Colin Sylvia - What is going on???

[DockerLand1]

With his delayed start to the season and the fact that he is turning 30 in November in an ever improving team. Is there any chance that this awful recruit is going to do anything himself in 2015? From the lack of information out East I take it that he has zero interest in pulling his finger out and doing his best to break into our squad.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am sincerely curious as to why we brought him to the club in the first place. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys!

Dockerland1

 

[GordonT]

 

[Clems Knee]

With his delayed start to the season and the fact that he is turning 30 in November in an ever improving team. Is there any chance that this awful recruit is going to do anything himself in 2015? From the lack of information out East I take it that he has zero interest in pulling his finger out and doing his best to break into our squad.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am sincerely curious as to why we brought him to the club in the first place. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys!

Dockerland1

I'll bite.
It is true that Sylvia arrived in fairly poor shape at the end of 2013. He struggled with minor injuries, but played a few games during the season, so he wasn't completely a dead loss.
He has again had setbacks this preseason - I think to his ankle. Kim Hagdorn has made some s**t up about Sylvia as he tends to do. And Couldabeen has claimed that he has been told that he won't be ready until round 10, but that has been disputed. But according to the preseason training reports by Freo , Sylvia was seen running laps today, and had his own trainer. He was vomiting as he ran, apparently. So I reckon he's making an effort.

As to why we brought him to the club in the first place: Sylvia's highlight reel shows that he is a talented midfield forward who could provide attacking flair. He has also been flakey, and would have had a bit to prove. Plus he cost us no draft picks, just a position on the list.

It is quite possible that he gets dropped at the end of the year with a year to go on his contract. That would be a shame for him, and to a lesser degree, the club. We still have a season to go to see if he can make a go of it.

 

[Kram]

He put on 70kgs over Christmas.

 

[Freo]

I reckon everyone needs a fair go, I think the club is giving him that. From here on it's up to Col... History is littered with highly talented athletes who didn't make it. Sonny could easily been one of those types given what happened a couple of years back.
From what I saw today, I am questioning as to whether Col has the desire to do what is required. I think we should all give him the benefit of the doubt given the injury setbacks he has endured. Due to his age though, he must know this is his last chance.

 

[Latro]

How can you compare Walters and Sylvia. Walters was 21 or so and Sylvia is around 30 and has been like this his whole career.

 

[Vintage]

With his delayed start to the season and the fact that he is turning 30 in November in an ever improving team. Is there any chance that this awful recruit is going to do anything himself in 2015? From the lack of information out East I take it that he has zero interest in pulling his finger out and doing his best to break into our squad.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am sincerely curious as to why we brought him to the club in the first place. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys!

Dockerland1

Has been as lazy as MJ this preseason, and I too have had just about enough of it.

 

[theGav56]

Someone vomiting during training is hardly an indication that they lack desire to do what is required though.

 

[Freo]

How can you compare Walters and Sylvia. Walters was 21 or so and Sylvia is around 30 and has been like this his whole career.

Not comparing the two at all, read what I wrote.

 

[Freo]

Someone vomiting during training is hardly an indication that they lack desire to do what is required though.

That was good to see, I guess. Watching him cutting corners and pulling up short of the cones time and again, during one drill made me believe that he doesn't go hard enough.

 

[GilG]

Someone vomiting during training is hardly an indication that they lack desire to do what is required though.

Hey, I have the desire to do what's required to post! Urrrghhh! Uh-oh. I think I just threw up a little in my mouth...

 

[JunglistPosse]

Interesting side note to the Infamy of Col.......

I was at the Doig Medal this year. As I traipsed down the purple carpet I noticed our lads, girl in arm, resplendent in their Daniel Hechter grey suits, joining my journey.

As I congregrated in the foyer to enjoy a beverage, Colin stood next to me, chatting away to a friend. It really stood out to me that he wasn't wearing the corporate couture. I thought it strange at the time as it stood out like the proverbial k9 sack.

I thought nothing of it until the next morning when I read he went home "sick".

Went home or sent home?

 

[Freo88]

Has been as lazy as MJ this preseason, and I too have had just about enough of it.

Bit harsh on MJ? He did have back surgery at the end of the season.

My view on Col - I reckon he is too top heavy - he needs to shed 5 or so KGs to be effective in our structures. He looks like he's more concerned with how big his biceps are though. What is the point in being able to bench press 1.5 times your body weight when your being pegged as a midfielder/high half forward. Very rare you see players with his sort of build these days and manage to be effective midfielders.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Dumb recruit.

How often do these Victorians come over after a relatively long time in the Victorian system actually go well for Freo?

He was complacent, lazy, and a front-runner at the Demons. When their chips were down, so was he. Considering the turmoil around that club and the weight of their criticism, you'd think someone with his age and ability would step up and play some hearty football. Instead he didn't. Freo came along, fresh off a Grand Final, and he came over expecting to walk into the team. He didn't.

Now, I'm not sure which was dumber.

Was it his apparent $350k a year, four year contract?

Was it the fact he was somehow seen as the aid to the goal kicking woes?

Add to that his age. He was 28 last season. Unless you're filling a really urgent need or you're getting a world beater, I really don't think this old list needs any more older heads. It's not smart for list management and robs a Crozier of some patronisation and appearances.

Colin Sylvia and whoever brought him over here can go * themselves. If you seriously show support for this guy, who has showed almost no respect to the Dockers, then you should have your right to complain about our embarrassing lack of success stripped.

 

[Silent Alarm]

This is true but did you post this opinion when the club first announced he was coming over?

I'd be interested if someone could find it in black and white but I reckon so. I wasn't sold on D Pearce (still pretty iffy about him). I've just never thought it was a smart thing. It has burnt the club far too often. Then again Harvey literally brought over like three Bombers mates so they could get their 200th game, but still, the club a history of being unable to demand respect from guys in Melbourne.

I maintain Frawley would've been average for Freo even though he'll probably win a flag for the Hawks. It's just one of those things.

I don't show much confidence in our recruitment at all. I was never a Sylvia fan either.

 

[Clems Knee]

Dumb recruit.

How often do these Victorians come over after a relatively long time in the Victorian system actually go well for Freo?

He was complacent, lazy, and a front-runner at the Demons. When their chips were down, so was he. Considering the turmoil around that club and the weight of their criticism, you'd think someone with his age and ability would step up and play some hearty football. Instead he didn't. Freo came along, fresh off a Grand Final, and he came over expecting to walk into the team. He didn't.

Now, I'm not sure which was dumber.

Was it his apparent $350k a year, four year contract?

Was it the fact he was somehow seen as the aid to the goal kicking woes?

Add to that his age. He was 28 last season. Unless you're filling a really urgent need or you're getting a world beater, I really don't think this old list needs any more older heads. It's not smart for list management and robs a Crozier of some patronisation and appearances.

Colin Sylvia and whoever brought him over here can go **** themselves. If you seriously show support for this guy, who has showed almost no respect to the Dockers, then you should have your right to complain about our embarrassing lack of success stripped.

I think its a three year contract.
And I'm prepared to give him another season to shape up or get out.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Dumb recruit.

How often do these Victorians come over after a relatively long time in the Victorian system actually go well for Freo?

He was complacent, lazy, and a front-runner at the Demons. When their chips were down, so was he. Considering the turmoil around that club and the weight of their criticism, you'd think someone with his age and ability would step up and play some hearty football. Instead he didn't. Freo came along, fresh off a Grand Final, and he came over expecting to walk into the team. He didn't.

Now, I'm not sure which was dumber.

Was it his apparent $350k a year, four year contract?

Was it the fact he was somehow seen as the aid to the goal kicking woes?

Add to that his age. He was 28 last season. Unless you're filling a really urgent need or you're getting a world beater, I really don't think this old list needs any more older heads. It's not smart for list management and robs a Crozier of some patronisation and appearances.

Colin Sylvia and whoever brought him over here can go **** themselves. If you seriously show support for this guy, who has showed almost no respect to the Dockers, then you should have your right to complain about our embarrassing lack of success stripped.

I reckon we should sack the whole administration and coaching staff and put you in charge SA - you seems to be able to find fault in pretty much everything the club does.

Pretty easy sitting behind a keyboard.

 

[DockerLand1]

Love Mr Colbert! Miss his show every day!

 

[Silent Alarm]

I reckon we should sack the whole administration and coaching staff and put you in charge SA - you seems to be able to find fault in pretty much everything the club does.

Pretty easy sitting behind a keyboard.

Not really how it works though, does it buggalugs? That's like saying Two And A Half Men is a good TV show and you can't criticise it because you've never made a TV show.

If you really think Colin Sylvia treats Fremantle with enough respect and he's at a reasonable benchmark, then wow, this club has even softer supporters than I thought.

Nothing wrong with holding high expectations and keeping the club pushing towards them.

So far, Ross Lyon's whole cut-throat down-the-line schtick has seen us win nothing and allow guys like Zac Clarke and Sylvia to get games for Freo.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Not really how it works though, does it buggalugs? That's like saying Two And A Half Men is a good TV show and you can't criticise it because you've never made a TV show.

If you really think Colin Sylvia treats Fremantle with enough respect and he's at a reasonable benchmark, then wow, this club has even softer supporters than I thought.

Nothing wrong with holding high expectations and keeping the club pushing towards them.

So far, Ross Lyon's whole cut-throat down-the-line schtick has seen us win nothing and allow guys like Zac Clarke and Sylvia to get games for Freo.

Buggalugs? What are you, 12?

I don't think Sylvia was a great purchase in hindsight (also have been a bit disappointed with Headland, Croad, Anthony, D Pearce and some others), but I don't expect every decision the club makes will be right. I do think we are a far stronger club and football team than we have been at any time in our history. It is easy to sit back and criticize decisions individual decisions after the event, how about accepting that the club is working towards the goal we all want - sustained success - and accept that there will be some bad decisions on the way.

I appreciate a lot of what you have to say SA, but at times you really don't come across as a SUPPORTER, more as a critic. If you think it's soft supporting the club when not everything is to my liking then I am soft. If your definition of support is what you dish up on these forums at times then I suggest you look up the definition of support.

 

[Bicco]

Not really how it works though, does it buggalugs? That's like saying Two And A Half Men is a good TV show and you can't criticise it because you've never made a TV show.

If you really think Colin Sylvia treats Fremantle with enough respect and he's at a reasonable benchmark, then wow, this club has even softer supporters than I thought.

Nothing wrong with holding high expectations and keeping the club pushing towards them.

So far, Ross Lyon's whole cut-throat down-the-line schtick has seen us win nothing and allow guys like Zac Clarke and Sylvia to get games for Freo.

I like a lot of what you post but you sound like you work for the Institute of Public Affairs here. Ross has ( IMO) given us our greatest wins outside derbies and taken us closer to the ultimate in just his second year. Sylvia has to played sweet FA for us because he hasn't been good enough. Can't see how he's been picked at the expense of anyone else. Sylvia didn't come to us as a highly payed mercenary, but a logical fit to a problem that was exposed in the second half of the GF, in that Mundy, Barlow and Fyfe were tired and we needed a developed body to come in and shoulder the load. Kicking goals is a bonus. 350k per year is nothing but average pay. Short of the club getting Clarkson as coach and John Elliot style payments to buy the best players for a flag, what could be done differently? How do you feel about the effort being put into Morabito? If Sylvia is a fail, surely he is too?

 

[Silent Alarm]

I appreciate a lot of what you have to say SA, but at times you really don't come across as a SUPPORTER, more as a critic. If you think it's soft supporting the club when not everything is to my liking then I am soft. If your definition of support is what you dish up on these forums at times then I suggest you look up the definition of support.

I hate this. I am a supporter. I pay my membership costs, I give it weekends, I travel down to shithole Geelong in 1 degree temperature, I was the only kid in a Freo jumper at all my footy clubs and school jumper days. I've been a Freo fan, an impassioned one, for a long time.

Just because you criticise and have high standards, you're somehow a lesser fan?

Does that mean being supportive of spuds and laissez faire regarding poor performances makes you a bigger fan? Not at all. Look at the cut-throat way people support their team in Melbourne. I don't want us spitting or booing but those people have some serious vitriol for administrators and crab players. They're not putting spores in letters – they just want to see them sacked, not playing, and out of their club.

Look, if we were Hawthorn and we'd won a few flags lately, even just one flag, Colin Sylvia (and the few other lazy, careless players we have) wouldn't matter too much. But Sylvia is on a long contract for a lot of money. And he has a serious history of profound underperformance and off-field issues. It's a bit like getting Dusty Martin over if Dusty Martin was less talented. It was a dumb get. The writing was on the wall. And I will not allow that to become an acceptable thing at Freo.

 

[DudleyDocker]

I hate this. I am a supporter. I pay my membership costs, I give it weekends, I travel down to shithole Geelong in 1 degree temperature, I was the only kid in a Freo jumper at all my footy clubs and school jumper days. I've been a Freo fan, an impassioned one, for a long time.

Just because you criticise and have high standards, you're somehow a lesser fan?

Does that mean being supportive of spuds and laissez faire regarding poor performances makes you a bigger fan? Not at all. Look at the cut-throat way people support their team in Melbourne. I don't want us spitting or booing but those people have some serious vitriol for administrators and crab players. They're not putting spores in letters – they just want to see them sacked, not playing, and out of their club.

Look, if we were Hawthorn and we'd won a few flags lately, even just one flag, Colin Sylvia (and the few other lazy, careless players we have) wouldn't matter too much. But Sylvia is on a long contract for a lot of money. And he has a serious history of profound underperformance and off-field issues. It's a bit like getting Dusty Martin over if Dusty Martin was less talented. It was a dumb get. The writing was on the wall. And I will not allow that to become an acceptable thing at Freo.

Not wanting to get in a bun fight with you SA, I understand you are passionate and as I said I appreciate a lot of what you post. Just accept that not everyone feels the need to "call out" bad decisions and denigrate the club on public forums over every issue they disagree with. That does not make you a better supporter, it makes you a stronger critic (in reference to your two and a half men analogy).

Your opinion will not have make one scrap of difference to club policy, neither will mine - we just call it as we see it and each support in our own way.

Peace.

 

[clogged]

I thought he'd be a good recruit. Hasn't turned out. At least he was low cost in terms of draft picks and salary cap allowance.

 

[DudleyDocker]

I thought he'd be a good recruit. Hasn't turned out. At least he was low cost in terms of draft picks and salary cap allowance.

Me too, thought it was a good punt. Very disappointed with the result so far but not upset that we had a crack. I'm hoping he turns out to be another McPhee