Hawthorn

[hammo]

Originally posted by SXP

3. Avoiding injuries at all cost

If the Swans keep focusing on above goals, their confidence going into the finals will be rock solid.

If only it were that easy!

[Newbie]

The Hawks are definitely tanking. They would not have lost to the Tigers in that manner, otherwise. This means they would go hard for the first half to test out the younger players and then drop off paces in the second half to make sure they would lose.

We should do the opposite. Doing it easily in the first half and turn to full tempo in the second. This way, we could avoid unwanted injuries while still getting the momentum for the final charge.

We should consider this as a trial game no more no less.

[OldE]

What if they were attempting to tank in order to retain priority picks, and we were attempting to tank in order to keep up the WWWLWWWLWWWL record? Who would lose? Surely on current form you'd have to pick Hawthorn.

[Thunder Shaker]

Originally posted by eirinn
Surely on current form you'd have to pick Hawthorn.

What have you been smoking?

[cruiser]

Originally posted by Thunder Shaker
What have you been smoking?

No, its in those biscuits.

[OldE]

Read more carefully next time. I ask who you'd pick to lose.

[mocaholic]

Originally posted by Newbie
The Hawks are definitely tanking. They would not have lost to the Tigers in that manner, otherwise.

No way are they tanking.
An injury list of Barker, Bateman, Mitchell and Williams, together with people who add to their depth such as Beaumont, Ladson, Sewell and Campbell, restrict them further.

They've got the best out of an ordinary list and always have a crack.

Whilst it's not really a game we should drop, we must be extremely careful to win, win well, win on the MCG and maintain momentum. Fortunately we can do all four in one game.

Plus, it's my birthday, I'm going with two of my best mates who are Hawks and I will not be able to hack the abuse if we lose.

[Xie Shan]

Originally posted by eirinn
What if they were attempting to tank in order to retain priority picks, and we were attempting to tank in order to keep up the WWWLWWWLWWWL record?

I was thinking about this - no, we certainly won't be attempting to tank just to maintain that WWWL record! Shame on you for suggesting it. I have a feeling though that the Hawks will actually have a crack this week. They probably won't win, but I'm expecting a game more like the Essendon one where we took three quarters to shake off a determined, dogged but outclassed opponent.

[cruiser]

No, it makes no sense that they should want to try to win. There is no incentive for them to do so, for which the AFL is to blame.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Newbie
The Hawks are definitely tanking. They would not have lost to the Tigers in that manner, otherwise.

Bollocks, next you'll say we were tanking when Collingwood almost over-ran us.

I think Hawthorn wants to erase acceptance of losing from it's players far too much to tank. They only just went down last week and won the week before.

For all their bluster Carlton and especially Collingwood on the other hand do seem to be tanking, Carlton got flogged by 100 points last week yet beat Collingwood the week before (perhaps co-incidentally Collingwood would lose a priority pick had they won).

In fact Collingwood have'nt won a game since June (which is when they found themselves right up to the edge of the priority pick zone) and have been beaten by an average of 8 goals a game since their last win.

So I'd much prefer to be playing Carlton or Collingwood this week.

[hammo]

I refuse to believe that professional footballers would tank. The teams under suspicion are all blooding youngsters and have had plenty of injuries.

Playing guys out of position or blooding young guys is one thing, but asking players to not try just isn't believable.

I have no doubt Hawthorn will have a crack on Saturday but I also have no doubt that our superior class will show at the end of the day.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by hammo
I refuse to believe that professional footballers would tank.

Or indeed cricketers? In any case I doubt that it would be the players.

[cruiser]

Forecast for Saturday: Fine. Min 6 Max 19

Perfect. Hawks have no chance. Wonder what odds they're paying on this one? Even at $1.05 it would almost be worth putting my house on it. Lay a bet of $100,000 to collect an easy $5,000. That'd pay for an away trip the following week flying business and staying 5*!

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by cruiser
Forecast for Saturday: Fine. Min 6 Max 19

Perfect. Hawks have no chance. Wonder what odds they're paying on this one? Even at $1.05 it would almost be worth putting my house on it. Lay a bet of $100,000 to collect an easy $5,000. That'd pay for an away trip the following week flying business and staying 5*!

I'd like to see that.

[Jeffers1984]

Mitchell is our achilles Heel. Shut him down, all over.