Player Watch #31: Bayley ‘Slick’ Fritsch

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Outside of Melbourne i think Fritsch is very underrated. I would personally have him in the All-Australian team. He’s one of the most productive half forwards in the competition. 39 scoring shots from 11 games = 3.55 scoring shots
 
Outside of Melbourne i think Fritsch is very underrated. I would personally have him in the All-Australian team. He’s one of the most productive half forwards in the competition. 39 scoring shots from 11 games = 3.55 scoring shots
His trouble is his output tends to be very minimal between the 3.55 scoring shots a match he has. There are elements of his game that are ideal when we are attacking- he often gets the 3rd/4th defender, is a great mark, floats across packs, and finds space. Defensively though, he probably needs to apply a bit more pressure. He's only 6ft, he looks as useless as Harry McKay when the ball is on the deck at times. I think he leads a little wide at times and that impacts his ability to finish. He also gives away a couple too many free kicks.

He's putting together a very solid season, there is no doubt about that. As far as all Australian level, I don't think he's near that level just yet. Some good signs last week that he's working harder, and obviously the hand injury has slowed him a fraction. Hope to see continued improvement after the bye.
 
His trouble is his output tends to be very minimal between the 3.55 scoring shots a match he has. There are elements of his game that are ideal when we are attacking- he often gets the 3rd/4th defender, is a great mark, floats across packs, and finds space. Defensively though, he probably needs to apply a bit more pressure. He's only 6ft, he looks as useless as Harry McKay when the ball is on the deck at times. I think he leads a little wide at times and that impacts his ability to finish. He also gives away a couple too many free kicks.

He's putting together a very solid season, there is no doubt about that. As far as all Australian level, I don't think he's near that level just yet. Some good signs last week that he's working harder, and obviously the hand injury has slowed him a fraction. Hope to see continued improvement after the bye.
To be fair to Bailey he is 6 ft 2 and gets one of the the opposition’s best 2 defenders way more than he doesn’t, he got Starcevich on Friday who is one of the best defenders in the league.
 
To be fair to Bailey he is 6 ft 2 and gets one of the the opposition’s best 2 defenders way more than he doesn’t, he got Starcevich on Friday who is one of the best defenders in the league.

He's 6'6 if you measure to the top of his hair on a game day after goal. :)
 
To be fair to Bailey he is 6 ft 2 and gets one of the the opposition’s best 2 defenders way more than he doesn’t, he got Starcevich on Friday who is one of the best defenders in the league.
Actually you're right, I had 188cm as 6ft for some weird reason. My apologies.

Yep, he got a very good defender Friday night, and he never really looked like impacting the game. I guess we are in good shape if a player barely impacting the game can kick a couple of goals, rather than our entire forward line depending on his output.
 
Just get him winning more balls outside 50 and delivering, love a Fritsch kick to a lead. One of our few players who generates shots for other players in the corridor rather than in the pocket, which is ironic given he seems to mostly lead to the pockets himself.
 
Just get him winning more balls outside 50 and delivering, love a Fritsch kick to a lead. One of our few players who generates shots for other players in the corridor rather than in the pocket, which is ironic given he seems to mostly lead to the pockets himself.
My guess is he often takes the best intercepting defender so he takes them out of the contest
 

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Yep, Fritsch has done that on a number of players (and have heard team mates specifically reference the role he was playing on their best interceptor) - Haynes, Ridley, uhm someone else
 
I think most of the time this year Fritsch is playing as the deepest or one of the deepest forwards, working with the space the key forwards leave behind them.

Means he will always struggle to get as much footy as Spargo, ANB or Kozzie who all roam up the ground and then work back hard towards the goals.
 
Not sure how this got through the keeper, but was re-watching the GC game last night and Joey Montagna called Fritsch "Finch", after one of his goals.

What was even more brazen was he did it right in front of Kelli Underwood, too. Wonder if Kel gave him a stern talking too once the mic's were off.
 
Not sure how this got through the keeper, but was re-watching the GC game last night and Joey Montagna called Fritsch "Finch", after one of his goals.

What was even more brazen was he did it right in front of Kelli Underwood, too. Wonder if Kel gave him a stern talking too once the mic's were off.
Was this a once off? If so I would imagine Kelli gave him a good talking to.
 
Not sure how this got through the keeper, but was re-watching the GC game last night and Joey Montagna called Fritsch "Finch", after one of his goals.

What was even more brazen was he did it right in front of Kelli Underwood, too. Wonder if Kel gave him a stern talking too once the mic's were off.
Haha yeah I noticed that, was after the Fritta goal roving from Brown
 
Not sure how this got through the keeper, but was re-watching the GC game last night and Joey Montagna called Fritsch "Finch", after one of his goals.

What was even more brazen was he did it right in front of Kelli Underwood, too. Wonder if Kel gave him a stern talking too once the mic's were off.
Cheep cheep
 
Was this a once off? If so I would imagine Kelli gave him a good talking to.
Fritsch is a bit of a consonant salad tbf.

Leigh Montagna trying to say Fritsch:

 

Was always weird last year how we all knew he was a beautiful kick technically but he was awful in front of goal. He is a very talented but also limited player in that he is a pure forward but can kick them from anywhere and is a great mark for his size.
 

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