Prediction 2017: Contenders?

Remove this Banner Ad

Grandstan

Grandstan

Team Captain
Jul 15, 2013
579
755
Melbourne
AFL Club
Fremantle
After the Port pummelling most of us were ready to write 2017 off. Johnno, Mundy and Sandilands were cooked.
Ross was at a loss, he wasn't even going to get a chance to drop the chocolates.
Things picked up briefly, but a derby humiliation killed the mood.
But now here we are, doing what's needed at the death yet again and knocking on the door.
So are we in with a chance? Have the youngsters learnt enough before the oldies break? Are the top sides fragile enough to give us a look-in?
Or, is percentage the true measure and we're just flattered by a few close wins?
Would it be wiser to see the 5-3 start as nothing more than a positive sign for the four year rebuild or are we actually in this?
 
Grandstan said:
After the Port pummelling most of us were ready to write 2017 off. Johnno, Mundy and Sandilands were cooked.
Ross was at a loss, he wasn't even going to get a chance to drop the chocolates.
Things picked up briefly, but a derby humiliation killed the mood.
But now here we are, doing what's needed at the death yet again and knocking on the door.
So are we in with a chance? Have the youngsters learnt enough before the oldies break? Are the top sides fragile enough to give us a look-in?
Or, is percentage the true measure and we're just flattered by a few close wins?
Would it be wiser to see the 5-3 start as nothing more than a positive sign for the four year rebuild or are we actually in this?
Click to expand...

Don't jinx it!!

I think the 5-3 is a positive sign for the rebuild and not much more.

We have good youth coming through.
We have some outstanding players who will still be around over the next 5 years.
We have some excellent older players who may still be playing next year.
Ross Lyon can still coach.
We have shown that when the game is in the balance, the players can find something to win. It won't always happen this way, but it has so far this year.

But, we could just as easily be 3-5, with very little difference in game play and dominance.
We still don't have enough depth to cover the inevitable injuries.
We are not out of this, but nor are we really in it, this year.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Clems Knee said:
Don't jinx it!!

I think the 5-3 is a positive sign for the rebuild and not much more.

We have good youth coming through.
We have some outstanding players who will still be around over the next 5 years.
We have some excellent older players who may still be playing next year.
Ross Lyon can still coach.
We have shown that when the game is in the balance, the players can find something to win. It won't always happen this way, but it has so far this year.

But, we could just as easily be 3-5, with very little difference in game play and dominance.
We still don't have enough depth to cover the inevitable injuries.
We are not out of this, but nor are we really in it, this year.
Click to expand...
Is it a jinx to say we will definitely win it with a goal from Mundy after the siren when a free is awarded against Darling for staging? Just kidding O footy gods.
 
No chance of contending but if we turn 8-4 at the bye we should go close to finals but I think it's a little beyond us unless we can get Fyfe back to his best and Harley back for the last 5 games (pipe dream). We have a few very tough away games (Ade, GWS, Syd, Geel) which could hurt our percentage.
 
Grandstan said:
After the Port pummelling most of us were ready to write 2017 off. Johnno, Mundy and Sandilands were cooked.
Ross was at a loss, he wasn't even going to get a chance to drop the chocolates.
Things picked up briefly, but a derby humiliation killed the mood.
But now here we are, doing what's needed at the death yet again and knocking on the door.
So are we in with a chance? Have the youngsters learnt enough before the oldies break? Are the top sides fragile enough to give us a look-in?
Or, is percentage the true measure and we're just flattered by a few close wins?
Would it be wiser to see the 5-3 start as nothing more than a positive sign for the four year rebuild or are we actually in this?
Click to expand...
Were perfectly poised at the moment. We have to own the moment. One week at a time as they say.
 
clivenator26 said:
No chance of contending but if we turn 8-4 at the bye we should go close to finals but I think it's a little beyond us unless we can get Fyfe back to his best and Harley back for the last 5 games (pipe dream). We have a few very tough away games (Ade, GWS, Syd, Geel) which could hurt our percentage.
Click to expand...

8 wins at the bye will mean just another 4 wins out of the 10 remaining games. 12 wins will make the finals. Certainly not beyond us.
 
clivenator26 said:
No chance of contending but if we turn 8-4 at the bye we should go close to finals but I think it's a little beyond us unless we can get Fyfe back to his best and Harley back for the last 5 games (pipe dream). We have a few very tough away games (Ade, GWS, Syd, Geel) which could hurt our percentage.
Click to expand...
You know what i reckon. We've got a winning team without harley and that's the way I like it. Not waiting for some saving one person.
 
Finals is definitely achievable this year. If we can win 5 out of our 7 home games left and jag a couple of wins away in brisbane, north and possibly essendon. Gives us 12 to 13 wins for the year which would be a pass mark even if we dont make the finals.

But the main objective i feel as ross is saying atm is the continuing to grow and improve as the year goes. Last year we threw the towel in by mid-july and we got thrashed in every game in the last 6 weeks expect pavs last game.

They will still be a thrashing or 2 i feel by the end of the year but its how you lose and respond from it. Look at the west coast game we got flogged on the scoreboard but if you take out the 1st quarter we were competitive for the rest of that game so as long as there is improving i will be contempt this year.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Ballas coming back, S. Hill too. Plus Ryan developing nicely. Have a healthy competition for spots. Would be very happy to make finals with this group, considering we have 4-5 recruits from last season. The forward line would be a treat to watch different weapons and allows midfield to perform better. Who knows, anything is possible.
 
Regardless of the wins from now on, I want to see a big improvement on;
- Disposal into the F50
- Forward set-up and leading patterns
- Defensive structures
I see these as our biggest weaknesses which will prevent us from getting a flag in years to come.

I am enjoying watching them running it through the middle and it seems our skills are improving.

Finals would be nice but would happily trade it for the above.
 
serial_thrilla said:
We're one Sandilands injury away from a winless finish to the season.
Click to expand...
Except we're not. Dominates hit outs, loses clearances. The big fella is certainly important but until those hit outs = clearance domination, and I'm not sure they ever will, he's not the be all, end all that most like to think. IMO.
 
Regardless of contenders or not , I want to see more AfL game put into inexperienced players. False hope can sometime hindered rebuild. Look at Richmond at a high first 5 game and came crashing down.
 
prpl_jss said:
Except we're not. Dominates hit outs, loses clearances. The big fella is certainly important but until those hit outs = clearance domination, and I'm not sure they ever will, he's not the be all, end all that most like to think. IMO.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, you don't watch the games, if you don't see the clear advantage that Sandilands has provided his team.
Or you've got short man's disease, like SA.
 
Games are won and lost in the midfield.
Freo have Sandilands, Fyfe, Neale, Mundy, Walters, Hill bros, Blakely.

But our Forward line is young and in development.
So far in 2017, Freo convert their inside 50s to goals 23.2% of the time (ranked 14th). Geelong (31.2%), Adelaide and West Coast are all ranked in the top 4. (NB: Western Bulldogs are 21.9%, worse than Freo and facing similar struggles with their forwards).

That is, Freo are blessed with one of the best midfields in the league. It's good enough to win us games even when our forward line isn't functioning well.
The correlation between Freo's wins and our forward lines goal scoring efficiency is extremely high.
Our forward line has already vastly improved this season. Barring injury, as the season progresses, Freo's forward line will get better and the understanding between the forward line and Freo's Elite midfield will see Freo win more games.

Things are far better than many want us to believe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top