Liam SHIELS

2017 Digest:   Elevated to vice captain and not taken a backward step over summer. Ready to assume greater midfield load.

2017 NAB Cup:  

2017 Season

1	Ess	Kicked Hawks’ first goal and was sent to a red-hot Merrett in second half. Put the brakes on him slightly.	6
2	Adel	Unusually quiet in first half (four effective disposals) and theme continued until injured hip late in third term.	2
3	GCS	Led the way for Hawks in clearances (6) and worked tirelessly defensively (7 tackles).	7
4	Geel	Midfielder won some ball but in terms of impact it was negligible. One inside-50 tells a tale of his lack of effectiveness.	5
5	WCE	Solid effort in midfield. Did well defensively, but then got involved going forward. 26 touches and a goal.	7
6	StK	Non-factor as an inside midfielder as Saints onballers showed them a clean pair of heels.	4
7	Melb	Midfield workhorse struggled big time. Six effective disposals for the game and laid just four tackles.	3
8	Bris	Strong in 150th game. Gave the Hawks some outside run and collected 25 disposals.	6
9	Coll	Started fast and worked hard with eight tackles and a goal to go with 25 possessions.	6
10	Syd	Solid enough defensively in midfield, but also win a truckload of his own ball.	7
11	Port	Not sure what’s happened to his footy but struggling. Mustered 13 effective disposals, no inside-50s and 161 metres gained.	4
12	GCS	Vice captain worked hard with team-high 10 tackles and 19 disposals. Battled hard but influence not pronounced.	6
13		Bye.
14	Adel	Seven tackles, six clearances and four inside-50’s, another dominant Hawks midfielder.	6
15	Coll	Veteran ball winner still not at his very best but offered up 20 possessions, two clearances and a goal.	5
16	GWS	17 disposals and six tackles. Just an average day really when others in GWS midfield were dominating.	5
17	Geel	Battled hard in the middle for 29 possessions. Huge around the ball with 12 clearances, six tackles and three inside-50s.	8
18	Frem	Impressive in the midfield. Won 25 possessions and had two shots at goal.	7
19	Syd	Team high 28 disposals and 2 goals, had a strong night.	8
20	Rich	Underrated ball winner plodded away like Moondog Spot in his bout against Hulk Hogan. Never looked likely.	5
21	NM	Busy around the footy, but only two kicks. Did contribute to the side with eight tackles.	4
22		Hip.
23	WB	Only four effective possessions in the opening 60 minutes then lifted to grab 14 in the second half.	6

2016 Season

1		Wrist.
2		Wrist.
3	WB	A welcome return after injury. Collected 19 disposals and 4 clearances.	6
4	StK	Came in off a wing in opening exchanges. Had six clangers though, so kicking was scrappy.	4
5	Adel	Terrific second quarter with tackling and creativity blended perfectly.	7
6	GWS	Didn’t get hands on ball much until second term but even then was below his best.	4
7	Rich	On wing picked up by B Ellis. Played his role well and laid 16 tackles.	7
8	Frem	Slapped on 15 tackles and always worked hard inside packs.	6
9	Syd	Seemed to have role on Hannebery at start. Won most clearances of any Hawk.	7
10	Bris	Strong effort in the midfield with a team-high nine tackles.	5
11	Melb	Tagged Jones and comprehensively beaten. Never gave up, but it was just not his day.	4
13	NM	Went on to match-winner Wells after the Roo had blitzed early. Held him in check.	7
14	GCS	Went to Ablett at times after quarter time and able to at least break even. Efficiency down.	4
16	Port	Did not return after half time due to hamstring tightness. OK in the first half.	3
17		Hamstring.
18		Hamstring.
19		Hamstring.
20		Hamstring.
21	NM	Ran with Wells and did that job well. Won eight clearances while doing it.	7
22	WCE	Won five clearances but only 13 disposals.	5
23	Coll	Even effort without starring. Won 10 contested possessions and laid five tackles.	5
QF	Geel	Put in a lot of time on Dangerfield in second half. Tackled strongly.	5
SF	WB	Gave his all. Two goals but just one clearance and only two inside-50s.	5

2015 Season

1	Geel	Subbed off in opening minute of third term with a hamstring complaint.	4
2		Hamstring.
3		Hamstring.
4		Hamstring.
5	NM	Returned with 19 touches and five tackles. A handy contributor.	5
6	GWS	Solid effort but his disposal was poor at times. Intensity couldn’t be questioned though.	6
7	Melb	Released from hard tagging duties to play a useful midfield role.	7
8	Syd	Involved in niggle but played a support role to frontline midfielders.	6
9	GCS	Ferocious at the contest with 14 tackles. Had role running with Rischitelli.	7
10	StK	Capped off solid effort with a couple of goals	6
12	Adel	Complements the Hawthorn midfield, inside and outside.	7
13	Ess	Seven clearances, six inside-50s and 14 contested possessions.	8
14	Coll	Snagged couple of goals early and was prominent. Tackled well.	7
15	Frem	Good decisions with ball in hand and played strong role around stoppages.	7
16	Syd	Ran with Kennedy and at least nullified his influence. One goal, four clearances.	5
17		Quad.
18	Rich	Not one of his better games. Tried hard and work-rate good but just battled.	5
19	WCE	Laid an astonishing 17 tackles, kicked a goal and had 21 disposals.	8
20	Geel	Ran with Selwood at times. Managed a team-high nine clearances.	7
21	Port	Cut through for first Hawks’ goal. Tagged R.Gray after Port man’s white-hot start.	5
22	Bris	Hawks’ best and led the fightback after the team’s slow start. Superb.	8
23	Carl	Unsighted in first half but got going late when game was done.	5
QF	WCE	Arguably his worst game of the year. Never got involved in any phase.	2
SF	Adel	Quietly went about winning the ball when it was required. Solid performance.	7
PF	Frem	Got under guard to be key midfield driver with his work-rate and persistence.	7
GF	WCE	Reverted to tagging roles.	6

2014 Season

1	Bris	Just continues to get better as a player. 21 touches and two second-term goals.	7
2	Ess	Ran with Stanton at times and gave him latitude. Not a huge influence himself.	5
3	Frem	On Hill at opening and everywhere in first quarter.	7
4	GCS	Second half his best in a stock-standard day of quality.	5
5		AC joint
6		Shoulder.
7		Shoulder.
8		Shoulder.
9		Shoulder.
10	Port	Had the run-with role on Boak and laid a game-high nine tackles.	7
11	GWS	Looked rusty but worked into the game – 10 hard balls and five tackles.	6
12	WCE	Followed Shuey at times. But it wasn’t really close. Had 24 possessions.	6
13	Carl	Tried to shadow Gibbs but that proved tough. Provided something himself.	5
14	Coll	Handy contributor without starring.	6
15	GCS	Tackled well and won the ball across four quarters.	7
16	NM	OK without setting the world on fire.	4
17	Adel	Eight tackles, four clearances and five inside-50s.	7
18	Syd	Work-rate good through the midfield. Team-high eight inside-50s a highlight.	7
19	WB	Just kept at it all day and was among best.	7
20	Melb	Won his own ball and was equally as effective in curtailing the opposition.	7
21	Frem	Had Barlow who was a threat. Battled hard.	6
22	Geel	Got under guard for a goal, four inside-50s and eight tackles.	7
23	Coll	Quietly racked up stats with great spread from the contest. Gets under guard.	7
QF	Geel	Quietly went about his business in midfield. Unassuming character.	6
SF		–
PF	Port	Matched on Hartlett at the beginning. Quiet first half but improved.	5
GF	Syd	Lined up in the front half but was a part of a dominant midfield rotation.	6

2013 Season

1	Geel	Only two disposals in the opening half not enough. Dropped?	2
2	WCE	Played an important role against playmaker Gaff and also created plenty.	8
3	Coll	Efficiency down but had nine clearances, 15 cont poss and eight inside-50s.	8
4	Frem	Kept on keeping on in midfield. Just goes about his business.	6
5	NM	Ran hard in midfield, but had a busy job in tagging Wells.	5
6	Adel	Not finding enough of the footy as an out-and-out midfielder.	5
7	Syd	Didn’t impact a whole lot playing mostly across half forward.	4
8	GWS	Big start and active all day.	6
9	GCS	Excellent in first quarter but then had decreasing effect.	5
10	Melb	Struggled to get into the game to any great degree playing midfield/forward.	4
12	Carl	Limited touches but seven inside-50s and five clearances.	6
13	WCE	Wasted some ball in the middle but did win 11 cont poss and five clearances.	5
14	Bris	Travelling OK until he hurt ankle.	3
15		Ankle.
16		Ankle.
17		Ankle.
18		Ankle.
19		Ankle.
20	VFL	Tagged by Kavanagh and wasn’t at his best but battled on.	–
21	VFL	Improved outing with 23 possessions as he pushes for a recall.	–
22	NM	Hard-luck story after injuring right ankle attempting to tackle Greenwood.	1
23		Ankle.
QF	Syd	Late inclusion for Rioli and gave usual whole-hearted effort.	5
SF
PF	Geel	Blanketted Selwood early then to Johnson half way through second.	6
GF	Frem	Tackled hard and worked strongly on dangerous Hill.	5

2012 Season

2	VFL	Smart effort at this level. Clean and composed.	–
3	Adel	Solid performer who started in the middle.	6
4	WCE	Spent a lot of time on the bench. A quieter game than normal.	4
5	Syd	Was OK without dictating terms.	5
6	StK	Ran far and wide to collect his possessions to figure in best players.	7
7	Melb	Started in the middle and was steady all through.	5
8	Frem	Outgunned Hill early and had a strong game.	7
9	Rich	Struggling until copping a knock to thigh and subbed off at three-quarter time.	2
10	NM	Ran with Harvey and did a fairly good negating job.	6
11	Port	Kicked a great goal from a standing start in the last quarter.	5
12	Bris	Ran hard out of middle and tackled hard.	5
14	Carl	Solid as one of the midfield rotations.	5
15	GWS	Got busy around the midfield after quarter time.	7
16	WB	Six clearances but just the one inside-50. OK but has played better.	5
17	Coll	Gets under the guard and did again – eight clearances and 11 contested poss.	7
18	Ess	Started in the middle and did his bit.	6
19	Geel	Hardly sighted and when he was he didn’t use ball well enough.	4
21	GCS	Ran the lines and competed hard in tight. Big second quarter.	6
22	Syd	One goal a highlight of an otherwise unobtrusive effort.	5
23	WCE	Played defensive role but offered little going the other way.	3
QF	Coll	Defensive job on Beams and handy in keeping him from being dangerous.	7
PF	Adel	Sent to Sloane in a bid to silence him and stuck to task.	5
GF	Syd	Tagged Jetta and Hannebery. Stuck to his task well but lowered his colours.	5