This week eHawkTalk catches up with Hawthorn forward Tim Boyle, whose return to the side from injury has coincided with back to back wins and the Hawks are eying a strong finish to the season.
The Hawks face a resurgent Port Adelaide side whose strong start to the season slipped away, before hitting their straps winning six of their last eight matches.
It’s second versus third, and the stakes couldn’t be higher, with a top four finish within reach for the winner.
Boyle is part of a three prong forward line, which often also includes a small forward, like Ben Dixon, who bobbed up for a lazy 3 goals last week against Brisbane. With Boyle back, three talls is a formidable task for any defence, and with the Hawks young-guns growing in confidence, it is proving to be very effective in battle.
Simplicity is the key, Boyle told eHawkTalk, who has established a great understanding with his strike partners, Jarryd Roughead and Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin this season.
“Simplicity is the beauty of it. Even though sometimes it’s obvious what we are doing it’s very hard to defend. But having said that it’s not necessarily the same – it’s the theory that we follow, trying not to get in each others way.
“We help each other out with the way that we move – although we often start in a central position – that can change. There is a lot of the movement – which is what I enjoy.
“It helps me a lot I think because its give us all a structure to play by and it’s not just a random series of events that were just occurring. Things are in place. We can all help each other out and look after each other. Watch each other to make it hard for each others opponents – I think it’s working well – because different guys are drawing different opponents each week and their having to swap around on us, rotating. Some of us are hitting up some of us are staying back. So yeh, its working well its creating confusion.”
The Hawks are enjoying their best season since 2001, with match winners in every line. However, Boyle is quick to credit the midfield, with the likes of Sam Mitchell, Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman, Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis and their merry band providing drive and outstanding service to the forwards, as they fan out to provide options up front.
“Our midfielders are hard headed kind-of-guys and they’re very competitive. They’re very hard to hold down for a full game. I think in the past it has been a weakness of ours (having young guys and relying too heavily on 1 or 2 players).
“Now I think everyone that rolls through there is capable of winning their position, even if we are down at halftime in any given area we all have faith in each other at the moment that we are able to peg it back. That 3rd quarter (against Brisbane in round 19) was just a good turning point - a good confidence booster”
eHawkTalk is the new Official Hawks weekly e-newsletter. eHawkTalk breaks all the latest Hawthorn news every Wednesday, taking you behind the scenes, getting you closer than ever before. To subscribe (FREE) to eHawkTalk, and be in the running for some great weekly prizes – Click here.
The Hawks face a resurgent Port Adelaide side whose strong start to the season slipped away, before hitting their straps winning six of their last eight matches.
It’s second versus third, and the stakes couldn’t be higher, with a top four finish within reach for the winner.
Boyle is part of a three prong forward line, which often also includes a small forward, like Ben Dixon, who bobbed up for a lazy 3 goals last week against Brisbane. With Boyle back, three talls is a formidable task for any defence, and with the Hawks young-guns growing in confidence, it is proving to be very effective in battle.
Simplicity is the key, Boyle told eHawkTalk, who has established a great understanding with his strike partners, Jarryd Roughead and Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin this season.
“Simplicity is the beauty of it. Even though sometimes it’s obvious what we are doing it’s very hard to defend. But having said that it’s not necessarily the same – it’s the theory that we follow, trying not to get in each others way.
“We help each other out with the way that we move – although we often start in a central position – that can change. There is a lot of the movement – which is what I enjoy.
“It helps me a lot I think because its give us all a structure to play by and it’s not just a random series of events that were just occurring. Things are in place. We can all help each other out and look after each other. Watch each other to make it hard for each others opponents – I think it’s working well – because different guys are drawing different opponents each week and their having to swap around on us, rotating. Some of us are hitting up some of us are staying back. So yeh, its working well its creating confusion.”
The Hawks are enjoying their best season since 2001, with match winners in every line. However, Boyle is quick to credit the midfield, with the likes of Sam Mitchell, Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman, Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis and their merry band providing drive and outstanding service to the forwards, as they fan out to provide options up front.
“Our midfielders are hard headed kind-of-guys and they’re very competitive. They’re very hard to hold down for a full game. I think in the past it has been a weakness of ours (having young guys and relying too heavily on 1 or 2 players).
“Now I think everyone that rolls through there is capable of winning their position, even if we are down at halftime in any given area we all have faith in each other at the moment that we are able to peg it back. That 3rd quarter (against Brisbane in round 19) was just a good turning point - a good confidence booster”
eHawkTalk is the new Official Hawks weekly e-newsletter. eHawkTalk breaks all the latest Hawthorn news every Wednesday, taking you behind the scenes, getting you closer than ever before. To subscribe (FREE) to eHawkTalk, and be in the running for some great weekly prizes – Click here.
