Hawks supporter Steve Polak previews this weekend's Elimination Final between Hawthorn and Adelaide.
Legends like Knights, Platten, Ayers, Moore, Buckenara, Scott, Dermy, Dipper, ‘Lethal’ Leigh Mathews and the goal kicking machine, Jason Dunstall, helped keep the Hawks hovering around the top of the ladder year in year out. Since those days the competition has changed incredibly with the move to a national focus. The 90s were a tougher hunting ground as the Hawks faced the challenges that came with the growth of the AFL and the need to support interstate clubs.
Yeah we were growing the sport ‘nationally’, but it made things hard for those who lived in the heartland.
However it looks like our Hawks have finally come through to the other end of the tunnel and can truly take the competition to any side. 2007 has been a year of great revelations like that. Seeing the way the brown and gold army ripped a cocky West Coast apart on their home turf in round 9 would have to be one of the highlights of the year. We did it in style too, with the many talented and less experienced players growing in stature almost with every kick.
Such superb performances helped get us to where we are now, playing in our first final in half a decade! Whoohoo!
The last time the Hawks made it to the finals there was jubilation at the achievement, but also a touch of desperation. The team was good and there was a fighting chance, but the Hawthorn from 2001 is nowhere near the team we have now. 2007’s lineup is deeper than Atlantis and there are true stars up and down the field. Now we don’t have limited options up forward. We are more than a one trick pony and this could be critical this weekend in the battle with the more experienced Crows, a team very capable decimating the offensive power of teams with limited options up front. Indeed the Crows showed us exactly what they can do only a couple of months ago when they stifled our forward line and played hard ‘body on body’ football, manning up and making it difficult for the Hawks to run rampant.
Tactically overcoming this threat will be the key to victory this weekend. However we have the tools for the job. Clarko has shown great tactical insight, often helping the team to respond to the ever changing demands of the fluid modern game. Also the meteoric rise of the team has seen Hawthorn mature even since that round 14 clash with the cackling Crows. We have less outs too. Hopefully Chance Bateman, who missed the round 14 battle with the Crows, will be there this time around and this should help.
One key will be how we can get a good run out of defense and this has been something the Hawks have become extremely proficient at in recent times. Stifling the clever Ricciuto who scored four goals last time the two sides met is also vital. Always varying the path of attack is important too. With players like Joel Smith, Brown and Croady (what concussion?!) helping to launch us into attack there will be different paths to the goal line and this should make it harder for the Crows to intercept our run.
Adelaide’s midfield is also going to keep us on our toes. Last time there was a bit of a ‘possession fest’ with Crows like Goodwin racking up 33 touches and a free roaming McLeod doing massive damage with 39 possessions. Mitchell, Crawford, Hodge and the rest of the crew in the centre will have to work hard to keep the Crows at bay. Controlling supply out of the hit outs will be where the game is won or lost. We’ll have to simply ‘out motor’ the Crows. Recent games like the clash against Brisbane have proven that our lads in the middle have more legs than most.
However the most critical battle will be on the forward line. Unlike the 2001 final, when targets up forward were limited, 2007’s team is a very potent goal kicking machine. Naturally we will look to Buddy to deliver something magical and take the game by the scruff of the neck, but as the Hawks have proven all year we are now a team with impressive depth up forward. Boyle, Roughy, Dixon and the rest of the crew will all be looking to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Sure there are question marks over our experience and how the team will respond to the intense pressure of finals. However the last six or so weeks, with every team scrambling madly to grab a finals berth, has helped teach the guys some good lessons about pressure football. Even the losses have been useful as it has helped us to get a sense of where we need to improve. The time to test how much of this ‘education’ has paid off is here this week.
Now while we’d break into religious fits of rapture if ‘the win’ was the result, either way 2007 has proven that the Hawks are now an outfit to be respected in so many ways.
This is a very different perception to the view most critics would have held a mere twelve months ago.
So while we did get a tidy up last week by the Swans, I reckon grandpa’s favourite saying could just be the right omen for us in this finals series. We should bounce back hard after the loss last week and it would be great to see the finals campaign open with a resounding win over those blokes from over the border.
Either way I’ll be front row, top deck balcony just behind the goals at The Dome going bananas for the full four quarters this Saturday. See you there. . . .
Steve Polak
"Theynever lose two on the trot"
Legends like Knights, Platten, Ayers, Moore, Buckenara, Scott, Dermy, Dipper, ‘Lethal’ Leigh Mathews and the goal kicking machine, Jason Dunstall, helped keep the Hawks hovering around the top of the ladder year in year out. Since those days the competition has changed incredibly with the move to a national focus. The 90s were a tougher hunting ground as the Hawks faced the challenges that came with the growth of the AFL and the need to support interstate clubs.
Yeah we were growing the sport ‘nationally’, but it made things hard for those who lived in the heartland.
However it looks like our Hawks have finally come through to the other end of the tunnel and can truly take the competition to any side. 2007 has been a year of great revelations like that. Seeing the way the brown and gold army ripped a cocky West Coast apart on their home turf in round 9 would have to be one of the highlights of the year. We did it in style too, with the many talented and less experienced players growing in stature almost with every kick.
Such superb performances helped get us to where we are now, playing in our first final in half a decade! Whoohoo!
The last time the Hawks made it to the finals there was jubilation at the achievement, but also a touch of desperation. The team was good and there was a fighting chance, but the Hawthorn from 2001 is nowhere near the team we have now. 2007’s lineup is deeper than Atlantis and there are true stars up and down the field. Now we don’t have limited options up forward. We are more than a one trick pony and this could be critical this weekend in the battle with the more experienced Crows, a team very capable decimating the offensive power of teams with limited options up front. Indeed the Crows showed us exactly what they can do only a couple of months ago when they stifled our forward line and played hard ‘body on body’ football, manning up and making it difficult for the Hawks to run rampant.
Tactically overcoming this threat will be the key to victory this weekend. However we have the tools for the job. Clarko has shown great tactical insight, often helping the team to respond to the ever changing demands of the fluid modern game. Also the meteoric rise of the team has seen Hawthorn mature even since that round 14 clash with the cackling Crows. We have less outs too. Hopefully Chance Bateman, who missed the round 14 battle with the Crows, will be there this time around and this should help.
One key will be how we can get a good run out of defense and this has been something the Hawks have become extremely proficient at in recent times. Stifling the clever Ricciuto who scored four goals last time the two sides met is also vital. Always varying the path of attack is important too. With players like Joel Smith, Brown and Croady (what concussion?!) helping to launch us into attack there will be different paths to the goal line and this should make it harder for the Crows to intercept our run.
Adelaide’s midfield is also going to keep us on our toes. Last time there was a bit of a ‘possession fest’ with Crows like Goodwin racking up 33 touches and a free roaming McLeod doing massive damage with 39 possessions. Mitchell, Crawford, Hodge and the rest of the crew in the centre will have to work hard to keep the Crows at bay. Controlling supply out of the hit outs will be where the game is won or lost. We’ll have to simply ‘out motor’ the Crows. Recent games like the clash against Brisbane have proven that our lads in the middle have more legs than most.
However the most critical battle will be on the forward line. Unlike the 2001 final, when targets up forward were limited, 2007’s team is a very potent goal kicking machine. Naturally we will look to Buddy to deliver something magical and take the game by the scruff of the neck, but as the Hawks have proven all year we are now a team with impressive depth up forward. Boyle, Roughy, Dixon and the rest of the crew will all be looking to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Sure there are question marks over our experience and how the team will respond to the intense pressure of finals. However the last six or so weeks, with every team scrambling madly to grab a finals berth, has helped teach the guys some good lessons about pressure football. Even the losses have been useful as it has helped us to get a sense of where we need to improve. The time to test how much of this ‘education’ has paid off is here this week.
Now while we’d break into religious fits of rapture if ‘the win’ was the result, either way 2007 has proven that the Hawks are now an outfit to be respected in so many ways.
This is a very different perception to the view most critics would have held a mere twelve months ago.
So while we did get a tidy up last week by the Swans, I reckon grandpa’s favourite saying could just be the right omen for us in this finals series. We should bounce back hard after the loss last week and it would be great to see the finals campaign open with a resounding win over those blokes from over the border.
Either way I’ll be front row, top deck balcony just behind the goals at The Dome going bananas for the full four quarters this Saturday. See you there. . . .
Steve Polak
Opinions expressed in this article arethose of the author and not necessarily those of the Hawthorn Football Club.hawthornfc.com.au would like to acknowledge the contribution of supporters tothe Official Club website. If you would like to sign up to write forhawthornfc.com.au clickhere for more details.
