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As a proud supporter of Hawthorn since the mid-1970s, I’m seeking answers over a growing concern.
Throughout the ’70s, I recall hearing the scores on the ‘Around the grounds’ local radio coverage in Hobart. A couple of times I watched the Hawks on the telly in grand finals versus North Melbourne, resulting in five and three-goal victories respectively.
Each week the final score seemed, and in reality was, the only thing the fans and coaches cared about.
Fast forward to the present and the available statistics on players and teams during and after a game are getting out of control. Folk in the media and the coaches seem totally consumed by them. It’s doing my head in.
Then there’s the terminology being bandied around: defence, offence, D50, one percenters, intent, scoreboard pressure, corridor, execution (good grief!).
Don’t get me wrong, I love a new phrase as much as the next guy. But I remember ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ simply representing where you were on a given day in the school holidays.
But back to all this available data. The main category people commentate on is a thing called ‘contested possessions’ (CP), which forms the subject of my gripe.
Some say you can’t expect to win matches if you lose the CP count. One particular former North Melbourne enforcer swears by them. He put up a graphic the other day indicating that Hawthorn had lost the CP count three weeks in a row, which in his words “is a major concern”. Many other analysts share his opinion. I hope it’s not contagious?
Curiosity got the better of me so I did a bit of research on Hawthorn’s recent efforts in the area of CP. Regrettably as it turns out, as I too am rather concerned.
I concentrated on Hawthorn’s CP count for the seasons 2013 to 2015, figuring the past three years were as good a starting point as any.
Anyway, the results are now in. And Alastair Clarkson, you are on notice, sir!
After a commendable effort in 2013, when the Hawks won the CP count 17 times and only lost eight, things took a turn for the worse in 2014, winning the count on 14 occasions – losing an alarming 11 times! A worrying trend, perhaps?
By 2015 the rot truly had set in, winning the CP count 12 times while losing 14.
Honestly, I’m blowed if I know what Clarkson, the coaching staff, and the players were doing during 2013 to 2015 when the contested ball was there to be won – twiddling their thumbs, perhaps?
2016 is now turning into a disaster, as we’ve only won the CP count once in the first five rounds!
From Round 12, 2015, the CP tally stands at four wins and 15 losses. This past three years will be a case of ‘what might have been’ unless the Hawks address this crucial area of CP, immediately.
Hawthorn lost seven consecutive CP counts heading into last year’s grand final. The weeks leading up to the previous two grand finals were similarly disappointing, with the Hawks losing the CP six weeks in ten in 2014, and seven weeks out of 11 in 2013. Shocking grand final preparation. Wasted opportunities, wasted years!
How I long for the CP returns that the Hawks enjoyed in 2012, winning the count 14 weeks out of 15 leading into the grand final prior to lining up against the Swans. Now that’s the sort of momentum I want to see before a decider!
And don’t try and fob me off with the fact that since 2013 Hawthorn has won 26 of 37 games when losing the CP count. Winning isn’t everything – it’s contested possessions the fans demand!
Really, the seven 15-goal victories throughout the last three years are completely hollow, as the contested possession count was lost on every single occasion.
I mean, we were beaten soundly by 16 in the CP count that day we thrashed the Swans by 89 points during the 2013 semi-finals. I was left scratching my head! I’m amazed no-one from the media picked Clarkson up on this failure following the win!
In a nutshell, things are dire.
Please, someone tell me that I have nothing to worry about – that the CP isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be and you just need to worry about slotting the ball through the big sticks.
Because if that isn’t the case, and the Hawks are unable to stem the tide and stop regularly losing the CP count, the club will end up a laughing stock, with only premierships to show for its efforts.
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