Preview Round 1 - Fremantle vs Geelong

[Wally Walpamur]

Looking at our forwards and defenders compared to theirs, they line up a lot taller, however, ours look more dynamic. They'll pick us apart if we just bomb it in long and I think Hawkins and Taylor will be too strong if they bomb it in long. It will be a key for us to at least bring the ball to ground at both ends if we're a chance to win.

This game has Cam kicking a bag all over it.

 

[heavho]

Looking at our forwards and defenders compared to theirs, they line up a lot taller, however, ours look more dynamic. They'll pick us apart if we just bomb it in long and I think Hawkins and Taylor will be too strong if they bomb it in long. It will be a key for us to at least bring the ball to ground at both ends if we're a chance to win.

This game has Cam kicking a bag all over it.

What he said lol agree. Hopefully the clearances go our way and we get the points

 

[Scham]

Hawkins, Black and Taylor? Not too fearsome.

How do you see the midfield battles? I think we have the edge in terms of personnel and depth, plus we have Sandilands.

Stanley, Smith, Menzel...? Danger will push forward.

I see us having a slight edge everywhere except in defence.

 

[Righteo]

Awww yeah. Good job OP

 

[free at last]

If (sandi-griff),Mundy,Fyfe,Neale & hilly have huge games we'll just win imo.....Can't wait to see sandi,Fyfe,Neale & hilly setting up at centre bounce downs.

 

[Allikat]

Woah what a write up!

I'm not sure if we'll win or lose this one. Obviously I hope we win, but I'm just happy footy's back. And Fyfe's back. And 2016 is officially last season.

 

[Gussman]

http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2016/17/fre-v-geel

Just the stats from the last year round 17.

Since then Freo have added significantly more talent in the likes of Fyfe, Sandi, B.Hill and Hamling.

Granted it has been quite a while since then, but if Geelong play at the same level they did back then, then we should run away with the 4 points quite easily.

 

[Freo]

Strangely enough, I actually don't mind if we lose.

What I want to see is an improvement in method, so that we have something to build a style of footy that will take us back to the top.

A few turnovers by taking some worthwhile risk isn't a bad thing at this stage of our development

Not me, I hope we spank them royally!

 

[Deveraux]

Coming over from QLD for this one. Booked seats close to the action and just want to relish the experience!

Going to be an epic midfield battle and expect our best effort to pip Geelong in this area.

In saying that I expect Geelong to narrowly win on the night with Freo taking massive strides in the gelling of the team for a big away win the following week.

Excited, Go Freo!

 

[Boppo]

We r going to get hammered, our aim should be to run out the first third of the season and win some fourth quarters.

 

[Righteo]

We r going to get hammered, our aim should be to run out the first third of the season and win some fourth quarters.

Like we got hammered last time we played them?

 

[Gekko71]

Great OP!

Hope we flog 'em.. put all that OWEN crap to bed right off the bat!

 

[Carnthedockers]

Soooo, this happened last time.

Anyway….. Being that I have the first preview I have the honour of welcoming you all to a new season of AFL, an exciting time full of hope and trepidation. Stars will be made and legends will fade, all in the pursuit of the ever elusive premiership flag.

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Before we look forward to the game ahead I thought an appropriate start to this preview would be for us to have a look back at the season past.

Our champion retired after 17 seasons.

Matthew Pavlich
6x All Australian
6x Doig Medallist
8x Fremantle Leading goal kicker
9 years as the captain of Fremantle FC
3x Ross Glendinning Medallist
3x Geoff Christian Medallist
2016 AFLPA Madden Medallist


Along with Pavlich we also said goodbye to some other fan favourites. Michael Barlow, Chris Mayne, Matt Doer, Tendai Mzungu, Clancee Pearce, Alex Silvagni, Jack Hannath and Anthony Morabito.

--------------------------------------------

2016 was a train wreck in slow motion. We got hit hardest with injuries, losing star players every second week and unfortunately that wasn’t the worst of it. We played some truly horrendous football, lacking in skill, creativity and a functioning gameplan. It was as Ross said an annus horribilis and a man named ‘Owen’ laughed at us for most of it.

Positives for the season were few and far between. After the round 5 disaster against Carlton it was blatantly clear that our season was over. By virtue of being fit and healthy the fringe players and the kids got more game time. The three amigos all took great strides in cementing themselves into the main squad, Crozier finally looked at home off the half back line and Darcy Tucker showed the class that had him rated so highly during the draft. Thankfully we were able to send our champion off into retirement with our 4th win of the season in round 23.

The positivity from our final game continued as Peel Thunder won its first WAFL premiership off the back of some stellar performances by Langdon, Blakely, De Boer and more. Our trade period could not have been graded any less than A+, we managed to bring home 4 West Australians all of which look to be lining up for us Round 1 (McCarthy, Hamling, Hill, Kersten) without having the sell the farm.

The good times were not to last though, the Yarran fiasco reminded us there were still plenty of people in the media ready to give us a good kick while we were down. The consistent ‘Fyfe is leaving’ rumours grew tiresome and then the unfortunate news that Harley Bennell, Alex Pearce, and Zac Clarke had all had setbacks with their rehab hit us all pretty hard.

Throughout all the drama our preseason saw us take a turn back to basics, get the boys running and tune them back into Ross Lyon effort based footy. We moved into our new digs at Cockburn and a rejuvenated Fyfe took his rightful spot at the helm of the ship. Then JLT1 v the Eagles happened…… the less said the better. Our game verse Collingwood was much improved and quite an enjoyable game to boot, Carlton game not so much (apart from McCarthy).

------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway…. Enough is enough, last year was last year and we were just foxing the Eagles during the JLT. It’s time to get real, time to get ready, our round 1 match against the Cats is only 7 days away.

v

Sunday 26 March, 4.40pm - Domain Stadium​

Last Time They Met

Despite our outs and despite losing Barlow to a season ending shoulder injury we fought on to the very end, eventually losing by only 17pts. As he so often was last year, Dangerfield was the difference with 30+ disposals and 4 goals. We had our chances in the last quarter, peppering the F50 again and again but just couldn't convert them to points on the board. We will be fielding a vastly different outfit come round 1 with a likely 9 changes to the side since we last met.


Freo
Outs: Pavlich, Mayne, Barlow, Ballas, Taberner, Mzungu, Sheridan, Collins, Suban
Ins: Sandi, Fyfe, Johnson, McCarthy, Hamling, B Hill, Tucker, Langdon, Kersten

Geelong
Outs: Kolodjashnij, Enright, Cowan, Kersten, Ruggles
Ins: Thurlow, Stewart, Tuohy, Menegola, Horlin-Smith


Best 22:

Freo
Spurr – Dawson – Hamling
Weller – Johnson – Sutcliffe
BHill – Neale – SHill
Walters – McCarthy – Langdon
Kersten – Griffin – Crozier

Sandi – Fyfe – Mundy

Ibbo – Blakely – Tucker – D Pearce



Geelong
Thurlow – Lonergan – Stewart
Tuohy – Henderson – Mackie
Duncan – Guthrie – Menegola
Motlop – Taylor – Cockatoo
Menzel – Hawkins – McCarthy

Smith – Dangerfield – Selwood

Stanley – Blicavs – Murdoch – Horlin-Smith


Key Matchups

Dawson v Hawkins

Hawkins doesn’t always look it but he is an A grade forward. Averaged 2.3 goals and 3.4 marks inside 50 a game last season. He is Geelong’s spearhead in the forwardline and they have struggled in the past when he hasn’t fired. Dawson blanketed Hawkins last time keeping him to just the solitary goal and stopped him from marking the ball inside 50 for the entire match, this was the only game in 2016 that Hawkins failed to take a mark inside 50 which is a testament to the shutdown job Dawson did that night. The question of course is can he do it again?



Fyfe v Danger

The last time these two squared off it was considered a game of the ages. Fyfe took home the chocolates that night and if Freo are to win on Sunday he’s going to have to do it again. Dangerfield’s ability to push forward is a major worry as we don’t have a suitable matchup for him in our backline. Similarly we will need Fyfe to push forward at times to create a mismatch and help us on the scoreboard. The question is are both coaches happy for them to go head to head, or will a hard tag be applied to try to curtail their influence?


Walters vs ?????

Geelong have always had a fantastic array of tall defenders that have been very capable of cutting off our long bomb special, but one area they have struggled with in the past is locking down on our small forwards. With Ballas out of action it’s going to be up to Walters to put the pressure on the scoreboard for us. Can Geelong find a suitable matchup for Walters?


Keys Points to Victory

Freo

• Both teams have A grade talent on the inside. We need Sandilands to be the difference and provide us with an edge.
• Bombing it inside 50 cost us the game last year. We had double the amount of inside 50’s in the last qtr but they were poor quality and we couldn’t capitalise. We need our better ball users to find space and lower their eyes before delivering forward. If S Hill, B Hill, Mundy, Walters top the list of inside 50’s for the game there’s a good chance we come away with the 4pts.
• Geelong have a similar forward entry strategy to us, long bombs into the 50. Johnson and Ibbo need to be at their intercepting best to assist Hamling and Dawson in stopping Hawkins, Taylor and their resting ruck from taking easy marks.
• Big Griff needs to be at his best aswell, as much as we can hope all our entries into the forward 50 are bullets, it’s likely that there will be a fair few up and unders. Griff needs to at the very least make a contest of them. Geelong are masters of dropping a tall in front for the intercept. If he can mark the ball great, otherwises create a contest and we get a chance to press up and lock it in.

Geelong

• Dangerfield needs to outperform Fyfe. Both in the midfield and when he drifts forward.
• Similar to us they need to lower their eyes when moving the ball forward, spot us the best target rather than reverting to the ‘just kick it to Hawkins’.
• Get Motlop into the game early. An electric talent who has the propensity for drifting in and out of games. We don’t have a great match for him and he could do some really damage if left unchecked.
• From what I saw of Geelong in the JLT it looks like Zac Touhy is their main man for rebounding from the half back line. We have struggled defending on the counter during the JLT and if he can provide quick ball movement out of the backline they will cut us up on the rebound.

Predictions

Life is too short for negativity and football is all about passion and belief. Freo by 17pts


Now let's shake hands, hope for no injuries and another Fyfe vs Danger instant classic.

Did Bartel play last time?

 

[Unique Name]

Did Bartel play last time?

No he was rested.

 

[freo_leo29]

We are their Bogey team, we always beat them or at least get real close, We are in with a big chance again

Freo by 15, Kersten to slam home 2

 

[freo84]

Here is the post you have all been waiting for...my 2 cents worth.

Fremantle will win by 12....goals.

That is all.

 

[Freomaniac]

Good write up from the OP. Now the standard has been set for the reviews.

Got this feeling this will be another close game. Ever since 2008, Freo vs Cats games at Subiaco oval has been close. The biggest Margin in those last 10 years was in 2014 where freo won by 4 goals in Pavs 300th.

Still... as horrible as we were last year, we only lost by 3 goals last time we faced the cats. Who ever wins, it will be by 12 points or less.

 

[holy diver]

Nice OP.

Finally the season is here and the optimism is back. Freo' by 13 points.

 

[masai]

Freo by one point.

Walters to be 2nd BOG, but misses 3 shots straight in front, then nails 2 goals from 89 degree angles in the final minute.

Fyfe to kick 3 goals, all off his left foot + plus feeds the Hill boys until their feet drop off.

Danger to run into a parked sand truck.

Zacharry Dawson to take a mark.

 

[DeanS]

Freo by one point.


Zacharry Dawson to take a mark.

Then handpass to a bloke behind him standing still.

 

[Sweetback]

You'd think both Hamling and Kersten would want to play well against their old club. Hamling should know Taylor relatively well.

 

[FreoRicci]

Dawson always has the better of Hawkins, for the last few seasons. He ll own him again. Or perhaps Hamling goes to him.
We're not out of this, Geelong's midfield- aside from Dangerfield and Selwood- really has no chop. Fyfe, Mundy, Neale, B. Hill, S. Hill, Blakely. That's a pretty formidable line up against the two man midfield plus Motlop, Scott Selwood, Duncan, Guthrie and maybe Menegola. Sandi will be the key given the third man up rules favours him hugely against the likes of Blicavs, Rhys Stanley, Zac Smith etc.

Will be a close game and hopefully whoever takes Ballas' place - Grey, Crozier - take full advantage of their tall defence.

 

[meima]

I still think no matter how good Dawson keep Hawkins quiet his disposal will have more impact on whether freo get a win. Apart from weller and maybe MJ ( still unknown his body will hold up) can kick the footy the other like spurr ,sutty ,ibbo is known for their other skill than kicking .

Hamling is my least worry , new to the team and perform reasonablely well in JLT.

 

[Taylor]

As long as we pressure the kicking of Dangerfield and Selwood (if he is playing) then we can intercept across half back, whether we can move the ball up the ground to score will be another issue.

 

[meima]

Intercept the ball , kick the ball side way ,backwards eventually turn the ball over .(another issue) . all the earlier pressuring danger and selwood is undone . I just saw this article from afl by clarkson. Look to me he willing to take the risk to change even if hawthorn do not make final .

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-03-21/constant-evolution-the-key-to-keeping-hawks-top-clarkson

These are multi-billion dollar companies that have been very successful … but they've either got caught up with their success or they've fallen by the wayside because of their inability to change," Clarkson told AFL.com.au.

"Football clubs are no different to that and we learnt a really good lesson in 2009 when we just tried to replicate what we did in 2008.

"The challenge for us is to make sure we continue to change and evolve and not get caught up in thinking, 'We're going pretty well and let's just keep doing what we've always done'."