Preview Today!!! Rd 1v Freo at Perth

[Kimbo]

Banned from the Freo board already. They're a soft bunch. Season hasn't even started yet

Join the club. (Second ever ban in 17 years.)

 

[The Nostradamus]

Sandilands vs goldy

Goldy just needs to run him all over tire him out and we win the middle

 

[Snake_Baker]

Sandilands vs goldy

Goldy just needs to run him all over tire him out and we win the middle

Agree one on one, but they will double team Goldy, then look to expose us forward with the resting ruckman (probably Sandi & Lobb). Goldy performed admirably on Sandi last year and probably took the points.

Our core group of mids will decide this match. We bat a lot deeper than Freo. They have lost Neale and drop away in the trenches after Fyfe and the aging Mundy.

North midfield: Cunnington, Higgins, Jacobs, Polec, Hall, Tyson, Anderson, Dumont, Simpkin, Ahern
Freo midfield: Fyfe, Mundy, Langdon, Brayshaw, Cerra, B. Hill, Blakely

When you take Fyfe and Cunnington out of the equation, we have a very significant advantage here.

All we have to do is make sure Lyon doesn't tactically control the game.

 

[Snake_Baker]

41 days to go.

 

[Groin guru]

Join the club.

Join the club. (Second ever ban in 17 years.)

3 responsible posters banned...echo chamber

 

[Snake_Baker]

The Freo folks are alright, but an observation I have is that some of them seem to be a little too over-reactive and defensive, much like the Port supporters.

I assume this is due to them being the respective little guys on the block in their home states. They get the s**t kicked out of them in the local media and by the opposition fans in their states.

These types of folks fail to recognize that we ourselves have been the little guy on the block for 150 freakin' years, and we're surrounded by 9 direct enemies.

 

[andana]

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has confirmed his plans to re-vamp the forward line following the club’s off-season acquisition of Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb.
Appearing on an AFL Media ‘Ask the Coach’ segment, the Dockers boss said the club would look to play three tall forwards. He nominated Hogan, Lobb, Matt Taberner, Brennan Cox and Cam McCarthy as the pool to choose from.
“We’ve just got to make sure we’re not too tall,” he said.


“Assuming they’re all available, we’re definitely going to try and work with the three talls in.
“They’re all a little bit different... but there’s pressure on for spots.
“But the critical (thing) is going to be make sure we’ve got ground level support, otherwise the ball will be just swept away. That’s just as important for us.

While the club’s off-season moves look to have gone a long way towards settling a long-term issue with the forward line, it’s the midfield which has caused some fresh headaches.
After trading Lachie Neale to Brisbane, the Dockers have lost the man responsible for 11 per cent of the team’s entire contested possessions last season and opened up a significant hole in the on-ball division.
Potential replacements Connor Blakely (hamstring) and Stephen Hill (quad) are also no certainty of being available until late in the season due to injury.
Lyon bemoaned the Blakely injury in particular, but was still confident they could pull together a competitive midfield.
“It really is significant because it compounds the issue we’re having with Stephen Hill at the minute, rehabbing off a long-term quad injury. Those two are the most obvious to go through there,” he said.
Adam) Cerra and (Reece) Conca will go through there, and we’ve got some young mids like (Stefan) Giro and (Mitch) Crowden.
“We think (David) Mundy will spend more time midfield, so if we can start with a starting line-up of Fyfe, Mundy, Brayshaw, Conca and Adam Cerra running through, we think we’re pretty healthy through there.”

 

[Firestarter]

Wait when did they get Conca...

 

[Snake_Baker]

Wait when did they get Conca...

It's not like it's worth noting.

3-4 blokes will strip for Freo that wouldn't get a game in our best 22.

 

[The Warlord]

If our running goal kicking mids like Higgins, Dumont, Ahern, Simpkin can get away from their blokes, then we'll do well.

 

[Snake_Baker]

If our running goal kicking mids like Higgins, Dumont, Ahern, Simpkin can get away from their blokes, then we'll do well.

This is the thing.

Fyfe and Mundy are also going to get worn down by rotating fresh blokes on them all match. Especially Mundy (34 in July). Fyfe will have Jacobs for a shadow and Mundy will have to deal with Cunners, Anderson, Tyson and occasionally Ziebell banging in to him for the entire match. Cerra and Brayshaw will have an honest crack, but they're still physically immature compared to our lot.

On the outside, we will swamp them with weight of numbers with Higgins, Hall, Polec, Simpkin, Dumont, Atley & McDonald against B.Hill, Blakely, Walters, Colyer and Langdon.

I'm not caning Freo, they are a honest side and very well coached, but they are realistically a couple of years behind us in the rebuild, so we should win. Freo will definitely have to get the jump on us in the first half and then hold on if they are going to beat us.

 

[The Warlord]

This is the thing.

Fyfe and Mundy are also going to get worn down by rotating fresh blokes on them all match. Especially Mundy (34 in July). Fyfe will have Jacobs for a shadow and Mundy will have to deal with Cunners, Anderson, Tyson and occasionally Ziebell banging in to him for the entire match. Cerra and Brayshaw will have an honest crack, but they're still physically immature compared to our lot.

On the outside, we will swamp them with weight of numbers with Higgins, Hall, Polec, Simpkin, Dumont, Atley & McDonald against B.Hill, Blakely, Walters, Colyer and Langdon.

I'm not caning Freo, they are a honest side and very well coached, but they are realistically a couple of years behind us in the rebuild, so we should win. Freo will definitely have to get the jump on us in the first half and then hold on if they are going to beat us.

I thought Blakely (underrated player, as is Langdon) was a no start?

 

[Snake_Baker]

I thought Blakely (underrated player, as is Langdon) was a no start?

Yes, that may be the case mate.

Either way, they are going to be short on for class and experience in the midfield.

 

[The Warlord]

Yes, that may be the case mate.

Either way, they are going to be short on for class and experience in the midfield.

Yep, and on a fast deck and big ground that will work against them. Short of one of their big forwards kicking a real bag, and ours doing nothing at all, I don't see us having too many issues scoring very well.

 

[Groin guru]

Wait when did they get Conca...

Even better...

He's in their leadership squad

 

[The Warlord]

Even better...

He's in their leadership squad

The bind really moggles at this one.

 

[Luke72]

Mundy’s midfield days are behind him. He was pretty useful forward last year and that’s where I’d leave him. If he’s their second best midfield option then they are in trouble.

 

[Gasometer]

Thread title update

6 weeks to go

 

[nj23]

This is the thing.

Fyfe and Mundy are also going to get worn down by rotating fresh blokes on them all match. Especially Mundy (34 in July). Fyfe will have Jacobs for a shadow and Mundy will have to deal with Cunners, Anderson, Tyson and occasionally Ziebell banging in to him for the entire match. Cerra and Brayshaw will have an honest crack, but they're still physically immature compared to our lot.

On the outside, we will swamp them with weight of numbers with Higgins, Hall, Polec, Simpkin, Dumont, Atley & McDonald against B.Hill, Blakely, Walters, Colyer and Langdon.

I'm not caning Freo, they are a honest side and very well coached, but they are realistically a couple of years behind us in the rebuild, so we should win. Freo will definitely have to get the jump on us in the first half and then hold on if they are going to beat us.

I agree that our midfield bats a bit deeper. I’m a huge fan of fyfe but after that I think our mids will overwhelm.
The ruck battle is interesting because I do think Sandi has a tendency to monster goldy a bit and perhaps it was the emotion of the game in Perth last year but it didn’t feel like goldy was on top until Sandi was concussed. I’m less confident this year given they have Lobb to lend a hand when Sandi needs a breather. Our mids become so important at clearances if Sandi is starting to get on top of goldy.
But then their forwards also have me concerned given our lack of Thompson round 1 while they have a bunch of talls that all have potential. Throw in Walters and their forward line looks better on paper than it has in a while. I know if we can win the midfield battle their forward line is less of an issue but I think there’s potential to see some sharp work from freo.

 

[Snake_Baker]

I agree that our midfield bats a bit deeper. I’m a huge fan of fyfe but after that I think our mids will overwhelm.
The ruck battle is interesting because I do think Sandi has a tendency to monster goldy a bit and perhaps it was the emotion of the game in Perth last year but it didn’t feel like goldy was on top until Sandi was concussed. I’m less confident this year given they have Lobb to lend a hand when Sandi needs a breather. Our mids become so important at clearances if Sandi is starting to get on top of goldy.
But then their forwards also have me concerned given our lack of Thompson round 1 while they have a bunch of talls that all have potential. Throw in Walters and their forward line looks better on paper than it has in a while. I know if we can win the midfield battle their forward line is less of an issue but I think there’s potential to see some sharp work from freo.

Hogan won't play, Tazz will cover Lobb (3 goals in 4 matches against North) & McKay will take Taberner (2 goals in 3 matches against North).

This mob averaged 70 points a match last season.

We kicked more than 70 on 17 out of 22 occasions, and 1 of the other 5 was played in a cyclone.

 

[EDFL follower]

This is the thing.

Fyfe and Mundy are also going to get worn down by rotating fresh blokes on them all match. Especially Mundy (34 in July). Fyfe will have Jacobs for a shadow and Mundy will have to deal with Cunners, Anderson, Tyson and occasionally Ziebell banging in to him for the entire match. Cerra and Brayshaw will have an honest crack, but they're still physically immature compared to our lot.

On the outside, we will swamp them with weight of numbers with Higgins, Hall, Polec, Simpkin, Dumont, Atley & McDonald against B.Hill, Blakely, Walters, Colyer and Langdon.

I'm not caning Freo, they are a honest side and very well coached, but they are realistically a couple of years behind us in the rebuild, so we should win. Freo will definitely have to get the jump on us in the first half and then hold on if they are going to beat us.

From memory the only time Jacobs got beaten last year was by Fyfe so we can’t assume that he will be any more successful this year

 

[Billy Not Really]

perhaps it was the emotion of the game in Perth last year but it didn’t feel like goldy was on top until Sandi was concussed.

We were neck/neck the whole game and the entire game was hinged upon the ruck contest, Sandi was indeed etching Goldy out all day until that moment, and Freo cracked at the seams under pressure.

Had Sandi not been concussed I am convinced we would've lost that game. We got damn lucky.

 

[the big lebowski]

We were neck/neck the whole game and the entire game was hinged upon the ruck contest, Sandi was indeed etching Goldy out all day until that moment, and Freo cracked at the seams under pressure.

Had Sandi not been concussed I am convinced we would've lost that game. We got damn lucky.

With better kicking at goal the game could have been over at qrt time. But the fact remains Goldy doesn’t usually go well against Sandi. And Jacobs has been relatively ineffectual against Fyfe, at least from a negating point of view.

But with their midfield relying on second year players in Cera and Brayshaw, missing Neale, Blakely (not that he played midfield) and Hill from the last time we met. And probably no Sandi. If Hogan doesn’t play then they can’t expose our round 1 weakness with KPD, in which case we are 75%+ chance of winning.

If he does play then I think closer to a 50/50.

Not to tempt fate but I do like the idea of a forward line of Brown, Ziebell, Wood, Garner, turner and a rotating Cunners, Higgins, Atley, Simpkin. That’s a lot of marking power up front and some pace/class.

 

[the big lebowski]

The prospect of Garner actually playing round 1 have thrown me. That's just one less best 22 spot to fit in a plethora of midfielders or older flanker types. Assuming everyone is healthy my round 1 team is

B - E.V.W Tazz Williams

HB - Mcdonald Mckay Wright

I'm pretty set with that back six. Wright will be needed to play that marking intercept role. EVW to play tall if they go with three talls. Williams on the best small forward.

C - Polec Cunners Dumont

R - Goldy Higgins Jacobs

That's a nice top 6 mids, with everyone in or close to their prime. Mckay is playing on Lobb down back and follows him into the ruck to chop out Goldy (Mckay Vs Lobb all day, everywhere).

HF - Wood Ziebell Garner

F - Turner Brown Simpkin

As i said previously, there is a lot of marking power between Brown, Ziebell, Wood and Garner. We can try and exploit the best matchup. Turner in for the simple reason that you know 100% what he is going to give you. Manic attack and pressure. Alongside Ziebell and Garner we need to put their backs under pressure.

Int - Hall Anderson Tyson/Atley/Jmac/Ahern

This is where i hope we get them. Hall is more than capable of getting the 3 votes, Anderson is ready and raring to go, then you pick the last 2 spots from 4 guys that have genuine claim to start on the ground. You'll be unlucky to miss out.

 

[Passmore]

Mundy’s midfield days are behind him. He was pretty useful forward last year and that’s where I’d leave him. If he’s their second best midfield option then they are in trouble.

Freo had one of the bottom rated midfields in the comp last year and Neale is missing from that.

We just need to be smart enough to accept that we'll probably lose the ruck battle, plan around that and we should be able to control the game.

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