Mega Thread 2016 Media Thread

[theGav56]

"The club and I have been really mature about where I sit in the framework and that it might be best for myself to seek more opportunity elsewhere."

Sounds to me like he's been told he's not needed. I think he'll only be here next year if no other club is interested.

Sounds to me like he has been told that it is one year deals from here.

 

[Deveraux]

Yeah there wasn't a lot of optimism in that one

 

[PurpleEyes]

...
It's unfortunate the rebuild has come so hard given the poor season had. But the key drivers at the Club would view that in 2008 and 2009 similar tough decisions were taken on a great proportion of the list to underpin a period of sustained competitiveness and those key people are still there.

There'll be some things that they will do differently given what they have learnt, but largely, we're likely to be in for a significant turnover of the list in a very short amount of time. RTB has often referred to the GWS and Bulldogs models, both of which took time.

Hopefully we're better positioned than in 2008 and it won't take as long and nor are we starting from ground zero like GWS. Arguably, the spine was better shaped back in 2008 with Pav, Luke and Johnno back then than we are now though this time we're probably better positioned in the midfield (except in the Ruck department) so I hope we can sort out the spine quickly and get back up there sooner.

I have heard a few times about how this year's tough decisions may be required, similar to the successful rebuild of 2008.
The thing is, in 2008, Freo got rid of 12 players which included; 7 retired players, delisted a 28yr old J.Carr who went back to PA to play just 19 more games in 2 seasons, traded Warnock and got rid of 3 rookies. I really don't think Barlow would have been cut in 2008 given his form and age.
Freo then recruited 14 players in 2008. It included quality such as Hill#3, Ballas#21, Clarke#37, Walters#53 ... but all those picks were irrelevant of the rebuild. That is, they were their normal draft picks 1st Round to 4th Round, as allocated to Freo due to their ladder position. That draft was pretty much the last uncompromised draft before Gold Coast and GWS got involved in later years, so the recruiters had some quality to pick from.

Freo also got some reasonable players in Rookie picks; de Boer, C.Pearce and Broughton, but again, those picks simply replaced previous poor rookies.

In actual fact, the result of the tough decisions they made in 2008 saw Warnock and pick#65 traded out, for picks#24 (Suban), 56 (Bucovaz) & 68 (Ruffles). That is, the nett result was Freo lost Warnock and gained Suban and went deep in to the draft to replace those retired players with fairly poor recruits in the likes of Bucovaz, Ruffles & Chris Smith. They also recruited rookies Sibosado, Shepheard and van Berlo who didn't amount to much.

My point is, in 2008, most of Freo's success simply came from making some good choices with their available early draft picks.
Freo would have recruited just as successfully if they had have retired only about 4 of their seniors and not bothered with the late draft picks that produced nothing of value.

 

[Deveraux]

If they were not in rebuild mode those picks may have been used to trade in though.

 

[PurpleEyes]

If they were not in rebuild mode those picks may have been used to trade in though.

I don't see the logic in that. Freo have not chosen to use their picks to trade in players over the last few years ... since about 2010. it doesn't mean that Freo have been in rebuild every recent year. A rebuild is not whether you choose to draft or trade in players, it is when you have a large cull of your list and get rid of more players than you normally would.

2008 was only called a rebuild because of the number of old injured and declining players that Freo cut from their list. Players that weren't offering much anymore anyway. At the time I thought Jeff Farmer (aged 31) was the main one that was hard done by and Freo should have kept on for another year. He had played 20 games that season. Check out the age and form of the rest of those that they cut during the "rebuild";
Peter Bell, 32yrs, 13 games played in 2008.
Mark Johnson, 30yrs, 14 games played in 2008.
McManus, 32yrs, 11 games played.
L. Webster, 25yrs 7 games.
H. Black, 29yrs, 6 games.
M. Carr, 29yrs, 4 games.
& delisted as mentioned J. Carr.

2008 had very few trades across the league, because the draft was strong and the coming years were going to be depleted by Gold Coast and GWS.

 

[Mogumber]

No wonder we are getting reamed !
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why...s/news-story/31eb4e45d992a3061dd5b177e693de91

 

[Clems Knee]

No wonder we are getting reamed !
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why...s/news-story/31eb4e45d992a3061dd5b177e693de91

Poor article. They couldn't even get what COLA stands for.

 

[wild side]

Still shows how nsw gets the "teacher's pet" award at afl house though

 

[PurpleEyes]

No wonder we are getting reamed !
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why...s/news-story/31eb4e45d992a3061dd5b177e693de91

So, the writer is saying Freo would be far better off if;
in 2015 we got Darcy Parish(ES) instead of Tucker, Balic and Collins
in 2014 we got Christian Petracca(ME) instead of L.Weller, Blakely, Langdon and Deluca
in 2013 we got Jack Billings(SK) instead of Apeness, A.Pearce and Grey

I'm not sure I entirely agree.

I quite like the bidding system. But I think it is only fair for all clubs to eventually get their own academies or zones and like the Father/Son rules, it takes a certain period of time existing in the AFL for those sort of rules to be equally fair to all clubs. Right now, the NSW academy is definitely an advantage to the Sydney teams.

 

[wayToGo_]

So, the writer is saying Freo would be far better off if;
in 2015 we got Darcy Parish(ES) instead of Tucker, Balic and Collins
in 2014 we got Christian Petracca(ME) instead of L.Weller, Blakely, Langdon and Deluca
in 2013 we got Jack Billings(SK) instead of Apeness, A.Pearce and Grey

I'm not sure I entirely agree.

I quite like the bidding system. But I think it is only fair for all clubs to eventually get their own academies or zones and like the Father/Son rules, it takes a certain period of time existing in the AFL for those sort of rules to be equally fair to all clubs. Right now, the NSW academy is definitely an advantage to the Sydney teams.

That's not the way I read it. I don't think it is about us or other teams not getting those players. I think it is the fact that Sydney can get them at a fraction of the cost of what others pay. Which has the flow on effect of having more currency left over for yet more talent and so on. I did the calc in a previous post. They got a pick 3 or 4 when they finished 4th on the ladder. We'd have had to sell off an elite player to get a pick #4 in the past few years (when we finished top 4).

 

[PurpleEyes]

That's not the way I read it. I don't think it is about us or other teams not getting those players. I think it is the fact that Sydney can get them at a fraction of the cost of what others pay. Which has the flow on effect of having more currency left over for yet more talent and so on. I did the calc in a previous post. They got a pick 3 or 4 when they finished 4th on the ladder. We'd have had to sell off an elite player to get a pick #4 in the past few years (when we finished top 4).

My post was a hypothetical to show that it is not always an obvious win when using a combination of later draft picks to get enough bidding points to snap up an early draft pick. I was trying to show what an early 1st round pick through the bidding system would have cost Freo during the last few years. Personally, I don't think those costs would have been worth those early pick players. But to try to help show where I'm coming from, the last finishing team, Essendon, will in theory (before compensation picks and trades etc...) have the following Round 1-4 draft picks #1, 19, 37 & 55 which equals a total of 4,638 bidding points. Let's say Sydney end up first, they will get picks #18, 36, 54 & 72 totalling 1,726 points. If you then account for the 25% discount for an academy player, that equals 2,301 bidding points. So unless Sydney trade out prior to the draft to get some extra picks between 1 & 73, then they can't grab pick 1 (3,000 points) from Essendon, even if that player is a Father/Son or an Academy player. But they could use picks #18, 36 & 54 for pick#3 (2,234) if that player is an academy player (25%discount). If it is a Father/Son player (15%discount), then they would not have enough bidding points.
**EDIT (12/9/16): The AFL bidding guidelines still wrongly state 15% (for Father/Son) and 25% (for Academy players. That was reviewed and changed to 20% for both and a maximum discount of 197 points after round 1 draft picks. So my apologies, some of those numbers given are slightly inaccurate.

I understand why a NSW academy was introduced (I believe in 2010). I think the bidding system, which now allows for non-NSW teams to draft those players is a fairly reasonable system. It also now allows for the team with pick#1 to get the best player in the country, irrelevant of Father/Son or Academy. If Sydney choose to use 4 draft picks to get one of their highly valued NSW academy players (at a 25% discount) then I still think that is a reasonably fair situation. In a few years time Freo, will be able to take advantage of the new indigenous/multi-cultural zoning and academy rules recently introduced (as will other teams). I suspect most of this current criticism is either from a lack of understanding the complexities of the bidding system and the academies or sour grapes and jealously in the manner that the NSW teams are being supported (looked after/developed/or how ever you want to describe it).

 

[yakka man]

 

[holy diver]

Go for four...You may even get twins.

 

[Mogumber]

Oh my god !! Our window might open again when we get an academy !

From the west ::

The Western Bulldogs’ upset of West Coast last Thursday night was stunning. Geelong’s two-point win over Hawthorn on Friday night was compelling drama. Adelaide’s demolition of North Melbourne on Saturday night was as impressive as it was predictable.

But the biggest statement in week one of the finals was made by Greater Western Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

After conceding the first two goals, the Giants kicked 12 of the next 17.

Sydney wanted to make this game about contested football and ferocity. In poker terms, the Giants saw them in the inside battle and raised them with outside run that was beyond the Swans’ reach.

It may have an aftermath, with Steve Johnson and Shane Mumford facing match review panel scrutiny today, but it was the clearest example of the awesome power the Giants have at their disposal.

It was in many ways a dream for the AFL.

A Sydney football spectacular. The league’s first Sydney derby final produced a fierce spectacle to catch the harbour city’s eye and turn the heads of potential fans.

But the league might have a few reservations too.

It was, as one colleague tweeted, the AFL’s Frankenstein moment: The day it was confirmed it had created an on-field monster.

If whingeing about the privileges of other clubs were an Olympic sport, AFL clubs could comfortably represent Australia and medal at any Games. Forget Cost of Living Allowances for now.

The strength of the GWS list is about to become the hottest topic in the AFL.

Expect a lot of “private seething” in stories done about the feelings of rival clubs. It will be “believed” and “understood” that many have grave fears about the competition because of the Giants’ strength.

The Swans, premiership favourites three days ago, couldn’t go with the Giants when GWS lifted a cog after half-time.

Sydney were a bit banged up. Callum Mills had done a hamstring, Johnson had briefly put Josh Kennedy in la-la land with a shoulder to the jaw and Mumford had slammed Kurt Tippett into the deck with a fierce tackle. Mumford should get the benefit of the doubt from the MRP. Johnson should not and should miss the preliminary final.

But the emerging strength of the Giants is not about Johnson anyway.

It is about a midfield with extraordinary depth and talent — Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, Tom Scully, Dylan Shiel, Devon Smith, Ryan Griffen, Josh Kelly, Callan Ward and Jacob Hopper.

Then there is Zac Williams and Nathan Wilson streaming off half-back. Heath Shaw too, if there is ever a need. Griffen and Shaw are 30.

Of the others, Ward is the oldest at 26. Hopper is 19. Kelly, considered by many the cream of the crop, is 21.

This is a frightening engine room that is only starting to fully explore its potential. The Giants may get stage fright before the end of this finals series, but they certainly didn’t look overawed in the face of Sydney’s early onslaught in front of 60,000 fans on Saturday. The Giants are going to have this competition on the run and there are doubts whether anyone can run with them.

 

[Mogumber]

Oh, and they have 5 picks in the next draft in the first 34 !

 

[go_the_dockers]

Oh, and they have 5 picks in the next draft in the first 34 !

They didn't mention there forward line of Cameron, Lobb and Patton.

Oh, and they have 5 picks in the next draft in the first 34 !

Plus what ever they get this year, and 5 academy players in the top 4 picks they can get at a 20% discount.

 

[Mogumber]

Plus what ever they get this year, and 5 academy players in the top 4 picks they can get at a 20% discount.[/QUOTE]

I don't understand this ? I've never had such entitlement, what does it mean ?
Either way we are screwed. I'm starting to look at my membership in a way different way.
I'm probably not renewing because of the raw deal we've been given by AFL house.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Plus what ever they get this year, and 5 academy players in the top 4 picks they can get at a 20% discount.

I don't understand this ? I've never had such entitlement, what does it mean ?
Either way we are screwed. I'm starting to look at my membership in a way different way.
I'm probably not renewing because of the raw deal we've been given by AFL house.[/QUOTE]

They will probably trade more players out this year, therefore they will have more than 5 picks in the top 30.

 

[Carnthedockers]

I don't understand this ? I've never had such entitlement, what does it mean ?
Either way we are screwed. I'm starting to look at my membership in a way different way.
I'm probably not renewing because of the raw deal we've been given by AFL house.

They will probably trade more players out this year, therefore they will have more than 5 picks in the top 30.[/QUOTE]
They are literally going to have an all star team. The only thing that is going to hold them back from total domination is the salary cap.

 

[Big Animal]

They didn't mention there forward line of Cameron, Lobb and Patton.


Plus what ever they get this year, and 5 academy players in the top 4 picks they can get at a 20% discount.

Oh, and they have 5 picks in the next draft in the first 34 !

Yeah, you would think the sh1t will hit the fan if GWS win the cup, and then have a stack more top picks coming in (than anyone else) come draft day. And, the salary cap is lifting with greater player payments. AFL may find they went a step too far...then try to correct it on the hop with a knee-jerk reaction to poor media which is always entertaining to discuss.

 

[Paracleet]

Yeah, you would think the sh1t will hit the fan if GWS win the cup, and then have a stack more top picks coming in (than anyone else) come draft day. And, the salary cap is lifting with greater player payments. AFL may find they went a step too far...then try to correct it on the hop with a knee-jerk reaction to poor media which is always entertaining to discuss.

I think we can pretty much guarantee they will get nothing from this point from the AFL as they will be under massive internal pressure over this. No extension of cap, They'll loose their Victorian academy zones. Might go as far as scaling the academy bidding discount based on ladder position. None of this will stop them winning 80% of their games over the next 6 years though. Best we can hope for is that they choke like the Cats and only win 3 instead of 5 or 6 like they should have.

 

[scon]

The worm's turning:Nat Fyfe s secret training session - The West Australian

 

[E Shed]

I love that about Fyfe, purely and simply he loves footy. The stories from his childhood about the research he would do on his opponents in junior tennis and the gameplans he would hand to his coach at footy training.

My favourite story was one of the Freo assistant coaches who was driving through Fyfe's suburb on a Sunday in the off season and there was a storm and rain was bucketing down and there was Fyfey in the local park, kicking a footy and chasing it around. the guy lives and breathes sport and how improve and how to win.

He should be captain and sooner rather than later.

 

[estibador]

He should have let me know, I would have gone down and had a kick with him.

 

[BStaff17]

I love that about Fyfe, purely and simply he loves footy. The stories from his childhood about the research he would do on his opponents in junior tennis and the gameplans he would hand to his coach at footy training.

My favourite story was one of the Freo assistant coaches who was driving through Fyfe's suburb on a Sunday in the off season and there was a storm and rain was bucketing down and there was Fyfey in the local park, kicking a footy and chasing it around. the guy lives and breathes sport and how improve and how to win.

He should be captain and sooner rather than later.

You get the feeling with fyfey that no matter how many individual awards he wins he wont be totally satisfied until he wins a premiership. And i reckon deep down that grand final loss especially those set shots he missed in that game cut him deep and will haunt him forever if he doesn't win a premiership.