Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn : Calsher Dear!

[Sixpence]

Was it the best mark we've taken this year? I don't remember many better, and it was 2 minutes into his AFL career.

Seriously? Weddle, Chol and Moore have Mark of the Year nominations.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Lewis is still only 25. If he can just get some luck with his body and play regularly, Dear will flourish.

Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk

 

[peetoo]

Was it the best mark we've taken this year? I don't remember many better, and it was 2 minutes into his AFL career.

Best of the round…. But there weren’t many screamers

 

[burner1]

Just seems to have footy smarts - knows when to lead and find space but also attacks the contest. Dunno how he lasted to a pick in the 50s.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Just seems to have footy smarts - knows when to lead and find space but also attacks the contest. Dunno how he lasted to a pick in the 50s.

Has come from an incredibly long way back.

In that sense, he's a bit like the "anti-Ward". (Ward was impeccably prepared and ultra-professional through junior career; Calsher didn't come through elite pathways and his junior years were heavily impacted for obvious reasons).

"Footballers" don't get drafted unless they have exceptional performance at under-18s. In all likelihood if not for Dear's family link, he may well have been a rookie, or potentially even gone undrafted completely.

"Footballers" who develop elite athletic traits later in life (18-22) sometimes turn into extremely good AFL players. (Tom Stewart the current premium example, our own Newcombe a closer to home example)

 

[toomanysquibs]

Was it the best mark we've taken this year? I don't remember many better, and it was 2 minutes into his AFL career.

Seeing him take a mark to relieve pressure while we're coming out of defensive 50 against a side who had a roll on was a thing of beauty.

We've lacked that for a lot of this year, and it's gotten us into trouble.

But on his marking: who was the last tall forward we had, who consistently took marks with arms at full extension, at the highest point of their leap?

Can't think of a name post early 90s.

 

[Roddy]

Seeing him take a mark to relieve pressure while we're coming out of defensive 50 against a side who had a roll on was a thing of beauty.

We've lacked that for a lot of this year, and it's gotten us into trouble.

But on his marking: who was the last tall forward we had, who consistently took marks with arms at full extension, at the highest point of their leap?

Can't think of a name post early 90s.

Rough did a bit of that. Bud sure AF didn't...

 

[TylerDurden]

Seeing him take a mark to relieve pressure while we're coming out of defensive 50 against a side who had a roll on was a thing of beauty.

We've lacked that for a lot of this year, and it's gotten us into trouble.

But on his marking: who was the last tall forward we had, who consistently took marks with arms at full extension, at the highest point of their leap?

Can't think of a name post early 90s.

Nathan Thompson.

 

[mustang]

Nathan Thompson.

Nick Holland used to lead up onto the wing also.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Big boy

 

[Baz_hawk]

Sometimes I think that the professional system can stifle players that are more natural footballers as they are made to modify what works for them. Calsher seems to have natural footballer traits and just attacks the ball and wants to be involved regardless of where the ball is. I think his pathway has benefitted his ability to slot in to our side as he's much more teachable and eager to improve. Gunston taking him under his wing has also sped up his development and I think probably given him that feeling of belonging at the club and at the level.

Very early days but his workrate was something that I was impressed with on the weekend. You'd forgive a 18 year old in his first game allowing his opponent to play off them a few times but he was always there making a contest which is all you want from your forward.

 

[Brishawk]

Great debut! Was really special to see him kick a couple. Was more then just football.

 

[peetoo]

2023 hawks intake has green shoots of a 2004 repeat…but under the radar more

KPF
KPD
Gritty midfielder
FP wizard

And mature recruits
Forward ruck
Sweet kicking outside player
Ginni man

All while keeping 2024 first rounder and having borrowed capital from to get Weddle in 2022

Bodes well for our first 2024 pick to be ‘best available talent’

 

[triple treat]

Even when he doesn't mark the ball he gets it front and centre for the crumbers. Rarely got out marked by Jones which was a positive.

So many times he lead up to be an outlet on the wing and while he doesn't complete the mark he was able to bring it to ground to a Worpel/Newcombe to run onto.

How good is it to have a big forward leading up at the ball carrier?

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

How good is it to have a big forward leading up at the ball carrier?

An Calsher lead demanded the mid kick the footy to him. I have not seen this stuff since our Buddy, Roughie and Gunston days.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Absolutely stoked for the young man, couldn't have asked for more on debut.
Now, let's temper it a bit, he could easily have a couple of really quite games , it doesn't mean he won't make it. I for one, believe that he will but he'll need time to settle to become consistent.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Nathan Thompson.

I thought about him and Rough.

Thompson was bloody awesome on his day. Watched him kick half a dozen against the Swans in what I think was the final game at Waverley. He often got up high enough to mark on his chest. Splitting hairs here, but Calsher marking it at full stretch at the Apex of his leap reminds me of N. Riewoldt in that respect only.

Overall Calsher reminds me of a more athletic Tom Lynch type physical profile, but a bit smoother like Rough was.

Lofty comparisons aside, the one guy who should probably be mentioned here also is Gunners.

It was a masterstroke getting him back this year as a mentor, and while you don't know how intentional it was in the direct sense, it's working for both players I reckon.

"“I can tell you I definitely wouldn’t be here without him (Gunston) and without his mentoring and all the support and work he’s put into me."

I know we all likely saw or heard that soundbite, but there's a lot going on there that can't be understated. Same with Gunston's big uptick in form since his first game back in the ones.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Big boy

Bloody miss McEvoy. Used to love seeing him lurking around the forward line. Safe pair of hands and fairly reliable shot for goal.

 

[MightyHawks]

I thought about him and Rough.

Thompson was bloody awesome on his day. Watched him kick half a dozen against the Swans in what I think was the final game at Waverley. He often got up high enough to mark on his chest. Splitting hairs here, but Calsher marking it at full stretch at the Apex of his leap reminds me of N. Riewoldt in that respect only.

Overall Calsher reminds me of a more athletic Tom Lynch type physical profile, but a bit smoother like Rough was.

Lofty comparisons aside, the one guy who should probably be mentioned here also is Gunners.

It was a masterstroke getting him back this year as a mentor, and while you don't know how intentional it was in the direct sense, it's working for both players I reckon.

"“I can tell you I definitely wouldn’t be here without him (Gunston) and without his mentoring and all the support and work he’s put into me."

I know we all likely saw or heard that soundbite, but there's a lot going on there that can't be understated. Same with Gunston's big uptick in form since his first game back in the ones.

Does that mean at the end of the year if Gunston retires we should be paying him to do some forward specialist coaching work for the following 12 months?

 

[toomanysquibs]

Does that mean at the end of the year if Gunston retires we should be paying him to do some forward specialist coaching work for the following 12 months?

I think that wouldn't be a terrible idea given how young Calsher is.

If the success is translatable, he'd likely have a decent group of young forwards to work with including the smalls at Box Hill along with Nick Watson.

Only issue might be it steps on someone's toes.

 

[peetoo]

Does that mean at the end of the year if Gunston retires we should be paying him to do some forward specialist coaching work for the following 12 months?

Hopefully the AFL fix the soft cap after the covid squeeze. They must be swimming in cash now it’s criminal how they are treating coaching teams

 

[toomanysquibs]

Big boy

That's a name I feel guilty for not considering. in his last couple years he could barely get off the ground. But you're right, when he was given a run at it earlier on, he could get up enough that his timing made it almost impossible for anyone to spoil him at full extension.

Probably happened a little more regularly at the Aints. But he was still doing it with us, no doubt.

 

[Yardie]

The Newcombe curve doesn’t lie.

When a guy’s performances make every level look the same as the one beneath it, you are looking at an exceptional talent.

Calsher made the journey a lot faster than anyone I can recall since the great Cyril Rioli, albeit in a different role under very different circumstances.

Big men just take more time too.

Unreal for him, our club and supporters. Going to be magic watching his career unfold.

Just to be clear. There was no journey for Cyril. He just was.......

 

[Toasted]

It’s a cliche, but a week really is a long time in footy

 

[I got the outside word]

Just to be clear. There was no journey for Cyril. He just was.......

Cyril Rioli caught Chuck Norris holding the ball, played on and kicked a goal…

…from the back pocket.