just enjoy his last year or two without the responsibilty of leading guys he’s just met and the extra media commitments.

If he wins the Brownlow, that probably means the Eagles are having a few issues and relying on him way too much or they’re blowing away the opposition and he’s racking them up at will.

Surely you jest about the “Dish” winning the Coleman medal though?? 🙂

The West Coast Eagles loom as the most interesting team of 2017

They do seem to be developing a reputation of being found wanting come finals time, the dumbfounding display in the 2015 GF, the perfect example. Paired with the fact that they have often been ruthless at home and toothless away.

But they’ve slowly introduced a core of younger talent like Yeo, Sheed, Duggan, Barrass and McGovern that should be the driving force behind their next serious tilt, which may come as early as this year.

Have to disagree with you on Sam Mitchell though as I’ve watched him for his whole career (the majority of my life!) and his vision and creativity with ball in hand has made me actually scoff with disbelief on occasion. Defensively, he isn’t great in transition but he has a physical presence in tight and guys don’t usually break his tackles.

He may be an anchor in another way though if West Coast fall in to the trap the Hawks found themselves in last year, becoming overly reliant on Mitchell to feed the ball out to outside players to the detriment of a more even spread of midfield contributors. We’ll see I guess. Maybe a fresh gameplan and reuniting with Simmo will allow him to impact the game differently in his last year or two.

The West Coast Eagles loom as the most interesting team of 2017

Not even i’m that cruel. I’d love to know the stats on how often Richmond have finished 9th and whether it’s much higher than say a Collingwood or Carlton? Is the cliche accurate?

I’m pretty bullish on Caddy, he’s kicked some great goals under serious pressure which shows he has balance and core strength. There are just some pieces missing (decision making and foot skills) and maybe he felt tentative to sieze his place in a Geelong team filled with great players and success. At Richmond he has an obvious place if he can grab it. Plus he has a nice bit of mongrel.

2017 AFL ladder prediction: A Sydney premiership?

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