Hawks supporter Tony Wilson previews this weekend's Semi Final between Hawthorn and the Kangaroos.
First off Hawthorn 15.15 105 def Adelaide 15.12.102
Done, Gone, Over, Time to move on.
The Hawks victory against the Crows was great but it’s overand time to progress. If we continue thinking about that game we will losefocus on the task at hand, the Kangaroos. They may have suffered thefifth-worst finals defeat in AFL history, but that is done and dusted. It won’thappen again.
The Hawks and the Kangaroos have a history of great finals startingback in 1974 when the then North Melbournedefeated the Hawks in both the Qualifying and Preliminary Finals. We then gotour revenge the following year with triumphs in both the Second Semi-final andGrand Final. But it was not over, for the next 3 years and a couple in theearly 80’s the Hawks and the Kangaroos went toe to toe in some tremendousfinals games, and who could forget that extra time thriller in 1994. Back thenwe had superstar coming out of our backsides. This time round we have one,Shane Crawford. Crawf is surely our only proven superstar but we do have a fewyoung up and coming superstars like Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jarryd Roughead,Jordan Lewis and of course Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin. These young men have beenthe cornerstone for the accomplishments we have achieved this year. But allplayers in the brown and gold have contributed in one way or another.
The last encounter between the Hawks and the Kangaroos wasdown at the Hawks fortress - Aurora Stadium. We were expected to win that battlebut didn’t. The Roos played a great tactical game in stopping our run in itstracks. They will try this again but Clarko has developed strategies this year toovercome other team’s tactics with only one failure, the Swans. So I am immenselyconfident that he will put in place ways to break away from this Kangaroos tacticand give our guys a game plan that we can win with.
The so called experts out there say the key to the Hawks is ourtall forwards, I think that’s
way of the mark. The delivery of the ball from the midfieldand off the half back line is the key. Our tall forwards are good but if youdon’t distribute the ball to them correctly they are just posts in the ground.Players like Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Brad Sewel in the midfield deliverthe ball extremely well and if they get their hands on the ball enough we’ll bein good shape. Of course these sameplayers have to stop the Kangaroos midfield from getting the ball anddelivering it to the Roo’s forwards. This is where Brad Sewel and the skipperRitchie Vandenberg come into play. Ritchie’s job on Andrew Mcleodlast week was remarkable. Our run from half back and wing is also important fromplayers like Rick Ladson, Brent Guerra, and my favorite Grant Birchall (who Ithink runs and plays a little bit like Tucky).
The Kangaroos big strength is their team. They’re a goodsolid team all around. They have a couple of big names, primarily Brent Harveyand Glen Archer, but they are just a fantastic team that go about there jobswithout any fuss. Running players like Brent Harvey, Adam Simpson, BradyRawlings and Daniel Harris need to be stopped. I think if RichieVandenberg doesthe same job on Brady Rawlings or Adam Simpson he did on McLeod it will becritical to winning the game. If they get 20 possessions or more each we couldbe in a little trouble. Down back they have that ever tough and reliable GlenArcher, what a star he has been, and remember this could be his last game.Michael Firrito (we had him at Boxhill but let him go) is also important. Ithink he might get Lance Franklin. He will niggle and annoy Lance till the cowscome home and probably has the edge in the strength department but Lance willhave the edge in speed and agility.
I think this could be the game for Tim Boyle. He has been abit down in the last few weeks but with ‘Buddy’ getting all the attention hejust might slip under the Roo’s guard. A mark and goal early will give himgreat confidence.
It is another Gorilla on Gorilla this week in our backline withCroady taking on Drew Petrie. It’s a very vital match up. Petrie has kicked afew goals recently but Trentis in good form and should have the best of it. Another good match up to watch willbe that hardnut Campbell Brown on Shannon Grant. Grant on his day will carve upteams. But Browny is in top form and has cleaned up all comers this year.
So Hawk fans strap in and enjoy the ride as long as it lasts.We may be up, we may be down but in the end the BROWN AND GOLD WILL BE THEVICTORS!
Cheers,
Tony Wilson
Opinions expressed in this article arethose of the author and not necessarily those of the Hawthorn Football Club.hawthornfc.com.au would like to acknowledge the contribution of supporters tothe Official Club website. If you would like to sign up to write forhawthornfc.com.au clickhere for more details.
