Another Season Wasted - No Killer Instinct.

[jusjoshin]

Some people in this thread need to take a valium, they are getting a little worked up. We had 3 KPD out (McPharlin/Johnson/Silvagni) and the clubs leading goalscorer for the year (Ballas). We tried to do what we did last time we played them, amass a huge first half lead and then defend it, but with all of the wasted shots at goal, and our depleted backline, we just couldn't pull it off. We were tired from a month including the two longest road trips in footy (to Brissy and Sydney), and we were coming off a hard fought slog in the wet against one of the best contested footy sides in a generation (Port coming off a light training run against some Yella and Black witches hats). We were always going to struggle to contain their run after half time.

It wasn't our year. Most of our best players for this year are still under 25 (Fyfe, Sutcliffe, Neale, Sonny, Hill). We'll be playing finals more often than not in the next decade I would think.

 

[pokerspiv]

As said above I think people drastically underestimate the impact of having Johnson and Ballantyne out for the Port game. Those 2 would easily have made up the difference.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Some people in this thread need to take a valium, they are getting a little worked up. We had 3 KPD out (McPharlin/Johnson/Silvagni) and the clubs leading goalscorer for the year (Ballas). We tried to do what we did last time we played them, amass a huge first half lead and then defend it, but with all of the wasted shots at goal, and our depleted backline, we just couldn't pull it off. We were tired from a month including the two longest road trips in footy (to Brissy and Sydney), and we were coming off a hard fought slog in the wet against one of the best contested footy sides in a generation (Port coming off a light training run against some Yella and Black witches hats). We were always going to struggle to contain their run after half time.

It wasn't our year. Most of our best players for this year are still under 25 (Fyfe, Sutcliffe, Neale, Sonny, Hill). We'll be playing finals more often than not in the next decade I would think.

That certainly seemed the intent as reinforced by the high volume of rotations we used up to half time and also 3 Qtr time compared to Port. Fitness guys must have advised we'd struggle with fatigue at the back end of the game again this time around. Geez winning one of the games against North, Saints or Geelong would have meant we could have rested some guys in Round 23. I'm off to change my username to Harry Hindsight....

 

[clogged]

As said above I think people drastically underestimate the impact of having Johnson and Ballantyne out for the Port game. Those 2 would easily have made up the difference.

Johnson is an excellent creator from defence, so I'd agree with that, but I think almost all premiership sides can withstand the loss of a small forward. And that's not to undersell Ballas.

 

[Righteo]

Johnson is an excellent creator from defence, so I'd agree with that, but I think almost all premiership sides can withstand the loss of a small forward. And that's not to undersell Ballas.

A quality finisher like Ballas could have seen us with an unassailable HT lead though. It is possible his performance in rnd 23 (kicked some ultra tough ones from the boundary and was instrumental to our 9 goal run)) wallpapered over some of the cracks we have when faced with Port though. Perhaps the fixture at AO is more reflective of how both sides match up.

 

[clogged]

A quality finisher like Ballas could have seen us with an unassailable HT lead though. It is possible his performance in rnd 23 (kicked some ultra tough ones from the boundary and was instrumental to our 9 goal run)) wallpapered over some of the cracks we have when faced with Port though. Perhaps the fixture at AO is more reflective of how both sides match up.

Yeah, but look at Hawthorn. If Rioli goes down, or they lose Franklin to a top four rival, or ... you see what I mean?

They have just rolled on. Freo's forward line is far more fragile, it only takes one player missing before it starts to completely dysfunction.

So even if Ballas did play, I think while Freo could have beaten Port, coming up against even stronger defences, in bigger matches, the side would have been knocked off. Having such a dearth of quality scoring options up there makes the job a lot easier for opponents.

 

[Righteo]

Yeah, but look at Hawthorn. If Rioli goes down, or they lose Franklin to a top four rival, or ... you see what I mean?

They have just rolled on. Freo's forward line is far more fragile, it only takes one player missing before it starts to completely dysfunction.

So even if Ballas did play, I think while Freo could have beaten Port, coming up against even stronger defences, in bigger matches, the side would have been knocked off. Having such a dearth of quality scoring options up there makes the job a lot easier for opponents.

Yep I agree, just saying that particular game it could have proved to be the difference. I've said all year we wouldn't be able to cover key players going down well enough to win the flag and unfortunately we picked up key injuries at the worst time. Hawthorn have amazing depth no doubt, we're not in the same class talent wise.

 

[clogged]

Yep I agree, just saying that particular game it could have proved to be the difference. I've said all year we wouldn't be able to cover key players going down well enough to win the flag and unfortunately we picked up key injuries at the worst time. Hawthorn have amazing depth no doubt, we're not in the same class talent wise.

I think as frustrating and depressing as straight sets is, it's a wake up call that the side is not good enough. If the side had gone one step deeper, run Hawthorn close, maybe there would have been an erroneous assumption that the side was just short of where it needs to be.

This can serve as a wake up call.

 

[pokerspiv]

Yeah, but look at Hawthorn. If Rioli goes down, or they lose Franklin to a top four rival, or ... you see what I mean?

They have just rolled on. Freo's forward line is far more fragile, it only takes one player missing before it starts to completely dysfunction.

So even if Ballas did play, I think while Freo could have beaten Port, coming up against even stronger defences, in bigger matches, the side would have been knocked off. Having such a dearth of quality scoring options up there makes the job a lot easier for opponents.

I think that just reiterates my point. Hawthorn have so many good forwards they can cover the loss of Rioli or Franklin. We can't really cover the loss of Ballantyne, Walters or Pavlich.

 

[apuchar]

on afl.com about freo's season

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-09-17/the-washup-fremantle

 

[freofc1994]

We were never able to have continuity in selction. Either due to injury or suspension. We played ok when Walters missed every week. The same last year when Pav and Sandi missed large chunks. At least the team was largely settled. This year however we had what seemed to be a couple of changes everyweek.

We really need a consistant selction week in week out with our best 15 available