2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

[ledge]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Swans were second to the ball all day and chasing, didn't even get one quarter their way which is strange for any game of footy.
The bounce and everything went against them today but hawks would have won anyway, way to good.

[jeemak]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Disappointing ED.

Thought the Sydney engine room was pathetic in the second when they really needed to be more accountable and lock the game down. Poor leadership for mine.

[whythelongface]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Ive enjoyed it. I don't like Hawthorn but I can't help but be in awe of them on GF day. They are ferocious today and their attack on the footy and their pressure on opposition has been good to watch.

Agree. Whilst it wasn't a great spectacle in terms of closeness of the game it certainly was in regards to watching a class team who are just absolutely dominant. That was probably the best a team has played in a GF against quality opposition.

[whythelongface]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Just thinking how good would it be to have your team lead so comprehensively, early in the 4th quarter, that you could relax and just enjoy the last quarter knowing that your team was going to win the flag. Oh how I dream that our team could be in such a position one day. We could sing and dance and be merry whilst watching Stringer kick his 6th goal.

[Dry Rot]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Just finished watching the GF on delay. Why was Reid a late withdrawal today? Injury from last week?

[Webby]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Told my 4yo, it's just a consolation prize..., Doggies smashed the Hawks last weekend.

[Remi Moses]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Sydney played like they did early doors in the season .
Hawthorns leaders were immense, and Sydney's were atrocious .
I couldn't care less about Lake to be honest, I'm more concerned at out our club improving .

[Remi Moses]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Just finished watching the GF on delay. Why was Reid a late withdrawal today? Injury from last week?

Reid played . Looked injured, but Sydney's Mids got obliterated .

[azabob]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Great day, Great year - what an amazing effort by the Hawthorn Football Club.

All the obstacles they over come, they are deserved premiers.

To come out and dominate Sydney the way they did is great for football.

Did Sydney think that Franklin would win it for them?

[jeemak]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Az I thought from the stands that Franklin worked really hard all day and was gallant in defeat against the odds. With a bit more supply he really could have gotten hold of the game and dominated, though it wasn't often that he had a clear run at it and the Hawks did well to work back on him and Tippett (who was really ordinary at the end of the day).

I agree with you that Hawthorn should view this season as a massive achievement and deserve all kudos that comes their way. They were so bloody clean today when given a bit of space, Sydney were baffling in their approach to the contested areas. I can't believe how loose they were.

Sydney would be bitterly disappointed with that display, as they should be. Their performance reminded me of the tripe we served up in the QF of 2008 (include the first 45 minutes of the QF in 2009 as well), the elimination final of 1995 and the preliminary final of 1998. Just totally outworked and outclassed, with a performance that was out of character and embarrassing.

[Twodogs]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

You can throw the 1985 Qualifying Final against Hawthorn onto that list Jeemak. They were awesome that day.

It was like we poked a feral cat with a stck.

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

Just thinking how good would it be to have your team lead so comprehensively, early in the 4th quarter, that you could relax and just enjoy the last quarter knowing that your team was going to win the flag. Oh how I dream that our team could be in such a position one day. We could sing and dance and be merry whilst watching Stringer kick his 6th goal.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. How sweet it would be to be in that position. On the other hand, the dogs in a swans/west coast one pointer type GF would, quite literally, probably kill me.

At least for swans fans they've got a recent premiership under their belt.

[The bulldog tragician]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

I felt quite overwhelmed watching the Hawks, at how far we have to go. The skills, the hardness, the right blend of attack and defence. There wasn't any area of the game where we aren't comprehensively behind them, and this was against the 2nd best team.

A lot of hard work ahead of us in every way.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

I felt quite overwhelmed watching the Hawks, at how far we have to go. The skills, the hardness, the right blend of attack and defence. There wasn't any area of the game where we aren't comprehensively behind them, and this was against the 2nd best team.

A lot of hard work ahead of us in every way.

I said this to the Mrs today. I think my words were "we are so far behind either side that I don't see how we get to this level".

I would love a midfield and forward and back flankers that actually hit targets nearly always by foot. And tall defenders that shut down and forwards that kick straight. After today, I'm concerned we are much further back than I thought up until about 2.30 today.

[jeemak]

Re: 2014 AFL Grand Final Thread

The actual difference seems a lot greater than it is. Hawthorn are a perfect storm of maturity, management, coaching and talent combined.

The major gap is developed talent and structure. I'm more worried about the latter than the former as I think in a few years we won't have to worry about certain aspects of the former (our kids are seriously shit hot - I think as good as any group in the game over a number of years).