Which Premuim Defender

[jeesh]

I've had Hodge in for ages now but suddenly thinking maybe having 4 hawks in the back line is a little overkill so thinking of going with Hanley or Hibberd instead.

[Bully]

Hodge will score more but the round 9 bye could be problematic, tough choice indeed.

[jfitty]

With that bye in mind go Hanley. Think he will average the most out of the 3 anyway

[jeesh]

Last minute decisions usually turn pear shaped so maybe I'll just leave it and go with Hodge who I've had since day dot and deal with the bye when I get there. Could possibly grab Langdon after round 2 in the mids giving me the link to move Mitchell or Hodge into the mids during the bye unless Collingwood share the same bye as Hawthorn?

[Ricochet]

Hanley's scores last year against his opening fixture

HAWKS 86
GEE 79, 42* Knocked out in the first quarter
GC 117, 141
PORT nil (113 the year before)
RICH 95
SAINTS 108
SYD 93
ESS 111
NORTH 105, 71

Jump on mate. Apart from Geelong he has been a very good scorer

[Bully]

Those stats look reasonable although I still question his ability to handle a tag. Last year Hanley scored 5 tons in the first 8 matches, only to follow that up with 4 tons in 12 matches in the second half of the season. I think it's fair to say that the competition put a fair bit of effort into shutting him down.

[jeesh]

Do you think teams are likely to tag Hanley and let Rich run free?

[Bully]

Do you think teams are likely to tag Hanley and let Rich run free?

Both are likely to attract taggers, at least that's how it panned out last year. Scanning through his stats last year, after round 8 he failed to register a ton against a top 8 side. This to me rings alarm bells. 

[maygs]

Those stats look reasonable although I still question his ability to handle a tag. Last year Hanley scored 5 tons in the first 8 matches, only to follow that up with 4 tons in 12 matches in the second half of the season. I think it's fair to say that the competition put a fair bit of effort into shutting him down.

But what were his sub ton scores?  From memory most were in the high 80's.  Not a bad score for a bloke people say is shut down by a tag.

Leading into the byes (Rnd 8 to 10) he had groin issues and was moved into the fwd line to rest.  He was still scoring well (Except Rd 10 - 46).  After the byes he pretty much tonned up for the rest of the year except 2 rds (Concussion in one game and groin strain in another - Came back from the groin strain to ton up again the next week).  I think he only missed 1 game for the year (maybe 2).

All in a team getting flogged every second week!

He's a lock in for me - especially looking at the Lion's fwd line this year.  I reckon it will bounce back out of there like a super-ball - straight back to Hanley!

[Bully]

Those stats look reasonable although I still question his ability to handle a tag. Last year Hanley scored 5 tons in the first 8 matches, only to follow that up with 4 tons in 12 matches in the second half of the season. I think it's fair to say that the competition put a fair bit of effort into shutting him down.

But what were his sub ton scores?  From memory most were in the high 80's.  Not a bad score for a bloke people say is shut down by a tag.

Leading into the byes (Rnd 8 to 10) he had groin issues and was moved into the fwd line to rest.  He was still scoring well (Except Rd 10 - 46).  After the byes he pretty much tonned up for the rest of the year except 2 rds (Concussion in one game and groin strain in another - Came back from the groin strain to ton up again the next week).  I think he only missed 1 game for the year (maybe 2).

All in a team getting flogged every second week!

He's a lock in for me - especially looking at the Lion's fwd line this year.  I reckon it will bounce back out of there like a super-ball - straight back to Hanley!

I'm not sure you could say he 'tonned up for the rest of the year'. He managed that feat against lowly opposition ie. St Kilda, Melbourne, North & Gold Coast. The rest of his scores were solid without being spectacular. I'm not suggesting he's a bad alternative but if you have the byes covered then Hodge gets my vote easily. I always prefer big game players in my side & there are few as impressive as Luke.

[jeesh]

Hanley is winning the votes but I think i'm gonna go with the general. Got his defender status back this year, he's got the runs on the board and there are the tagging concerns with Hanley.

[hawkers65]

Hanley is winning the votes but I think i'm gonna go with the general. Got his defender status back this year, he's got the runs on the board and there are the tagging concerns with Hanley.

I too have the same decision to make (Hanley/Hibberd/Hurn or Hodge) and i'm also going Hodge.

[maygs]

Hodge is a legend.  Not sure how he fits in this year with lots of teams having Mitchell, Suckling and Langford.

But anyway Hanley's last half of the years was:

Rnd      Opposition      SC
12      Freo         91 (Lost)
13      Geelong      42(win) in Fwd line and head injury 1st Q
14      Hawks      86 (L) in Fwd line & 10 goal loss
15      GC         117 (W) playing on Swallow
16      Nth         105 (W) Tagged by Hine
17      Melb         113 (W) Tagged by Clisby?
18      ---         DNP
19      StK         108 (W) back in mids on Ray
20      Rich         95 (L) in loose in defence
21      GWS         55 (W) subbed off early 3rd Q with adductor injury
22      Foots         80 (W) Tagged by Cross
23      Geelong      79(L) 1 point loss

[jeesh]

What's with all the H's? Hodge, Hurn, Hibberd, Hanley lol
You got Mitchell, Suckling and Langford to boot Hawkers?

[hawkers65]

What's with all the H's? Hodge, Hurn, Hibberd, Hanley lol
You got Mitchell, Suckling and Langford to boot Hawkers?

Dont have Suckling and trying to decide on either Langford/Ambrose or Georgiou/Taylor