2019 Expectations

[Cayman Docker]

Nothing but positives from that GWS win, but I think the biggest to come from that game will be the collective self belief of the team. It’s going to lift everyone. If they can do that to GWS in Canberra, and go out and nail another supposed top team, you can’t help but think that old culture of “Anywhere Anytime” isn’t so distant.

You can see Hogan is building, he’s just going to get better as the season rolls along, each week he has improved and looks settled in after that game. I think we can all remember when Tab’s couldn’t mark a bloody thing in his earlier days, but boy oh boy, now you’d back him in to clunk almost anything, and he is so much stronger now. He was building before his injury last year, if he can stay on the park I think this is going to be that break out year the clubs patience will be rewarded for.

No doubt Mundy’s 300th next week is going to bring out a little extra in the team, and if they can get him a win that collective self belief will only be that much stronger.

I have a hunch we might be a little further down this rebuild road than we all might think

 

[theGav56]

I have a hunch we might be a little further down this rebuild road than we all might think

On track.

 

[fnerd]

Still don't genuinely believe finals. We'll be too up and down with not enough depth for that.

10+ wins and ~90% would have been my pass mark before the season and I think we're probably on track for that.

This was my belief before the season and if it panned out that way I would have still been reasonably happy with how we were progrsssing.

But as has been mentioned a few times, looking at the results and the evenness of the competition I can’t see any reason whatsoever why we can’t and SHOULDNT be aiming for ginals(certainly I’m sure the players are/were).
Whatever reasons we find to justify we can’t, could be applied to a about12 teams in the competition.

When opportunity presents itself you ve just got to take it!

 

[Scham]

My expectations were based around seeing improvement and in the last two weeks, I’ve see that. I’d love to think we can keep that going through the season and then build on it next year.

This is something that I certainly didn’t expect to see this year;

 

[LeftFootBanana]

Ross and Belly would never say it but make no mistake, finals will be on their radar.

 

[Deathly]

Make no mistake, Ross and Belly would never say it but finals will be on their radar.

Even though 2017 and 2018 were an inconsistent slog, I still thought if our list could stay healthy then we could play finals this year. We need to start playing good football in the 2nd half of the season and it starts now.

 

[Joao]

If we keep the majority fit most of the year (ie everyone not named Sandi, Bennell or Shill) we could definitely play finals. I have more faith in the back half of the year because of the maturity we have brought in. If we don't build up the injuries too much we shouldn't have to rely on kids so much after the bye which is what killed us recently.

 

[elsleevador]

Ross said at the start of the yr that our wins were good quality last yr with a very high average winning margin.
Number one priorities were to reduce the average loss margin and our performance away from home.
Eagles could’ve blown us away after a 5 goal to zip start and, yesterday, my hope pre-game was for an honourable loss.
So there’s two ticks so far.
Ross was very emotional post-game with lots of smiles and hugs. I’m sure the messages after the game would’ve been very very positive and the boys will be feeling great.
But..... “it’s never as good as it seems and it’s never as bad as it seems”!
Ross gathered himself and provided an emotionless presser so we can ignore the dancing swallow that is promising summer and move forward to the dogs.
Massive tests in the next month!
Go Freo

 

[Scham]

If we keep the majority fit most of the year (ie everyone not named Sandi, Bennell or Shill) we could definitely play finals. I have more faith in the back half of the year because of the maturity we have brought in. If we don't build up the injuries too much we shouldn't have to rely on kids so much after the bye which is what killed us recently.

I lot will definitely depend on the performance of our sports science department. The last two seasons we’ve been cooked by the bye and battled through the second half of the season.
Since the WC JLT game, I’ve seen improvement in this area too. Running loads seem to have dropped and the guys are going into games more fresh. It might be just a coincidence and that was always going to happen after a gruelling last 5 weeks of preseason, but I’m guessing there was a crisis (for want of a better term) review at the end of preseason and adjustments have been made. Regardless, the improvement is extremely positive and welcomed by all.

 

[Monument Hills]

Thing for me for this year was always smaller losses and higher scores to show we r heading in the right direction. Pretty pleased at this stage

 

[Cobbler]

What had been the constant annoying game plan that we use?? Dropping one back at centre bounces. Starting with 7 in defense.

The rules have forced our hand and I for one think we look much better now.

We always looked better when we didn’t drop one back.

It also works the other way in that the opposition can’t have a loose in our forward line and that really gives Taberner, Hogan and Lobb chances to flunk and compete. Low and behold that brings in our smalls because we don’t just kick it to their spare and instead bring the ball to ground.

Work in progress but even blind Freddy can see things are on the up.

Must keep midfield group healthy. An injury to Fyfe, Mundy or Walters will really test depth.

 

[Dale147]

Confidence in the group needs to keep growing, you could see in their rendition of the song something is brewing.

 

[Docker82]

We’re not that young at the bottom end anymore, despite being so in average age and experience numbers.

Even Brayshaw and Cerra are past 20 games and are the youngest players out there. Other than Schultz everyone has a season or two under their belt that’s played this year.

Players we had at the start of the rebuild seem to be around the fifty game mark which is exciting. When Brayshaw and Cerra reach that mark it’ll be super exciting - that could be next year.

Replace Mundy with an equivalent level player (doesn’t look like it’ll need to happen for a year or two more) and re-sign who we need to and we’ll be killing it by 2021 imo.

 

[Simmofreo]

You beat me to it here. I think 100% we are a finals chance. Especially playing like that.

However injuries have a massive massive say in a club's fortunes. Just ask the tigers.

We have to keep a healthy list. The sky is the limit there.

But we need to look after Lobb. Darcy doesn't seem up to it, Sandi, well who bloody knows where Sandi is at, and there really isn't anyone else. Lobb is hugely important now I think

If we keep the majority fit most of the year (ie everyone not named Sandi, Bennell or Shill) we could definitely play finals. I have more faith in the back half of the year because of the maturity we have brought in. If we don't build up the injuries too much we shouldn't have to rely on kids so much after the bye which is what killed us recently.

On SM-N960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Steinfreo]

Oh great all the ****ing hindsight lords are in.

 

[masai]

We’re not that young at the bottom end anymore, despite being so in average age and experience numbers.

Even Brayshaw and Cerra are past 20 games and are the youngest players out there. Other than Schultz everyone has a season or two under their belt that’s played this year.

Players we had at the start of the rebuild seem to be around the fifty game mark which is exciting. When Brayshaw and Cerra reach that mark it’ll be super exciting - that could be next year.

Replace Mundy with an equivalent level player (doesn’t look like it’ll need to happen for a year or two more) and re-sign who we need to and we’ll be killing it by 2021 imo.

Replace Mundy, please let’s not go down that road yet, it could bring me to tears.

 

[FreoRicci]

Agree. Darcy’s fitness is key to this season. Sandi doesn’t look like he ll be back at all before the bye, Jones is slow and WAFL material. Plus Meek is struggling in that 3 man ruck/forward combo for Peel.
Our forward stocks look great, our ruck don’t. Lobb needs some back up at some point over the season. How long will Darcy be playing catch up is important. Can’t push him to get fit, but we need him sooner then later

 

[Mr Fonebone]

Just before the season started with the injury crisis and the Hogan kerfuffle in full swing I was expecting the worst.

Very pleased to have been proved wrong.

AS usual it all depends on player availablity. If our core group stays fit and the 2nd tier players continue to step up we are a definite chance for a 5-8 finish.
Still lack the polish for a top 4 side.

 

[Taylor]

Adding Conca and Colyer has been quietly big for the side. Their spots would be filled with a teenager.

 

[_007_]

Adding Conca and Colyer has been quietly big for the side. Their spots would be filled with a teenager.

They are pretty yucky players though.

 

[Taylor]

They are pretty yucky players though.

It's a lot easier to see the turnovers and fumbles, without a doubt.

I think that a pair of teenagers in their place would have less turnovers and less fumbles. But they would also be beaten in the contest, beaten before the contest as their man runs into space for an uncontested mark and just plain old running to the wrong place to give the opposition a spare over the top to checker board their way along.

Yesterday's game was two sides trying to make slightly less mistakes than the opposition until the forth quarter when our centre bounce group took control to win 6-2 contests and put it inside fifty.

I'm not unhappy with Colyer or Conca, I'm seeing what I expected for the sum total of a 4th round pick this year. If they were both elite ball users it would have cost us a million dollars more and we'd have no first round picks.

They just need to be better than our next best in, and they are.

Switta is also outstanding. I'd love for him to get through the rest of the year strong, the whole preseason and then push onto the centre bounce group because he has a sideways step at full speed that will beat almost every stoppage mid in the league. Clearance machine.

 

[theGav56]

A bit of arse covering happening here with posters who wanted the coach gone now posturing that they have always thought we'd make finals. Ok then....

No point really talking about finals. Early days and the start of the season is not a reliable prediction of what happens beyond that, especially with a side in rebuild mode. We are way too fragile in terms of depth to have expectations of playing finals. Fyfe or Mundy out and our season prospects take a massive hit, and we are an injury prone club with shallow midfield depth. Our forward line is still a work in progress. Last week the coach was talking about playing Hogan as a defender if Hamling didn't come up. None of those things give rise to confident predictions of finals, though the potential is clearly there.

Last week someone posted up 10 wins as a pass mark, which I think is a realistic achievement. Wouldn't squeak us into the 8 mind you.

 

[theGav56]

We’re not that young at the bottom end anymore, despite being so in average age and experience numbers.

Even Brayshaw and Cerra are past 20 games and are the youngest players out there. Other than Schultz everyone has a season or two under their belt that’s played this year.

Players we had at the start of the rebuild seem to be around the fifty game mark which is exciting. When Brayshaw and Cerra reach that mark it’ll be super exciting - that could be next year.

Replace Mundy with an equivalent level player (doesn’t look like it’ll need to happen for a year or two more) and re-sign who we need to and we’ll be killing it by 2021 imo.

We'll see Valente, Bewley and North out there this season at some stage, and would love Dixon to get a debut too.

 

[Docker82]

We'll see Valente, Bewley and North out there this season at some stage, and would love Dixon to get a debut too.

Don’t doubt it but we currently aren’t carrying two or three teenagers with less than 10 games experience each week like last year.

Even Valente has a decent amount of state league experience for his age. Only really Sturt (who I reckon we might see) and Carter are basically stepping straight out of the under 18s. The rest of our list has spent either at least a full year in the AFL or done significant time at state league level.

The two least experienced players out there fo us were Switkowski and Duman who I have full confidence in to play a role.

 

[greatgatsby]

It's a lot easier to see the turnovers and fumbles, without a doubt.

I think that a pair of teenagers in their place would have less turnovers and less fumbles. But they would also be beaten in the contest, beaten before the contest as their man runs into space for an uncontested mark and just plain old running to the wrong place to give the opposition a spare over the top to checker board their way along.

Yesterday's game was two sides trying to make slightly less mistakes than the opposition until the forth quarter when our centre bounce group took control to win 6-2 contests and put it inside fifty.

I'm not unhappy with Colyer or Conca, I'm seeing what I expected for the sum total of a 4th round pick this year. If they were both elite ball users it would have cost us a million dollars more and we'd have no first round picks.

They just need to be better than our next best in, and they are.

Switta is also outstanding. I'd love for him to get through the rest of the year strong, the whole preseason and then push onto the centre bounce group because he has a sideways step at full speed that will beat almost every stoppage mid in the league. Clearance machine.

Too right about Switta - watching him yesterday he might have a higher ceiling than just a good small forward (as handy as that would be).