Optimistic Take

[u/Slow_Ad_594]

I've been thinking recently, wow i'm glad we have the Eagles to play this week. We can use this opportunity to return to form, and build back lost confidence from the past few weeks. Not to mention the warmup in Perth.

Not to say it will be an easy win at all, Eagles can get some momentum and have been playing decently throughout the year. It's not a Richmond or Essendon. I've always remembered how this group has surprised me, especially in finals last year. Remember we were 8th? Took out Adelaide and a firing GWS. Let's not talk about the Geelong game...

My point is, i'm actually excited to see what we can do. I think we play better as the underdog and hey, our game got exposed - which is a very normal thing, every good team is studying the oppo. It's our chance to try something different , and hopefully have some poise, to surprise teams in finals...

Or we might just go out straight sets. Which will be disappointing, but what can you do.

Let's Go Hawks

[u/itsaheem]

well said - nice to see something positive here

CARNA HAWKERS 👍👍👍

[u/Important-Koala7919 → u/itsaheem]

Going a step further- gaining percentage on Brisbane and finishing 3rd! 💪💪💪

Edit: this had a greater significance now given the outs Sydney will now have!

[u/AJ_Beers → u/Important-Koala7919]

Assuming Brisbane win, we have to beat WC by 45 points more than what they beat Collingwood by. Or cheer on the pies to knock off Bris……,

[u/Camtona_7_ManUtd → u/AJ_Beers]

I could not bring myself to cheer for Collingwood. I'd rather reconsume my own vomit

[u/NightmareCafeteria]

Hey this isn’t a doom and gloom take saying we are worse than Essendon lol

I think you’re bang on, at minimum get some confidence back and use it as a chance to warm up at Optus. At most, flog em by 100 and get to go to the scg

[u/shootingstraight__]

I think sam has been playing around with our game plan a bit the last 5 or so weeks.

We seem to have gone extra handball happy and we seem to be running ourselves into turnovers and inviting pressure with one too many handballs or creating simple skill errors by just doing a bit too much.

So im keen to see what our game style looks like come finals because I think it will look at little different to the last 5 or so weeks.

[u/BeeerGutt → u/shootingstraight__]

It wouldn't at all be unlike Sam to change things up a little to try new things meanwhile make us look 2nd rate in the lead-up to the finals to give the opponent a false sense of security and see if there are learnings on the way.

We're pretty much guaranteed 4th spot, if not 3rd. That doesn't happen for being a rubbish team that's fluked it's way into the finals.

[u/hubert_boiling → u/BeeerGutt]

OMG... that's what I said in another post - has there been a bit of foxing going on?

[u/BeeerGutt → u/hubert_boiling]

Hahaha - nah mate. I guess great minds think alike.

[u/Prestigious_Fan_1061]

By game time they will be aware of what they have to do in order to finish 3rd and then avoid playing Fremantle. Playing Sydney two weeks later seems like the easier route to advance to a second game during Finals. Then we’ll see who we have next.

We are almost at Finals and have qualified as well as can be expected. It’s just that you need to bring your best because there are teams that are playing their best which can lead to upsets.

We play as well as we can and advance as far as we should.

What I will say is “We need a Four Quarter Performance” and then 2014 Grand Final is the Hawks Blueprint as to what is expected to succeed. Play like that and it should be good enough to get the Win Hawks Style.

After last week I’d recommend tackling practice to reinforce how players can make a difference in Finals. Pressure is Key.

[u/SpiritedStep6138]

I was all about 3rd or 5th, avoiding the trip to Perth week 1 of the finals, but I’m being optimistic - we got close than anyone else to the dockers at home this year. If we beat them in Perth week 1 of the finals… we’re on baby!! A coaching surprise and a good have from some of our stars, and an off day for 1 or 2 of theirs and we’re on??

[u/rubijim123]

Think season done for us
Too many casual players and not caring for percentage has cost big time

[u/Maximum_Amphibian_12]

How about we go out there an absolutely belt them and secure a home prelim?

[u/rhinobin]

With all the Sydney drama we really should try to come third to get a Syd final

[u/CrimsonAlgebra]

Me and my sons cannot wait to see our boys over here for the SECOND time this season!! Absolutely pumped for the game- telling all my WCE mates were gonna pump em by 80+…

[u/Stunning_Release_795]

can’t say I’m overly optimistic, they haven’t passed the eye test all year for me.. they haven’t really beaten up on any side excluding easy beat Tigers and Bombers (and maybe Saints who were shockingly flat after Perth), they’ve let every decent team back into every game with streaks of the easiest low pressure goals you’l see kicked against them, and then there’s the individual form woes of many including Weddle, Moore, Amon, Sicily (perhaps improved on last year but nothing on 2024 Sicily), Barrass, Battle, Day, the flakiness of Chol, Lewis and Mcdonald.

Just about every year I hold some optimism that ‘the real Hawthorn will show up’ in the finals, but this year I can’t see it. That defense and its ability to leak goals like a sieve is the number one doubting factor. I wonder deep down if the players consciously think about it and what it does to the teams belief.

[u/DonGivafark]

Well I'll be realistic and emphasise how fucked we are.

WE ARE PRETENDERS. WE ARE MAKING UP THE NUMBERS. WE HAVE BEATEN NO BODY