Where will Hawthorn finish in 2012?

[ossie85]

You're right Big Lance, you don't fluke flags and the Hawks clearly deserved the 2008 flag (Geelong also would have been deserving had they won).

What you can't fluke however is a 'great team'.

The Lions of 2001-2004, the Cats of 2007-2010 are great teams. Unfortunately, the Hawks only did it 1 year.

[Big Lance]

That has nothing to do with anything ossie. I'm not saying they were a great team along the lines of the Lions and the Cats, just they had a very good season which very annoyingly gets underrated or vomit inducingly called a fluke. We got a premiership and that's all that matters. Just like Collingwood '10 will only do it 1 year.  ;)

[hawk_88]

Since we have had so many "great" teams recently winning multiple flags there seems to be a view that unless you win multiple flags you have somehow been less deserving of the one you won.

You don't fluke 25/26 games of footy. You just can't.

That being said the following two seasons were poor, no escaping that. We have a side that is predominately the same. We lack a key back (Croad) but beyond that the overall core of the side is the same.

As Big Lance said, we have recruited well and our "young" recruiting policies of 08/09 such that the new sides don't reduce the number of quality kids means we have some 19-20 year olds with 2-3 years in the system after starting at 17.

Our depth, in theory, is as good as it has been for quite a while. The problem is that it is largely untested. Despite the weird nature of the first round of the NAB Cup, I am very interested in seeing the very young side Hawthorn fields in action.

[Hawka]

when will it be that the hawks will have another solid season? the premiership win against the cats was a good season, but they are a long way off producing that kind of season lately. perhaps it was just a fluke

You don't fluke a premiership. Perhaps take another look at the finals series and see how badly Hawthorn smashed the Saints and Dogs, Geelong were worried come GF after the Rnd 17 game and it showed in the way they played. They were under pressure and little Gaz just couldn't get it going for them as hard as he tried. Buddy and Roughy were largely quiet but players like Young, Ellis, Williams and Dew played their best or most important games of their careers. Not to mention some of Cyrils efforts (tackle on the wing anyone?). Hawthorn were undefeated that season till about Rnd 10 or 11 and were clearly the best team in the comp along with Geelong. Anyone that says it was a fluke is ignorant to the point of stupidity.

Depth wont be an issue this year. Recruited very well picking up some good mature age draftees like I Smith and Puopolo along with Hale, Cheney and Bruce will be in the team or pushing hard for spots. Combine this with our young players that are hungry for football such as Shiels, Savage, Whitecross and co and think it's the best depth we have had in recent memory including 08. The list cleanout at the end of last season i think will have a positive effect on the playing group.

Very very good words there

[Hawkahh]

If we stay fit and firing we are a premiership chance this year and I dnt care what anyone says we ducking killed it in 08 and beat one of the " great sides " so that speaks for itself. Rioli will cause alot of upsets for other teams this year and it's gunna be so good to watch :)

[McRooster]

Poll reset.

Ooompa Loompa, oomptity doo,
Clarkson has a puzzle for you,
Oompa Loompa, oompity dah,
If you have Buddy you will go far,
Oompa Loompa, oompity dee,
Tight is the hamstring of Rioli,
Oompa Loompa, oompity ded,
All Hawks needs is Roughead.

Will they, can they? You have the keys to the chocolate factory of talent there Alistair, let's hope you don't melt away with injuires again.

[PowerBug]

Roost, are you making up all these riddles?? They are so good buddy. :)
I vote Top4, should be right up there. Potential premiers in 2012.

[Voldemort]

top 4 easy. Premiership... Maybe, maybe not

[truBLUE]

hawthorn top 4 great team will be alot better 2012 , my top 4 is geelong,collingwood ,carlton, hawthorn but not in that order  ;)

[the flying hawk]

The hawks will finish top two behind the cats and the hawks I think can push all the way but their first challenge is the cats the hawks have shown they can beat collingwood but they have to beat the cats to be a chance :)

[bunyip]

The Hawks had no luck last season and still got within a kick of the GF. They will be hungry and fit next season and in my humble opinion will be the team to beat.

[meow meow]

Should challenge for the flag. Collingwood are still the team to beat though.

[Cicjose]

*cough* *cough*

geelong the team to beat

[bunyip]

No doubt the big 3 will be up there. Doesn't leave much room for anyone else does it.

[meow meow]

You're entitled to your opinion, but I disagree.

Ling did an awesome job as captain. They'll miss him. Menzel has done his knee. Ottens was a superb ruckman. Sure the cats have talent coming through, but Ling and Ottens are champions and not replaced so easily.

Collingwood will get Nathan Brown back. They've only lost Leon, but Marty Clarke will fill his role easily. Macaffer with a preseason will add the hardness that they were missing to the forward line. Bucks won't carry Didak.


As for the Hawks, I think a lot has to do with how Roughead recovers. When he got injured I thought to myself "they can't win the flag now". If he returns well, then it's definitely possible.