@Phillip – I think we need to look at the Saints loss in perspective. The Saints had 8 of their best 10-12 players out last week. The Hawks had 8 out of your best 25 out but they still smashed you. To have 115 tackles against a team like Hawthorn who prided themselves on the hard footy, surely that is a bit embarrassing.

@Deano – As discussed in “Why Geelong are Vulnerable“, I do not think you can play with form and Geelong run the risk of being a Carlton of the mid 90s and Essendon (1999-2001) and that is failing to become a great team by only winning one premiership…

“We definitely got flogged by the Saints but it wasn’t down to hunger as you suggest.”

i don’t know how you define hunger but around 115 tackles in a game that didn’t feature their best two tacklers does a pretty good job for me.

We definitely got flogged by the Saints but it wasn’t down to hunger as you suggest. They lost 7, we did lose an addition 3 for that game. Yes not the quality of players that the Saints lost, but our replacements weren’t as experienced as the Saints replacements and the form (as you point out) of the players around them not so good either.

We have to regroup and hopefully a good preseason will come this year. Fitness isn’t what it has been and its showed. Early in the season we were in most games at Half time but got over run.
.-= Phillip Molly Malone´s last blog ..Podcast – Pies Coaching and the Win-Win-Win Richo trade =-.

no, their form. they are not losing to bottom teams. they lost to Brisbane at the Gabba and Carlton, both top 8 sides who i’m sure most would agree are capable of anything on their day. what do they have to play for?? they have top2 sewn up. your blokes were playing for a spot in the top 8 for a chance to defend your flag against a team that was missing their entire on ball division, their best forward and their two best backman and still got out hustled and out tackled and outplayed.

btw do you think the Hawks need to look at a key defender or would you be more happy with risking your forward line potency by taking Roughead away to defense?

that’s funny i thought Ottens, Egan, Ling, Ablett and Scarlett all missed games early when the Cats remained unbeaten…

“Bringing up Geelongs injuries supports my argument (unless your saying their hunger has dropped off as well)!”

How does it…they are top 2 you are bottom 8!!!

“Young sides will be up and down the Hawks have one of the youngest sides in the league!”

Yes they are young but they have played finals in the last 2 years and won a flag. Surely that kind of experience counteracts the youth of the list. AND If your side is so inexperienced then you are supporting my argument that it will be a long road back. You will never have that same 22 from the GF again so enjoy it for what it was. Crawford is gone, Dew is gone, Doubtful whether Croad will be back so that leaves too big a load on Gilham. Plus teams have learnt not to kick the ball anywhere near Luke Hodge which has taken probably your biggest strength of all away.

There is no doubt your side has the talent but talent is not everything. Your team needs to realise that the game evolves so much from year to year and planning that can win you a flag one year can be worked out and become obsolete the next. There are big decisions that need to be made at your club over the off-season and i am pretty sure that you will get it right because i think AL Clarkson is an outstanding young coach.

On Depth, I think our depth is fine yet inexperienced and that is why I think this is the “year we had to have”. Of course we didn’t want it but (assuming injuries aren’t permanent) it at least game the kids a snip and we found a few that will be better in years to come!
.-= Phillip Molly Malone´s last blog ..Podcast – Pies Coaching and the Win-Win-Win Richo trade =-.

Young sides will be up and down the Hawks have one of the youngest sides in the league! (and that is the side on the park not just the list (which is the youngest in the league))

Did they really have the youngest in the league?

Guess it raises a question about people stating their lists as youngest or not, I think it should be added along with the games played. Buddy is 22 but has played 100 games, so while he is young in age, he is mature in games played.

Their depth is simply not as good as other top4 teams.

I think even you Phillip would have to agree with this. While Hodge & Franklin had limited pre seasons, they along with Mitchell and Batemen have played majority of the year and are your top players. Its the next level of players that have either been injured or not stepped up to the mark.