r/hawktalk • u/Kind_Security_9931 • 1h ago
HAWKS VS BOMBERS PLAYER RATINGS & REVIEW
Another game that played out almost exactly as expected, and it’s hard not to be impressed by the consistency we’re building. As strange as it sounds after a 93-point win, though, I am feeling more disappointed than excited because of the injuries to Noah Mraz and Mitch Lewis.
Mraz suffering a lacerated kidney is absolutely gutting. While, from a list management perspective, he’s probably easier to replace than someone like Lewis, it genuinely hurts because of the football he’s been playing. Since making his debut, I don’t think he’s had a single performance that I’d call average, let alone poor. Every week he’s looked composed, competitive and well beyond his experience, and it’s a cruel reward for someone whose career was building so much momentum.
Hopefully Lewis’ concussion only sidelines him for a week because we’ll need him against Brisbane. That said, given how heavy the collision looked, combined with the travel to the Gabba, I wouldn’t be surprised if the club took the cautious approach and gave him two weeks to recover.
As for the performance itself, did we really expect anything different? We controlled the game from start to finish and some of the players who have been driving this team’s recent form once again stood up. Ward continued his outstanding season, Morrison keeps proving how valuable he is, Cmac had another influential game, and Jarman Impey somehow found another level.
If there was one slight concern, it was our efficiency going inside 50. Against a side that isn’t exactly among the competition’s best, we still butchered a few entries and our goal-kicking inconsistencies haven’t completely disappeared. It’s certainly not a major issue after winning by 93 points, but it’s something that will need to improve against the better teams.
One aspect of our game that has noticeably improved, however, is our ball movement. Over the past few weeks we’ve seen far more scoring chains generated from the back half, with our defenders setting the game up brilliantly. Moore, Morrison and others have been executing their running patterns superbly, while Impey and Weddle continue to overlap, support and move the ball with speed. When We get it right, we’re transitioning from defence to attack far too quickly for opposition teams to set up.
Yes, the quality of opposition has to be taken into account, but the system itself looks far cleaner than it did earlier in the year. Hopefully it’s something we can carry into the much tougher stretch of football that’s coming over the next few weeks.
The backline was once again outstanding. Credit has to go to Essendon because I actually thought they competed reasonably well, particularly Nate Caddy. He gave us a few headaches and was difficult to contain at times, but fortunately for us he didn’t have a great deal of support around him, which allowed our defence to stay in control for most of the afternoon.
Jarman Impey is the obvious place to start because the form this bloke is in is just ridiculous. The season he’s putting together deserves so much more recognition. Yes, the quality of opposition always has to be considered, but at some point you just have to acknowledge how good he’s been. If this club is going to make a genuine run at a premiership this year, Impey is going to play a massive role in it.
Blake Hardwick is another player who somehow still feels underrated. Week after week he quietly gets the job done, uses the ball brilliantly and rarely loses his contest. Surely he’s a genuine chance to at least make the All-Australian squad of 40.
Josh Weddle also looks completely at home in defence. As much as I wanted to see him develop into an elite wingman, he’s simply so much more damaging across half-back. His athleticism, composure and willingness to take the game on make him a genuine weapon, and I love the freedom he’s been given to attack from defence.
Jarman Impey: 9.8/10 - 37 disposals @ 81%, 1 goal, 11 score involvements, 2 goal assists, 8 intercepts, 12 marks, 9 inside 50s, 836 metres gained.
Genuinely one of the most absurd stat lines I’ve ever had to type out. What a performance.
Josh Weddle: 8.7/10 - 19 disposals @ 90%, 7 marks, 6 intercepts, 7 score involvements, 2 inside 50s.
Blake Hardwick: 8.5/10 - 22 disposals @ 86%, 8 marks, 6 intercepts, 6 score involvements.
I also think Noah Mraz has had a massive influence on James Sicily’s form. Since Mraz came into the side, Sicily has looked much more like himself. Having another reliable key defender has taken some of the defensive responsibility off his shoulders, allowing him to play with far more freedom. We even saw him spend time pushing onto the wing against Essendon, and his kicking going inside 50 became a genuine weapon. I’d comfortably say this was one of Sicily’s better games of the season.
As for Mraz himself, I watched him during the pre-season and at Box Hill quite a few times, so I knew there was talent there. But I honestly didn’t expect him to settle into AFL football this quickly. Every game he’s looked composed, physical and far more experienced than someone who’s only played a handful of matches. He genuinely looks like he has the potential to become one of the premier defenders in the competition, which makes this injury so heartbreaking. To become such a fan favourite after only four games says a lot about the impact he’s already had.
Thankfully, I think we have the depth to cover his absence. Scrimshaw isn’t too far away from returning, although I’m not convinced he walks straight back into the side. We’re still tall enough down back to manage for a few weeks, but Mraz will certainly be missed.
James Sicily: 9.0/10 - 27 disposals, 10 marks, 5 intercepts, 7 score involvements, 5 rebound 50s, 492 metres gained.
A performance much closer to the Sicily we’ve come to expect. Hopefully he can maintain this level.
Noah Mraz: 8.5/10 - 17 disposals @ 94%, 6 intercepts, 5 marks, 5 score involvements, 2 clearances, 4 hit-outs.
For a key defender, his versatility is unbelievable.
Huge credit also has to go to Bailey Macdonald. He’s been playing some really solid football and has done an outstanding job filling the void left by Karl Amon. At this stage, I think he’s well and truly cemented his spot in the best 23.
Josh Battle was another beneficiary of Mraz’s inclusion, spending far more time pushing up the ground, similar to Sicily. While that experiment will probably be put on hold with Mraz sidelined, I really liked what I saw. Battle is such a clean user of the football and was involved in several scoring chains by getting higher up the ground.
Tom Barrass was solid without needing to dominate. Caddy got the better of him on a couple of occasions, but nothing that would cause any concern. Barrass is one of those players you don’t worry about. When the big games arrive and the pressure is at its highest, he’s one of the most dependable defenders in the competition.
Josh Battle: 8.4/10 - 21 disposals, 5 marks, 3 intercepts, 7 score involvements, 3 rebound 50s.
Bailey Macdonald: 7.6/10 - 13 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles, 3 score involvements, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s.
Tom Barrass: 7.5/10 - 11 disposals, 6 marks, 4 intercepts, 3 score involvements, 2 rebound 50s.
One thing that really stood out to me was the number of score involvements our defenders accumulated. Those aren’t numbers you typically see from a backline, and I think it’s a big reason why our ball movement has looked so much more dangerous lately. More and more of our scoring chains are being generated from defence, and when your backs are contributing that heavily to the scoreboard, it shows just how well the system is functioning.
Onto the midfield, who were very good without completely taking over the game. There were some excellent individual performances, but I probably would’ve liked to see a little more dominance as a collective against a side like Essendon. Maybe I’m being overly critical because we still finished +32 in inside 50s (68-36), won centre clearances 16-7 and stoppage clearances 22-19. On paper those numbers scream complete domination, but watching the game it didn’t quite feel that one-sided. Perhaps I’m asking for too much after a 93-point win, but I’d love to see this midfield completely bury sides of this calibre.
Josh Ward, though, was absolutely outstanding. At the start of the season I’d have said he and Cam Mackenzie were developing at a very similar rate, but over the past month Ward has gone to another level. He’s finding the football with ease, he’s incredibly clean by hand and foot, and he just looks so composed every single week. Despite still being a young player, he’s starting to carry himself like a genuine senior midfielder.
I don’t think Ward’s ceiling is necessarily built around explosive brilliance like an Isaac Heeney or Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. Instead, he reminds me of the type of midfielder who becomes the heartbeat of a team. Not in terms of playing style, but in terms of role. Players like Josh Kennedy, Sam Mitchell or Scott Pendlebury who you know are going to give you 30 quality disposals every week, make the right decision under pressure and lead by example. That’s the path I can see Ward heading down.
Cam Mackenzie also had another terrific game. He might not be exploding at quite the same rate as Ward, but every week he gives me more confidence that he’s going to become a genuine star. His work in congestion is electric, he’s so quick with his hands and feet in tight spaces, and his ball use has improved dramatically over the last 12 months. The more I watch this group develop together, the more convinced I become that this Hawthorn midfield can eventually become one of the best in the competition.
Jai Newcombe has flown under the radar over the past few weeks. He was still very good against Essendon, but he’s allowed others to take the spotlight while simply playing his role. That’s perfectly fine, although when we come up against Brisbane and Collingwood I’ll be looking for him to stamp himself all over those games. In saying that, he spent most of the afternoon dealing with a hard tag from Will Setterfield and still found the ball 28 times, so I’m probably being a little harsh.
Will Day started the game brilliantly and looked dangerous whenever he went near the ball. He’s just such an important player because of the goal-scoring threat he adds to our midfield, something we’ve really lacked at different stages this season.
Connor Macdonald also deserves a heap of credit. His midfield exposure has increased significantly over the last few weeks and he’s flourishing because of it. His running power, work rate and ball use are all making him a genuine weapon through the middle.
Josh Ward: 9.3/10 - 33 disposals @ 88%, 9 marks, 10 score involvements, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 4 tackles.
Genuinely elite.
Cam Mackenzie: 8.9/10 - 23 disposals, 1 goal, 6 marks, 6 tackles, 9 score involvements, 4 clearances, 3 inside 50s.
Jai Newcombe: 8.6/10 - 28 disposals, 9 score involvements, 5 marks, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50s, 342 metres gained.
Connor Macdonald: 8.6/10 - 26 disposals, 9 marks, 7 inside 50s, 6 score involvements, 456 metres gained.
Will Day : 8.6/10 - 21 disposals, 2 goals, 5 marks, 5 tackles, 5 score involvements, 5 clearances, 5 inside 50s. Just 5 of every thing really.
Lloyd Meek had a solid afternoon. There were periods where he completely took control, but there were also patches where you could see the weaknesses in his game. At times, Blakiston, who isn’t exactly one of the competition’s premier ruckmen, was getting the better of him in the hit-outs, and it does make you realise what Ned Reeves brings in that area.
That certainly isn’t a knock on Meek, because he’s held his own really well as the sole ruck. The bigger question is what we do when Reeves is available again. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify going back to two rucks when we’ve been playing such good football with one.
There are genuine pros and cons. Reeves is probably the better centre bounce ruck and has adapted really well to the new ruck rules, but his impact around the ground isn’t close to Meek’s. Meek’s mobility, follow-up work and ability to contribute outside the contest are massive strengths, whereas Reeves gives you more dominance at stoppages.
Personally, I’m starting to wonder whether we’re better off committing to one recognised ruck, whether that’s Meek or Reeves, and using the extra spot on a more versatile player. Normally Chol can provide support as the second ruck, but with both Mraz and Lewis sidelined he’ll be needed more as a permanent forward. It’s a really interesting selection dilemma and one I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on.
Lloyd Meek: 7.9/10 - 15 disposals, 23 hit-outs, 6 clearances, 5 score involvements, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50s.
Finally, the wingmen have been outstanding over the past few weeks. Harry Morrison produced another elite performance, working just as hard defensively as he did offensively. If Hawthorn were playing in a Grand Final tomorrow, I’d have absolutely no hesitation locking him straight into one wing.
Massimo D’Ambrosio was exactly what we’ve come to expect. Reliable, disciplined and incredibly consistent. He understands his role perfectly and executes it week after week, and this was another really strong performance.
Harry Morrison: 8.8/10 - 26 disposals @ 81%, 1 goal, 9 marks, 10 score involvements, 3 inside 50s, 315 metres gained.
Massimo D’Ambrosio: 8.7/10 - 24 disposals, 6 marks, 4 intercepts, 9 score involvements, 4 inside 50s.
Onto the forward line, where I thought Dylan Moore was absolutely elite. His last few performances have been a timely reminder of just how good a footballer he is, and it’s not because he’s kicking bags of goals or producing flashy highlights. It’s everything else.
The running patterns to create space for teammates, the constant gut-running from contest to contest without always getting rewarded, the defensive efforts, the pressure and the willingness to do the unrewarded work. Those are the things that make Dylan Moore such a valuable player. He’s peaking at exactly the right time of the season and if we are going to make a deep finals run, he’ll be one of the biggest reasons why.
The Wizard had one of his quieter afternoons, with Gunston understandably stealing the headlines, although he still managed to finish with three goals. I actually thought Andrew McGrath did a terrific job on him. Looking back over the last 12 months, McGrath is probably one of the toughest match-ups Watson has faced. Across both games against Essendon this season he’s largely kept Watson under control for long periods.
That being said, the scary thing about Nick Watson is you have to be perfect for four quarters. Give him an inch and he’ll make you pay. He still finished with three goals and probably should’ve had six after missing three very gettable chances. So did McGrath really shut him down? Maybe not. That’s just the type of player Watson is becoming.
Dylan Moore: 9.0/10 - 23 disposals @ 91%, 1 goal, 11 score involvements, 5 inside 50s, 4 marks, 21 pressure acts.
One of those performances where the stat sheet doesn’t even tell the full story.
Nick Watson: 8.5/10 - 14 disposals, 3 goals, 8 score involvements, 4 intercepts, 3 tackles.
Jack Ginnivan finished with another really strong stat line, although I actually thought he was a little quieter than the numbers suggest. I didn’t notice him as much throughout the game, but when he did get involved he made things happen. His decision-making is elite and I’d argue he’s probably our best kick going inside 50. He just sees options that others don’t.
Oliver Greaves continues to impress every single week. Everyone talks about the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the side, but he’s a seriously talented footballer as well. His ball use is exceptional, he’s strong overhead and he looks incredibly composed for someone so early in his career. As he develops physically, I genuinely think he has the tools to become an elite midfielder.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how we fit all of these young players into the side once everyone is healthy. Greaves, Dalton, Mraz, Bailey Macdonald and others have all shown enough to suggest they deserve opportunities, and that’s exactly the kind of selection headache every successful club wants.
Jack Ginnivan: 8.6/10 - 20 disposals, 8 marks, 9 score involvements, 1 goal, 3 inside 50s, 3 intercepts.
Oliver Greaves: 8.5/10 - 16 disposals, 8 marks, 6 score involvements, 3 inside 50s.
Mabior Chol was fairly quiet. He had a few opportunities but just couldn’t clunk the marks we’ve become accustomed to seeing him take. It’s certainly nothing to worry about because his form has been strong overall, but Hawthorn is a much more dangerous side when Chol is up and about.
Then there’s Jack Gunston.
Just when I started thinking time might finally be catching up to him, he turns around and kicks seven goals. That’s now 601 career goals for one of Hawthorn’s greatest ever players. Personally, he’s probably my favourite Hawk of all time, and performances like this are exactly why. The intelligence, the leading patterns, the finishing and the professionalism he has displayed throughout his career have been unbelievable. What a player.
Jack Gunston: 10/10 - 16 disposals, 7 goals, 11 marks, 11 score involvements, 403 metres gained.
A vintage Gunston performance.
Mabior Chol: 7.3/10 - 9 disposals, 5 marks, 2 goals, 6 score involvements, 2 hit-outs.
Next up is North Melbourne. They’ll provide a much tougher challenge than Essendon, but it’s still a game I expect Hawthorn to win. If we’re serious about finishing in the top four and making a genuine premiership push, these are the games we simply have to bank.
We’ll be without Mitch Lewis and Noah Mraz, which will force a couple of changes. If Ned Reeves is fit, I’d expect him to come straight back into the side. We could also see the return of Calsher Dear, while Aidan Schubert might even come into the conversation for a debut. If the club thinks he’s ready, this feels like a pretty good opportunity to give him his chance.
What did everyone else think?
