The Hawks went down to the West Coast Eagles last night and there is talk of it being a season ending loss; as hard as it is to admit, it might well be. If we're honest with ourselves, the Hawks haven't looked good enough to challenge for the premiership all season. The team is ravished with injury, but you need to have more depth in your side to be a truely great team. The biggest problem for the Hawks seems to be a few players who are more intent on playing for themselves, rather than for the benefit for the team. 

The Eagles were sloppy last night, their ownly saving grace was that the Hawks were worse. If the Eagles had played well the team could have taken something away from the loss, but instead it askes even more questions of the team, a team which is looking all the more likely to be the first team since the cros in 99 to make the grand final and not make the finals in the following season. 

Why the doom and gloom? The Hawks can only afford to drop two of the remaining games in a hope to make the finals this season, and boy do they have some stiff competition. Geelong, St Kilda, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs - all top four teams, and all out to cement their place for a double chance in the finals come August. It's going to be very hard for the Hawks to make the finals this season, and they certianly won't do it by playing the brand of footy that they did last night. 

Last night's game probably isn't worthy of a review, I'm doing my best to avoid the Hysteria over a certina Eagles rookie who happened to have two goals gifted to him last night, but accoring to the one-eyed perth media he is a 'superstar' already.  

Why do you think the Hawks have fallen flat this year? Is it all about injurines, or have they Hawks lost their spark after winning the 2008 Premiership. I'd like to hear your thoughts. 

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This weekend sees the Hawks take on Brisbane at Aurora stadium in the mid season split round. The split round is a chance for players to re-energise for the second half of the season and the coaches to refine plays which haven't been working as well as expected. The Hawk's biggest challenge this weekend will be Brisbane's key forward pair, Bradshaw and Brown. 

It's not that the Hawks don't have their own threats up forward with Roughead and Franklin, but what's missing this time the two sides meet is one Trent Croad. Croad has kept Brown to a single goal, combined, in the last two matches these teams have played. Croad is Brown's boogieman and without him, and other key defenders, the Hawks will need to play exceptionally well in the middle of the ground to stop the delivery into the dangerous Brisbane forward line. 

THe Hawks will alos be missing some run, and ferocity, with Rioli sidelined for a number of weeks with a Hamstring injury. On a positive note, the general, Luke Hodge, returend well to the side which beat Sydney last week and looked as though match fitness was his only concern. I'm sure he has hit the track this week to build up his fitness again. 

This game will be a real test for the Hawks. Let's hope that the support the Hawks receive at Aurora is enough to get them over the line. The Hawks by 7 points. 

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The question on every Hawk fan's lips is, "Can Hawthorn make the Top 4 from its current position?"

If we are to have a serious push into one of the Top 4 Spots, we must beat Sydney away, Brisbane at Home and WCE. Hopefully the break will give the guys some time to recouperate and focus on a massive effort in the 2nd half of the season.

As players like Hodge, Birchall, Croad return(although Dunstall's outburst on MMM radio when Quarters asked him about Croad, makes me think, Croad is in strife and may not play again).

Ellis and Youngy will both give us a bit more speed on the ground, but what is critical is our run out of defence into the forward line. We were terrible against Crows and Bombers in this respect. We were also very poor against the Dees in the last half.

Still we have the cattle, that is clear. But these beasts of burden need a bit more of a run on the paddock without adding to our injury worries. 

We are very fortunate that we are still only out of 4th spot by 1 game and percentage, even after our poor start. So not all is lost! As they say in the classics, let's just take it one week at a time and enjoy the Hawk Show!

Good Luck to the boys this weekend!

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