Match Day Thread Rnd 8 V Hawthorn

[dimelb]

If someone had've told us before the game that Buddy would have no influence, that Mitchell and Cyril would be the Hawks two best players and that we'd have a horror run from the umps, I would have thought we'd get beaten by 10 goals.
To come away with the 4 points and being 2 games clear of Hawthorn is a massive moment in our season. We've had the 3 hardest road trips possible in the first 8 weeks and we're still 6-2. Freo will be hard to catch but we've really set ourselves up well to finish top two. The season is building nicely and we have every right to be optimistic about our premiership chances.

Ah, some perspective.

[dimelb]

For me, in today's game, a ruckman is there to contest the ball, then have the fitness and endurance to play on the ball and to move forward when required and stand on the goal line when the opposition are having a shot from 50 out.
Not many who can do that well, and it's nothing like Pyke.

For him to have his career last a few more years, he needs to drop some kilos and improved his endurance.
At times last night he kind of looked over it...

I agree with your summary of the ruckman's job. We have seen him do it many times, on all counts. Last night was a bit of an off night for him, but he approaches his game so professionally that I expect normal service to be resumed any time soon.

[Beerman]

Shaw really feels like a liability at the moment. He has never been the best defender but he would make up for it with his run and carry; but h

There was a telling moment later in the game when Hannebery took a mark in the middle of the ground and Shaw burst past him looking for the hand-off. Hannebery took a look at him and went back and kicked it forward himself.

If Shaw is not even being used in that situation, then I think it's time to let someone else have a go.

[i'm-uninformed2]

By the way how handy was the little touch/slap/hand Rampe got in on Gunston just as the handball was being fed to Cyril. The disposal needed to be perfect given the pace Rioli was coming at but just threw it off a bit.

[bloodsbigot]

Regained some faith in the team last night. Grand Final still hurts, but at least the team showed they actually cared enough to show some fight in the first quarter.

Hawthorn are such a filthy team. I swear, Hodge and Lewis were instructed by Clarkson before the game to hit the North Melbourne players on purpose if the game looked like it was getting away from them (Because they thought the next few games of theirs were 'gimmes' [Melbourne and GWS] and they could afford to lose a couple of players). It worked against North Melbourne because the game really swung Hawthorn's way after that. Backfired badly though with Hodge getting three weeks and missing our match.

The swans fought fire with fire and stood up to Clarkson's dirty tactics. Think the swans will need to bring it again in round 16 if we want to stand a chance.

Letting the Hawks have that many shots on goal was simply not good enough. I'm happy with the win, but I don't care as much as I used to. We need to do this later in the big one. I don't usually agree with Hawks fans, but we didn't win that one, the Hawks lost it.

I reckon Longmire deliberately made Franklin less influential in the game. That's the only thing I can think of. Rather than getting involved in the play directly he drew defenders away from play. No other reason Buddy didn't get more touches.

/rant

[satchmopugdog]

I'm so glad we won. Hawthorn are an awesome team and we BEAT them......I'll take that any day of the week.

We did the best with the cattle we have and they played their hearts out.

WE WON....HOORAY

[bloodsbigot]

I've never screamed so hard and wanted blood more than when the three swans tackled Lewis to the ground.

[bloodsbigot]

cyril .jpg

[Zlatorog]

Not counting the win in 2012 GF, this is the first time we defeated Hawks at the MCG in H&A since 2007. I know that the GF is the one that counts, but to me it proves that the MCG is not a scary place for us any more and we can win big games in H&A season as well.

[paper_rival]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1288[/ATTACH]

amazing

[Auntie.Gerald]

Fairly happy with our transitions which we have struggled with in the past vs the Hawks

In fact it was a massive improvement and buddy was an awesome decoy

Also loved our attitude to muscle up

[Big Al]

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[barry]

The way the swans beat hawks last night and in 2012 are the same. We play the game in our defense making any attack by them crowded and under pressure. This negates their open play and accuracy.
secondly we attack in a slingshot style. Their defense is full of slow, tall types.. gibson, lake, frawley. Fast movement in open space exposes them.

Anyone who looks at the inside 50 count and scoring shots, misses the point. These figures are irrelevant with this game plan.

No suprise that GWS beat them with fast open access into their forward line .

[ernie koala]

To all the commentary along the lines of..." Hawthorn would of won had they kicked straight"....Same as they said after the 2012 GF...

I say..." If my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle"....Coulda woulda shoulda.....Next.

[bloodsbigot]

The way the swans beat hawks last night and in 2012 are the same. We play the game in our defense making any attack by them crowded and under pressure. This negates their open play and accuracy.
secondly we attack in a slingshot style. Their defense is full of slow, tall types.. gibson, lake, frawley. Fast movement in open space exposes them.

Anyone who looks at the inside 50 count and scoring shots, misses the point. These figures are irrelevant with this game plan.

No suprise that GWS beat them with fast open access into their forward line .

Hawks clearly can't hack pressure. It's no coincidence that they missed so often. It was our pressure that gave them jitters.

Gunston hitting the post brought back pleasant memories.