Strategy Changes: Round 8 St. Kilda vs Fremantle

[Mogumber]

Thought he was good Johnson.
I'm reserving my judgment on coach, team, cohesion until I see what we deliver against the Saints.
Next 2 weeks are big tests for Freo

 

[Cobbler]

Thought he was good Johnson.
I'm reserving my judgment on coach, team, cohesion until I see what we deliver against the Saints.
Next 2 weeks are big tests for Freo

Lose to Saints - Ross tactically out coaches JL. Noise gets loud about Freo and what do they stand for.

Beat Pies on Thursday night - We’re back baby!

You know it’s 97% chance of happening.

The other 3% is reserved for 2 losses.

 

[freoextra]

Actually, was that the night that Ballas went bonkas and kicked 4... had a ripped shirt etc?

I was there on a footy trip with mates an absolutely “delicious” game with the Carlton fans getting pretty feral. Cannot begin to describe how cold it was that night, needed so many beers to warm up.

 

[thefreodockers]

From Hase in the West, seems to go against the Johnson haters...

Johnson Makes His Mark

Matt Johnson might have finally arrived for Fremantle.

His performance against Adelaide was arguably the best of his career for so many reasons and his emergence could be pivotal to the midfield balance at the Dockers.

Not only did he have an equal career-best 27 disposals, but Johnson was tough in the contest and laid several big tackles. Consistency is now the key for the young Docker.

Totally agree with Hase’s take.

Johnson had a great game, apart from one howler and a couple of turnovers in congestion trying to get the ball out. However he had first hands to the ball and was involved in a lot of our clearances that led to scores along with a few score assists of his own.

He was focused on by the Schofield and Pav rather unfairly when watching the game back, and then not given the kudos when he did good work.

One example was Pav called him out for bad decision making when he tried to soccer the ball forward out of a stoppage rather than taking possession and hand balling. In a stoppage soon after, he collected the ball under pressure and when he handballed forwards (which switta unfortunately dropped through no fault of the handball), Pav said he should have just banged it forwards. Can’t have it both ways there.

 

[Vimal Anand]

What kind of game plan we should take against saints? Look like we stopped Adelaide's free flowing game by repeatedly making stoppages which helped Darcy as well as our midfield. we should have the same against saints? Or by doing that we are playing to saints' strength? Our defensive style not looking bad - because when ever we get clearance our forwards (mainly Bolton Treacy and other forwards to lesser extend) are capitalising ?

 

[apuchar]

It seems when they lose the stoppage they don't play well. I imagine that will be an area of interest to us

 

[332docker]

Totally agree with Hase’s take.

Johnson had a great game, apart from one howler and a couple of turnovers in congestion trying to get the ball out. However he had first hands to the ball and was involved in a lot of our clearances that led to scores along with a few score assists of his own.

He was focused on by the Schofield and Pav rather unfairly when watching the game back, and then not given the kudos when he did good work.

One example was Pav called him out for bad decision making when he tried to soccer the ball forward out of a stoppage rather than taking possession and hand balling. In a stoppage soon after, he collected the ball under pressure and when he handballed forwards (which switta unfortunately dropped through no fault of the handball), Pav said he should have just banged it forwards. Can’t have it both ways there.

Pav has always been an ordinary game day commentator

 

[Superkoops]

Totally agree with Hase’s take.

Johnson had a great game, apart from one howler and a couple of turnovers in congestion trying to get the ball out. However he had first hands to the ball and was involved in a lot of our clearances that led to scores along with a few score assists of his own.

He was focused on by the Schofield and Pav rather unfairly when watching the game back, and then not given the kudos when he did good work.

One example was Pav called him out for bad decision making when he tried to soccer the ball forward out of a stoppage rather than taking possession and hand balling. In a stoppage soon after, he collected the ball under pressure and when he handballed forwards (which switta unfortunately dropped through no fault of the handball), Pav said he should have just banged it forwards. Can’t have it both ways there.

I didn’t think Pav was too bad. That soccer effort by MJ was not a good decision. All he said was he needed to get down and pick up the ball and take the tackle.

The other comment I heard (again fair) was Pav (and Schofield) commented after MJ took too long to dispose of the ball around the middle of the ground (ignoring some shorter options before bombing into the 50 to no advantage of our forwards). On the whole Johnson was much improved but those comments I heard were fair.

 

[Mr Cheese]

What kind of game plan we should take against saints? Look like we stopped Adelaide's free flowing game by repeatedly making stoppages which helped Darcy as well as our midfield. we should have the same against saints? Or by doing that we are playing to saints' strength? Our defensive style not looking bad - because when ever we get clearance our forwards (mainly Bolton Treacy and other forwards to lesser extend) are capitalising ?

Ross will block the corridor so marks between the arcs will be important. Marshall's a good ruck, so having Darcy and Jackson would be ideal. Big mids, but slow, so I'd back in our guys to get it out. Windhager will go to Serong you'd think. I hope we put a fwd tag on NWM/Sinclair, definitely can't let them waltz it out. Slightly concerned we're a bit tall at the back, but if the mids get on top, that should become a plus. Not sure they have the defenders to deal with our forward line if it gets half-decent service. OMac stiff to miss.

 

[DQ 4EVER]

No, Reid did exactly what he needed too. Was a quieter game, but he’s a young guy so that’s going to happen. Don’t rest him - still bobbed up and kicked a crucial goal and probably should’ve had a couple more.

He has proven to us all he’s a walk up start, so just leave him there.

I've seen "the Magictones" play at Marvel before. Keep him in.
That Vic clay causes a shifting surface some of us WA boys struggle with, but not "the Magictones"
Let him have fun in front of his family & his old friends
I'm gonna love watching him live again

 

[SiempreFreo]

Totally agree with Hase’s take.

Johnson had a great game, apart from one howler and a couple of turnovers in congestion trying to get the ball out. However he had first hands to the ball and was involved in a lot of our clearances that led to scores along with a few score assists of his own.

He was focused on by the Schofield and Pav rather unfairly when watching the game back, and then not given the kudos when he did good work.

One example was Pav called him out for bad decision making when he tried to soccer the ball forward out of a stoppage rather than taking possession and hand balling. In a stoppage soon after, he collected the ball under pressure and when he handballed forwards (which switta unfortunately dropped through no fault of the handball), Pav said he should have just banged it forwards. Can’t have it both ways there.

I’ve watched game 3 times now (firstly at Optus). At the game I thought overall it was his best game for Freo.

I recorded game (McLachlan & co commentating, not Pav) and searched the footage twice for the ‘bad’ game MJ is supposed to have had. Couldn’t find it.

Footage+ stats tell the story. Objectively, he had a pretty good game.

 

[blue shark]

I didn’t think Pav was too bad. That soccer effort by MJ was not a good decision. All he said was he needed to get down and pick up the ball and take the tackle.

The other comment I heard (again fair) was Pav (and Schofield) commented after MJ took too long to dispose of the ball around the middle of the ground (ignoring some shorter options before bombing into the 50 to no advantage of our forwards). On the whole Johnson was much improved but those comments I heard were fair.

Only concern for me is that his kicking is loopy.
If he can kick it low and hit those passes he will be very good.

 

[bushchook]

Johnson made a couple of bad decisions but that comes with experience. The bigger issue is his up and under kicks into the 50.

 

[stax on the mull]

Johnson did hit one up that was good flat kick for Freddy to mark inside 50m - not the high bomb to Freddy in the last quarter that people are complaining about which I think might have ended up with the Dudley advantage play for a point.
This one was in the 2nd quarter and Freddy kicked a point from a set shot. It would have been 9 goals to 3 goals at that point, but then Adelaide got a quick one from Thilthorpe shortly after that miss, and then another to get it back to 20pts at half time.

 

[stax on the mull]

I think sometimes impressions are formed from a culmination of factors that have lead to a mistake created from team play and one person in the chain is singled out because fans remember some anxiety about his skill set from the past. Like in the last quarter when Johnson kicked it back to the centre when we were attacking and got the ball to Draper. It was a perfectly good kick but he sort of had the chance to kick deep inside 50m himself. But then Draper handballed it Clark and Clark kicked a slow one out wide to the other side to Frederick who waited for it (maybe the crackdown on the 15m rule sometimes makes a player wait for it rather than moving closer to protect the ball) and Adelaide intercepted and took it down for a score. People who worry Johnson might not use the ball as well as others go back and blame him for starting it.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

The Jackson decision shapes as almost being season defining. Dude was our best player before going down playing entirely ruck so do we go tall with him onball or is back to the forwadine for Oscar?

Who do you even drop for him if he's onball?

 

[Deveraux]

The Jackson decision shapes as almost being season defining. Dude was our best player before going down playing entirely ruck so do we go tall with him onball or is back to the forwadine for Oscar?

Who do you even drop for him if he's onball?

Eh?

Everyone can read the tea leaves mate.. oscar out Jackson in.

Unfortunate for Oscar but that's footy.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Eh?

Everyone can read the tea leaves mate.. oscar out Jackson in.

Unfortunate for Oscar but that's footy.

I just dont want him in the forwardline, he is clearly best staying around the ball as much as possible and playing as a 3rd tall is a waste of his talent.

 

[BeinPurplenGreen]

The Jackson decision shapes as almost being season defining. Dude was our best player before going down playing entirely ruck so do we go tall with him onball or is back to the forwadine for Oscar?

Who do you even drop for him if he's onball?

I don't think we have to think of it as "Dropping someone" directly for Lukey. We have plenty of injury and form (and suspension) issues that already create vacancies each week.

I've always said I think Lukey is just a tall midfielder - not a key forward or a real first ruck - and so in terms of this week it might work out something like Lukey in, Narkle out (harsh on Narkle I know) or maybe Switta out, Lukey in.

Longer term, Lukey (and FWIW the likes of Bolton or shudder Bolton and Kozzie) rotating through the midfield really does put pressure on the likes of MJ, Sharp, JOM, plus it allows more rotations and rest for the likes of Serong, Young and Brayshaw.

I've really liked the natural intensity Bolton brings when he is in the midfield, although JLo is already coaching it out of him with the midfield / high half forward defensive zoning rubbish.

I don't mean this as rude about Lukey, but he's always struck me as a "see ball - get to ball - contest ball - kick ball" type. He's not the more cerebral off ball leading forward who is looking two kicks ahead with leading patterns, space assessments and double back opportunities. And we really don't need Lukey to do that, Treacy, Bolton and even recently Amiss / Duds / Reid have that forward craft covered enough.

 

[maccamk]

I’ve watched game 3 times now (firstly at Optus). At the game I thought overall it was his best game for Freo.

I recorded game (McLachlan & co commentating, not Pav) and searched the footage twice for the ‘bad’ game MJ is supposed to have had. Couldn’t find it.

Footage+ stats tell the story. Objectively, he had a pretty good game.

Twice for me and similarly a great game. Inside mid is a tough position. Even the best players make howlers every game and turn it over.

 

[EastcoastDocker]

Does anyone else find Johnson's handballing technique weird?

 

[Stinky Lomax]

I think Jackson rucking instead of being a pure mid is to our best advantage. He becomes a 4th mid in that situation & tough to match on as it’s only the oppo ruck there to do it. His role & impact in that 3rd quarter of the GF with Melbourne & he does similar with us is to hard to ignore.

My guess is he comes in as that forward/ruck option but will go in for the odd mid role.

 

[maccamk]

Dudley to the sub.

Ras in for Narkle. We get a 4-5 week opportunity with Jom out to see if he is going to make it. Ras was a victim of circumstances to have not played this week due to a couple of weeks of being the emergency.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Dudley to the sub.

Ras in for Narkle. We get a 4-5 week opportunity with Jom out to see if he is going to make it. Ras was a victim of circumstances to have not played this week due to a couple of weeks of being the emergency.

WE ARE NOT REBUILDING

 

[TheMcManusNose]

Totally agree with Hase’s take.

Johnson had a great game, apart from one howler and a couple of turnovers in congestion trying to get the ball out. However he had first hands to the ball and was involved in a lot of our clearances that led to scores along with a few score assists of his own.

He was focused on by the Schofield and Pav rather unfairly when watching the game back, and then not given the kudos when he did good work.

One example was Pav called him out for bad decision making when he tried to soccer the ball forward out of a stoppage rather than taking possession and hand balling. In a stoppage soon after, he collected the ball under pressure and when he handballed forwards (which switta unfortunately dropped through no fault of the handball), Pav said he should have just banged it forwards. Can’t have it both ways there.

Yep that particular stoppage stuck in my mind when he banged it off the deck

Less than a minute prior at a previous stoppage Brayshaw had blindly slammed the ball on the boot in a similar fashion but just happened to have it land away from an Adelaide player. Exactly the same instinct in a near identical location. Commentary did not critise Brayshaw.

Agree with anyone who says Brayshaw has more credits to make that call though.

However this is the thing with players like Johnson and I think Walker is exactly the same - both fast with good skill but prone to the Danyle Pearce. The only way these guys learn is by making these mistakes at the top level and feeling out what works and what does not. Over time (and I mean time), they become less prone (but not immune) to the Danyle Pearce. Johnson is already getting caught HTB far less than say his first 20 games - it's not even really an issue for him this season. We could replace Johnson and Walker tomorrow with some bit player on the fringe of an AFL team who won't make mistakes trying to pull off something mercurial but will by the same token never be able to actually be a player who pulls it off and dances through 3 opposition to hit someone on the tit streaming towards goal. Not everyone is Hayden Young and doing it in junior, sometimes these guys need time and leeway.