Rate a team in 2008: Hawthorn

[BulldogBelle]

A much improved team in 2007, quite a few of the youngsters there now showing their worth. Clarkson is developing the team nicely. Dew was picked up by the Hawks for 2008 which suprised a few folk. He has had to work hard and lose the weight so as to play footy - by all reports he is doing well and will probably be a walk up start (or should I say a run up start) for Round 1.

Prediction: 4-8th position.

[GVGjr]

If Buddy has another level they will be awesome. I admire how they have stockpiled talls and these guys will all start making the grade in 2008 and 2009. They have set themselves up for the long term and I think 6th to 3rd is a possibility for them.

[hujsh]

I would say top 5 but they might be set to fall away like we did. I doubt it with their more traditional side but some consider it a possibility.

[Go_Dogs]

If Buddy has another level they will be awesome. I admire how they have stockpiled talls and these guys will all start making the grade in 2008 and 2009. They have set themselves up for the long term and I think 6th to 3rd is a possibility for them.

Agreed. Their tall forwards are excellent. Add to the mix the likes of Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis etc they have a pretty decent midfield too. Having Mark Williams back this year will no doubt help them too, and another quality ball user in Dew who could become a reasonable goal kicker for them also helps.

[Big Will]

Hawthorn have the potential to explode this year. As others have said, their tall forward stocks are deep and they shouldn't struggle to kick big scores this season. What will determine their success I think will be the ability of their lesser known midfielders and the entire backline to step up.
Ellis, Birchall, Gilham, Ladson and Clinton Young should all have their chances this year and they could be the glue that holds the team together if Hawthorn are to reach these lofty expectations... Top 4 at least.

[Mantis]

I'm not sold on them yet.

There backline is shoddy. They have a couple of good players down there, but need Roughead or one of the other young talls to fill a spot at CHB.

They also have too many players who can't kick. Mitchell and Ladson in particular were horrible in the final versus the Kangaroos.

Yes Buddy is super talented, but I think he cares more about what the crowd thinks of his efforts than that of his team-mates. Under pressure they can become too Buddy focused and need to find other avenues to goal. Williams will help as the rest of the other options are big apes. Rioli will help in time as he will give them a bit of pace and creativity up forward which has been lacking.

Rucks are solid, but not wonderful. Midfield is tough and beats up on the soft teams, but lacks leg speed. Crawford is still a very important run and carry player which is a bit sad as he is in his twilight.

For me they are still 2 years away from really challenging, but things can change pretty quickly.

Should finish b/w 4th and 8th.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Either this year or next the wheels will fall off in a big way for no reason other than everything will go wrong. Then they'll bounce back and win a premiership.

Their supporters are where we were 12 months ago only more so. I expect them to implode.

[LostDoggy]

How about the drug rumours and Buddy issues, will that play a part?

[hujsh]

I have heard (not official however) who one of those players was

[Sockeye Salmon]

I have heard (not official however) who one of those players was

Do a search and you'll find out who all of them were

[hujsh]

Now i know 2

[MrMahatma]

If all their high picks kick on, they'll be unstoppable in a couple of years. They've still got a heap of high picks who either haven't debuted, or have only played a handful of games.

Looking across the league I think they've got one of, if not the best balanced list and most potential to be up for a long long time.

Of course, a few injuries to key players, contract negotiations etc and things can change very quickly.

[hujsh]

Allways nice to be able to afford to trade your good players and loose without you club being in turmoil so you can have 5 top 20 picks or whatever ridiculous numbers they had over several years

[always right]

They have the list to be a flag contender this year. They havea number of untried young blokes with big wraps...but they are yet to be proven. Their biggest threat is getting ahead of themselves. No shortage of inflated egos at the hawks.

[BulldogBelle]

They have the list to be a flag contender this year. They havea number of untried young blokes with big wraps...but they are yet to be proven. Their biggest threat is getting ahead of themselves. No shortage of inflated egos at the hawks.

Goes for supporters also...one of my bosses is such a mad keen Hawks supporter and he keeps telling me ( daily, even during the off season ) how the Hawks have it made this season. How Buddy will be go that extra leap etc etc - when the footy season starts he is unbearable...sometimes I try and sneak up to my office through another door because I know the Hawthorn gospel will be in overdrive...but, alas to no avail he is wating for me in my office and has brought me a cup a coffee to discuss our teams efforts each and every round of the footy season.

The other day he put two hawks stickers on my car and a post it note saying...Join the Hawks, you know you want to! I nearly threw up. I must think of something to get him back with.

[LostDoggy]

Goes for supporters also...one of my bosses is such a mad keen Hawks supporter and he keeps telling me ( daily, even during the off season ) how the Hawks have it made this season. How Buddy will be go that extra leap etc etc - when the footy season starts he is unbearable...sometimes I try and sneak up to my office through another door because I know the Hawthorn gospel will be in overdrive...but, alas to no avail he is wating for me in my office and has brought me a cup a coffee to discuss our teams efforts eaach and every round of the footy season.

The other day he put two hawks stickers on my car and a post it note saying...Join the Hawks, you know you want to! I nearly threw up. I must think of something to get him back with.

I have a couple of extra 2008 Bulldogs' Member stickers you can put on his bumper.

[BulldogBelle]

I have a couple of extra 2008 Bulldogs' Member stickers you can put on his bumper.

Thanks for the offer Lantern but he would only say I copied his idea...I will think of something. :)

[LostDoggy]

Thanks for the offer Lantern but he would only say I copied his idea...I will think of something. :)

I didn't read what you had written carefully enough, and of course I just aped his idea thinking I was so smart. I'm ashamed of my lack of creativity. I'm far too sleepy to be sitting here. Let me think of something.

[always right]

Thanks for the offer Lantern but he would only say I copied his idea...I will think of something. :)

Superglue in his car locks would be a prefectly reasonable response.

[dog town]

Either this year or next the wheels will fall off in a big way for no reason other than everything will go wrong. Then they'll bounce back and win a premiership.

Their supporters are where we were 12 months ago only more so. I expect them to implode.
That's funny I was going to say the same thing. It is all just set up to come crashing down. If it does then they just have way too much talent for it to last for more than a season. The list is so young that it would not take much going wrong for them to finish outside the 8.