Land of the Giants
Premiership Player
Probably the best thing about the win yesterday was how we responded when put under the pump.
The word from the Dockers camp before the bounce was to apply as much pressure as possible to force errors and upset our game plan, which worked a treat for them in the first quarter, especially on Whitfield, who looked clueless every time he touched the ball (until he eventually made that great tackle on Fyfe later on).
But we got ourselves sorted in the second quarter and never looked back. I loved the side-step from Dawson Simpson on Sandilands; not bad for someone who’s thought a bit one dimensional. And it was quite unusual to see Simpson, who’s a really big man (and also Patton, for that matter) being made to look small next to Fremantle's very own giant. They wouldn’t be used to it.
Callan Ward (who’s just turned 28!) had an outstanding game. So too did Ryan Griffen in his comeback match. It’s great to see he’s still got a lot to offer. Nick Haynes played an absolute blinder. Hopper, Taranto and Coniglio played well, and Deledio probably had his best game for us. Toby looked like he’d never been away. And apart from a cut to Davis’s chin, no injuries again, although there are question marks over Jeremy Cameron’s fitness.
Now for the Saints. Remember Round 7 last year? Having won five on the trot and coming off the hotly contested win against the Bulldogs, which was also at Manuka, the unexpected loss to St. Kilda started a long and unconvincing run of poor form that extended deep into the season.
But this time it just wouldn’t be credible for us to lose. St. Kilda is in the middle of re-building their entire list. To make matters worse for them, ex-Giant Josh Bruce, who’s made a name for himself as one of their key forwards, is out for 6 weeks. Their sole victory to date has been against Brisbane and, according to someone on their board “are playing an easy beat flog style of game, with poor skills and shite game plan”. Ouch!
Regarding any changes this week, we don’t seem to have much room to manoeuvre. I doubt we’ll see Josh Kelly back in the short term. The only reliable cure for a groin injury is rest. There’s nothing else you can do, and if you try to hurry, you make it worse. And with rumours of an adductor strain, Jeremy Cameron will probably be rested as well.
Rory Lobb might be available, but I rather like the heft that Dawson Simpson brings to the side. Perhaps we can use Lobb’s mobility and marking skills somewhere else. Matt Buntine, Adam Kennedy and Zac Langdon are still a couple of weeks away. If Cameron is rested, we might see Nick Shipley given an opportunity.
Of those who performed well in the NEAFL team that went down to the Suns, Isaac Cumming probably has the sort of skills we need to help plug the hole left by Scully. Unfortunately, Lachlan Tiziani suffed a nasty leg injury, and had to be stretchered off, so he’ll be out of the picture for some time.
There’s no way the Saints could repeat their upset of last year, is there? It would be inconceivable for us not to win.
I'm heading down for the afternoon, and looking forward to seeing some of the Victorian Giants again. And hopefully there'll be enough of us to be both seen and heard.
We'll win by a decent margin.
The word from the Dockers camp before the bounce was to apply as much pressure as possible to force errors and upset our game plan, which worked a treat for them in the first quarter, especially on Whitfield, who looked clueless every time he touched the ball (until he eventually made that great tackle on Fyfe later on).
But we got ourselves sorted in the second quarter and never looked back. I loved the side-step from Dawson Simpson on Sandilands; not bad for someone who’s thought a bit one dimensional. And it was quite unusual to see Simpson, who’s a really big man (and also Patton, for that matter) being made to look small next to Fremantle's very own giant. They wouldn’t be used to it.
Callan Ward (who’s just turned 28!) had an outstanding game. So too did Ryan Griffen in his comeback match. It’s great to see he’s still got a lot to offer. Nick Haynes played an absolute blinder. Hopper, Taranto and Coniglio played well, and Deledio probably had his best game for us. Toby looked like he’d never been away. And apart from a cut to Davis’s chin, no injuries again, although there are question marks over Jeremy Cameron’s fitness.
Now for the Saints. Remember Round 7 last year? Having won five on the trot and coming off the hotly contested win against the Bulldogs, which was also at Manuka, the unexpected loss to St. Kilda started a long and unconvincing run of poor form that extended deep into the season.
But this time it just wouldn’t be credible for us to lose. St. Kilda is in the middle of re-building their entire list. To make matters worse for them, ex-Giant Josh Bruce, who’s made a name for himself as one of their key forwards, is out for 6 weeks. Their sole victory to date has been against Brisbane and, according to someone on their board “are playing an easy beat flog style of game, with poor skills and shite game plan”. Ouch!
Regarding any changes this week, we don’t seem to have much room to manoeuvre. I doubt we’ll see Josh Kelly back in the short term. The only reliable cure for a groin injury is rest. There’s nothing else you can do, and if you try to hurry, you make it worse. And with rumours of an adductor strain, Jeremy Cameron will probably be rested as well.
Rory Lobb might be available, but I rather like the heft that Dawson Simpson brings to the side. Perhaps we can use Lobb’s mobility and marking skills somewhere else. Matt Buntine, Adam Kennedy and Zac Langdon are still a couple of weeks away. If Cameron is rested, we might see Nick Shipley given an opportunity.
Of those who performed well in the NEAFL team that went down to the Suns, Isaac Cumming probably has the sort of skills we need to help plug the hole left by Scully. Unfortunately, Lachlan Tiziani suffed a nasty leg injury, and had to be stretchered off, so he’ll be out of the picture for some time.
There’s no way the Saints could repeat their upset of last year, is there? It would be inconceivable for us not to win.
I'm heading down for the afternoon, and looking forward to seeing some of the Victorian Giants again. And hopefully there'll be enough of us to be both seen and heard.
We'll win by a decent margin.
