View Full Version : preview Fremantle in 2010
Ben the Gooner
31 Jan 2010, 19:53
Also known as Essendon's retirement home, Freo have done nothing to remove that tag by recruiting Adam McPhee for free.
However, besides McPhee, there's simply not enough experience in that side to see them significantly improving this year. Mark Harvey has done what should have been done years ago and bitten the bullet with Freo's list. Over the past two off-seasons, there's been a proper cleanout which has left their list looking decidedly young.
Guys like Palmer, Hill, Morabito, Suban etc. hint at a bright future, but there's not enough there at the moment to suggest any real improvement in terms of ladder position.
One thing which must be worrying to Freo fans is a lack of young KPP - compounded by GC17 and GWS's entry into the drafts, and the obvious need they'll have for KPP.
Predicted finish: 13-16
Another bottom 4 finish ... but they'll slowly rise up the ladder. Probably finish above Richmond but below everyone else. Still a difficult team to beat at Subi.
13-15
One of the most frustrating teams to tip. Tip against them, and the go and win the unwinable, or tip for them and they lose to the under 12s squad from Iceland.
Don't mind Freo though - easy team to like, seeing as half their team is past Essendon players. But they have successfully started the long rebuild towards the top 8, and so will suffer on the lower half of the ladder for a few more years before really posing a threat on the competition. This climb up the ladder will take much longer without the draft picks available as outlined in the OP. But they do also have some attractive young prospects, so there may be an upside to their list.
As long as they beat West Coast in the Derby, their supporters should still be happy with their year.
Who are their potential KPP for their next finals tilt, say in 2 years?
Pav will probably be sitting in the goal square if he isn't back in SA, Murphy could perhaps step up a gear, but Tarrant will be gone, Michael Johnson will be 28 so he could hold a key defensive post for a further two years, and after that...
No doubt Hill and Suban will be stars, Palmer will be servicable at worst, Ibbotson and Morabito the potential icing on the midfield cake, but I fear for their future due to a worrying lack of KPP.
Shane Hird
31 Jan 2010, 22:23
LMAO the other week when they had their team photo and all the media were there to grill Pav on Freo's prospects for season 2010. He wouldn't say one word about anything. Side stepped around any question that related to where freo will be come rd22.
The pressure is massive at Docker land this year. If McPhee doesn't deliver straight away the fans will riot. And they better stop thinking that Des Headland is gunna make some miracle form improvement. Morabito will take his place i reckon. Thats what I'd be hoping for.
Last chance for Harvs too. If they arn't in the 8 by rd 10 or 12 they will call for the axe to come out. He's had a good run with the fans so far and they havn't really got the shits with him yet, but time is running out for our former Bomber superstar.
Looking forward to taking more money and slabs off my deluded Docker work mates this season:)
Slattery_20
1 Feb 2010, 07:55
Harvs is having a bob each way. Still. After all the years of half-starts & heartache, he grabbed a mid-range, established ex-Essendon player.
They have some good kids. Broughton, Hill, Suban, Ibbotson etc.
They have some good senior players. Pav, McPharlin, even Taz has found a niche.
But why oh why is Solly still there & now McPhee. They'll leak free kicks against, and for what - a bit of hardness? They'll be aroundabouts 9th-13th. Not bad enough to be rewarded, not good enough to be rewarded.
They are a chance of coming dead last this year. Sure they have a couple of good kids but which team doesn't?
I still see their weakness in the lack of 1%ers. You don't see many chase down tackles, shepperds, tap ons etc. They struggle to play as a team, which is quite understandable when they keep on bringing in older players plus keep Des Headland in the side.
Dyslexic Emo
1 Feb 2010, 16:17
However, besides McPhee, there's simply not enough experience in that side to see them significantly improving this year.
We have a good mix of experience and youth, the problem is we don't have anything in between 22-25 bracket. Our experienced players in Pavlich, Sandi, Tarrant and McPharlin make up a pretty strong spine and should keep the younger guys in check (whom btw are now a year older, bigger, stronger. which in itself is an improvement from last year)
Mark Harvey has done what should have been done years ago and bitten the bullet with Freo's list. Over the past two off-seasons, there's been a proper cleanout which has left their list looking decidedly young.
Agree 100%
Guys like Palmer, Hill, Morabito, Suban etc. hint at a bright future, but there's not enough there at the moment to suggest any real improvement in terms of ladder position.
But let's not forget guys like Broughton, Duffield and Ibbotson, whom all have stepped up last year and proven to be all quality players that can handle the big jobs (ala Ibbotson vs Judd round 7, where he came out on top)
One thing which must be worrying to Freo fans is a lack of young KPP - compounded by GC17 and GWS's entry into the drafts, and the obvious need they'll have for KPP.
I hardly see how that is relevant to season 2010 as stated in your thread title. as we are more than stocked for this year. But in coming years we have some promising guys who will have plenty of time to progress and develop beofre we are in dire straight and end up like the W.B
Predicted finish: 13-16
close, but I'd go a bit higher, Subi alone will keep us off the bottom, I'd go 10-13
LMAO the other week when they had their team photo and all the media were there to grill Pav on Freo's prospects for season 2010. He wouldn't say one word about anything. Side stepped around any question that related to where freo will be come rd22.
Not really that hard to understand is it? No team that's just been bottom 4 will come out and say that they are expecting to play finals, thuis adding pressue for the rest of the year. While if he was to say that he expects to finish bottom 8, that would be accepting mediocrity. So what he does is he says 'he expects to see improvement, how much you will just have to wait and see'
The pressure is massive at Docker land this year. If McPhee doesn't deliver straight away the fans will riot.
Care to explain why? we got him for free in the PSD. He is just there to help the 27 young players we have picked up over the last 2 years settle in to the big leagues and provide some big bodied presence for 3 years while they develop while also allowing Pav to return to the forawrd line. He has absolutely no pressure whatsoever.
Last chance for Harvs too. If they arn't in the 8 by rd 10 or 12 they will call for the axe to come out.
LOL, you do realise your talking about Freo right? the team that's only made finals 2 times EVER??? we don't set those types of deadlines to meet, if we see improvement, we are happy and he will get another contract, it's that simple.
Ben the Gooner
1 Feb 2010, 16:37
We have a good mix of experience and youth, the problem is we don't have anything in between 22-25 bracket. Our experienced players in Pavlich, Sandi, Tarrant and McPharlin make up a pretty strong spine and should keep the younger guys in check (whom btw are now a year older, bigger, stronger. which in itself is an improvement from last year)
And it is that group which determines where your club is heading IMHO. I think you've got some great older guys, and some great kids, but SFA in between, and you can't exist without that middle group pushing 100+ games.
But let's not forget guys like Broughton, Duffield and Ibbotson, whom all have stepped up last year and proven to be all quality players that can handle the big jobs (ala Ibbotson vs Judd round 7, where he came out on top)
Yep, those were the "etc.". All are quality players.
I hardly see how that is relevant to season 2010 as stated in your thread title. as we are more than stocked for this year. But in coming years we have some promising guys who will have plenty of time to progress and develop beofre we are in dire straight and end up like the W.B
Was a long-term comment.
close, but I'd go a bit higher, Subi alone will keep us off the bottom, I'd go 10-13
I'm doing it in quarters of the ladder, and picking 4 teams in each quarter. I expect you'll finish 13-14 personally.
Dyslexic Emo
1 Feb 2010, 17:05
And it is that group which determines where your club is heading IMHO. I think you've got some great older guys, and some great kids, but SFA in between, and you can't exist without that middle group pushing 100+ games
But that's just it, we aren't pushing for a top 4 finish, neither have we gotten rid of our older guys and just loaded up on yound guys ala Richmond and Melbourne. We have kept a key core of older guys around, to help fast-track the development of these younger guys, while offering themselves as bloody good players in the process.
So even though we don't have the middle tier of players, we do have the ability to win games and win them comfortably without the need for these middle tier. Idealy though, we would have hoped the younger ones were in fact a few years older, but that isn't going to happen, so we have to play with what we have got, and barring another horror injury run like last year, we should improve by quiete a margin.
On a a side note, how is Hartingham doing? I always found it amusing that we picked up Barlow and you picked up Hartingham, always thought it would have been the other way round.
Ben the Gooner
1 Feb 2010, 17:12
But that's just it, we aren't pushing for a top 4 finish, neither have we gotten rid of our older guys and just loaded up on yound guys ala Richmond and Melbourne. We have kept a key core of older guys around, to help fast-track the development of these younger guys, while offering themselves as bloody good players in the process.
So even though we don't have the middle tier of players, we do have the ability to win games and win them comfortably without the need for these middle tier. Idealy though, we would have hoped the younger ones were in fact a few years older, but that isn't going to happen, so we have to play with what we have got, and barring another horror injury run like last year, we should improve by quiete a margin.
They'll win you games, but not enough to lift you off the bottom 4 IMHO. They should really be the icing on the cake.
On a a side note, how is Hartingham doing? I always found it amusing that we picked up Barlow and you picked up Hartingham, always thought it would have been the other way round.
I'm expecting a Rd 1 start.
Does anyone else, see Freeo as Essendon 2-3 years ago, couple of ageing champions (but not yet super old), not much in the 23 to 27 bracket (100-150 game players) but a bright future if the young generation pays off?
Agree Harv's has now done what needed to be done (with hindsight) a few years before. I think Freo might have got in just in time, GC17 and Sheedy's GWS are going to stuff the rebuilders over the next three seasons after all.
Finish 12th to 14th.
Solid defence which will improve with the return of McFarland full time.
Average one paced midfield - although Hill and Suban add speed.
Forward line appears average on paper, but is probably better than it reads. Pavlich will be full time in the forward line, and will have support from Mayne and Ballantyne.
Overall, have a core of solidly performing older players, real potential in the youngsters, but as others have mentioned a deficiency in the 22 to 25 age range.
Break Out player - Hayden Ballantyne.
bipolarbeaR
2 Feb 2010, 10:25
They are just us without the young KPP's and their young mids are better.
Ex-Bombers or Ex-Essendon i call them, hope harvs can keep his job!! probably finish above the tigers but im not sure who else, there is demons, north, port and freo in the same group, dont think getting above west coast or swans is possible!! 12-15th
Beerfish
8 Feb 2010, 23:26
Harvs is having a bob each way. Still. After all the years of half-starts & heartache, he grabbed a mid-range, established ex-Essendon player.
They have some good kids. Broughton, Hill, Suban, Ibbotson etc.
They have some good senior players. Pav, McPharlin, even Taz has found a niche.
But why oh why is Solly still there & now McPhee. They'll leak free kicks against, and for what - a bit of hardness? They'll be aroundabouts 9th-13th. Not bad enough to be rewarded, not good enough to be rewarded.
Almost totally agree with this.
I think they may surprise a few people this year.