“I feel with first-year gamers, even when they’re enormously gifted, there’s [Nick] Daicos, who we might at all times evaluate and say, ‘Effectively, he simply walked in and was prepared for the AFL straightaway’, however I feel in case you take a look at each different first-year participant, there are some ups and downs of their journey.
“[Watson]’s going to play some actually good footy for this membership – I don’t assume anybody doubts that – however is he going to play very well each single week and be a 50-goal, first-year participant? I hope so. However, I wouldn’t put that kind of expectation on him.
“What he’s been in a position to do on the coaching monitor has been good and constant. It’s not simply targets, it’s strain, and issues that he does across the floor.”
Mitchell foreshadowed “numerous new faces” in Hawthorn’s line-up throughout the opening month of the season, with pre-season key defensive recruit Ethan Phillips one other in rivalry. Two-gamer Henry Hustwaite, a 195-centimetre midfielder who has re-signed till 2026, is a probable inclusion after a powerful summer season.
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Vital Hawk Dylan Moore (glandular fever) is about to face the Bombers, however the Hawks are undecided on whether or not he’ll function the substitute or not.
Nonetheless, Mitchell stated reigning membership champion Will Day (foot stress fracture) was a minimum of one other month from enjoying.
“He has a scan each two to 3 weeks, and he’s obtained one other one subsequent week, which is able to give us a bit extra particular take a look at what his possible timeframe is,” the coach stated.
“He’s kind of simply going alongside on the fee that we hoped he would. He’s not hitting it out of the park, so far as therapeutic goes, however he’s not delayed both … we’re actually bullish about what he’s doing now. He’s beginning to get match, and he’s beginning to run on the Alter-G [antigravity treadmill].
“So long as his scan is as we anticipate it to be; we anticipate him to be operating on floor subsequent week.”
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Mitchell was reluctant to speak about finals or any win targets for Hawthorn in his third season in cost, however stated he wished his staff to “earn video games slightly bit extra” than the previous two years.
“The primary two years had been actually about embedding a basis about how we need to go about issues, and that is the primary yr the place we begin to flip the dial slightly bit in direction of some higher performances, we hope,” he stated.
“We’re nonetheless going to be very younger – I feel we’re the second-youngest staff within the competitors. There are going to be some thrilling faces, [and we are] nonetheless persevering with to get video games into gamers who we all know are going to be nice gamers for this membership over the journey.”
There may be nonetheless some indecision about whether or not Blake Hardwick will play his former position down again or as a ahead, the place he spent the pre-season.
‘Wholesome and completely satisfied particular person’: Goodwin rapt with Oliver
AAP
Clayton Oliver has turned his life round “considerably” because the AFL star’s well-documented struggles, in keeping with Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin.
The gun midfielder had an encouraging begin to the season in final Thursday night time’s loss to Sydney.
“You see a really wholesome and completely satisfied particular person strolling into your setting, coaching properly, connecting with folks, smiling – and so they’re the issues we’ve discovered to like about Clayton,” Goodwin stated.
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“We all know now we have a Clayton Oliver that we love and respect and we all know goes to provide some actually sturdy soccer for us. We’re extremely proud of how he’s monitoring.”
Goodwin additionally understands that he’ll proceed to be requested about Oliver. “We’ve definitely labored onerous on our unity piece and ensuring we’re actually clear about what we’re anticipating in the environment,” he stated.
“Clayton’s accomplished every thing he can to be part of that.
“I’m not dissatisfied – I’m not shocked, although, that it’s nonetheless going.
“Ultimately, it’s been an enormous subject of dialog and ultimately, till we begin getting some outcomes, it’s going to proceed to be a subject.”
Goodwin added that Oliver will solely enhance as he performs extra video games.
“He had his possessions, little question about that, and he obtained higher as the sport went on,” the coach stated.
“Clearly, his strengths – we nonetheless need to see extra of what he brings to the competition and the way he will get out of contest.
“That’s an enormous a part of his sport. However first sport again, we will’t ask for rather more – he delivered on every thing he’d been working in direction of. He’s simply going to develop and get higher.”
The Dees will regain thrilling utility Kysaiah Pickett (suspension) for Sunday’s MCG match in opposition to the Western Bulldogs.
“It’s going to be nice – geez, we missed him,” Goodwin stated. “He’s a reasonably good participant, Kos – to get him again within the entrance of the bottom, the place he has his largest impression, but in addition round stoppage and centre bounce. We noticed via the pre-season, he’s evolving into a reasonably damaging stoppage participant.
Ahead Harrison Petty (toe) can even almost certainly return on the weekend via the VFL.
“The benefit of the place we’re at proper now could be we’re beginning to get some competitors again for spots, particularly within the ahead half,” Goodwin stated.
Magpies issues from loss a straightforward repair, says Schultz
Michael Gleeson
The autopsy of Collingwood’s loss to the Giants discovered the causes of the poor efficiency had been clear, and it could be fast to repair, in keeping with small-forward recruit Lachie Schultz.
Coach Craig McRae highlighted after the match that the Pies had lacked their common defensive cohesion. As one of many forwards, Schultz accepted accountability for the truth that inaccuracy in entrance of objective had additionally denied the Magpies any probabilities at momentum.
“The cohesion behind the ball wasn’t there and so they [GWS] had been in a position to rating kind of each time they went ahead,” the previous Fremantle Docker stated.
Collingwood footballer Lachie Schultz.
“In order that they [the defence] broke down slightly bit, however nothing that we’re apprehensive about. Clearly, it’s nonetheless extra of a mindset factor going each methods, even going ahead. Getting the ball ahead after which [our] ending off must be higher, and I’m certain it’s one thing that’s a straightforward repair.”
The Magpies had 27 pictures at objective (11.16) to the Giants’ 24 (18.6). Schultz kicked three behinds, Brody Mihocek and Pat Lipinski each kicked two and Jamie Elliott missed a set shot from in entrance properly inside vary.
“It was clearly a disappointing begin to the season, however there’s nonetheless quite a bit we will take out of it. A number of learnings, numerous positives,” Schultz stated.
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“Once you break it down, it simply got here again to we have to capitalise on alternatives. We missed numerous pictures at objective, and I’ll put my hand up; I used to be certainly one of them [who missed shots].
“I’d almost at all times kick that [a set shot from 35 metres out]. It’s solely early days, and we’re again on board this week and the main target goes to Sydney, so trying ahead to bouncing again.”
Schultz stated his position was largely the identical as at Fremantle – put strain on, deal with and kick targets – and after the pre-season he was snug he understood the way in which Collingwood plan to transition the ball and the place he must be.
“I’ve had the complete pre-season below my belt now, and numerous that’s beginning to make extra sense to me, and [I can see] the place I belong and the place I match into the facet. ‘Fly’ [McRae] has been superior and made me really feel like I can’t put a step unsuitable,” he stated.
“I suppose I’ll play a really related position to what I did at Freo. And clearly the sport plan is slightly bit totally different however definitely the position I play – put strain on, kick the objective is identical as at Freo.”
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