HawkMan

I think King gives Hawthorn a higher chance of winning a premiership in the next 3 years, so yes. if Gunston and Lewis go down with injury (A fair chance considering their recent history) next year, and we didn’t sign King, we don’t compete for a premiership because Schubert isn’t ready. You don’t go after/sign Battle, Barrass, Merrett, King to finish top 4. Tough but you have to give a little sometimes, can’t always be one way. My preference would have been Dear over Schubert, Schubert over Chol. But can’t always win.

From a hawks fan perspective ✅ Keep the majority of our future picks, gain a star midfielder/star young key forward to help boost our chances in a premiership window while only giving up a (a good) developing player and a few picks in a even draft. It’s now or never. Time to win

Great news to keep Dear. I’m a big fan of a King/Lewis/Dear forward group once Gunners calls time which could (most likely) be in 2027. We add King, Goater, Nash and Dear to our best 26 and it’s stronger. Obviously Merrett would be huge but not sure what happens there. Go Hawks

Not sure Hawks can/should offer more than this. I can’t hold it against Bombers, contracted player, they say no, I’m sure there might be a rebuttal but almost time to move on and worry about other things. Ruined our trade period last year and we are in the window for only so long

I would love to see Schubert play as a key defender next season, with hawks trying to make a 10 year partnership with Mraz down back. Has many great qualities of an H Andrew’s type key back, and with our forward stocks stacked, it’s worth the long term risk IMO.

Absolutely incredible #AFLGrandFinal. Heartbreaking for Freo, but the Lions are just amazing. So much talent, but so much heart. So happy for Fages on a personal level, a fantastic human. Ashcrofts last 5 minutes was the stuff of legend. Can you get a better last 2 games of the year at the home of football? #AFLGF #AFLFreoLions

One last HUGE summary before I head off twitter for the year. So wired after that atmosphere, but still feeling empty. Just sat through a painful rewatch. Maybe the greatest game ever? Last 25 years? Summary of our 3 lines: Back 6 did as good as job as they possible could considering the clearance domination in the first 3 quarters. Giving up non pressured centre bounce clearances just makes it so hard to defend. We (had to) played a high risk, quick style of footy and was always going to suffer scores against, but that’s the only way you beat them. Battle was awesome on Morris, when he was switched off on turnovers he got lost a little in the that 3/4 but hardly at fault. TB was great, did everything he could. Sis didn’t have a great matchup hence why he was on the wing a lot but had big moments. Impey well held after an exceptional season, I hope he doesn’t let this get to him. Amon poor and can see a world where he is playing a lot of BHH next season (or salary dumped). Dimma outstanding season but was beaten, harsh on him considering some absolute mungs/floaters that came down and landed in Cameron’s lap but not playing in front is the price you pay. Midfield smashed, Nash a very important out and will be a big inclusion in 2027. I’m certain Day was injured and i have my fingers crossed it’s not serious, barely played in the second half. Frenchy only 55% game time was strange as he had 15 touches and looked good at times. Newcombe/Dunkley split the votes but we really needed a W their. Meek well beaten but tried his guts out. Ward our one big winner. What a game. Was superman in that second half and might be our surprise best and fairest winner. Mass great on the wing. Morrison a good last month but was reallyyyyy poor tonight. Some of those kicks will sit in his guts all summer, especially that hospital ball to Ginni late that cost us. Forwards were huge. Moore’s last 10 weeks have been super. Not just one or two performances, his lifted large and had a great finals series. Lewis/Gunston, incredible. I feel super confident in a Lewis/King (and maybe Schubert) tall forward set up going forward. Chol has a lot to answer for with that performance, diabolical for 90% of the evening, with King coming in spots will be tight. Have Hawks made the right call with sacrificing Dear? Wizard just amazing, 20 years old and doing that.. the next ten years is going to be fun. Ginni did a great job on Zorko/Fletcher. Selfless role tonight and made big sacrifices to his game to play a role for the team over the second half of the season, not always about disposals and goals. C-Mac struggled to find space. Great season though. Beattie will learn a lot. Add Nash/King/Merrett, and hopefully further development from Mraz, Greeves, Nairn, Dalton, Schubert and the future is bright. The likely outs of our best 26, Dear, Butler, Scrimshaw hurt our depth but we cover it well. The veterans who might be on the outer IMO, Amon looks old and losing that left leg power hurts his chances going forward if his already not a great defender. Gunston magnificent but I can see a world where he takes a slightly different role, still has enough to offer and another run at a premiership. Barrass looked far better after some rusty performances post injury and I suspect he will be managed carefully over the next 12-24 months so his fresh at the pointy end. Still has 2 years in him IMO. List is in good shape, maybe great, with age not an issue, most players signed up, good players coming in and not too many retirements coming. Time to reshape our game plan, lean into this power scoring style of play, more 1v1 defence and I think we have a lot of improvement left. Best and fairest tip, 1st Ward (would be well deserved), 2nd Impey, 3rd Newcombe (most Brownlow votes). Won’t be tweeting again until next year unless there is some trades that change things, stay safe and go hawks.

Pies vs Hawks 2011 prelim. Cats vs Hawks 2013 prelim. Dogs vs Hawks 2023 elimination. Nothing was louder than tonight’s game. The most incredible crowd i’ve seen, that atmosphere was something else. Reckon a few hawks fans thought of leaving halfway through the last and didn’t (like me). Just an unbelievable game. Lions deserved the win but it’s a tough way to lose a game after so many questionable frees throughout the night, that resulted in direct goals against us. The Impey free, probably the right one. But the others were atrocious. Tough one to get over this one.

Right call against Impey but fuck there were a lot of others that were way worse against us. But credit to the Lions, we gave em everything and they gave us everything and we fell short. Coulda, woulda, shoulda but didn’t. On to next year. See ya hawk fans.

Lions have been behind the last few prelims and have kicked 12 goals to 4 in the third quarters of both. Pretty obvious how important it is to keep them at bay until 3/4 time. Need to be absolutely ruthless and take our chances with any momentum we get.

Electric first half. We have been our biggest enemies at times. I reckon 3-4 Lions goals have been on the back of some putrid turnovers from overdoing it. The atrocious Chol and Baz frees cost us a goal each way. Great game though. Reckon the Lions will keep scoring and we’re going to have to do the same, won’t be able to win this game 85-75.. Go Hawks.

My certainty’s for today: -If we allow Lions to be at their best and play to their comforts we are no chance. -We won’t be anywhere near as bad as we were 5 weeks ago. The most uninspiring, uninterested and uncontested performance from a decent hawks side I’ve seen. -Josh Ward will play on whoever Mitchell thinks is their most dangerous midfielder (Ashcroft/Neale). Day will go to the left over of those two. -Newcombe can’t accept the Dunkley tag as easy as previously. Our mids actually did a good job in the bubble 5 weeks ago but were let down by the front and back 6. -Lewis/Chol will decide the game for hawks. Must compete in the air. Likewise for Barrass/Battle/Sis, all have to be accountable 1v1. -MUST limit the lions ability to short kick and create overlap through the middle. It’s their one wood. High front on pressure and hurt them on the rebound. Missed tackles can’t happen.

One minor blessing in disguise with Batesy’s injury is the opportunity/development for some of our younger outside/mids who probably offer a little more skill and youth. Stone (didn’t play but has come on in leaps) Fleming, McLaughlin, Daisy (huge last quarter even if stats are big), Antony, Coyne.. Great W!

This is some win by the AFLW Hawks. Shaky start to the year but showed some real positive signs last week and brought that intensity and pressure into tonight’s game. Have yourself a night ladies!

Josh Allen on fire. Hope the Hawks have a similar feel about them tomorrow arvo!

You have to ask the question if your the bombers. He has shown more than enough to overpay, and you could argue it’s better than any picks they would get back. Hawks might want to keep the picks and trade a player.. Interesting trade period ahead

Gary Lyon been smashing the wall down trying to get other teams to go for Merrett. Still hurt that the hawks were so aggressive last year, almost brought him to tears on tv trying to get Merrett to stay.

Yes of course this happens.. If Lions don’t get into this, all of sudden our GF dream is made a hell of a lot harder. Swans playing kamikaze footy at the moment.

Blues were absolutely cooked after the first 40 minutes (Cats are very good and would have been a deserving top 4 side IMO). Wildcard weekend great for business, poor for footy. It was already hard enough to win from outside the top 6 and now it’s impossible, not to mention the bang on average finals we will see over the next few years. Cash grab!