Melbourne vs. Hawthorn preview | Strategy 2026 with Brenton Sanderson (14.05.26)
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What makes the Saturday twilight clash between Melbourne and Hawthorn special?
Saturday twilight's a beauty at the MCG. It's been marketed so well. It's the Picket Pocket and the Wizard Bay, Melbourne and Hawthorne, which with much to appeal, Sandoz. So let's dig into it, shall we?
Yeah, this is awesome. This will, um, and I think the biggest thing for me to just to kick it off, Gerard, will be, um, one man, Max Gaunt. Like I, uh... I just think him in the midfield versus Reeves and Meek, and then you throw in Newcomb, who's playing exceptionally well for the Hawks, and Ward and McKenzie. Nash is a big out for them versus Sparrow, Windsor, Pickett, and Steele. They're not names that we would have said 10 weeks ago that would be critical to deciding this game. But I just think with Max, if he can give Melbourne first use at stoppage It'll just enable them to control territory in this game. So Melbourne have won clearance three weeks in a row.
Why is Max Gawn critical for Melbourne's midfield strategy?
And obviously they're coached really well by Stephen King, who was a great ruckman in his own right and knows clearances and stoppage work really well. And Hawthorne are coming off a really poor stoppage performance against Fremantle where they lost by 12. So, I mean, having said that, though, Hawthorne's midfield, they are so dynamic when the ball gets outside. I talked about Nash being a loss this week, but their ability to be able to spread from contests and attack corridor space has been a great strength of theirs this season. So I think the Hawks, if they can just break even with Max Gorn and that midfield of Windsor and Pickett and Steele and Sparrow. Yeah, I mean, Melbourne's outside run's been just as impressive really, hasn't it?
So it's going to be a great area of the game to track. But I feel like, you know, Max Gorn might just be... A one man, if he can get it on top and have one of those Max Gorn type games, that he might be a key element to whether Melbourne can upset the Hawks on the weekend.
Hawthorne's ball movements, the way they kick it, will it be too much for Melbourne's defensive structure?
Yeah, I think it will. I think it will. Hawthorne, they've looked so dangerous when they move the ball quickly by foot and the way they change angles through the corridor by hand. I mean, their confidence and their attacking overlap has been one of the major features of their game. this year. And unfortunately for Melbourne, despite having the AFL's fourth best offense, they are 14th for scores against the Demons. So they're giving up 97 points per week on average. So they've just got to look for a way to lock the ball in their front half and deny Hawthorne that uncontested mark change that they're doing so well. They've just got to force Hawthorne a kick long down the line. They can't give them the corridor.
They can't give them that short kicking game that they've been doing so well. So, yeah, I just feel if Hawthorne get clean exits from their D50, that's going to really expose Melbourne's transitional defence.
How will Hawthorn's key outs impact their performance?
And that open space defence has been probably the one area that they've been lacking a little bit this year so far, the Demons.
What about the inverse, Melbourne with their own speed?
Yeah, well, I mentioned it. They're looking as good as anyone outside the contest at the moment. And I know, you know, Cozzy Pickett's impact. I spoke about Max Gorm, but Cozzy Pickett might just be the game breaker that Melbourne will need in this game. You know, previously Melbourne's forward line wasn't as creative and dangerous because of the way that they moved the ball. But now with Pickett in the midfield, I know you take him out of the forward line, but with more midfield minutes, that changes Melbourne's forward line instantly. So we're seeing Chandler, we're seeing Sharp, Van Rooyen. They're all improving this season on the back of, I think, quicker entries to lower numbers. And even Fritch, he always benefits from Melbourne's ability to get the ball in there quickly before the opposition can get back and get all their numbers back.
And then obviously Latrell, Pickett, he doesn't bring goals. He's only kicked four.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What makes the Saturday twilight clash between Melbourne and Hawthorn special?
0:00–0:52
2
Why is Max Gawn critical for Melbourne's midfield strategy?
0:52–2:43
3
How will Hawthorn's key outs impact their performance?
2:43–4:40
4
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Hawthorn's midfield?
4:40–6:20
5
How can Melbourne leverage their outside run against Hawthorn?
6:20–8:13
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from Whateley
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