King: Can Hawks handle Melbourne’s tough new power couple ‘BrOliver’
Melbourne is the toughest team in the AFL, fuelled by a pair of young tyros in Clayton Oliver and Angus Brayshaw. What will the Hawks do to combat the rugged Dees? David King looks at Friday night’s blockbuster semi final.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Melbourne is the toughest team in the AFL and by some margin.
It’s an asset that, when witnessed in last weekend’s final, looked unfair on Geelong.
The Cats were mauled to the tune of 28 more contested possessions and smashed 13-4 at centre bounces.
The competition’s new power couple, “BrOliver”, made the Cats look second rate.
OLIVER: ‘CAME BACK FAT CAUSE I’D DONE F--K ALL’
MCGUANE: HAWKS’ CONTROL V DEES’ CHAOS
But don’t underestimate Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara who will wage a two-man contested possession war on the Demons.
The Hawks have only three players who average nine or more contested possessions a game compared to Melbourne’s six, so if it becomes a battle of depth, the Demons have the volume.
Max Gawn ensures the ground-level crew stay on a proactive state through hitout dominance but Ben McEvoy looks to relish the challenge.
Expect both rucks to push/rush forward to try to hit the scoreboard.
Gawn won’t have it all his own way this week as the Hawks mids/forwards will look to play through McEvoy to keep him honest.
McEvoy has not had a three-goal game since Round 10 back in 2016 but don’t be shocked if it happens against the Demons.
Melbourne’s balance around the contest is its only foreseeable kryptonite.
The Demons have been exposed to committing too many numbers inside the congestion at stoppages and not enough on the periphery to ensure the initial possession becomes a chain of possessions.
Hawthorn has lost its forward-half game which has consistently been its main asset under Alastair Clarkson, even in the premiership-winning seasons.
An offence that has fallen from averaging 92 points for the first 20 rounds to 75 points since. Clearances and contested possessions are not the issue, the problem is that its forward-half pressure has fallen away.
The Hawks have a big opportunity tonight to force Sam Frost, Oscar McDonald and Jordan Lewis into panic turnovers.
That’s if Paul Puopolo and Co. are prepared and willing.
Can you believe that we’re stating that the Melbourne Football Club is the toughest team in the AFL.
It seems like only yesterday that the club, in the Mark Neeld era, made every incorrect decision known to man.
For a two-year period it squandered millions of dollars, cruelling coaching and playing
careers, only to be realigned by Peter Jackson and Paul Roos over the next three seasons.
Being ruthless wins finals and Simon “The likeable” Goodwin can now sell to this group what winning big games looks like.
The finals games just get bigger and bigger each weekend only matched by the Demons’ thirst for that challenge.
In “BrOliver we trust”. Melbourne too tough. Demons by 30pts.
DEE-FEATHERED?
Burning questions:
1. Can the Hawks compete with “BrOliver”
The form of the Demons combination of Angus Brayshaw and Clayton Oliver, “BrOliver”, has
elevated the physical dominance of Melbourne to another stratosphere. The second-best contested ball team for at least twenty years is an asset that’s difficult to contain.
2. Do the Demons put Tom under the thumb?
Tom Mitchell did it again last weekend with 38 disposals, including 23 contested possessions and 11 clearances but the Tigersopted for the midfield group versus midfield group battle rather than tagging Tom. Which way will Simon Goodwin go tonight? Expect James Harmes to start with a tagging role.
3. Will Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Breust and Jack Gunston respond?
Shaun for the very first time appeared his age last week, whilst the All Australian duo of Breust and Gunston had stinkers. Hawthorn cannot win without significant influence from these three.
Originally published as King: Can Hawks handle Melbourne’s tough new power couple ‘BrOliver’