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LostDoggy
24-06-2008, 10:15 AM
Get-Mitch-quick scheme pays off

Love the Hahn Premium!

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/mikesheahan/index.php/heraldsun/comments/get_mitch_quick_scheme_pays_off/

Mike Sheahan
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 09:25am


THERE are footballers who look far better than they really are, others who perform far more effectively than they look

Let’s focus on those of the better-than-you-think variety at the top three clubs.

At Geelong, they are headed by Joel Corey and Corey Enright; at Hawthorn, Brad Sewell and Jordan Lewis; at the Bulldogs, Mitch Hahn.

Hahn is the blue-collar rep on the red, white and blue shop floor, even allowing for the huge work ethic of Daniel Cross, Dale Morris, Matthew Boyd and Ben Hudson.

He is tough and hard, fiercely competitive and resilient and enjoys throwing his weight around.

At 188cm and 99kg, he is a bull: Scott Welsh plus 10kg.

The perfect foil inside the forward 50 for Robert Murphy, Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis (Welsh can take care of himself).

Stats from 2006-08 say the Bulldogs are twice as likely to win with Hahn in the team.

When he plays, they win 74 per cent of the time.

The most illuminating figures come from the first half of 2006 (the period before he suffered a knee injury requiring a reconstruction) and the 13 rounds this year, after a full preparation.

In 2006 the Doggies won eight of the 11 games he played before he went down in Round 12; this year they have won 11 of 13.

He is averaging 14 possessions and has kicked 17 goals, yet, the basic stats tell only part of the Hahn story.

He leads the competition for tackles in the forward 50 with 23. He has 30 groundball gets in the forward zone, third behind “Buddy” Franklin and Michael O’Loughlin.

Champion Data’s statistics say one in three possessions in 2008 is contested; with Hahn, 54.2 per cent of his possessions are won the hard way.

He thrives on the contest, on a test of strength, a battle of wills.

His team thrives as a result.

The Bulldogs had the worst return for contested possessions in 2006-07; this year, they are third at + 9.1 a game.

Hahn is at the peak of his powers at 27 and in his ninth season.

He may have had only 10 possessions on Sunday, but seven of them were contested, he kicked three goals and was involved in two goal assists.

He took three contested marks in the goalsquare, unheard of for a bloke his size who doesn’t jump.

Then there was the ferocious tackle on Nick Maxwell in the second quarter.

You know you’re still playing a body-contact sport when Hahn is in the vicinity.

Not bad for a kid from Windsor-Zillmere in Brisbane’s north, taken at No. 37 in the 1999 national draft, traded by Richmond for Leon Cameron.

Watch the Doggies train in silhouette and you wouldn’t rank Hahn in the top 20; watch Rodney Eade at match committee and Hahn’s name would be in the first five on the team sheet.

craigsahibee
24-06-2008, 10:28 AM
Good article Mike.

Mitch's importance to our side is something that all Bulldog fans have known for a while.

Amazing strength through his hips allows him to stand in, if not break most tackles. A skill shared with the likes of Rob Harvey, Gary Ablett Jr, Ryan Griffen and the great Matthew Croft.

Need to sign Mitch up before the GC17 mob try to entice him back home.

How must Mitch and Murph be feeling right now knowing that they are staring at their first ever AFL finals series.

LostDoggy
24-06-2008, 01:26 PM
Good article Mike.

Mitch's importance to our side is something that all Bulldog fans have known for a while.

Amazing strength through his hips allows him to stand in, if not break most tackles. A skill shared with the likes of Rob Harvey, Gary Ablett Jr, Ryan Griffen and the great Matthew Croft.

Need to sign Mitch up before the GC17 mob try to entice him back home.

How must Mitch and Murph be feeling right now knowing that they are staring at their first ever AFL finals series.

Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game

The Bulldogs Bite
24-06-2008, 02:58 PM
74% of the time? Pretty remarkable, but most of us knew his importance prior to articles like these anyway. He's going to be so very, very important in the Finals series, he's had a terrific year so far and if he can carry this form into Finals he's going to be a game breaker.

LostDoggy
24-06-2008, 04:36 PM
This is a great article, I love reading praise for Mitch Hahn and I think that he is very underated. He is by far my favourite player in the league.

Topdog
24-06-2008, 11:34 PM
with Hahn, 54.2 per cent of his possessions are won the hard way.

What an animal!

craigsahibee
25-06-2008, 07:52 AM
Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game

Those that have a clue.

LostDoggy
25-06-2008, 09:23 AM
Should we be worried about GC17 trying to approach Mich it seems from what we hear he is a very popular guy around the club. The only guys I am concerned about in relation to the GC17 is Tommy and Mitch big enticement to go back to their native state. Or am I just stressing for no good reason.

Go_Dogs
25-06-2008, 09:31 AM
Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game

I think it's fair to say that a lot of people had question marks over Mitch and his ability to get back to some good form, especially after a pretty average 2007, combined with his struggle to get his body right following his knee injury.

I don't think anyone ever doubted if his best was good enough, just whether or not he'd be able to produce it on a consistent basis.

Mitch has had a great year, so full credit to him for turning it around and being a consistent performer this year.

1eyedog
25-06-2008, 12:01 PM
Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game

I have never thought of Mitch as trade bait and have never questioned his importance to the club. I stuck by him through that thread as I remember the start of his 2006 year. I agree that he is one of the first half dozen picked every week and if we lose him I hope we put a premiership medallion in his back pocket either this year or next.

Bulldog Revolution
25-06-2008, 02:23 PM
Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game

It was a very apt thread. He was at the crossroads and has responded nicely, so its good timing from Sheehan to recognise that. He still needs to convert at a higher rate to really hurt the opposition.

hujsh
25-06-2008, 04:25 PM
Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game

Valid point. He was great when fit in 06 but didn't look too great after the injury.

It was like saying 'has the game gone past Darcy?' While his best was great coming back from an injury and finding he speed has increased when you weren't a quick player would be cause for concern

1eyedog
25-06-2008, 04:53 PM
It was a very apt thread. He was at the crossroads and has responded nicely, so its good timing from Sheehan to recognise that. He still needs to convert at a higher rate to really hurt the opposition.

It was a two-bit thread purely posted on a whim to generate discussion. Crossroads? He was coming back from a knee reco! Sure, the big wigs at Whitten Oval were wondering how he would come back after it but he had only played half a year last year really so to say he was at the crossroads at the end of last year is a little unfair. Geez, give the guy a break and some chance to reclaim his mojo, IMO Mitch was never under the pump and I'm sure he wasn't at Whitten Oval as well.

Bulldog4life
25-06-2008, 05:30 PM
Do they? Not if you read the WOOF thread 'Mitch Hahn - Where to from here? ' started earlier this year, people were suggesting even at his best he might struggle to hold down a spot. How quickly people change!! Same thing Gia goes through everytime he has a bad game



21-10-2007, 03:45 PM
jerry
Registered user Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 342

Re: Bulldogs in turmoil


Trust me, I was watching , she said the bulldogs. Makes sense, lost the last 7 games, 4 assistants walk, Mcmahon takes swipe, Eade has unsettled clubs in the past. I'm not surprised. Bring on Peter Sumich, dont waste another year.


21-10-2007, 08:50 PM
jerry
Registered user Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 342

Re: Bulldogs in turmoil


Who knows whats going on. A coach like Eade normally has to succed in his first 2 yrs. They burn to many players. When Eade left Sydney, everyone said "he didn't develop young kids, and he lost the players". Sound familiar? I hope not....



We all make mistakes Jerry!:rolleyes:

dog town
25-06-2008, 06:32 PM
Work rate has always been the key with Mitch. When he got dropped in 2005 he came back a completely different player. I remember a game against the saints in round 12 or 13 that year and it was Hahn's second game back from the reserves. We lost that day but it was the first time I knew we were on our way back up the ladder. We were harder and more ferocious than I had seen us and Hahn was the driving force behind it. He made 4 or 5 efforts in a row at every contest and I think that is when the penny dropped for him. Prior to his run in the reserves in 2005 he was a genuine burst player. He would hit the pack hard but players would run away from him which is never a good sign. Everytime you saw him he was walking away from a contest while the opposition sprinted towards the next one.

I consider last year an abberation. He was coming off a knee reconstruction and then had shoulder problems immediately after he came back. He has not missed a beat this year and has contributed in every game. To lead the inside 50 tackles for the competition is a huge testament to his second efforts because he is not the quickest bloke around.

He is a smarter footballer these dyas as well. I really enjoy him holding front spot and protecting the drop zone of the footy then lunging forward to take a contested mark. You dont want to over play how good he is because he has alot of limitations but he is obviously incredibly important to our particular side.