Autopsy AFL 2026 Round 9 - Freo v Hawks Thurs May 7th 8:10pm AEST/6:10pm (OS)

[Mr Meow]

No one is sold on Geelong, you only beat us because you got a warm up game the week earlier.

And where have I said otherwise?

"But, but, but...YOUR team!" is such a tired and pathetic routine in gameday threads involving 2 other sides. The discussion was about how these two teams are going and specifically whether Hawthorn's form this year has been amazing. In a Hawthorn gameday thread, that's more relevant than banging on about Geelong.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Wharfie Time originated in 2009 (ironically enough in a prime time game against Hawthorn) Pavlich at the 3QT break gave a speech to the boys and finished off with "Put on your Superman capes boys, it's Wharfie Time" since then Wharfie Time has become a bit of a meme, but since last year, Wharfie Time, accompanied by Hell's Bells, is most commonly brought out in games when the contest is close and Freo look a chance of winning, it essentially gives the entire stadium a boost, the crowd gets much louder and it seems to make the boys take their game up a notch.

It's essentially a message of "Let's end this"

Oh that’s cool I like that. Never heard of it or seen it before tonight tbh. Think I may of seen it but never knew what it was, definitely like that tho.

 

[Purple Suit]

And where have I said otherwise?

"But, but, but...YOUR team!" is such a tired and pathetic routine in gameday threads involving 2 other sides. The discussion was about how these two teams are going and specifically whether Hawthorn's form this year has been amazing. In a Hawthorn gameday thread, that's more relevant than banging on about Geelong.

I never said you were.

You literally said “As far as you referencing Geelong I'm not really sold on us either”

I’m agree with you.

Anyway, how about that game.

 

[Mr Meow]

I never said you were.

You literally said “As far as you referencing Geelong I'm not really sold on us either”

I’m agree with you.

Anyway, how about that game.

He was adding the reference to Geelong as a deflection, I was simply responding to that out of politeness. Whether Geelong are 0-8 or 8-0 has zero relevance on the discussion of how Fremantle or Hawthorn are looking after 9 games this year. That's what made your comment weirder than if you talked about Hawthorn in a Freo vs Hawthorn gameday thread.

It was a good game. I like Freo and wanted them to win. They should take Adelaide's 2025 top-4 spot (if you need to talk about Geelong then the Cats and Swans look like an obvious 2025/2026 swap for now) and hopefully do better in finals than the Crows did.

 

[ceebsaf]

Hoks are the biggest frauds of 2026

 

[Redgum]

Oh that’s cool I like that. Never heard of it or seen it before tonight tbh. Think I may of seen it but never knew what it was, definitely like that tho.

Also our team name "dockers" ( fremantle being a port)relates to the wharf where the labourers (dockers) would load and unload ships, That's why the Pav came up with it.

 

[Mr Meow]

Also our team name "dockers" ( fremantle being a port)relates to the wharf where the labourers (dockers) would load and unload ships, That's why the Pav came up with it.

It doesn't surprise me that someone with the impressive intellect of Pav came up with such a powerful and relevant theme.

 

[hk89]

Nobody has said Hawthorn's form is bad. It just isn't anything amazing. They wouldn't look out of place around 8th and it would not have taken much in a couple of those close games to have them there.

That sounds partly like wishful thinking on your part.

Sydney have probably been the only team in the top 8 that have been consistently solid, and we beat them.

Freo have had a number of close calls like us. We actually compare ok to the rest of the top 8 in terms of flakeyness partly because we've not been pantsed since the opening round. We'll also finish the round in 3rd place despite having already played 5 of the other top 7 teams (as the ladder sits right now), with 3.5 wins (if you'll forgive for counting a draw as half a win) out of those 5 games. We've only played one bottom 4 side so far.

At a quick glance it appears that no other team will have played 5 of tonights top 8 sides by the end of the round, and I don't think many have as many wins as we do. Lions for example have 1 win against a current top 8 side. Sun's only win against top 8 teams is against Geelong. Geelong have 1 win against top 8 sides (Freo), but have another chance against Pies on Saturday. Pies do not have a win against top 8 sides, only the draw against us, but also have a chance to get a win against your mob on Saturday. Even Sydney will only have 3 wins compared to our 3.5 after this round against today's top 8 sides.

So yeah, we won a couple of close games, but that is what good teams are supposed to do. Our record against the top 8 sides is actually very good in comparison to others in the top 8, so I think it would be more accurate to say given our draw so far that we've actually done well and belong in the top 4 at the moment. The squiggle models puts as as second most likely to win the flag (not sure if they update after each day, that might be adjusted after the loss today by the end of the round).

Sounds like you are going with the classic "If my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle." argument, but suggesting if we'd lost close games instead of won (or drawn) them, we'd be a worse ranked side.

We may belong in the bottom of the top 8 eventually (or even lower), but our draw and results says that right now that simply isn't the case, and the respected models out there do not agree with your assessment either.

 

[Mr Meow]

That sounds partly like wishful thinking on your part.

Sydney have probably been the only team in the top 8 that have been consistently solid, and we beat them.

Freo have had a number of close calls like us. We actually compare ok to the rest of the top 8 in terms of flakeyness partly because we've not been pantsed since the opening round. We'll also finish the round in 3rd place despite having already played 5 of the other top 7 teams (as the ladder sits right now), with 3.5 wins (if you'll forgive for counting a draw as half a win) out of those 5 games. We've only played one bottom 4 side so far.

At a quick glance it appears that no other team will have played 5 of tonights top 8 sides by the end of the round, and I don't think many have as many wins as we do. Lions for example have 1 win against a current top 8 side. Sun's only win against top 8 teams is against Geelong. Geelong have 1 win against top 8 sides (Freo), but have another chance against Pies on Saturday. Pies do not have a win against top 8 sides, only the draw against us, but also have a chance to get a win against your mob on Saturday. Even Sydney will only have 3 wins compared to our 3.5 after this round against today's top 8 sides.

So yeah, we won a couple of close games, but that is what good teams are supposed to do. Our record against the top 8 sides is actually very good in comparison to others in the top 8, so I think it would be more accurate to say given our draw so far that we've actually done well and belong in the top 4 at the moment. The squiggle models puts as as second most likely to win the flag (not sure if they update after each day, that might be adjusted after the loss today by the end of the round).

Sounds like you are going with the classic "If my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle." argument, but suggesting if we'd lost close games instead of won (or drawn) them, we'd be a worse ranked side.

We may belong in the bottom of the top 8 eventually (or even lower), but our draw and results says that right now that simply isn't the case, and the respected models out there do not agree with your assessment either.

I've said Hawthorn's form has been closer to solid-decent rather than outstanding/amazing. This is wishful thinking? They are on 6 wins, 2 losses and a draw - with a 1 point win and a 3 point win in there against teams nobody is calling great in 2026. Why would this be called outstanding form rather than decent? A few different bounces of the ball and it could be 4 wins, 5 losses. They are in a great position by banking those wins but the discussion is purely on form.

FWIW I think Geelong are a good chance to lose on Saturday, but if they do win they would be Gunston's late Easter Monday point away from being exactly level with the Hawks - and our form has been nothing special at all.

 

[Xtreme]

Dockers got very lucky.

I still think hawks will get the flag in 2026.

I still fear the hawks though

Hawthorn are serviceable but clearly beatable, need more fire-power in the midfield so if plan a fails.... they can run plan b-z.... not plan a again!

 

[cactuscall]

Dockers got very lucky.

I still think hawks will get the flag in 2026.

I still fear the hawks though

I didn't think that was a particularly great win but also didn't see it as lucky. Didn't seem like much luck was involved when they stepped it up in the last quarter and the Hawks didn't go with them, they've been doing that in games all season. Also Freo 30 scoring shots to 18. Or 27 to 17 if you take away the rushed behinds, so if anything Freo was unlucky not to win by more.

Don't fear the Hawks, Freo have won 8 of the last 9 against them now.

 

[HeHateMe]

Hawthorn haven't played 4 quarters of good footy all year, good teams will punish you as freo did tonight.

There are still positives for hawthorn at the individual level but if we want to make top 4 we will need to figure this out or otherwise we are going to struggle in the 2nd half of the year when teams have gone to work on the players that are in form.

Our fixture from here out should help but right now I wouldn't be surprised if we missed the top 4.

 

[Vindicater]

For large portions of the game Freo looked the better side around the ground but were so inefficient going forward.

It finally clicked in the last quarter and the dam wall broke.

 

[Orange crush]

Cracking game last night ... just rewatched the final term .... boy, oh, boy, wowee ... Dogga was a force of nature

 

[WilloTree]

Hawthorn are serviceable but clearly beatable, need more fire-power in the midfield so if plan a fails.... they can run plan b-z.... not plan a again!

Good post. I think every team is beatable this year. Hawks plan A worked extremely well in the first half, but it relies so heavily on going 'all in' on the Gunston/Watson show. Pretty blood good show, but there didn't seem to be enough levers for the coach to pull when it stopped. Maybe Hawks missed Dear/Chol a bit more than we thought.

 

[danster168]

He's 21 playing as a small lockdown defender in a game where their small forwards had zero influence. Thought he had a good debut.

Not sure what you're getting out of potting a debutant who played his role well.

then he'll hold his spot easily then...

 

[Gavin Excell]

For large portions of the game Freo looked the better side around the ground but were so inefficient going forward.

It finally clicked in the last quarter and the dam wall broke.

Yep exactly
Not sure what the inside 50m count was second half, but it seemed pretty much one way traffic at the end. Margin probably flattered Hawks

 

[Patty_Moz]

Great game to watch, both sides had their moments.

Definitely wouldn’t want to face Hawks in the GF with Chol and Day back.

Set shot goal kicking is still a massive problem for us. So many chances and so many misses.

Great to get the win though.

 

[SSSSSS]

then he'll hold his spot easily then...

Probably should unless someone in the 2s absolutely rips it up. Doesn't deserve to be dropped but there's always someone unlucky to miss out when you're playing pretty good football as a collective.

 

[danster168]

Probably should unless someone in the 2s absolutely rips it up. Doesn't deserve to be dropped but there's always someone unlucky to miss out when you're playing pretty good football as a collective.

it's an immediate drop. 6 touches, barely sighted all night. 1 good kick and no tackles isn't getting him a spot in a top 4 team. Sure, he looks balanced and moves well, but moving well for 6 touches a game ain't cutting the mustard.

 

[Milanista28]

Big fan of Wharfie Time!

 

[Rusty Brookes]

Good post. I think every team is beatable this year. Hawks plan A worked extremely well in the first half, but it relies so heavily on going 'all in' on the Gunston/Watson show. Pretty blood good show, but there didn't seem to be enough levers for the coach to pull when it stopped. Maybe Hawks missed Dear/Chol a bit more than we thought.

Chol has been a huge loss for us. I think he was close to number one for contested marks in the forward 50 when he went down. He creates space for other forwards, puts pressure and takes a good defender out of the equation. Taking nothing away from Freo who were magnificent. The job they did on our small forwards bar Watson was A grade. As good a chance this year and if it's not to be the Hawks, Freo all the way.

 

[SSSSSS]

it's an immediate drop. 6 touches, barely sighted all night. 1 good kick and no tackles isn't getting him a spot in a top 4 team. Sure, he looks balanced and moves well, but moving well for 6 touches a game ain't cutting the mustard.

He's a back pocket that kept either Dudley or Switkowski to a combined 1 goal for the game. I think he's going to be judged on a far more nuanced set of KPIs rather than he didn't get much of the ball.

Could he have got more involved? Sure, I can agree with that but I doubt that getting the ball in his hands as opposed to the likes of Amon/Sicily/Impey would have been front of mind in the match committee.

 

[HeHateMe]

Yeah I wouldn't yet be criticizing Ryan, very early days for the kid need to see more of him at AFL level. But I saw nothing but good things from his end last night, personally.

Also watching him a bit at Box Hill he is a defensive first big moments player, does his job reliably week in week out and knows when it's time to go and put it on the line. Like putting himself forward taking a contestant mark and kicking the winning goal in the dieing seconds in a final for Box hill last year.

Don't think he is the type you want to bet against.

 

[danster168]

He's a back pocket that kept either Dudley or Switkowski to a combined 1 goal for the game. I think he's going to be judged on a far more nuanced set of KPIs rather than he didn't get much of the ball.

Could he have got more involved? Sure, I can agree with that but I doubt that getting the ball in his hands as opposed to the likes of Amon/Sicily/Impey would have been front of mind in the match committee.

he literally was only spotted on tv about 10 times which is crazy. No-one can even confidently say who he was on because he wasn't sighted. Tell me 1 defensive effort that he put on Dudley or Switkowski? 1 spoil, 1 chase down tackle or tap away..anything. just because Dudley or Switkowksi were quiet doesn't mean it had anything to do with his opponent. The ball isn't round, sometimes it just doesn't bounce your way or the ball gets kicked over your head.

He'll be dropped immediately.