Where will Hawthorn finish in 2012?

[Hawka]

true flecth

we have depth but not alot but u dont always need depth ;)

[pyronerd]

Hawthorn at $9, and Geelong at $10 to win the flag... Does that make sense?

Hawks are under the odds, whilst the Cats are over the odds!! The Hawks are a good side, but they lack depth to be $9 for the flag.

i think there has been an over reaction to the personnel losses geelong has suffered over the off-season, i think the cats are more over the odds then the hawka under the odds, cats at about $6 and hawks $11 IMO

[ossie85]

Are people forgetting the Hawks don't have a defense? Well, at least not up to the standard of Pies, Cats, Saints, Dogs, Demons....

[Fletch74]

Are people forgetting the Hawks don't have a defense? Well, at least not up to the standard of Pies, Cats, Saints, Dogs, Demons....

Only backs up what i've been saying Ossie. I don't know how they can be that short.

[Hawka]

cmon gilham,murphy improved alot last yr and gibson helped

[Cruiseon]

I think both Hawthorn and Geelong's odds will shorten significantly in the first part of the season. Their defence is not good but defensive pressure is the key, its not as if there are many tall forwards kicking over 80 goals (or even over 60 goals) anymore.  I think a different coach would think about Roughhead down back but doubt Clarkson will be that creative.

The ruck is still an issue but Burgoyne could be a major upside this year, many people forget how good he can be.

[Hawka]

I think both Hawthorn and Geelong's odds will shorten significantly in the first part of the season. Their defence is not good but defennsive pressure is the key, its not as if there are many tall forwards kicking over 80 goals (or even over 60 goals) anymore.  I think a different coach would think about Roughhead down back but doubt Clarkson will be that creative.

The ruck is still an issue but Burgoyne could be a major upside this year, many people forget how could he can be.

true if buddy and roughy and hale are on fire it dosent matter if our defense concedsa alot

[Barlow 21]

Hawthorn will be pretty inconsistent next year with their lack of defensive structure but should make it into the lower half of the eight.
My Prediction:5-9th

[hawk_88]

Our depth is a major issue of concern at the moment. It has been a weakness of ours over the past few years and was identified by the club as such. There was a large crop of players that were considered to be a future dream team that failed to live up to the hype and many have been moved on. Given that major change, the majority of our kids haven't seen much more than a game or 2 of senior footy so our depth is an unknown quantity.

Individually our defence isn't at the standard of other clubs (although there were some promising signs last year) however structurally our defence is very good. We just don't have the players to go with a solid key forward and we lack some pace which isn't always an issue but we often zone quite a distance up the ground and if the ball is moved in quickly we end up chasing.

Roughead has been tried down back extensively in his first year and a half with the club and it doesn't suit him. He has kicked over 50 goals the past two seasons and about 75 in 08. To take him out of the forward line means you have to replace those goals. That is no easy task.

I don't think the ruck has been an issue the last few years. A freakish run of injuries last year brought the ruck stocks into the spotlight, however Renouf and Skipper did very well in the ruck. Skipper offered a little bit around the ground however Renouf is just a tap ruckman. Having a ruckman who is a key forward or an auxiliary midfielder is a bonus (and we have potentially both of those in Bailey and Hale) but not essential for team success and wasn't a weakness in our game last year.


A good forward structure, some midfield and backline pace and have one young key backman stand up would make us the best team in the league by a distance.

Steps have been taken to fix these issues which is a real positive sign. We got rid of Johnny Barker as Forward coach and recruited Leon Cameron. We recruited 3 senior recruits in Smith, Bruce and Puopolo to add pace to the side and Hale to maintain 3 running midfielder to play off the bench. The key backman is the the least certain of the three to be fixed. A good pre-season and Schoenmakers could be it - he is the most likely of the young key defenders unless we Lisle is developed as a full back over the pre-season.

[cookie311993]

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

[Hawka]

i highly doubt it was a fluke we have the players just our dpeth isnt great

[bomberboy0618]

i highly doubt it was a fluke we have the players just our dpeth isnt great

yes i agree.

[cookie311993]

they need to step back up, they have the team to win it but they need some depth oh and a little thing called  luck. your right hawka depth did hurt them, forgot about the amount of injuries they have had since the premiership

[bomberboy0618]

they need to step back up, they have the team to win it but they need some depth oh and a little thing called  luck. your right hawka depth did hurt them, forgot about the amount of injuries they have had since the premiership

yeah that hurt, but i think the luck is in their own hands, luck doesnt win premierships.

[cookie311993]

might not win but it definetly does help Bboy