Hawthorn know what they’ll do once they’re on their sport — and the way badly it could possibly go south when the AFL model they name “Hokball” misfires.
Cyclone Alfred means Hawthorn’s sport in opposition to Sydney on the SCG on Friday night time is now the season opener, giving coach Sam Mitchell and his gamers an excellent larger sense of the unknown.
A 12 months in the past, the Hawks misplaced their first 5 video games earlier than they stormed again into the finals, unleashing Hokball and going inside three factors of beating Port Adelaide in a semi-final.
Now they face the Swans, hurting from one other humiliating grand last loss with Dean Cox as their new coach, plus having to readjust with out injured star on-baller Errol Gulden.
“You at all times look backwards, however realizing that it’s worthwhile to look ahead,” Mitchell mentioned at Wednesday coaching.
“The factor that we glance backwards with … once we work actually arduous, we enhance. So now we have proof now that we are able to enhance and we all know that we have to — we have to beat the highest sides commonly and when it issues.
“We had a little bit style of finals footy. We need to attempt to get again to there.
“The primary spherical of any season is a good unknown — you do all this preparation with little or no true suggestions.”
A documentary of Hawthorn’s pre-season, to be screened on Wednesday night time, options Mitchell telling his gamers that they’ll want “a little bit little bit of rage about us once we want it — and the fad is coming.”
He says there’s loads of room for enchancment if they’re to construct on final 12 months’s progress.
“Realistically, we weren’t adequate final 12 months and we have been sixth and there have been 5 groups forward of us — the Swans have been definitely a type of,” Mitchell mentioned.
The Hawks fell simply brief in final 12 months’s semi last in opposition to Port Adelaide. (Getty Photos: AFL Photographs/Sarah Reed)
“We did not end that properly, truly.
“Our consistency, quarter to quarter, our close-game state of affairs coaching wants to enhance.
“I did not assume there was any scarcity of issues we may enhance throughout our pre-season.”
Hawthorn is not going to threat Changkuoth Jiath as he nurses “a naggy hip”, whereas big-name recruits Josh Battle and Tom Barrass will make their debuts for the membership.
“He is clearly a formidable and delightful athlete, however he must be fairly near proper,” Mitchell mentioned of Jiath.
“Risking him right now of 12 months does not make lots of sense with us. When he is been injured, it has been a bit longer than it is perhaps for some others.”
Mitchell was pleasantly shocked with how properly Battle and Barrass labored collectively in final week’s pre-season sport in opposition to the Western Bulldogs.
“I truly thought they carried out a bit higher than I believed they could,” he mentioned.
Mitchell added it is an honour to play the primary sport of the season, whereas conscious of the worrying circumstances in south-east Queensland.
“I rang a few folks in Brisbane … it was an attractive, sunny day and it was actually calm earlier than the storm,” he mentioned.
“At first it’s a must to take into consideration the folks there … battening down the hatches for no matter’s coming.
“Being a part of opening spherical is clearly a privilege in itself and now it being the primary sport of the season provides a little bit bit extra.”
AAP
