AFL Club Awards: A year to forget for the Hawks

Hawthorn’s Best and Fairest

By Steve Healy

Well, well, well. What can I say about this mob?

Their season started with a shocking loss to Geelong, although only by eight points it was 23 to 34 scoring shots, and the Hawks trailed by 37 at three quarter time. The Hawks fell the height of Taipei 101 from there on, with embarrassing losses to Sydney and Port. They kept on keeping on with the odd win, but in the end it was all down to the Round 22 match against Essendon to determine if they would play finals football or not. They lost by 17 points, but understandably since they were without Franklin and Roughead.

Hawthorn’s season in two words- a mistake. Not a spilt milk mistake, an Andrew Gigacz stats mistake, a false statement on global warming made by the Government,  not even an oops-a-daisy mistake. A mistake in footy. A mistake that cannot be reversed…

1. Sam Mitchell:

Never in doubt. Mitchell took out the Peter Crimmins medal 47 votes clear of the next man. Mitchell, the Captain, was the only player in the Hawthorn line up who didn’t get out of form at some stage during the season (rarely, anyway). Playing every game, Mitchell averaged a club-high 29.7 possessions, as well as five marks, three tackles, 7.9 contested possessions, 4.1 inside 50’s, three rebound 50’s, and his disposals his the target an honest 76.2% of the time. He picked up 40 possessions on two occasions, both against West Coast. He showed that he can kick goals in the Hawks’ round 16 win against the Pies, where he kicked a career high 3. He does need to keep kicking goals, because too much of the scoring is dependent on Franklin and Roughead, 155 games and only 29 goals isn’t good enough for a midfielder.

2. Cyril Rioli

2nd in the Peter Crimmins medal was a good result for this second-year-goal sneak. He did miss three matches with a hamstring injury in the middle stages of the season, but played every other game, averaging 15.6 possessions, 6.9 contested possessions, 3.9 marks, 4.7 tackles and 0.8 goal assists. Cyril’s best game was against Adelaide in Round 10, where he picked up 22 possessions, took seven marks, laid a few tackles and kicked four goals. Cyril still has a few areas to improve in, especially his disposal. He only hit the target on 66.7% of occasions, and he converted at 50% in front of goal. He kicked a delicious goal that won goal of the year.

3. Lance Franklin

Well, Franklin would be surprised that he finished in the top three. Don’t get me wrong, 67 goals is a good result, but he was criticized throughout the season for being nothing like his 2008 self. He never kicked more than five goals in a game this year, compared to nine times last year. He never took 10 marks, after doing it four times last year. He was a bit more accurate in front of goal, and gave away way less free kicks than last year. Ok, Franklin still had his moments. He had five bags of five and six bags of four. He averaged 15 possessions, 5.2 marks, 2.3 tackles, 3.1 marks inside 50, 1.8 contested marks, two inside 50’s and 6.5 contested possessions. He finished the year quite well, averaging 20.3 possessions and kicking 25 goals in his last seven games. But he’ll be sitting on the sidelines in Round 1 next year, watching the Dees thrash the Hawks, hopefully, for me.

4. Brad Sewell

Sewell had another good year, good enough to finish second or first in this count I think. He missed three games, but averaged 25.8 possessions, 4.4 marks, 6.5 tackles (almost two more than last year, club high), 9.4 contested possessions (club high), 4.9 inside 50’s (club high) and he hit the target with 78.6% of possessions (best of any regular Hawthorn midfielder). Like Mitchell, just needs to kick more goals. He only kicked four for the year, and he has only put the ball through the sticks 16 times in 104 games. His best game was in Round 6 against Carlton: 32 possessions, six marks, 10 tackles and nine clearances

5. Chance Bateman

When I first saw Bateman in 2009, I thought: Where have his dreadlocks gone? But we all know he only had that hair to make him look taller, since Bateman only stands at 174cms. For the season, Bateman averaged 22.7 possessions, 5.2 marks, 2.5 tackles, 4.1 inside 50’s and led the club in goal assists with 23. He consistently got 20-something possessions, his best of 33 came in Round 4 against Port.

6. Luke Hodge

What a reliable player this man is! Despite being under an injury cloud for most of the first half of the season, he only missed three games, and averaged 22.3 possessions, 3.7 marks, 3.6 tackles, 2.5 rebound 50’s, 2.6 inside 50’s and 3.2 one percenters. He only kicked 10 goals for the year, a bit of a letdown considering he kicked a combined total of 43 in the previous two seasons. His best game was clearly in Round 16 against Collingwood, where he racked up 34 touches, five marks, six tackles, seven inside 50’s, three goals and three Brownlow votes.

7. Jarryd Roughead

Roughead started the year superbly, in the first few rounds it looked like he was going to kick more goals than his Buddy in the forward line. Playing the first 19 games before breaking down with a leg injury, Roughead averaged 12.8 possessions, 4.6 marks, 2.1 tackles, 1.1 contested marks, 2.6 marks inside 50, and he kicked 51 goals and 27 behinds. Like Franklin, nowhere near as good as last year. His best game was in Round 6 against Carlton, where he picked up 20 possessions, 11 marks and kicked a career high eight goals.

8. Campbell Brown

Brown’s toughness is the core of his game. He doesn’t win a lot of the ball, but he has a talent, he can play on almost everyone, despite only being 177cm tall. He averaged 13.4 possessions, 4.1 marks, 2.8 tackles and a bounce each game. He hit the target with 79.8 of possessions, and his best game came in Round 18 against Port where picked up a career- high 25 possessions, seven marks and three tackles.

9. Grant Birchall

Birchall picked up from where he left off last year, picking up 29 possessions in Round 1 against the Cats. He averaged 21.4 possessions for the year, as well as five marks, 3.4 rebound 50’s (club high) and 1.2 running bounces (club high). His disposal efficiency of 83.5% was a huge factor. He’s only 21, but the way he plays looks like he’s been around for years. His best footy is still to come.

10. Jordan Lewis

Another one of the foundations in the Hawthorn midfield, Lewis put in an equally good season as his last. He was the fifth Hawk who missed three games in the top ten. He averaged 26.2 possessions (second best behind Mitchell), 7.7 contested possessions, 5.9 marks, 2.4 tackles and 3.6 inside 50’s. He picked up 34 possessions, eight marks and four tackles in Round 5 against the Eagles, and he also was Hawthorn’s best with 25 possessions and three goals in their 88-point humiliation against the Bulldogs in Round 14.

Well, that’s the wrap of the top ten in the Peter Crimmins medal. Hawthorn just needs to move on, and I’m sure than Shaun Burgoyne will be a substantial benefit.

About Steve Healy

Steve Healy is an entity of a Melbourne supporter.

Comments

  1. hey steve how was ur aths carni?
    our was terrible cos it full on started raining and we were still forced to do the activities in the rain, i feel sick. i have a headache my legs are sore especially the back of my thigh feel like ive pulled a muscle, my nose is all stuffyish and ive been sneezing non-stop ever since i got home!
    candy is a pisser! our year level was running the i think it was 800 meters..i think! and she had a halo and angel wings. so me and my friend Brittany are like running last dancing around, waving and screaming our heards off and all of the sudden candy’s halo comes flying off and seh screams turns around and runs backwards to get it! i was dying from laughter!! then when we were running the trails me and candy were unsuccessfully bolting in the race and she turns around and screams: “AHHHHHHHHHHHH DANNNIIIIIII!!” IM IM GOING: “AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!” LMAOOO and then we couldnt stop laughing cos it was soo funny!!!
    great day overall but i feel so crap right now.. :(

  2. I didn’t understand a word in that hahaha lol our aths carnival got rained on too so i left to go down the street after an hour

  3. lol you had to be there.
    the trial sprint was so funny!
    me and candy were jst bolting and pissing ourselves laughing at how we were running lmaoo i was in a hula skirt, tiara and and had gold tinsel around my neck and she has massive white wings and a halo on her head and were both like bolting and laughing our heards off!
    i stopped halfway cos i was dying from laughing at the way she was running!
    then in the other race thingo he halo flys off the head and past me and shes screaming running backwards trying to chase it! we couldnt run cos we were laughing so bad!

  4. Damian Watson says

    We had a charity girls footy match at school today for Breast Cancer Awareness. I had to call the game in the pouring rain.

  5. Steve Healy says

    Were you given the job to commentate the game Damo?

    Lol Danni.

  6. Damian Watson says

    Yeah they did, I was little reluctant at first with the rain, but I called it with the tape recorder. Everyone seemed to like it and a lot of people were saying that I should send the tape in to a radio station, but I didn’t think it was such a big deal.lol

  7. lol go damo!
    the most i was screaming was
    ‘OMGGGGGG!! MY HAIR LOOKS SO CRAP AND IT KEEP BLOODY RAINING!!”

    AND

    “ARGGHHH MY T-SHIRT IS BODGED! Can you even see my name on the back??!!”

    AND

    “IM HUNGRY!!!!!!! I WANT TO GO HOME!!!”

  8. Damian Watson says

    Sorry in comment 6 I meant Yeah I did.

    Wasn’t the canteen open Danni?

  9. Yeah but i was like dying before than!
    we tried to sneak off from events so many times cos i didnt eat breakfast!
    cos it was raining i bought a sausage roll.
    i ate so much chocolate! lol so the running i did didnt really do anything cos i made up the calories eating chocolate!

  10. Rain?? What rain?

  11. lol josh, it was bad!! we were all soaked!!

    status- waiting for Lorenzo to climb through my bedroom window and take me away.

  12. Steve Healy says

    Who’s Lorenzo. And yes Josh there was rain in Melbourne lol

  13. lol ohh lorenzo?
    thats jst my inner literature student dreaming away.
    Lorenzo is a character from ‘The Merchant Of Venice’ hes a christian in a time when everyone was anti jew.
    he falls in loves with a jewish girl names Jessica and one day they plan an esacpe together. SO HE DOES THE MOST ROMANTICLA THING!!
    He climbs up to her window to take her away…..
    :)

    why cant real life be like that??

  14. Dont you mean Anthony or Brown or Toovey? Toovey might climb through your window if you leave it open Danni so watch out, since he’s in the tree near your window lol.

    Yeah it was stormy in Numurkah by the end of the day and as i was leaving school on the bus i saw a big flash of lighting out Melbourne way, then when i got off the bus half an hour later it was almost yellow and real dusk but still 30 degrees. 34 degrees forecasted in the next few days

  15. Hahaha lol i was in P.E in period 5 today and my teacher is a Bulldogs supporter. I wore my new North jumper and i was having shots at the basket in b-ball and he came in to switch the air-con on and he goes to me “Barney i see you went shopping at the op shop” lol it was funny

  16. lol, no no no!!!
    ever since ive seen the movie Lorenzo HAS to be my window guy!!!
    hes sooo PRETTY!!!
    *SIGH*
    when he was climbing up her window me and my friend keept poking,nudging and quite squealing! lol
    then my teacher was like, okay so how want to share what they noticed in the movie?

    ME: “I LOVE LORENZO!!!” :)

  17. LOL THATS MEAN!!
    but i can undestand only b/c i dont like that lightish jumper.

  18. Lol i saw Colin Firth for the first time this morning, he doesnt look that old.

    What?? You dont like it?? It looks really good, and it isn’t as light when your holding it right in front of you

  19. COLIN FIRTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

    *BREATHES IN*
    “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
    :)
    “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
    PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!

    hehehheeh!!!!:)
    :)

    what did you see him on???
    GOD I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!

  20. Sunrise, does he have anything to do with the new Christmas movie coming out? Cant remember what its called but yeah they were talking about that and said something about Colin Firth and then showed a video of him acting

  21. LOL AND ill bet u instantly thought-
    ZOMG, so this Danni’s favourite actor!!
    hes awesoem but he will never top his role as Mr.Darcy!
    its funny cos they made a newer version of pride and prejudice and Colin jst makes the other mr.darcy look CRAP!! like he cant even compete.
    yeah hes like 48 or 49!
    so unfair!!
    hes so (rhymes with trucking) hot!!
    if only i was like 37!

  22. Lol he looked only 30 and yes i did think that as soon as the mentioned his name lol

  23. Oh is the word that rhymes with trucking “frucking”? lol

  24. lol sure thing!
    arrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh hes DAMNFINE!!!
    you know hes got a son a bit older than me!!!?? :)
    but hes hotter than his son!!

  25. Steve Healy says

    I’m back everyone. I think Colin Firth looks about his age

  26. lol where did u see him steve?
    cos if u see his pride and prejudice pics those are the pics of him that i fell for!

  27. Steve Healy says

    I’ve seen Nanny McPhee and I just searched him on google then lol

  28. oh lol :)
    ohh good hes soo hot in Nanny McPhee.
    KID:”father do you love Evangeline?”

    COLIN: “certainly not, hwo the very idea is not…yes”

    lmaoo NAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!! :)

  29. Steve Healy says

    lol you’re scaring me Danni

  30. Whoo! Im goin campin tomorrow! :)

  31. Steve Healy says

    Sounds fun Josh Barns-da-bull.

    Are you going away or just camping in Waaia?

  32. how am i scaring you?
    is it cos i know his lines?? :)
    ohhhhhhhhh i love him!! :)
    lol i hate camping

  33. I dont know actually Here-lee , i didn’t ask where we were goin.

  34. i went fishing jst once in my life, only last year.
    HATED IT, FROZE TO DEATH, DIED OF HUNGER!!!!

    TWO WORDS-
    NEVER AGAIN

  35. Steve Healy says

    I love fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  36. The key to fishing: Do it in summer, then if you get hot you can go for a swim. I need to find my rod..

  37. ..are you serious?
    when i went before we left the house:

    DAD: “Danielle why are you wearing pants its going to be hot when we get there.”

    me: “oh, okay hang on ill go change”
    so i went and wore denim short-shorts and a singlet top.
    we get there and its warm for about an hour..untill it gets soo bloody cold im sitting in a bodgey blanket, they hadnt caught big enough fish so i was dying of hunger!!! there were huge dog everywhere and im scared of dogs! when they caught the fish it would flap around widly and fling on the ground near where i was sitting ensuring me to jump up and scream “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!”
    Lets jst say..i chucked a princess drama tantrum and sat in the car, dad got the hint and we went home.

    THE END

  38. Steve Healy says

    I love going fishing, but I’ve only been a couple of times.

  39. Steve Healy says

    Danni, come on! How can you be scared of Dogs!!!!!!

  40. OHH and did i mention i wore heels!! its the ground was all gritty and sandyy and EWWWWWW and it smells..
    NEVER EVER AGAIN!!

  41. Im scared of big and medium dogs, small ones not so much.
    its all cos of my mum. i wasnt too scared of them but shes terrified so its rubbed off on me and now im scared too!

  42. Steve Healy says

    Well you can’t blame your Dad for the heels Danni

  43. Why the hell did you wear heels camping??????????

  44. lol it wasnt camping!
    i wore them fishing!
    they werent that high! but yeah.. lol
    fishing was terrible!
    i dont think id like camping as in..outdoors, i cant even live without my hairstraightner!!

  45. Steve Healy says

    I’ve never straightened my hair before- It probably wouldn’t make difference since my hair is already straight.

  46. My hair caught on fire when i straightened it once! It hurt too

  47. Steve Healy says

    I thought there’s no powerpoints in the country- Danni even said so! lol

  48. OMG LMAOOOOO!!
    Josh!!!!!!!!
    rofllllllllll times 3743487
    U make it sound so natural!

  49. Steve Healy says

    Did your pet elephant spray water at your head to extinguish the flame?

  50. steve LMAOOO!!!
    omg you guys are so funny!!
    hahahhaha!! :)

  51. Hmmm well i was in Shepparton i’ll admit that, but yeah i was at my sisters place and she just tipped my hair and she went to get the straightner for fun and she started doing it and i was like “it’s not gonna burn me is it?” and she’s like “nahh no way” then smoke starting coming from my hair and my scalp was burning lol so i went and watched the footy instead, Roos v Magpies, the game where the umpire helped us win with that bounce :)

  52. you guys michaels on channel 9!!!

  53. Steve Healy says

    What??????????

  54. Steve Healy says

    oh I get it lol.

  55. lol wow steve, you really are blond!
    LMAOO :P

  56. Steve Healy says

    Shut up Danni it took me one minute, if it was you by the time you got it you’d be in a retirement home with a pet bird.

  57. nah-uh! wrong!
    im scared of birds!!!
    lol no need to get defensive im jst kidding! i say it to candy all the time except for her i add the word bimbo on the end of it! lol

  58. I knew she was a bimbo!! lol

    Whatever happened to her, she stopped coming on here and deleted her FB

  59. Steve Healy says

    She also deleted herself. Where is she?

    And where are those pictures? Danni? lol

  60. lol well she was never gonna be permenant on here cos she hates footy.
    as for FB i was right about her wanting to clear all distactions with exams comming up- see i know her TOO WELL!!
    i promise to get the pics to u as soon as she gives them to me.
    i jst call her bimbo cos shes crazy and had blonde moments like steve LOL :p

  61. Lol i love dumb blonde jokes, they’re the best

  62. lol i made her buy a t-shirt that says

    CAUTION BLONDE THINKING

    and to get back at me she wore one saying-
    I HAD A NIGHTMARE THAT I WAS BRUNETTE!!

  63. Steve Healy says

    Well Danni you’re a blonde on the inside hence the nickname Crunchie

  64. LOL yes according to candy!
    thats only b/c my personality is bubbly! :)
    i havnet walked into any poles lately or ran back in a race to chase my halo LMAOO!

    status- packing suitcase with clothes and shoes, gonna sleep over at grandparents for long weekend.

  65. Steve Healy says

    nice, will you still be on the Almanac?

  66. yeah i think i should be on sunday or monday.
    this is really good though cos at my grandparents house theres no ditraction which makes it the PERFECT place to study!!
    :)
    im going Highpoint on Monday!!! :)

  67. I walked through a door at the Waaia shop last year, it was very embarrassing.

  68. lol nice one!
    hmmmmmmmmm im craving nutella, well here i go!

  69. Augustus will leave you with one last Colin firth line:

    Pride and Prejudice:
    COLIN: “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
    NAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!! hehe :)
    see why i love this guy!!

    cya!
    Danni :)

  70. He sounds gayyy lol haha bye Augustus

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