Hawthorn end-of-season review: How Glenn McFarlane would fix Hawthorn
A GWS jet looks set to be high on Hawthorn’s priority list as master coach Alastair Clarkson attempts to build on a year of transition, writes GLENN MCFARLANE.
Hawthorn
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MANY predicted the end for the Hawks after a disastrous start to the season, but they all forgot just how good coach Alastair Clarkson was.
In a matter of weeks, he turned the club from wooden spoon chance to finals hopeful.
GLENN MCFARLANE looks back on the Hawks’ season and runs the rule over what they need to do to get back in the finals race.
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THE SEASON ROUND UP
If someone had told Alastair Clarkson at the start of the season the Hawks would finish 12th — with 10 wins and a draw — he would have been apoplectic with rage. Instead, he seems more convinced than ever that the Hawks are tracking towards their 14th flag. On stats alone, it was a frustrating season, with the club missing the finals for the first time since 2009. But in terms of personnel and overall performance in the second half of the season, it may well have been the year the club had to have to fast-track their next generation of stars. A disastrous 0-5 start to the season brought threats of “catastrophic change”, but Clarkson reshaped the team, provided opportunity to a host of fresh faces and gave the luckiest supporters in the AFL hope of even more silverware. Farewelled Luke Hodge and Josh Gibson in style in the final round.
THE PROBLEM(S)
The Hawks must have thought they were jinxed at stages of this year as they faced an injury list that would have ruined some clubs. Cyril Rioli played only seven games; Grant Birchall played two fewer. Defenders James Frawley, Josh Gibson and Ben Stratton played only 28 games between them, forcing Clarkson to pin his hopes on some new options. New recruits Ty Vickery and Jaeger O’Meara did not make an impact, for very different reasons. Vickery’s form saw him play only six games for two goals. O’Meara had more issues with his knees, and earlier in the season looked as if he was trying to run in quicksand. Contested ball and clearance issues were a concern for the Hawks earlier in the season. Sure, that’s has never been a strength, but with a revamped side, it made for a few early season floggings — two by 86 points and another by 75 — before the turnaround commenced.
THE SOLUTION
Clarko has won plenty of laurels over the years, including four flags. But it is hard to think that in terms of pure coaching and shuffling magnet boards under duress, he has ever coached much better than he did this year. He found solutions to problems and plugged holes on the run with a great degree of success. He turned an inconsistent but at times impressive forward James Sicily into a serious weapon in defence. He recast an out of sorts Jack Gunston into the sort of creative defender teams would drool over and switched Taylor Duryea to a forward role. Clarkson backed young backman Ryan Burton in, and he turned himself into the one of the game’s most exciting young defenders. Others such as Daniel Howe, Blake Hardwick and Kaiden Brand took significant steps, and even final-round debutant Harry Morrison showed some positive signs.
THE TARGET
Lachie Whitfield. Word is he could be interested in a return to Melbourne and wouldn’t he make that Hawks’ midfield formidable with O’Meara and Mitchell? Whitfield’s under contract, but there are a number clubs trying to prise him out of GWS. Don’t think they’d say no to Tom Rockliff either, although that’s more unlikely. No club has been as creative and bold in trading or free agency as the Hawks in recent years. Expect them to be the same in October. Tom Mitchell was a massive pick-up and should win the Peter Crimmins Medal by panels. But the other two — Jaeger O’Meara and Ty Vickery — had frustrating seasons. Given the Hawks’ first round selection (pick 7) is already giftwrapped for the Saints, Clarko will looking be hatching a plan — as always — to something different. Another midfielder might be an option, plus a key forward or back-up ruck option for Ben McEvoy (who had a great year) would be something the Hawks could do with for 2018.
THE DREAM/BLUE SKY IDEA
Wouldn’t the Hawks love Jake Lever to slot in next to a healthy Chip Frawley? It might be a long shot, but last year shows you can never count the Hawks out for anyone. Remember when the Hawks made a late play for Jake Carlisle out of nowhere? Jaegar O’Meara plays 20 matches next year. Given he has played six games (all this year) across the past three seasons, that seems unlikely. But after two solid efforts in the final two rounds, the Hawks are increasingly confident the injury-plagued midfielder is on the way towards playing regular senior football again. They went a fair way to selling the farm to get him to the club and his tackling pressure against the Bulldogs showed what an asset he could be if he finally cut a break with his knee injuries. Could be a serious wildcard for them next year.
GARY BUCKENARA SAYS
The benefit of their bad injury run is the Hawks got a look at the youngsters who have been on the list for a while but haven’t been given an opportunity in the past, including Kaiden Brand, Tim O’Brien, Dallas Willsmore, Kurt Heatherley and Teia Miles.
THE STATS
The Hawks’ first six rounds ended any hopes of playing finals. In that time they won one game, lost five and had a percentage of just 65 per cent. They conceded 118 points per game, ranked 18th in points differential from turnovers and 17th from stoppages. In the second half of the year they were a different team, improving scoring by two goals per game and conceding 20 fewer points.
2018 PREDICTION
6th to 10th
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