I've got every confidence in him making it because he exhibits the same eagerness to improve that Lachie did. For a developing tall he's ahead of schedule, for one that came off the rookie list, he's surpassed expectations. We've seen with Zaarke's improvement this year that if you keep working hard something will eventually click. Tabs doesn't have far to go to tip over into being a fantastic pickup for us.
Analysis The Matt Taberner effect
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Ross has always seemed to rate him, that's good enough for me.
I don't think he should be dropped but his numbers are pretty average playing in a good team. He has been subbed quite a lot for a guy we are trying to develop.
I think he also would lead the team in Joe the Goose goals (cheaply over the top), and his marks per game and goals per game against decent opposition causes me some concern for the future.
I think we all desperately want a Pav replacement but a few assume Tabs will become an automatic star because of that.
I wonder if Apeness was fit what would be happening, definitely a lot more heat coming his way.
I think he also would lead the team in Joe the Goose goals (cheaply over the top), and his marks per game and goals per game against decent opposition causes me some concern for the future.
I think we all desperately want a Pav replacement but a few assume Tabs will become an automatic star because of that.
I wonder if Apeness was fit what would be happening, definitely a lot more heat coming his way.
electricfeel
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No one is assuming Tabs is going to be an automatic star. His role at the moment while he is still developing (he's played less than 20 games guys...keep it in perspective) is to be the 2nd tall and to draw a defender away from Pav. He's kicking a goal or two a game. That's his role and he's doing it. I think this is the perfect time to give him games and to develop him while our team is able to kick a winning score without him. People forget that forwards like Hawkins didn't become a consistent dominant forward after at least 3 years or so.
He is our future. For the first time in so many god damn years we've been crying out for a decent second tall to help our Pav and we finally have one and people are calling for him to be dropped because hes not Jesse Hogan. Give him time. Fremantle aren't going to stop recruiting tall forwards...
He is our future. For the first time in so many god damn years we've been crying out for a decent second tall to help our Pav and we finally have one and people are calling for him to be dropped because hes not Jesse Hogan. Give him time. Fremantle aren't going to stop recruiting tall forwards...
Apeness still looked a fair way off being capable of the next level for mine, even if he was fit Taberner is a better option at the moment.
ydraw
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Being subbed a lot probably doesn't help his numbers either. As they say, tall blokes don't get shorter in the last quarter. But Tabs doesn't get the chance to play that many last quarters.
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Yep maybe he won't be the Pav replacement but for too many years we would have been much more dangerous with a better complement for Pavlich. If we recruit a better key forward option this year or next (or if its Apeness or another rookie) then we might be able to have 30-50 games into that complementary player by the time we're needing to introduce another rookie key forward.
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magnus34
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not sure if serious
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Fair point 
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I'd love for all 5 of our forwards to click (Pav, Ballas, Walters, Mayne, Tabs)
Right now it only seems to be 2 or 3 at most that get going each game (if available)
If we can get 10 goals between these 5 each week, I think we are doing great - especially if the mids continue to chip in with 5 or so goals a game
Right now it only seems to be 2 or 3 at most that get going each game (if available)
If we can get 10 goals between these 5 each week, I think we are doing great - especially if the mids continue to chip in with 5 or so goals a game
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I really like him in the lead up role taking his man with so Pav & Mayne stay closer to goal & don't get double teamed. Taberner has been getting to a lot of contests but has spilled a few marks. As he develops & gets stronger over the seasons he will start taking those marks & get more shots himself.
Goals so far are Pav 13, Mayne 10, Taberner 7. I think if Pav & Mayne can get around 35-40 & Tabs around 25-30 I think that's a big win.
Goals so far are Pav 13, Mayne 10, Taberner 7. I think if Pav & Mayne can get around 35-40 & Tabs around 25-30 I think that's a big win.
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What a load of s**t. Freo have tried, and failed, over the years to get any sort of player playing his role. Zac Clarke was s**t at it - worse than Taberner. Mayne gave it a go but was too undersized to draw away a tall defender from Pav. Jack Anthony was even worse than making Ballantyne a key position forward. Chris Tarrant was OK, but it was a recruitment that amounted to nothing and was only salvaged when Tarrant became a defender. Then you have to go back to the failures of Murphy, Campbell, etc to see how difficult it is finding decent key forwards.
Citing these "WAFL forwards" is nonsense. How is the great white hope of drafts past, Tom Lee, doing at St Kilda? How is Aaron Black going at North? Taberner is doing better than both, and he was at one stage competing with them for a spot on Freo's list.
Not the future? Who cares? What matters is now. He has elite endurance and works well as a foil for Pav. He will never be a replacement for Pav, but it will probably be years before Freo find a replacement for Pav. All the club can do is give him a go at what he does now and see whether he can get better.
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Who has done the job he is doing over the past 5 years at Freo?
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Precisely. Murphy, Mayne, Kepler, etc have all been tried but we have not been able to be a top notch forward structure. Now we are.
I look at Tabs as replacing Kepla's role, I always thought from looked more attacking when Kepla was in the side.
Tab = Kepla without the comedic timing.
We definitely look better with Tabs in the side, he a cog in the forward structure.
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When you drop tabs anything goes
quality post!
Moo
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I was nicer.
electricfeel
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I remember back then Gerard Healy had "The Kepler Effect". Now we have the Tabs effect but it's much better than the Kepler effect - plus he has plenty more years left to develop his game.
If anything the kid deserves plenty of kudos to get to where he is right now. Similar to Lachie and Sutty, Tabs will continue to work hard to cement his spot in the 22.
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