kkk wrote:
And by the way Jim, Hawkins has played most of his life as a KPF.
Since being drafted into AFL he has played 79 games as a KPF and occasional relief ruckman.
About 40 of those games were crap, 25 were so-so and 14 passable or better.
Hampson has played 44 AFL games, almost exclusively as a relief ruckman with occasional stints as a forward pocket (but most time not on the ball spent on the bench). He has spent maybe a total of 10 quarters as a FF.
Yet you want to dismiss him out-of-hand as a possibility to solve our vacancy up forward.
Lucky for Geelong you weren't in charge cause Hawkins and West would have been given the bullet 2 years ago.
Lucky you're not in charge should be more to the point because you are struggling here big time. You don't seem to know the difference between a KP forward (Hawkins) and a ruckman (Hampson) to start with. To start with who is talking giving someone the @rse. I suggested Hampson was a great ruckman but one awful crappy forward. Get that right before you start.
Why are you comparing these two players. Different players, different positions. Hawkins was recruited as a KP forward first and foremost and hence needed to turn into a good one. His job was to play KP forward. He gives relief in the ruck at times, but with West there meant he didn't have to lately. Hampson one the other hand is a ruckman only and was recruited as such. He is not a relief ruckman, he a a genuine first ruckman. You killed your argument right there with the comparison. Hampson been a awful any time he has been forward for the reasons I've made clear previously. Turning ruckman in KP forward rarely works because the KP is a developed skill on it's own. Similarly very few KP forwards would be any good in the ruck for the same reason. Maybe why Hawkins will turn out a good KP forward and Hampson won't but could end up a terrific ruckman. Try another comparison.
We already tried Hampson as a forward and failed....and failed. We tore our hair out earlier in the year and in the end alot wanted him dropped for Setanta (until Kreuzer came back) despite the fact the later couldn't ruck that well. Given supporters generally have a memory span of no more than 3 games it's not surprised that this is forgotten. I'll have Thornton a million times over as a KP forward, until Mitchell develops, because he can do everything there Hampson can't there............play the position, read the play up there, use the body and take contested marks, not to mention some great pack marks, plus kick straight. Think we've seen all that. Why would one change that to put Hampson there.