Chapter 1: What insights does Brenton Sanderson share about Scott Pendlebury?
Strategy 2026 to set you up for some of the key moments in the round ahead. Round 11 is in sight tonight. Huge game, Hawthorne and Adelaide. We thought we would do Richmond and Essendon because they miss out. They're not often in the big games, but Dreamtime at the G demands that. And, of course, the climax of the round is Geelong and Sydney in terms of games of consequence.
Brenton Sanderson is here for our McCafe Coffee Catch-Up.
Chapter 2: What makes the Hawks vs. Crows match significant for Round 11?
Ten delicious new drinks just landed at McCafe. Sando, great to see you. G'day, Gerard. A draw. Yeah.
Chapter 3: Why is Dreamtime at the 'G an important event in the AFL calendar?
How do we feel about draws?
I don't like them. But to be honest, probably with a three-quarter time, I would have taken a draw. But then we hit the front twice in the last quarter and were disappointed that we had to share the points in the end. We played South Croydon.
Chapter 4: How do the Cats and Swans match up in terms of strategy?
They had a player who had a shot after the siren. To draw it. You know, he could have actually won the game, but he was, South Corner were a point down, had a shot and unfortunately missed for them. But fortunately for us, we walk away with two points, but disappointed.
One of our key strategy pieces is the two minute drill, win the game, save the game. How did you go and save the game two minute drill?
No good. So we hit the front with 90 seconds to go. And I was pretty honest with the boys after the game. I didn't think that I handled that part well. And we have a couple of coaches and we sit on the bench like a lot of AFL coaches do obviously now, mostly because we don't have a coach's box at our home ground.
But when I looked back and I looked back in reflection, you could see all of our coaches were all yelling at the players something almost different. So they were obviously a bit confused, but we didn't handle that moment well. But it's a good reminder that we'll do some work on that tonight because you never know when those moments come and you've got to be prepared for them.
And it has to be crystal clear for the players exactly how you're going to execute those special moments in the game. Yep. Yep. So you've got to keep them sharp. Yep, always. And we used to do it a lot, and I probably haven't done it enough this year, obviously. And then a few new players in the team. We've only got eight players at the moment playing who played in our premiership team last year.
So that means you have to keep going back to the chalkboard, or the whiteboard now, not the chalkboard, and just keep reminding players this is how we execute when it really matters.
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Chapter 5: What are the key strategies for Hawthorne against Adelaide?
Scott Pendlebury is a starting point because you've got such long heritage with him and his journey in the game. So how have you been thinking about it?
Yeah, well, I was lucky enough to be at Collingwood for five seasons as an assistant coach. So I had a view of Scott Pendlebury up close. So I know him really well. And I think, as we all know, and I love the tributes this week. He will rightly be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. But I think for me, what stands out is the person behind the footballer.
And we do say that often about our game's greats. But he is just a genuine, honest and deeply caring person. And, you know, regardless of what I saw and what I know is... Whether you're a rookie, first-year player, whether you're a staff member, a volunteer, a supporter, a senior player, Pendles treats everyone with the same level of respect and attention. He's on your level always.
He's always had time to speak to people.
Chapter 6: What challenges do the Crows face based on their recent performances?
And I think it's a rare quality that someone of his stature and someone that's been in the game for so long has remained so humble during that time. So what I talk about is just he invests himself so heavily in every young player that comes through the Collingwood program. And I think rookies naturally gravitate to him already because of who he is, but he just teaches without ego.
He guides, he listens, he makes people... I feel so comfortable and valued, regardless of who you are. But I guess on the field, and we've been lucky enough to watch his career, just his calmness in a crisis has just been extraordinary. And I see other players and coaches panic. But for him, it just feels like the movie The Matrix.
The game just slows down around him, and he just thinks through tactical challenges in real time as good as anyone as I've ever seen. So his ability to be able to come up with solutions in game, almost as an on-field coach, I think is as good as the game has almost ever seen. And combine that with his ability to be able to evade tacklers, his ability in time and space.
He's just a different level, I think. The way he separates himself from contest and can still make great decisions under enormous pressure, I think has been excellent. But I guess for me, what I saw and I think one of my favourite memories will be in one of the really dark eras of the AFL was the COVID two years where... And I think that's when we were all locked up in those hubs.
And I just felt like there was so much anxiety and really uncertain times for the industry. And I think when everyone was sort of navigating different challenges in different ways, I can remember Pendles making a conscious effort in those hubs to ensure that everyone, you know, children, families, players, staff ā He ran footy clinics in his downtime. He helped kids with their homework.
He played PlayStation with the younger, you know, family members of other families. He just left a really lasting impression, I think, on so many people in those quarantine hubs and including my children, you know, which is really cool. I guess the next part too, Gerard, is he said, I think it's him, I think he set a new professionalism in the industry.
And I think this generation now, his discipline around preparation, recovery, diet, I mean, his routine has been elite throughout his whole career, which is the reason why the longevity is there and the consistency of performance. He's still playing at an enormously high level. He's not limping to this milestone. He is still one of the elite players ever. in the competition.
So I think when you, when you talk about Pendlebury's legacy, uh, and it's already secure for me, it's, it's leadership, uh, humility, and the ability to be able to connect with people is what will define him most. And we know, we know he will be an exceptional senior coach. if that's the path that he wants to take. And I think it is.
When that time comes, and it eventually will, like tactically, his ability to be able to understand people, his intelligence of the game, his footy IQ, I think is unparalleled. So obviously... congratulate him on this milestone, but what's even more important is he is one of the genuine great men and great people in footy.
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Chapter 7: How have the Cats improved their performance this season?
So, um, so yeah, well done to Pendles and yeah, I look forward to tracking his career when it, when it becomes a coach.
A brilliant summary there, Brent Sanderson. Tribute to Scott Pendlebury. All right, let's get into our strategic work, shall we? Tonight, Hawthorne and Adelaide, high-end encounter. I know it's round 11, but the sums are done at the end of the year. This four points, it may very well determine who finishes where in terms of the Hawks and the Crows.
A lot of conversation around Hawthorne, who haven't won since Anzac Day, outside of the injuries and the absences that they have. What would Sam Mitchell be most concerned about from the past three?
Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? Because the last three, they had the draw against Collingwood, then the two losses to Fremantle and Melbourne, who we know now are good clubs. Injuries, they have such an impact, especially when it's the real key personnel. But I don't think Sam Mitchell would be trying to use this solely as an excuse.
And we hear coaches and clubs always adamant that the depth of the squad can cover injuries. But I just feel, especially with the Hawks, there is certainly a tipping point when you do lose players. key personnel, but I think the areas of the game that Mitchell would be focusing on when he reflects on the past three weeks is they are now starting to concede scores from the back half.
That would be his major concern, I think, when you're watching Hawthorne play. That's the coast-to-coast scores against. So when an opposition get the ball in Hawthorne's forward line and then go coast-to-coast and score, That's that team defence. And everyone's got a role to play in that.
That's the forwards' inability to lock the ball in the front half, the midfielders who are unable to create midfield or front half turnovers, and defenders not squeezing the ground and making sure that the ball doesn't enter in the opposition's forward 50 under no pressure. So... When you look at their numbers against Collingwood, they gave up 51 points from the back half.
Fremantle was 45 points and Melbourne 42 points. They're the three highest scores for the year that Hawthorne have given up from that score source. So that would be, I think, an area of focus for Sam going into tonight against Adelaide. And the other part, which is probably more so the last two weeks, they're getting scored heavily against from stoppage.
So stoppage losses are resulting in scores against. So conceded 62 points against Melbourne and 49 points against Fremantle. So you've got to go all the way back to round zero, to the opening round when they got beaten by GWS to find a similar issue from stoppage scores against. So two main focuses there, I think, for Sam this week. Coast-to-coast goals against or scores against.
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Chapter 8: What predictions can be made for the Cats vs. Swans game?
And that's in the games they lose, contested possession average minus 20. And then in clearance, when they lose, they're minus six per game. So this will be the other challenge, Gerard. And I hope this comes across and people can understand it. But Hawthorne would know this, but it's actually not a strength of Hawthorne's, is that contested possession and clearance.
So does Sam Mitchell say, let's get this game in a contest because this is where Adelaide struggled a little bit at the moment? But it's not one of our strengths. So I think the answer to that is Mitchell would be reluctant to try and bring this game into a contest and expose a potential weakness of Hawthorne as well.
So I just think in this game, both coaches' strategies will be to just back in their own game plan. They will know the weaknesses and the areas that the opposition feels uncomfortable. But I think both sides will go in and back their own game plan in this game, which will be fascinating to see how that then plays out.
The Hawks have won 11 in a row at Launceston. It's been well recounted this week that their win rate is 75% through the quarter of a century that they've hosted games there.
So is there a psychological piece going on here? Well, there has to be, yeah. And I had a look at this because I know I saw the piece you did on 360 about teams that go to Launceston. And I guess, like, typically when you look at the fixture and you're playing Hawthorne and you're the opposing team, I mean, every player loves playing at the MCG. Joe, you know that. Even if you're the away team.
But, you know, going down to Launceston doesn't quite have that same appeal, especially for a mid-season night game either. But don't get me wrong. I mean, I'm not trying to upset the ā the Tasmanians who listen. I love going to Launceston, but it just feels so isolated and uncomfortable when you're the away team. And well done.
I mean, the way that Alistair Clarkson and Hawthorne embraced that for 25 years, that, you know, this is our second home and they went down there and made it their second home. So I think Nick's biggest challenge might be convincing his team to embrace the elements. And it's a really unique home advantage that Hawthorne possess.
But yeah, I just think you get on the plane going to Launceston and you just know that Hawthorne are hard to beat here. It feels like they behave like the home team. They've got a routine that's really deeply established there. They know the ground, they play it really well. And, you know, to the Tasmanians credit, it does feel like a Hawthorne heavy crowd as well.
So full credit to them for 25 years of sustained success there. But this is a genuine home ground advantage for Hawthorne.
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