Are we capable?

[Unique Name]

We sure are.
But we need a few things to go our way.

We need the Macca, Dawson, Johnson combo fit and firing and we need a forward structure of 2 talls and a resting ruck so Pav doesn't get double/tripled teamed.

Our midfield can do the rest. If we can get Fyfe even close to early season fitness we will roll any team we meet.

 

[danstar]

Crows really stand no chance against us at Subi.

I can see the Hawks playing dirty against them, a certainty they will come out bruised.

I reckon the phil walsh motivation is lifting there performance by 50% for each game im worried if we have to face them

 

[Tas]

Of course we can - nobody expected Hawks to railroad Sydney last year. Sydney were the firm favourites. We now have a bit more finals experience behind us. We are in this race as much as anybody else.

If the Grand Final last year was PF week, Swans would have crushed Hawthorn, I didn't think we played that bad to begin with (didn't convert as well as we should have) but they just smashed us all over the park, everyone played a blinder, even their fringe players were fantastic. Based on that game I thought the Swans would beat Hawks easily but for whatever reason they just didn't perform on GF day.

Getting there is the battle, on GF day I think both remaining sides equally have a very good chance of winning, it just comes down to who brings the heat and who cracks on GF day, it could be either contender.

 

[ImperialPurple]

I reckon the phil walsh motivation is lifting there performance by 50% for each game im worried if we have to face them

Yeah the Phil Walsh factor provides them with a lot of adrenaline and emotional motivaton, but that can only carry them so far. IF they beat Hawthorn, by the time they get to us they will be on their 4th consecutive week of travel.

Rd 23 > Geelong
EF > Melbourne
SF > Melbourne
PF > Perth

I know Adelaide to Melbourne isn't that far, but it is on and off planes, days to and from Adelaide. It will eventually take its toll.

 

[Eski3]

This year is so ridiculously open, it really just depends on who turns up on the day.

All that matters is, can we win the flag? If we turn up, yes absolutely, we can win the flag.

 

[Tas]

Yeah the Phil Walsh factor provides them with a lot of adrenaline and emotional motivaton, but that can only carry them so far. IF they beat Hawthorn, by the time they get to us they will be on their 4th consecutive week of travel.

Rd 23 > Geelong
EF > Melbourne
SF > Melbourne
PF > Perth

I know Adelaide to Melbourne isn't that far, but it is on and off planes, days to and from Adelaide. It will eventually take its toll.

It is the disruption to your preferred routine, just not sleeping in my own bed puts me off whenever I have to travel, the distance doesn't really matter. Those that deal with it best have a lot of experience with it and have established familiar routines when travelling.

 

[ImperialPurple]

It is the disruption to your preferred routine, just not sleeping in my own bed puts me off whenever I have to travel, the distance doesn't really matter. Those that deal with it best have a lot of experience with it and have established familiar routines when travelling.

This is true. But these guys are not used to travelling every week for a month - they usually have a weekend at home in between each trip before they have to turn around and get back on a plane again.

 

[salim malik]

It is the disruption to your preferred routine, just not sleeping in my own bed puts me off whenever I have to travel, the distance doesn't really matter. Those that deal with it best have a lot of experience with it and have established familiar routines when travelling.

Please do every Freo supporter the big favour if you get past Sydney and beat the crappers out of the Eagles.

 

[sproketman]

Yeah the Phil Walsh factor provides them with a lot of adrenaline and emotional motivaton, but that can only carry them so far. IF they beat Hawthorn, by the time they get to us they will be on their 4th consecutive week of travel.

Rd 23 > Geelong
EF > Melbourne
SF > Melbourne
PF > Perth

I know Adelaide to Melbourne isn't that far, but it is on and off planes, days to and from Adelaide. It will eventually take its toll.

If they beat Hawthorn, and I highly doubt they will, it will be a monumental effort. Winning four consecutive games away from home has never been done before.

That said, they have a lot of what it takes to beat the Hawks, and Hawthorn have some pretty important players under injury clouds.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

Oath we are!!! And so are a few other teams.

 

[Tas]

This is true. But these guys are not used to travelling every week for a month - they usually have a weekend at home in between each trip before they have to turn around and get back on a plane again.

I agree. I'd love to see the Crows get to the PF but you would have to think that emotional roller-coaster will make that difficult, it is not easy going to that emotional well, like a sugar rush there is usually a crash after the temporary boost it provides.

I just hope when they do go down, they go out fighting, it is what he would have wanted. I'd hate to see them put in another performance like the Geelong game in R23, that was a horror show type of performance.

 

[Ragtooth]

We're in it. We're a good team.
This is a good laugh:

listen to this on Audioboo

 

[FreoRicci]

We're not in the Prelims by sheer luck. Worked hard all season, yes we had blips. The best thing about this is the pressure is off us big time, experts hardly rating us and talking negative. We like it, underdogs as well get to go about it quietly.
Let Eagles have all the press, expectation as well as anxiety, favouritism mean zilch come a week's time. Still have to play the game
Freo has been there before in 2013, and wasn't that long ago. Players like Hill, Fyfe, Ballas and Walters all have points to prove from that GF as well as many others. It's clear there's the fire burning from that game. Right now we have the injury list at a minimum (touchwood).
We're two games from the prize. Will hope that go all out like their lives depend on it, no other option.

 

[Tas]

Please do every Freo supporter the big favour if you get past Sydney and beat the crappers out of the Eagles.

I'd love for us to make a GF, we actually have beaten the Eagles the last two times we have met, they are playing inspiring footy atm though. I guess we can cross that bridge if we get over the Swans, they showed a lot of ticker last week and I think they are still a dangerous foe.

 

[sij1981]

If hawks win in a close bruising encounter our chances of beating them go up 25% if crows win crows will beat us the phil walsh factor is a massive thing for the crows

That is emotion. And as RTB says emotion does not get things done. Action does.

 

[sij1981]

The notion floating around that Ross has a bag of secrets up his sleeve is rather silly. To say we have flirted with form just to switch it on in the the pre lim...

Ross has been all about player management this season after running out of legs last year. To go into a pre lim with our best players having two games off + being monitored during the season is a massive win for us.

Player management has been Ross'biggest achievement this year and this gives us that extra 1% over the remaining teams. Time will tell if we have the skills and scoring power to win the GF but Ross has set us up to give the best possible crack.

Lets first worry about PF next week then think GF - not now please

 

[sij1981]

Crows really stand no chance against us at Subi.

I can see the Hawks playing dirty against them, a certainty they will come out bruised.

Thats ok let them play dirty and loose a few players to injury, tired bodies (Played in the rain and traveled) and then Adelaide will go all out physically on them...good for us. Am happy for Crows to make it also. Crows played in the dry and travelled les miles - how nice for once Hawks at a disadvantage.

But for WCE sake lets hope North make it as a broken and beaten Swans will be no match for WCE.

 

[PurpleWizard]

Lets first worry about PF next week then think GF - not now please

Winning the pre lim first was implied.

 

[PurpleEyes]

One of the clear differences between West Coast and Freo is the big elephant in the room ... Free Kicks.
West Coasts 2015 Frees For 424 - Frees Against 344 = +80.
Freo 2015 Frees For 394 - Frees Against 446 = -52.
That's a net difference of 132 Frees.

Fremantle's last 11 losses now have all had Fremantle losing the Free Kick count in every one of those games, with a combined tally of Frees For 168 vs Frees Against 239, a nett difference of -71 Frees in 11 matches.

Freo are capable, but I believe the biggest factor will be the umpiring.

 

[freo_wally]

Ross actually gets his hair cut with my barber. She was saying he reckons the hardest thing is that supporters expect him to pull a rabbit out of the hat, but it just doesn't work that way.

 

[purplerunsdeep]

2 more wins. That's it. Simple really

 

[StingBitten]

Good ball use and skills, strong pressure and accurate kicking will win us the flag.

Don't allow space and negate the opposition in the clearances. Tap to the right midfielder who pushes it off to the right half-back/half-forward who makes a calculated kick into the forward 50 (see the first half against St Kilda this year).

Simple.

 

[FreoRicci]

If hawks win in a close bruising encounter our chances of beating them go up 25% if crows win crows will beat us the phil walsh factor is a massive thing for the crows

Emotion can only hold out for so long, 4 straight flight trips as well as bruising encounters- it'll take it's toll.
I'm comfortable knowing we can rise about them in regards to the emotion and give the respect they deserve.

 

[Square Peg]

Ross actually gets his hair cut with my barber. She was saying he reckons the hardest thing is that supporters expect him to pull a rabbit out of the hat, but it just doesn't work that way.

Gold! Every barber in the greater Freo area must claim to clip the Lyon head - my guy reckons he does it.

 

[AAACockburn]

Gold! Every barber in the greater Freo area must claim to clip the Lyon head - my guy reckons he does it.

After the second half of this season I have not needed a haircut either.