Players not worth bothering with any more

[Killa]

And just to add, absent a couple of players due to Covid, Brisbane fall to Essendon in Brisbane

That is how tight the competition is

A couple of players significant to class or structure missing and you are vulnerable

[Scollop]

Apart from some sapping umpiring decisions the commentary to me was the task set for Wilkie in the absence of Howard

So instead of the 191cm Wilkie playing to his strengths he was responsible for a guy of what size?

And that threw the structure of our defence out

Battle has performed admirably and Highmore was honest - but the lack of Howard (and Carlisle who we have been unable to replace) shows

And the same at the other end with King (noting Ryder and Marshall are deployed forward when not in the ruck)

Then you get to the mids where we have players who do not “carry the lines” by carrying the ball toward the goals (note Ross who just does not present the danger of running forward with ball in hand and more needs the ball to catch up with him hence possessions under pressure and rushed disposal)

The summary is that we are still a few players short (excuse the pun) and need to trade, chase out of contract players and draft

Acknowledging where our deficiencies are because those deficiencies are most obvious

I like what you are saying but there’s a smell about the club and the wheels falling off midway through the year reminds me of 2017. We all remember what happened to Cho’s St Kilda in 2018.

We seem to be a club that is too nice. We forgive poor performances, we make excuses for people, we try and cuddle those who make mistakes or can’t fulfil their role. Prime example is Brad Hill and the way we nursed him in 2021 when he couldn’t do his job. This is a guy who we paid top dollar for. We chased him for his ability to deliver the footy inside 50 and his ability to play as a wingman…not as a farrken backman!!

I still can’t get over the fact that we recruited Hill for what he could bring and because he failed, we try to slot him into a half back flankers role to save face for the recruiters, the footy department boss, and the CEO who endorsed paying overs for him. Brad played ok last night. Not blaming 1 person for the loss against Freo but just wanted to highlight that we are soft as a club.

I think we are destined for another rebuild come 2024. We are miles off in my opinion. Need to build a core group of youth and aim for 2027. Why don’t they bite the bullet and just plan a rebuild now? What’s the point of trying to land Lobb or Tarranto or De Goey?

…but they won’t because their careers and their livelihood is on the line. Selfish pricks who are only concerned about themselves and don’t care what happens to this club 20 years from now

I think Yorkeys nailed it. This is the situation we find our club in because they’re always taking short cuts.

Mentally weak, poorly drilled, do not minimise weaknesses or maximise strengths. Team looks rudderless, leaderless. Rhetoric sounds pathetic and clueless.
How are they going to stem the current death spiral? Board and Pres have endorsed what is happening - to me that is beyond comprehension. Why, what do they see that we don't and the ladder position doesn't reflect?

[Killa]

We are not as far off as some portray

We do need to cover some obvious deficiencies

In regards Hill and Sinclair off half back - with Clark and Coffield on half back flanks providing class and rebound where do you turn deploy Hill and Sinclair?

This is an extension of the task set for Wilkie yesterday

We have younger players at Sandringham and developing but they remain works in progress (as you would expect given they have come from Under 18 Competitions)

We just do not have experienced players at the lower level

Hence some getting AFL games

[Teflon]

It really doesn't matter who we would recruit.

We can't develop footballs. Hell, we can't even keep the players on the Park?

King - Once in a generation pick - would be already leading the AFL goal kicking if he was at most other clubs.

Hannaberry would have played three to four times more at most other clubs.

Plugger would have kicked kid close to 200 goals in a Season if he was at most other clubs.

We blame the Players - we blame the Coach.

But it's the rest - from the President down to the Supporters (me being one), where its all to blame.

I didn't effect the outcome of tonight, but the Club - The acceptance of mediocrity - and we all go along with it.

I'm nearly 60 and saw the s*** in the 80s only to be teased again this year - 8 and three turns into 9 and 7 with a side that is better talented tan earlier in the year.

To be frank, tonight, we turned our toes up in the second half, and we should have been 5 goals up at half time.

Not for the first time, mentally weak, and bereft of skills.

Will it ever change???

Go listen to Sam Mitchell Year 1 at Hawks denoting coaches first job is to focus on raising the skill level it’s part of the coaches job
That and development of a game plan that the team can consistently follow and that plays to the sides strengths eg King on the lead?????
We don’t do any of it it’s all hit n miss , lucky dip each week as to whether players show up switched on
That’s coaches key job

[B.M]

Hawthorn aren’t going that well - and have a shocking list

2nd worst in the AFL

[B.M]

We should cut the list in half bring in a fk load of kids

Spend 3 years losing by 10+ goals every week

Lose good players who want to go to a more successful club

Recruit rubbish out of desperation

Make poor draft selections

Not develop kids very well

And languish in the bottom 4 for a decade

Churn through some coaches and footy managers

And build our debt nicely

Good plan!!!!!

[Banger9798]

easy fixed

rebrand milestone games as millstone games
....losing is winning

rebrand supporters as left wing terrorists
.... expectation of real power is winning

rebrand the cricket season
.... nirvana for left wing terrorists

I'll take a quarter ounce of what you're smoking

[asiu]

of a kilo would be better

[asiu]

yea

sorry bout that ... lol

sack the coach
sack the admin
sack the squad



sack somebody

[SaintWiki]

High priority picks and good recruiting are all very well, but one thing that worries me is just how much further development other that natural development and more experience do our players get compared with some of the other teams, so many of our players have gone to other clubs and developed heaps.

[SunnyErnie]

These are the players that should be let go (each by whatever the method that is most productive) as none of them will assist us to get to where we need to be:

Joyce, Butler, Billings, Webster, Ross, HILL, Sharman, Allison, Bytel, Geary, Hannebery, Kent

I think one can conclude that when you have that many players who are putting a drag on the team, then you are going to struggle.

More brilliant recruiting required - big defenders and quality mids required.

You may as well include Ryder in that group as well. I know he is still good enough to play but what is the point of playing a 35 year old ruckman in St Kilda's situation. If Melbourne lose Jackson I would allow him to cross to Melbourne for free so he has the chance to get a flag before he retires. He won't get that at St Kilda this year or next so we should do the right thing by him.

The benefit to St Kilda is that Heath would then get his chance!

[Teflon]

Hawthorn aren’t going that well - and have a shocking list

2nd worst in the AFL

Yes that’s the point wasn’t it ??
I reckon Hawks will overtake us at our rate !
Maybe we just puff the chest out more and she’ll be right hey ??