Remember 2008?
Castro resigned as President of Cuba, Michael Phelps won 8 Gold medals in Beijing, the US found $700Billion in loose change to bail out the world and the late great Viewed won the Melbourne Cup.
Oh Hawthorn beat Geelong and won the flag as well.
What? You mean that Hawthorn side brimming with early draft picks that finally developed into a match winning combination? That side that exposed teams with the revolutionary "rolling zone", that harrassed, chased, tackled and fought as if their life depended on it? I remember them now. It may as well be 20 years ago rather than two. That side, so full of promise and carrying the hopes of all the Hawthorn faithful has been beset by the same fate as Viewed. It got sick and died.
The Hawks have now only won 9 out of their last 27 games since that great day. Heroes from that year are now mere shadows cringing in the dark, suspended by some unknown force preventing them from showing the courage, grit and determination of that year. Chance Bateman, Xavier Ellis, Brent Guerra, Michael Osbourne, Stephen Gilham and Clinton Young are playing with fear and uncertainty. Garry Moss has vanished. Victims of the very same pressure that they once excelled in creating themselves. Gone is the precision and slickness of a polished diamond instead replaced by clumsy, confused mediochrity.
Injuries have taken their toll yes. Some of the abovementioned players are recoving from lengthy spells on the sidelines and will take time to regain that mojo but that doesnt excuse some of the basic skill errors that are occurring. To add to the misery Shiels, Murphy, Schoenmakers, Stratton and Whitecross, aka "The Replacements" are hopeless. Constantly turn the ball over with poor handball and even poorer kicking.
What are Clarkson and the coaching staff thinking by not developing a 2nd ruckman? It is now quite apparent that the young Brent Renouf cannot carry the very important duties of the ruck all on his own. The young lad has developed well and since the 2008 triumph, has been one of the shining lights in an otherwise ordinary side. However, his young, still maturing body, at the moment, just can't stand the rigors of full time AFL rucking. Using Hodge and Roughead , as a stop gap, is perilous to say the least. If either of these players sustains a major injury, the Hawks may as well consign 2010 to the AFL season heaven in the sky. At the very least Luke Lowden or Sam Grimley need to be tried. It cannot get any worse.
The Coaching staff have not adapted to the situation very well. The aforementioned ruck debacle and using a high possession game plan are just stupidity. Maybe they go back to the good old fashioned 1 handball 1 kick rule where players dont have to think as much. Release the pressure valve on those young heads. Create more contests around the ground and give them a chance to unearth some of that lost venom.
The plus side is that Hodge is producing what may be Brownlow winning form. Buddy is still kicking goals and exciting the crowd. And then there's Cyril. The Pocket dynamo is outstanding. His speed and explosivness is quite simply amazing. Campbell Brown is dead on his feet at the end of every game meaning he is working his guts out and Roughie is having plenty of shots on goal albeit a bit offline.
Something needs to happen quickly otherwise 2010 will be Hawthorns Modern day tragedy.
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