Preview Finals 2014 Discussion: Sydney v Fremantle, 2.45pm Sat Sept 6th, ANZ Stadium

[Righteo]

Ah, but they weren't injured yet when we played Sydney earlier this year and got thrashed. It was hard enough to be positive with Macca out!

I think we may have a different definition of "thrashed". We've done fine this last month carrying MJ (if it wasn't MJ he would have been dropped) but I won't deny I'm hoping for rain.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I think we may have a different definition of "thrashed". We've done fine this last month carrying MJ (if it wasn't MJ he would have been dropped) but I won't deny I'm hoping for rain.

Game high margin was 6 goals before a few junk goals, scoreline wasn't to different from the 2013 Prelim that we got "thrashed"

 

[Righteo]

Game high margin was 6 goals before a few junk goals, scoreline wasn't to different from the 2013 Prelim that we got "thrashed"

Pretty sure we got out to more than 50 in the prelim but yeah you kept us at arms length for most of the game, I can't imagine you ever felt threatened as a Sydney fan.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Pretty sure we got out to more than 50 in the prelim but yeah you kept us at arms length for most of the game, I can't imagine you ever felt threatened as a Sydney fan.

I was just pulling your leg but yer it was the breakout game for us especially being 1-3 we laid 102 tackles that day.

 

[Righteo]

I was just pulling your leg but yer it was the breakout game for us especially being 1-3 we laid 102 tackles that day.

Could honestly see similar numbers this week tbh, expecting a lot of stoppages and a lot of outraged neutrals

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Could honestly see similar numbers this week tbh, expecting a lot of stoppages and a lot of outraged neutrals

All signs pointing to a absolute slog mate which would make it very bad news for the loser

 

[Daveismad]

If it's wet the loss of Johnson and Mcpharlin isn't as big as first thought

Swans will start favourites bût freo have enough in reserve to being back silvagni

It's going to be a cracking game .....whoever wins the midfield wins the game ...

I like freo for some odd reason ....they will come with fierce pressure

 

[VolgaBoatman]

If it's wet, I would think it would nullify talls like Tippett and Reid a bit - they tend to rely a bit more on marking the ball - Buddy, Goodes would still handle the wet pretty well I presume.

On the Freo side, I think the slippery / shifting ground could take a while to getting used to. Hopefully they've trained on a local rugby ground, where the turf is completely cut up !

 

[mattis117]

I just feel that we are the Sydney 2013 this year - just limping to the finals. Just as we find something to fix our forward line, it's now our backline that's taken a massive hit. There's a tipping point to every season, and it just feels like we've reached it.

On the positive side, we won vs. a potent Port with a hobbled Johnno, so there is hope we can cover him. He mops up so well in our backline, though, and he was doing that on Saturday as well despite being able to barely run. So maybe we're still a chance.

We will have to play with heart. Miles and miles of heart to even be a hope of getting close to Sydney.

Are you for real? Our last month has been outstanding, where have you been? McPharlin has played none of these games and Johnson has been down for a couple of weeks now.

We lose leadership with Johnson out, hopefully Ibbo can step up. Ibbo played a pretty decent game against Port.

 

[mattis117]

Our forward line is a few levels above last years model IMO.

Yes, so is our midfield. Sandilands is better than last year. Fyfe is better than last year. Hill is better than last year. D Pearce is better than last year. And Neale is better than last year.

Agree, Forward line and Midfield are better than last year, backline however was better last year.

 

[Daveismad]

Pav can play back a bit

So can Mundy and Barlow ....Sandilands can fill the hole and Clark rucks more

Lyon will figure it out ...muzuno can play back also

Silvagni has to play

What I do think if freo will try to run and run and pressure

I also want to know how Sydney will stop Ballentyne and Walters on slippery surface .....good luck

Evens for mine

 

[Reginald Perrin]

Hard to pick if it's going to be wet, really levels out the game. Such a shame that it's going to exacerbate issues with the general condition of the ground though.

Heart says Freo by 7.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Sydneys X Factor is their tall forward line. Freos X Factor is their midfield.
Freo want it more. Freo by 11.

 

[Sully90]

Find it strange with people stating the wet weather makes it better for Ballantyne and Walters. Grabbing a ball off the deck without fumbling becomes immensely harder when the ball gets slippery.

Also, Dockers by 25

 

[formofblahizm]

Stephen Hill, Stephen Hill, every time he gets the ball you know this sh gets real

 

[FreoMonocle]

I feel a bit miffed on behalf of Sydney at not playing at their home ground. What's the point of finishing on top and getting the home ground advantage nerfed. The radical scg shape overwhelmingly favors Sydney, but the ANZ is comparable to Subiaco in size.

The ground looks wrecked, I just hope there are no needless ankle or other injuries. The AFL website did mention some repairs, but a few days for turf to settle, well, methinks it might be treacherous underfoot.

Almost the best team is available for both sides, both are in form (can discount Sydney's loss with the resting), this should be a cracker of a match if the conditions don't make it a slugfest. That being said, a wet and muddy slugfest will favour Freo's mosquito's over Sydney's talls.

Looking forward to a cracker of a match.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Freo want it more.

Think you'll find Sydney quite like winning. Minor Premiers means nothing.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Think you'll find Sydney quite like winning. Minor Premiers means nothing.

Just means they have more depth and got their s**t sorted earlier than Freo.
They didn't seem to care a few days a go.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Just means they have more depth and got their s**t sorted earlier than Freo.
They didn't seem to care a few days a go.

Musta been watching two different games. Swans fans were all impressed by how hard we went in (mystifying 1st Qtr aside.)

You seem to be overlooking the fact that there were half a dozen or so Swans players absolutely not guaranteed finals selection.

And even among the first-picked, I saw no lack of determination.

 

[Grape Bear]

Are you for real? Our last month has been outstanding, where have you been? McPharlin has played none of these games and Johnson has been down for a couple of weeks now.

We lose leadership with Johnson out, hopefully Ibbo can step up. Ibbo played a pretty decent game against Port.

I have been watching the games, just as you have, thank you very much.

You said it yourself, it's Johnson's leadership we lose down there and creativity when he plays loose man out of defense. He and McPharlin are the generals out of defense. Granted, we do have Silvagni, who has stepped up this year and Ibbo, who seems to be playing into form.

As it was, we were leaking goals a lot more than usual and I don't think that's solely due to our shift to a more attacking game plan.

In the last month, we lost to Geelong who have two tall forwards to mind at the time, Hawkins and Kersten. We had a hobbled Macca for that game until the 3rd quarter as well. We won vs Hawthorn, but they were without their most important tall forward in Roughy. We won against Brissy, then Port - who play relatively small, hence Silva coming out for Ibbo.

Sydney, among all the teams, probably have the best offence to stretch our defense as it currently stands. All our KP's are undersized for Tippet and Buddy with the exception of Dawson. Buddy is in form and looks very ominous.

Also, we won our last three games playing our best offensively, not defensively. In patches of the game where we were done in centre clearances, the opposition scored almost with certainty. Thankfully, Hawks and Port were inaccurate during their early periods of dominance, otherwise the result may have been completely different.

So, yes, it's imperative we get first use through our midfield in order to lock it into our forward line and not give the chance to get into Sydney's forward half - because that's probably the weakest part of our wall right now without Johnno and Macca to hold it up. And hopefully Ibbo can speed up his decision making to keep pace with his marking skills, because we'll need it. Duffield needs to get harder. And Suttcliffe needs to put on a few kilos in a few days. Problem is, Sydney also have a star mid-field that can give ours a run for our money and winning the clearances is a 50/50 proposition.

By the way, Sandi also looked a bit hobbled on Saturday. So forgive me for having a bearish opinion of our chances. Hopefully we can get an edge if it is wet and if we play with miles of heart.

 

[masai]

As Sydney are not playing at their "home ground", are they being asked to wear their clash strip ?.

Game could go anyway, not too sure that being wet would advantage Freo.

Just make sure that we have good umpiring ( umpire in the "spirit" of the game ) and even though it may be wet, no diving with double somersaults and triple pikes !!!.

 

[TripleB]

Who do you Freo guys think Crowley will go to?

 

[Wolfgang West]

Definition of Cringe worthy ??? West Coast Supporters blowing wind up Freo's rrrrs.
A new low. Show some self respect.

 

[clogged]

Find it strange with people stating the wet weather makes it better for Ballantyne and Walters. Grabbing a ball off the deck without fumbling becomes immensely harder when the ball gets slippery.

Also, Dockers by 25

Will affect Ballantyne because he has a bad tendency to fumble and slip over a lot, but Walters is a one-touch player who won't be affected by the weather at all. In fact, I think his debut match was a wet one and a he kicked a handy goal.

Barlow is like a gremlin, add water and he becomes a monster. Fyfe great in the wet too.

Wet weather is where the skillful, one touch players who like a contest shine.

 

[Beachsleeper]

Who do you Freo guys think Crowley will go to?

Did a complete job on Kieren in the PF last year, smashed him. Can't remember who he tagged earlier this year. Have a feeling it'll be Hanners this time around, though Kieren might cop it again.