Age of best 22

[clogged]

I think really what is happening is we are not at the prime stage of our rebuild yet. We have reached to try and strike while Pav, McPharlin and Sandi are still around. I still think we will be stronger once they leave just because the midfield will become the elder statesmen and we will have a greater number of A graders. I'm thinking Fyfe, Barlow, Clarke, Mundy etc.

Those three blokes north of thirty are essential at this stage. What I'm wondering is whether those between 26 and 30 are necessary for both this years tilt and those in the future. Guys like Duffield, Crowley, or Mzungu. All good players, but not structurally important.

 

[Wigarus]

Those three blokes north of thirty are essential at this stage. What I'm wondering is whether those between 26 and 30 are necessary for both this years tilt and those in the future. Guys like Duffield, Crowley, or Mzungu. All good players, but not structurally important.

That's what I was getting at, Pav, Sandi and McPharlin are absolute stars, Crowley Duff and Johnson would be next (Mzungu is 28 this year) and I think Johnson would be the most damaging loss but not irreplaceable.

For all of Crowleys improvement, at the end of the day he is a tagger and he will easily be replaced imo. Right now I reckon I would probably be more worried losing Fyfe or Barlow than any of those three and I think that bodes well for the future.

 

[clogged]

That's what I was getting at, Pav, Sandi and McPharlin are absolute stars, Crowley Duff and Johnson would be next (Mzungu is 28 this year) and I think Johnson would be the most damaging loss but not irreplaceable.

For all of Crowleys improvement, at the end of the day he is a tagger and he will easily be replaced imo. Right now I reckon I would probably be more worried losing Fyfe or Barlow than any of those three and I think that bodes well for the future.

Yeah I wonder about Crowley's longevity in general. Is it worth keeping a tagger in the side on the wrong side of 30?

 

[scon]

Don't go makin' the blue of underestimating the value and talent of your above average tagger Wig.
They're like Weimeraners:a species people don't really appreciate.

 

[Wigarus]

Don't go makin' the blue of underestimating the value and talent of your above average tagger Wig.
They're like Weimeraners:a species people don't really appreciate.

I reckon we could get Menagola, Mzungu, Neale, Suban or another kid we draft to play 60-70% as well as Crowley does in a tagging role.

I see our midfield becoming like Collingwood a couple years ago where our tagger is the 4th or 5th best mid that only tags if it is needed (Wellingham).

If Neale, Crozier or Sheridan can develop into a top line midfielder by the time they hit the 100 game mark our midfield will have improved immensely.

Be honest, if you could swap a top line tagger and a borderline 22 midfielder for a borderline 22 tagger and a top line midfielder you would have to go the latter.

 

[Nickos66]

If Sheridan could develop physically a little more and put his body on the line on the inside he could be one candidate for heir to Crowley's role. Better him than a pure athlete with mediocre footy skills in Menegola.

 

[scon]

Yeah poor old Mene's gone unfortunately cos I love his drive and determination.
You're always going to have to shut the opposition's gun troublemakers up.
Teams try to free up their playmakers.Playmakers are gold.Hilly is tagged if he's texting or adjusting his nuts becos if you look the other way you've just been shafted!.
Hard arsed tagger like Creepy is a definite list management model requirement.

 

[slicedndiced]

If Sheridan could develop physically a little more and put his body on the line on the inside he could be one candidate for heir to Crowley's role. Better him than a pure athlete with mediocre footy skills in Menegola.

It depends a bit if you want a tagger to have that offensive weapon in his tool bag though.

Jones for StK can't dispose of the ball to save himself most of the time.

Maybe it is the only position where a pure athlete can make a mark in the game?

 

[Apenesslike]

It depends a bit if you want a tagger to have that offensive weapon in his tool bag though.

Jones for StK can't dispose of the ball to save himself most of the time.

Maybe it is the only position where a pure athlete can make a mark in the game?

Then again, when a tagger gets dragged by his opponent into the opp backline looking for a few cheap possessions and pops up for a goal or 2 it's pretty demoralising.

 

[scon]

I don't mind Creepy's kicking myself.
I reckon he's fine most of the time and every now and then cos of fatigue/pressure which is as much mental as physical he pops one up that goes precisely anywhere.
News release:he's ******* allowed.campaigners smashing him left right and centre all ******* day,while he generally demolishes the most dangerous opposition troublemaker.
Don't slag Creepy.

 

[Wigarus]

Then again, when a tagger gets dragged by his opponent into the opp backline looking for a few cheap possessions and pops up for a goal or 2 it's pretty demoralising.

Ryan had his worst ever year for goals per game last year and his equal second worse the year before. It just doesn't happen that often from him.

I know that as a team we don't score heavily from the midfield but for him to kick a goal or 2 is pretty rare.

 

[Wigarus]

I don't mind Creepy's kicking myself.
I reckon he's fine most of the time and every now and then cos of fatigue/pressure which is as much mental as physical he pops one up that goes precisely anywhere.
News release:he's ******* allowed.campaigners smashing him left right and centre all ******* day,while he generally demolishes the most dangerous opposition troublemaker.
Don't slag Creepy.

Who is slagging him off?

I am just saying that we should be able to comfortably replace him when he's gone.

Personally I think he would probably be outside the top ten most important players in the best 22. He is still best 22 though no doubt about it.

 

[Apenesslike]

Ryan had his worst ever year for goals per game last year and his equal second worse the year before. It just doesn't happen that often from him.

I know that as a team we don't score heavily from the midfield but for him to kick a goal or 2 is pretty rare.

His opponents were less reluctant to drag him back near our goals, besides, the presence of Walters and Balla's made our forward line a pretty scary place to go.

 

[clogged]

I reckon we could get Menagola, Mzungu, Neale, Suban or another kid we draft to play 60-70% as well as Crowley does in a tagging role.

I see our midfield becoming like Collingwood a couple years ago where our tagger is the 4th or 5th best mid that only tags if it is needed (Wellingham).

If Neale, Crozier or Sheridan can develop into a top line midfielder by the time they hit the 100 game mark our midfield will have improved immensely.

Be honest, if you could swap a top line tagger and a borderline 22 midfielder for a borderline 22 tagger and a top line midfielder you would have to go the latter.

I have De Boer for Crowley's role long term, because while his kicking is suspect he's very creative with his hands in close.

 

[Kram]

Is it just me or has Crowley always been a good set shot at goal? Can also get the distance from a fair way out.

 

[slicedndiced]

Is it just me or has Crowley always been a good set shot at goal? Can also get the distance from a fair way out.

Not just you.

 

[beetz]

Is it just me or has Crowley always been a good set shot at goal? Can also get the distance from a fair way out.

Very good shot at goal. If needed and at 190cm/93kg there's no reason why he couldn't become a forward in his 30's.

 

[pavsbootlace]

Very good shot at goal. If needed and at 190cm/93kg there's no reason why he couldn't become a forward in his 30's.

Don't be silly, Mark.

 

[estibador]

Who's the Tassie native with the most games to date for Freo, past or present? Can anybody confirm? And please don't say Crichton.

Brodie Holland?

Adrian Fletcher.

 

[strobe00]

I have De Boer for Crowley's role long term, because while his kicking is suspect he's very creative with his hands in close.

Ditto. If anything I think de boer will do a better job of it, in that he's better able to handle monsters like watson, and is a bit quicker. Better inside ball winner.

Not as good a kick on goals as crowls but they're both similarly average field kicks. Though crowls made a couple of nice long passes in the port game.

A good, solid replacement for when crowls hangs up the boots, and de boers development time up forward will be a handy skill set when tagging in the coming years.

 

[Taylor]

Suban shouldn't tag, he isn't big enough, Pendlebury could out reach him by a foot.

 

[clogged]

Oldest Freo side ever last night. Average age of 27.14.

It's now or never for this group.

 

[Patty_Moz]

What's worse is that even if we drop our 4 oldest out of contract players (Mcpharlin, Gumbleton, Bradley, De Boer) and replace them with four 18 y/o's, which is practically impossible but just for arguments sake and don't trade or take a FA.

We will have an older list next year than what it was this year and I don't think that is ideal.

 

[The Speaker]

What's worse is that even if we drop our 4 oldest out of contract players (Mcpharlin, Gumbleton, Bradley, De Boer) and replace them with four 18 y/o's, which is practically impossible but just for arguments sake and don't trade or take a FA.

We will have an older list next year than what it was this year and I don't think that is ideal.

Which is why next year will more than likely be the first transition year. Younger players will have to start pushing their way in.

 

[CamTinley]

Oldest Freo side ever last night. Average age of 27.14.

It's now or never for this group.

Today was the first time I'd ever bothered to check the average age of our side. I wasn't surprised to see this tread.