Review Fremantle d Western Bulldogs by 13 pts

[Moo]

Just watched the 3 minute Fyfe highlight package.

The kid is ridiculous. Crazy, batshit ridiculous...

You trippin'?

 

[clogged]

Hell of a retort.

Funny thing is that I'm looking at the stats for both games (Freo v Melb; Hawks v Melb) and I'm seeing an awfully large number of similarities. Similar domination of possessions, insides 50s, clearances. Always interesting when facts get in the way of opinions.

Look at the scoreline.

 

[Spoken4]

Look at the scoreline.

So the scoreline is the only sign of a dominant game? You're not serious right?

 

[clogged]

So the scoreline is the only sign of a dominant game? You're not serious right?

I think it's the only sign that matters.

 

[Schauermann]

6) Jump on Nahas to kick a bag against us. He killed us when he played for the Tigers, and he will butcher us this week.

Actually the last time he played us in a Tigers jumper he had 3 disposals...

Was one game in 2011 where he devastated us with 30 touches and 4 goals.

 

[Taylor]

That Pav on Cotchin game...

 

[Spoken4]

Actually the last time he played us in a Tigers jumper he had 3 disposals...

Was one game in 2011 where he devastated us with 30 touches and 4 goals.

...and that was just warming up in the change rooms.

 

[Doggies1972]

I was actually thinking (hoping) we would run over the top of you guys in the last. Thought it was feasible as you have pretty much won every game by half time so far this year, was wondering if you would have the legs to go the 4 quarters, without taking breaks as has been done in some games. Yet a few of your big guns stood up at the end. Currently I think the Purps will roll both sydney and the hawks, not so much your playing so well, but they are both playing pretty ordinary. You will match it with them when in they are playing well and be an even bet to pick the winner, but currently they are both playing pretty ordinary. I actually think theres a couple of other teams that will match up better against ya's than the hawks and sydney atm, GWS and North next week, and possibly Adelaide if they play well. As for today, the umpiring was atrocious. In the backs, holding the ball, holding the player and chopping arms didn't exist for either side. Apart from a fleeting glimpse in the last quarter we really didn't look like winning, and better team certainly won on the day. Hate North ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper, so I hope you can make it 8 in a row next week.

 

[Taylor]

Our defense looked like they hadnt played together for a while, losing opponents in transfer too much.

Johnson particularly looked frustrated with the positioning of the others. McPharlin back should bring another organizing and familiar mind.

 

[The Anchorite]

Our defense looked like they hadnt played together for a while, losing opponents in transfer too much.

Johnson particularly looked frustrated with the positioning of the others. McPharlin back should bring another organizing and familiar mind.

Yeah this was a major problem, Dickson just kept sneaking back behind before our guys got back. Younger guys missing some direction I think.

The inconsistency of the mids and the lack of crumbing up forward is a bit of a worry too.

 

[Grandstan]

Lots of interesting observations already in this thread, thought I might add a couple of my own, being at the ground.
1. The Doggies did a good job on the clearances after quarter time despite Sandi and Clarke dominating taps to advantage. Their man-on-man was tight and clogged it up, preventing the space and clearing handballs.
2. There's a bit been mentioned about how well the Doggies cleared the ball out from our entries. Question need to be asked about this year's strategy of kicking it more often high to the top of the square. It has paid off at times, but WB soon had it sussed out and were too easily bringing those balls over the back and under control.
3. Full credit to how well WB spread and their kicking was precise on the counter. They had us on the ropes but for a couple uncharacteristic bad kicks late on.
4. Pearce the younger is a talent and will no doubt improve, but let's not kid ourselves how less structured our backline was today without the experience of a Lukey Mac or Dawson. Alex's leap across the front of the pack in the third that excited some was a schoolboy error that left us exposed and cost a goal.
5. Not a moment for the highlight reel, but a shout out to the genius torp kicked by Danyle on the wing right near the end - absolutely nobody at home but got the ball to hang in the air long enough to make an NFL punter proud, and long enough for Ballas to make the contest, which ultimately resulted in Pav's sealer.

 

[Unique Name]

Positives:

• Matt Taberner - Pick 11 in the Rookie draft in 2013, he has only played 19 games. IMO he is tracking above expectations. Has greatly aided our forward structure.
• Fyfe - Beast.
• Johnson - Backline general.
• Pavlich - God I hope we can get this champion a flag.
• Zac Clarke has been doing really well this season, big improvement on last.

Negatives:

• Duffield as the sub, poor choice by the match committee. Having 2 relative newbies in the backline (Pearce, Sherro) made us vulnerable. Johnson saved us.
• Walters and Ballas just aren't clicking with the new forward structure. A few good passages of play between the two of them isn't enough.
• Still struggling to contain small forwards.

General Points:

• Mzungu just has to come back in, he offers 4 quarters of consistent footy.
• Sherro should be given a few games to find his feet, With Macca back in next week I expect the backline as a whole will be more composed which will help him.
• Just not sure about Subes, after 111 games we know what he has to offer. He's only 25 but I just don't see him in our best 22 in 2 years time.

 

[electricfeel]

Walters stood up in the last quarter to help us win that. We all know he's been way down on output so far this season, so hopefully a sign of things to come. Really need so much more from Walters and Ballas particularly when we had no one able to crumb in our forward 50 when time and time again our tall forwards couldn't mark it (although, there were many times they really should've). I guess this is something to do with the new forward structure and Walters spending more time up the ground?

Fyfe is a freakin beast. Won't be able to rest easy until we know he won't be suspended.

Backline wasn't great today. Johnson was an absolute rock and without him today we may have seen a different result.

 

[Square Peg]

I just watched the replay, trying to work out what is going on defensively on TV is never easy but a few things stood out:
Crameri did a good job at getting Ibbo as far away from the play as possible. Other coaches will take note.
Sutcliffe let's his opponent get goal side way too much to be a good defender. How is Brady Grey tracking?
Remember when MJ only used to point when he had stuffed up and wanted to blame someone else? Nowadays his pointing actually means something. Thank christ we had him today.

 

[poshman]

Just watched the 3 minute Fyfe highlight package.

The kid is ridiculous. Crazy, batshit ridiculous...

Watched it twice now... He does ridiculous things repeatedly. His spear pass to Clarke from half back to the wing was a ripper. And the screamer he made look regulation for his second goal were ridiculous. Just took he mark then walks back to take the kick like it's all just business as usual. To steal a well used Nike slogan #witness

 

[tacopavlich]

Remember when MJ only used to point when he had stuffed up and wanted to blame someone else? Nowadays his pointing actually means something.

Haha I forgot all about that Seems so long ago now.

 

[electricfeel]

Haha I forgot all about that Seems so long ago now.

I loved a good MJ pointing joke. Nic Nat text jokes seem to be in the past now too. At least "out: Pearce " is still running

 

[Dirty_banchez]

Actually the last time he played us in a Tigers jumper he had 3 disposals...

Was one game in 2011 where he devastated us with 30 touches and 4 goals.

Proves my point perfectly. Nahas will be a nightmare and will kick 3 goals at least.

 

[schnoods]

Positives:

• Matt Taberner - Pick 11 in the Rookie draft in 2013, he has only played 19 games. IMO he is tracking above expectations. Has greatly aided our forward structure.
• Fyfe - Beast.
• Johnson - Backline general.
• Pavlich - God I hope we can get this champion a flag.
• Zac Clarke has been doing really well this season, big improvement on last.

Negatives:

• Duffield as the sub, poor choice by the match committee. Having 2 relative newbies in the backline (Pearce, Sherro) made us vulnerable. Johnson saved us.
• Walters and Ballas just aren't clicking with the new forward structure. A few good passages of play between the two of them isn't enough.
• Still struggling to contain small forwards.

General Points:

• Mzungu just has to come back in, he offers 4 quarters of consistent footy.
• Sherro should be given a few games to find his feet, With Macca back in next week I expect the backline as a whole will be more composed which will help him.
• Just not sure about Subes, after 111 games we know what he has to offer. He's only 25 but I just don't see him in our best 22 in 2 years time.

100% agree.



The backline functioned poorly, Ibbotson did extremely well too as well as Johnson, both really reading the play well and positioning great. a few times Ibbo and johnson left their direct opponent to spoil or mark and did well. Sutcliffe got caught out a few times by Dickson, and Suban really had a lacklustre game. Duffield was needed in the back line, to take one either Stringer or Dickson to be honest, he helps structures and his kicking in is without fault most of the time.

Alex Pearce was a 50/50 for me that game, he did well in a few contests, his disposal and decision making is raw though. Boyd's first goal was a direct result from Pearce, having the ball at full back, holds up the play then proceeds to kick (poorly) to the 50m arc maybe 30m in from the boundary and gets intercepted by a Dogs player who in turn rebounds it directly to Boyd who takes a mark overhead. Not having a dig, but i hope its a good learning curve for him to go for the line or hit up one of the rucks etc. He looks promising, but also needs time, he will get the feel of positioning soon enough, it helps when taking on strong monstering opponents.

The Forward line with Walters and Ballyntyne aren't working for them, possibly because of the higher traffic 2 talls, a resting ruck and Mayne attract in the back line. Space and time are a premium and the 2 cant get enough to be effective offensively, but the pressure they deliver is still great. Im sure there is a a play in the book of pushing the talls up the ground and keeping the forward line open for the 2 livewires to run rings, but with a dominant ruck and good pressure, I think they'll stick to forward pressure and congestion.

Mzungu will have to be in this week, at the expense of Suban or MDB possibly, Hoping McPharlin will be back/possibly Dawson as we have a few big forwards to contend with this week. I'd rather see Mzungu in the team than him winning a Sandover with his form to be honest.

 

[mike91]

That was our worst game of the year by a long way, although good teams find a way to win and that's what we did. Bank the four points, review it as a loss, because that was a terrible performance really.

+

First quarter
Pavlich/Fyfe/Johnson/C. Pearce/ D. Pearce/ Neale
Sandi/Fyfe combo

-

Quarters 2,3,4 were poor, in fact we were basically outplayed for three quarters
Our inside 50's were horrendous, kick it long to a pack and hope for the best? Try hitting up a lead every once in a while
I've defended Tabs and still will throughout the year because he's only played about 20 games, but being there live today, his last three quarters were extremely poor. Doesn't attack it hard enough and hands aren't good enough yet
Ballas/Walters only delivered in the last 6 minutes, they're both seriously playing some average footy
Sutcliffe, could lose it here, so I'll just stick to the obvious and say he was poor today
Sandilands not taking clunk marks down the line against easier opponents

Umpires were disgustingly bad

 

[Schauermann]

Negatives:

• Duffield as the sub, poor choice by the match committee. Having 2 relative newbies in the backline (Pearce, Sherro) made us vulnerable. Johnson saved us.

Agree. But now the game is won I like it from a point of managing older players gametime a bit.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Johnno really stood up today, took charge, played amazingly, and all without much help. There were some massive holes in that backline, and it's something we really need to look at. Something didn't work today, but without watching a replay I couldn't tell you what it is.

Without Macpharlin and Duffield down there, the unit lacked instinct. They did not gel today and reverted to playing like a bunch of individuals rather than a cohesive unit. Johnson looked like a juggler at times back there while Pearce was going kamikaze.

We were relatively inexperienced with Sutcliffe, Sheridan and Pearce in there instead of Macca and Duff. Watching Johnno under siege even had me thinking we could do with Zac Dawson tonight. Looked better when Mayne went back in the last quarter so that will be a good fall back in the last lines when required.

This exposed that we are going to need the depth of Silvagni and Dawson at the whipping end of the season at least as back up if not in prime time.

 

[Freo88]

De Boer was warming up with full team apparel today - i wonder i someone was doubtful up until the first bounce.

Also Mayney worthy of a mention. 15 disposals and 10 tackles.

 

[PapaJ]

De Boer was warming up with full team apparel today - i wonder i someone was doubtful up until the first bounce.

Also Mayney worthy of a mention. 15 disposals and 10 tackles.

I think that's fairly standard practice. Could be wrong, but that's my understanding.

 

[PapaJ]

I've just read through this entire thread and can't believe the negativity! We won after being challenged against a genuine top 8 side this year that is playing really good footy on their own deck. They kicked straight, had the umpires on their side, and still couldn't get us. We are 7-0, just fricken enjoy it.
I thought Tabs was really good, especially early on. His mark, wheel around and kick on his non-preferred right foot to Pav on the lead was beautiful. He took I think 6 marks, all on good leads.
I also thought Ballas was good with his pressure, just didn't finish off some shots that were getable. He kicks those 3 and you would say he is back to his best.
Enjoy, these are good times purple people!

Basically agree.

Tabs is getting mixed reviews. I thought he did quite well overall, especially early. His type/position will always rely on the team doing relatively well as a whole for him to stand out. He's not going to win his own ball, he's not a big defensive presence etc. so there's only so much you can expect. He did his part.

Any yeah, his delivery by foot was very very nice, especially for somebody his size. He's also building a bit of rapport with Pav, both in terms of positioning on the field and delivering to him when the time is right. Hopefully in time he'll learn how to impose himself across a whole game a bit more, but I think he was solid enough.