Review A Win’s A Win - Freo by Six In The ‘Away’ Game vs North

[Mags98]

I thought Fyfe was pretty good when he came in and I’m not sure why people were complaining about Raz being taken off - he had a poor enough game and it was an obvious sub for me.
Fyfe was big in a few key moments - the clearance in the lead up to the amiss missed set shot was vintage Fyfe and Erasmus just does not have that in his locker, full stop. Yeah he’s a bit slow with defensive running but that’s outweighed by his other positives.

It was great to get the 4 points but we were so lucky we were playing a rubbish team.

Some of the comments here are hilarious pumping them up.

They. Are. Shite.

One of the worst sides in recent AFL memory that have pretty much no idea how to win a game. They have barely won ten games in the last 5 years.
Someone said earlier the have “a really good midfield” - no they bloody well don’t!! It’s one of the worst midfields in the comp, a bottom 3 midfield group.
“Their ladder position is misleading” - lol no it’s not. They are exactly where they deserve to be in the bottom 3 teams.

Anyway onwards to Essendon. A better team than north so we’ll need to improve to beat them but we have loads of room for improvement so I expect to see it.
If we drop either of the next 2 I think we won’t make finals so they are massive.

bottom 3 midfield group yet they are top 3 for clearance differential? pretty good analysis to get that idea.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

So I need to watch a replay of things as it's quite a different perspective but I was lucky enough to watch the game from the locker room and what an experience.

But honestly I still hate that we don't pressure enough however that game again ticks off a lot of boxes that we needed to see improvement of from last season. A win in the wet, in a close game, after the bye, when we lost clearances is a massive, massive improvement from this team.

Not to mention the expected score having us at a 4-5 goal win had we kicked straight.

What was interesting to note at ground level though is the team didn't appear very vocal. Treacy and Worner seemed to be the exceptions.

 

[#1JohnHuttonFan]

Club won't be happy with that outcome from a crowd perspective

Average opponent?
Weather?
Cost of living?

= bad crowd

No I think they would be pretty happy to be honest. We went and nearly everyone around me were members in their same seats. So the members turned up but not everyone can afford the extra money for an extra game.

 

[Kram]

31k isn't that bad.

Was looking like it was going to be more like 25k at one stage.

 

[Daddoo]

God you lot are a sour bunch. Three weeks of good footy and we win after the bye but it’s this win that proves who we really are not the wins away to GC and Giants

Good teams find ways to win even when they’re not 100% on. It happens to every team. Let’s be honest, we would have lost this game last year. Progress is not linear.

Too many people here sook that we lose too often after a bye and the sook when we win after the bye.

 

[2big2strom]

I really enjoyed most of that game tbh. I think that's the most calm I have felt in a game all season too - even when they threw everything they possibly could at us, we managed to hold our ground. The defense was really solid, I have never seen Cox irate or emotional before so that was interesting. Think he has really locked in the last month and is taking the games seriously.

I really liked how it showed our growth - players like Voss & Banners were instrumental to remaining calm and fighting out the win. Previously they've been players that have lost us the game with silly decision making. Banners haters gonna hate but he is has been quite good since being moved into defense - his ability to be able to turn onto his left and kick cleanly has been a great release for us. Also players are learning and that's key at this point of the season - last week Jackson did that hack kick in board and it took an almighty effort by Bolton to turn it into gold. But this week we knew when to take it to the boundary (okay Treacy took it a little too far to the boundary but again, I don't think he will make that mistake twice)

We also are starting to build evidence as a team that we CAN score extremely quickly and we CAN make changes as the game goes on. At one point in the game they kept slingshotting out of our F50 and scoring so fast I was wondering what was happening - turns out switta had gone down. once we adjusted for this, we stopped their run and scored ourselves.

Fyfe being so clean when he came on was such a point of difference - he knows how to break through lines and really drive us forward. I really like him as sub and hope injuries don't force us into playing him too much more. The sub really accentuates his strengths and make his weaknesses less damaging (no speed).

Someone has already posted a good insight to why Serong was pretty huge for us, even if he didn't have great disposal efficiency. I'd just like to add though - I've noticed Serong is using his left foot a LOT more - I'd say over half his kicks are on his left (including the one that went OOTF). I am wondering if this is a conscious decision by him to strengthen his game on both sides or if it's his field positioning? Again, this will improve (and is already improving) and makes him harder to tag/shut down/defend.

Give the boys some credit, how many of you doubted them and north came out firing and Freo dug in and won. the future is bright

 

[kp junior]

Jackson was pretty bad and seemed ineffectual when playing as a mid. Was it anything North did to shut him down or just an off game? Anyway given that, to get the win is a big plus.

 

[Paracleet]

So I need to watch a replay of things as it's quite a different perspective but I was lucky enough to watch the game from the locker room and what an experience.

But honestly I still hate that we don't pressure enough however that game again ticks off a lot of boxes that we needed to see improvement of from last season. A win in the wet, in a close game, after the bye, when we lost clearances is a massive, massive improvement from this team.

Not to mention the expected score having us at a 4-5 goal win had we kicked straight.

What was interesting to note at ground level though is the team didn't appear very vocal. Treacy and Worner seemed to be the exceptions.

They don't produce a whole game pressure graph do they? Would be interesting. North's pressure and offensive midfield work was elite. Their skills, defensive inside work and the quality of their bottom 10 players or so is very much the opposite. The brief periods when our midfield gained a clear ascendancy we scored with almost unopposed ease.

My impression from the ground was our response to them getting on top in the midfield was to ruck Darcy more (Jackson got his arse handed to him) who I thought increasing got the better of Xerri in the ruck as the game went on, banishing Bolton forward who couldn't get near it on the ball and putting a plus one at the back of the stoppage* (Johnson when I noticed it).
My other unvalidated by a replay viewing thought is that Erasmus failed to shut down LSU in a run with role and then not winning any ball himself later got pulled for Fyfe, which can't have been the original plan.

*Clarkson's response to this was to play a spare in defence (I turned to my mate and said 'what is it 2012 or something?'). This suggests to me he's more interested in keeping his job than anything else.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Jackson was pretty bad and seemed ineffectual when playing as a mid. Was it anything North did to shut him down or just an off game? Anyway given that, to get the win is a big plus.

Might actually force my way through the replay just to see what happened while he was in there in the mid. Definitely felt he was invisible in contest as a mid but im pretty sure his two goals were a result of playing as a mid soooo...

 

[Paracleet]

Might actually force my way through the replay just to see what happened while he was in there in the mid. Definitely felt he was invisible in contest as a mid but im pretty sure his two goals were a result of playing as a mid soooo...

Certainly his first was. A nightmare matchup for oppos.

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

It was ugly and aside from a red hot 5 minutes in the second a pretty poor performance. But it could have been worse, we lose this in years past so you just have to be happy with an ugly win and move on.

Need to seriously figure out why we are so poor after the bye too because if we want to win a flag we are likely banking on winning a home qualifying final which will mean a week off before the qual. final and another week off before the prelim.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Can’t wait for Erasmus out, for JOM in next week.

It’s an absolute certainty.

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

Shai Bolton

15

Shai Bolton

Age

26

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

can do things no one else in this team is capable of. That clean pick up side step shimmy and goal off a step from 50 was RIDICULOUS!

This guy will win us finals when we are actually contending, hopefully it's sooner rather than later

 

[2big2strom]

Shai Bolton can do things no one else in this team is capable of. That clean pick up side step shimmy and goal off a step from 50 was RIDICULOUS!

This guy will win us finals when we are actually contending, hopefully it's sooner rather than later

I can't wait to see a P Voss celebration of a Shai Bolton goal in a final

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

Any noticeable differences between Serong and Brayshaw as captains?

To me, and I could be wrong, but I think we play so much better and win most games when Andy is skipper. The stats would be interesting.

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

I think our free kick against for holding differential for tall players must be about -50 this year.

Our boys get mauled every week and no whistles, and for laughs they sometimes are the ones who get pinged.

 

[Mr Cheese]

They don't produce a whole game pressure graph do they? Would be interesting. North's pressure and offensive midfield work was elite. Their skills, defensive inside work and the quality of their bottom 10 players or so is very much the opposite. The brief periods when our midfield gained a clear ascendancy we scored with almost unopposed ease.

My impression from the ground was our response to them getting on top in the midfield was to ruck Darcy more (Jackson got his arse handed to him) who I thought increasing got the better of Xerri in the ruck as the game went on, banishing Bolton forward who couldn't get near it on the ball and putting a plus one at the back of the stoppage* (Johnson when I noticed it).
My other unvalidated by a replay viewing thought is that Erasmus failed to shut down LSU in a run with role and then not winning any ball himself later got pulled for Fyfe, which can't have been the original plan.

*Clarkson's response to this was to play a spare in defence (I turned to my mate and said 'what is it 2012 or something?'). This suggests to me he's more interested in keeping his job than anything else.

Great insights from the ground, love your work.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

The women always seem to take more pride and time with the song. Pisses me off the lack of passion for the song these days.

There’s a very good reason for that.

 

[anchor man]

Yeah righto - so you are saying there’s a heap of people on here that are secretly non-freo fans but just spend hours of their time anyway watching every minute of every game this team played year in year out, posting on the freo board every week just for, I don’t know - some perverse enjoyment?

Put it that way, or whatever you want, most that come bag after a loss or a fighting win like last night are seldom seen after a win.
Never read a post that praises after a win.

 

[mattis117]

Geez so many people measuring us against some ridiculous standard.
We won what we usually lose in the past.

We are a maturing side that found a way to hang on and win . Same as Gold Coast game. Not as good today but found a way.

Our entries to inside 50 created so many marks and then shots on goal by all the forwards and hardly any of them were converted. Should of won easily, we were always going to win, just made it hard for ourselves.

We are the sum of all our parts. It’s why keeping a winning side together has been important. Amiss and Treacy are finding ways to be very valuable and surprisingly release Voss to be the goal scorer.

Serong and Brayshaw find ways to get the momentum back. Yes they have flaws, but collectively the team works and is evolving.

On the right track. Not at the top 2 or 3 sides level yet but will be great to see how they go against these sides as we develop throughout the year.

100%. I find it so bizarre that people use Voss' form to criticise Amiss. They are the sum of their parts and we're so fortunate to have three keys that genuinely don't care who gets the chocolates, they just want to win. They're smart and realise that Voss is the one with the third defender and he's usually good enough to beat his man.

Every shot on goal is a roll of the dice and some nights you keep rolling 1s. We've had other games this season that have been the opposite.

 

[anchor man]

I hope after last nights game, people will understand that Jackson cannot handle rucks like Xerri, Nankervis, even Goldie. They are able to take away his run and leap. Darcy is the opposite, he stands toe to toe and takes them on physically.
Darcy is a must.

 

[kp junior]

Might actually force my way through the replay just to see what happened while he was in there in the mid. Definitely felt he was invisible in contest as a mid but im pretty sure his two goals were a result of playing as a mid soooo...

Yeah I might be setting unrealistic expectations on Jacko actually
For those complaining about the umpiring - Banfields holding the ball on the goal line and Fyfe’s very dubious handball with a couple of minutes left in their forward 50 were very fortunate.

 

[freoextra]

Fred's ability to cover ground at speed means hes all but a non negotiable. I know many dont rate him and he needs to lift but hes pretty critical to team. Stats have him a clear third for pressure acts and I may be wrong but im pretty sure he nailed Hansen late running i50 where most of team dont have that speed to get there.

If Fyfe is going to play the sub role and we're running Jackson as a ruck - mid we're forced to sub Ras or one of the talls (and redeploy jackson). We can't possible be subbing a runner can we? Its an issue going forward.

Agreed, I reckon it was between Darcy and Ras (wouldn’t mind if they went with Johnson occasionally) as it was Fyfe coming in but clearly Darcy was playing a vital role.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

They don't produce a whole game pressure graph do they? Would be interesting. North's pressure and offensive midfield work was elite. Their skills, defensive inside work and the quality of their bottom 10 players or so is very much the opposite. The brief periods when our midfield gained a clear ascendancy we scored with almost unopposed ease.

My impression from the ground was our response to them getting on top in the midfield was to ruck Darcy more (Jackson got his arse handed to him) who I thought increasing got the better of Xerri in the ruck as the game went on, banishing Bolton forward who couldn't get near it on the ball and putting a plus one at the back of the stoppage* (Johnson when I noticed it).
My other unvalidated by a replay viewing thought is that Erasmus failed to shut down LSU in a run with role and then not winning any ball himself later got pulled for Fyfe, which can't have been the original plan.

*Clarkson's response to this was to play a spare in defence (I turned to my mate and said 'what is it 2012 or something?'). This suggests to me he's more interested in keeping his job than anything else.

A graph of pressure in terms of field position and time throughout a game would be great.

In saying that whilst it felt North were cutting us up at times if you look at the numbers we were far more effective on most measures of ball movement.

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

I hope after last nights game, people will understand that Jackson cannot handle rucks like Xerri, Nankervis, even Goldie. They are able to take away his run and leap. Darcy is the opposite, he stands toe to toe and takes them on physically.
Darcy is a must.

The Darcy hate has been unfair to him, he has had no pre season and been injured frequently. Judge him after he gets match fit and a decent run at it. Switta was copping the same abuse but he built into it after a run of games and has been really good recently.