Autopsy Fremantle vs Port Adelaide - Freo beat Port by 8 - Positives and Negatives

Apr 10, 2010
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Yeah I think taking the foot off is overstating it, Freo had worked really hard to that point and for me they might have been hoping they could lock the game down and finish maybe goal for goal, fair play to Port that they kept pushing right to the end. There's not much in it between the two sides.

I really do hope Port take out the Tigers next week.



+ speaking of Port, another positive is our run home, a lot harder last 4 or 5 weeks than last year. Good wins over Port and Hawthorn, lost to Geelong after the siren and a solid win in Brisbane. That's good prep for finals and we're closing in on our best form just at the right time.

+ best small forward combination in the comp, such different players and the combined effort is fantastic.

+ Taberner, for his own game and for Clarke's. He wasn't a stand out today but Clarke contributed and at this point he's better around the ground than up forward. Glad it's working having both in the side.
 
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strobe00

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+ thought clarke did well in the ruck, and have sandi the chop out he needed
+ tabs' form... week after week he's delivering the goods. Has stepped up in a huge way
+ the restructured forward line is giving us a lot more flexibility... pav able to go into the middle and run back to goal... clever leading preventing a 2 on 1... lots of crumbs for balla and sonny to gorge on rather than clean oppo d50 marks
+ neale. Absolutely caned it! A heap of contested possessions and used it well
+ dawson's mark. I thought I was dreaming

- thought sandi's hit outs in the first quarter or so were missing their targets
- mundy struggling to get a touch in the first half, and not doing much good at the centre clearances. Turned it around in the second half though, and was a key player in the 9 goal run
- port's run at the end
 

E Shed

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Yeah I reckon Freo were hoping to play rope a dope a bit in the last 10 minutes. We do it beautifully against most teams, Hawks game was a classic example but Port kept finding ways to get inside our 50. Ross alluded to it in the press conference that they kept changing things and surprised us. No doubt they are very fit side and beautifully coached.
 

E Shed

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I'd change that to Shulz kept finding ways to get free of Dawson. He kicked 3 in that last 10 minutes.
Yeah but that is simplistic, normally we defend the kick inside 50 so well they can't find a clean entry or if they do its outside 50. Like Ross said after the match they kept trying different things that caught us unaware. We defend as a team.
 

electricfeel

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Sep 21, 2008
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-ve: Why is our last always the last to be uploaded on AFL.com.au??? I still haven't watched the game!
 

StingBitten

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May 31, 2012
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Positives -
- everything everyone else has said +
- my prediction (that I voiced to no one) that Sutcliffe would have a massive game came true, young bloke is a jet and we need him against Sydney, time for the MRP to finally show us some discretion.
- Was at the game and Mzungu was just massive, he is becoming unbelievably clever at finding space and reading the ball whether it be in defence, midfield or up front.
- Our forward line is looking so powerful with Pav and Taberner in sterling form, Ballas and Walters kicking into gear and slotting 7 goals between the two of them, Mayne is looking dominant and I believe Crozier deserves to be the 6th cog.

Think Sydney are in trouble next week.
 
Positive.
Magnificent forward entries from Danyle Pearce, bloody outstanding. Where's Reginald ?
Surely you jest, Fred. Pearce was a ******* nightmare again with his sloppy handling and inability to affect a contest. One or two decent kicks won't save him.
 
Surely you jest, Fred. Pearce was a ******* nightmare again with his sloppy handling and inability to affect a contest. One or two decent kicks won't save him.
Didn't think Pearce was that bad, he was seriously a link-up play to atleast 2-3 goals.
 

pavsbootlace

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Dec 30, 2011
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They were great but we didn't have to rely on them. They added to the unit rather than the unit existing just to assist them.

Best possible position to be in at this stage of their careers

Yeah, sure. I guess my point is that if both of them weren't playing and were replaced by Apeness and Griffin, it would have had a significant impact on the result.
 
Jan 14, 2008
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the biggest positive for me is that we are finally capable of piling on goals quickly.
Taberner coming good is just so huge. And don't underestimate how well Clarke is dragging a good defender off the contest either. Ross mentioned that in his presser. Will Walters and Balla in good form, Mayne the wrecking ball and Crozier lively its a whole new dynamic down there.

That plus most of our team are hitting reasonable form. Spurr is back and Sutty just kills his man and runs off all day.

I thought Spurr lost Wingard at times with Duff having to leave his man to cover for him
Spurr seemed to concentrate on the zone and forgot about his man
I didnt think that as a small lock down defender he did his job
 
Didn't think Pearce was that bad, he was seriously a link-up play to atleast 2-3 goals.
Of course he was the link up player, that's his role. A role that could be done better by a player who can tackle and pick up the ball.
 

freoextra

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Positive was thinking Dawson had played one of his best games for the club, negative was finding out that he had six goals kicked on him. That does not happen often to the fist.
 

Tazmania

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Pearce's chaos ball inside fifty (we will pretend that he intends to put it into space instead of onto a chest) has allowed our smalls to use their natural advantage to turn it to our favor.

Earlier in the year when he was putting to chests ballas was continuously being spoiled...not a tactic that works so maybe the kaos ball is intentional.
 

clogged

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Pearce is still responsible for a lot of turnovers, but it is true that no one knows where his kicks inside 50 are going so that probably helps smarter ground level players like Ballas and Walters.

Still, imagine if he started hitting targets in finals. That would befuddle the opposition defence even more.
 
Sep 29, 2013
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Just wanted to chuck in a couple points.

I rate Neale massively and he was good again.
I couldn't believe how good Pav was today (he had just seemed to be aging the last few times I've seen him), he seriously was running around unchecked at times. I have no idea how that happened from our end but from a Freo perspective it just showed he's really truly up and about.
And lastly Taberner was pretty darn impressive. Reminded me of Westhoff in his first few games, but with a bigger frame.

On the rotations though, what you may not have noticed was that Port structured up all game for that final quarter run and we had something like 15 extra interchanges than Freo left at 3 qtr time. It was clearly a tactic of ours to stay close and overrun you and it almost worked, but your 3rd qtr was too good and Balla gave Impey the lesson I thought he might. So while you guys may dismiss it as taking the foot off it was more that we actually planned for that and you guys burnt your changes earlier to try and win it early, but that almost could've been a terrible strategy so it was very interesting to watch that unfold.

Good luck in the finals, I cheered you home last year and if we don't make it I'll be hoping you guys finally win some silverware.
You make an interesting point re the interchanges, I think the 6 day break made sure that our interchange numbers were high ( so high we run out:oops: ) but regardless I was very relieved the siren went we it did! Good luck in the finals.
 

sherrif

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Dec 7, 2012
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Of course he was the link up player, that's his role. A role that could be done better by a player who can tackle and pick up the ball.
Your comments are seriously embarrassinly stupid. Watch the game with your eyes open clown. The penetration in his kicking lead directly to three goals. His 79% kicking efficiency was an elite performace (for a player regularly kckinging into the forward fifty, where there is nearly always an extra man.) and he has absolutely killed it in terms of score involvements in the past month. His value to the team is obvious to anyone with a footy IQ above the average eight year old. When Hill is closed down what Pearce provides becomes even more valuable and obvious to even a casual footy watcher.

Rather than respond with the comically immature comments that I know are coming from you I have a challenge for you. Seeings D.Pearce in your opinion is so bad I will agree to not post for a year if he does not finish in the top 14 in our best and fairest in 2014. A top 14 finish would demonstrate that D.Pearce has been a solid performer (who is easily in our best 22) and is actually a long way from the fumbling, terrible player you portray him to be.

If D>Pearce doesnt finish in the top 14 in the B & F I agree to not post for a year under any avatar.. If he does than it would clealry demonstrate how wrong you are so the bet is that you wont post under any avatar for a year if D.Pearce does finish top 14 in the Dockers 2014 best and fairest.
 
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Fred Ziffel

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Pearce is still responsible for a lot of turnovers, but it is true that no one knows where his kicks inside 50 are going so that probably helps smarter ground level players like Ballas and Walters.

Still, imagine if he started hitting targets in finals. That would befuddle the opposition defence even more.

You mean like he did yesterday ?
His kicking was superb.
 
Your comments are seriously embarrassinly stupid. Watch the game with your eyes open clown. The penetration in his kicking lead directly to three goals. His 79% kicking efficiency was an elite performace and he has absolutely killed it in terms of score involvements in the past month. His value to the team is obvious to anyone with a footy IQ above the average eight year old. When Hill is closed down what Pearce provides becomes even more valuable and obvious to even a casual footy watcher.

I havent read anything as stupid as your comments in this thread since your truly comical view that we should consider dropping Pav for Gumby, Apeness or Bradley, which was easily the stupidest view Ive ever read on big footy.

Rather than respond with the comically immature comments that I know are coming from you I have a challenge for you. Seeings D.Pearce in your opinion is so bad I will agree to not post for a year if he does not finish in the top 14 in our best and fairest in 2014. A top 14 finish would demonstrate that D.Pearce has been a solid performer (who is easily in our best 22) and is actually a long way from the fumbling, terrible player you portray him to be.

If D>Pearce doesnt finish in the top 14 in the B & F I agree to not post for a year under any avatar.. If he does than it would clealry demonstrate how wrong you are so the bet is that you wont post under any avatar for a year as well if D.Pearce does finish top 14 in the Dockers 2014 best and fairest.
Oh hello, I've shaken a dickhead out of its tree.

Way to back your favourite. You pump him up like he's a champion and then don't even back him to finish top 10 after only missing one game this year. What a joke.

When I'm at the game, who do you think I watch the most? Do you even go?

EDIT: Just noticed this:
If D>Pearce doesnt finish in the top 14 in the B & F I agree to not post for a year under any avatar
What are your other usernames?
 
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FMD Reg. That's just ridiculous.
Watch the game again, Fred. I was there and have watched the replay. You?

Admittedly, he did lift his game in the last quarter.
 

sherrif

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Pearce is still responsible for a lot of turnovers, but it is true that no one knows where his kicks inside 50 are going so that probably helps smarter ground level players like Ballas and Walters.

Still, imagine if he started hitting targets in finals. That would befuddle the opposition defence even more.
Oh hello, I've shaken a dickhead out of its tree.

Way to back your favourite. You pump him up like he's a champion and then say he's not even finishing top 10 after only missing one game this year. What a joke.

When I'm at the game, who do you think I watch the most? Do you even go?

So I guess this means you are a truly gutless wonder who doesnt have any courage in his convictions Reg. I have actually never pumped up D.Pearce to be anything other than a player who's recruitment has made us a significantly better team. Ive always said since we started our communications he sits between 10 -14 in terms of our most important players. My problem with your arguments is that they are truly absurd in their level of being over the top and that your footy IQ makes Hackdorn look like a deadset footy mastermind in comparison.

So, Do you take the bet or not? Considering the truly absurd posts you make I would have thought it would be no-brainer in your mind that D.Pearce would not be in the top 14, but I guess you have just admitted even you dont agree with the opinions you post here.
 
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