Preview Changes vs WCE

[tazaa]

I’m really hoping in a way that last week was a mix of Freo being that good and knowing these are the types of games they have dropped in the past ( I actually believe this, they were very good for 4 qtrs) and us drinking our own bath water after a good win against a good opponent.

We have had a few opportunities for this in the past but really hope this is the time where we as a club and players on the field take the moment and genuinely grow up.

Are Freo scary good?
I always rank this years top side against premiers and dominant side of previous years. I think in the modern game the scary good sides such as Essendon 2000 and Geelong 2011 are a thing of the past.

Brisbane are quality but we drew with them in 2025 and went with them for 3 and half quarters earlier this year.
Collingwood? We troubled them in 2022, were 9 goals up on them in 2024 and matched them for 3 quarters in 2025.
Geelong is the only recent premier we can't get near but I wouldn't call any of the Geelong sides in the 2020's scary good.

The last scary good premier would probably be Melbourne if I am being legit. Defensively and offensively we just could not go with them.

The Richmond side that won 3 flags held no fear for us as Richmond has been our bitches for 36 years.


So maybe Freo are the benchmark for 2026 and in their own right deserve to be the flag favourite.
But they are in no way a 124 points better than us. No chance.
The fact we came into that game with that kind of preparation off the bye says to me that the headspace of the players is nowhere near acceptable.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

So I've been busy and haven't checked into Big Footy since last week. I assume everything has been pretty calm around here in my absence? Just measured and sensible commentary supporting our team?

It’s been a jolly good show old chap. Things on the up and up. The group feel the lads can give Wet Toast a good old rogering on the weekend. It will then be Pimm’s O’Clock and later on at the Pickled Possum for some Welsh rarebit and claret.

 

[7577969923]

Their job is to play, and they didn't do that. Therefore, we've really no obligation to support them in the classic happy clapping sense

It seems the dire performance of our team has stripped your ability to appreciate subtle humour and sarcasm. If I didn't know better, I'd wonder if you were American.

 

[7577969923]

It’s been a jolly good show old chap. Things on the up and up. The group feel the lads can give Wet Toast a good old rogering on the weekend. It will then be Pimm’s O’Clock and later on at the Pickled Possum for some Welsh rarebit and claret.

Sounds like a cracking good time. Sad that I missed it.

 

[tazaa]

So I've been busy and haven't checked into Big Footy since last week. I assume everything has been pretty calm around here in my absence? Just measured and sensible commentary supporting our team?

Honestly?

Things have never been the same since Gold Coast pumped us at their home ground in 2015.

There had been bad performances against Adelaide and Brisbane and Carlton beforehand but that game was the one whereby the club itself was never to be taken seriously as a flag threat.

And so 2016 rolls around and we fall into a heap by sacking champions by the end of the year and the rest is history.

But I would say that game was the event that turned this whole board into non-believers, sceptics and broke any trust that was established between club and supporters.

Shoutout to 2008 vs Port Adelaide round 22 and also round 21 vs Freo 2012 as other trust breaking events.

But yes - I would say by all things measured, most have just reverted back to status quo about the massive underlying issues that have plagued us for the past decade.

 

[7577969923]

Honestly?

Things have never been the same since Gold Coast pumped us at their home ground in 2015.

There had been bad performances against Adelaide and Brisbane and Carlton beforehand but that game was the one whereby the club itself was never to be taken seriously as a flag threat.

And so 2016 rolls around and we fall into a heap by sacking champions by the end of the year and the rest is history.

But I would say that game was the event that turned this whole board into non-believers, sceptics and broke any trust that was established between club and supporters.

Shoutout to 2008 vs Port Adelaide round 22 and also round 21 vs Freo 2012 as other trust breaking events.

But yes - I would say by all things measured, most have just reverted back to status quo about the massive underlying issues that have plagued us for the past decade.

See my response to Zoomba.

 

[zoomba23]

It seems the dire performance of our team has stripped your ability to appreciate subtle humour and sarcasm. If I didn't know better, I'd wonder if you were American.

Yes, well, my apologies. If I had more faith in other users I'd have picked up on it immediately. Unfortunately some posters expect everyone to wear the continuation of these awe-inspiring shit results without any emotional reaction whatsoever. So I played a straight bat.

In the meantime, I'll be off to shoot a trespasser and shit in my toilet with its bafflingly high water levels

 

[dus]

Had a look at training this morning.

It was a very light run. I hope they don’t take these standards into the game tomorrow. Was pretty sloppy in the rain.

Zurharr with the forwards.
X didn’t do much.
Harvey brings good energy.
Logue is always piss farting around. Still smiling for those wondering.
Trembath the only one who’s kicking looks powerful.
Larkey first pumping after kicking them 25m out directly in front. Bit cringe.

Overall they were in good spirits.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

Had a look at training this morning.

It was a very light run. I hope they don’t take these standards into the game tomorrow. Was pretty sloppy in the rain.

Zurharr with the forwards.
X didn’t do much.
Harvey brings good energy.
Logue is always piss farting around. Still smiling for those wondering.
Trembath the only one who’s kicking looks powerful.
Larkey first pumping after kicking them 25m out directly in front. Bit cringe.

Overall they were in good spirits.

We need one of those Hannibal Lecter masks for Logue to stop him smiling.

 

[Liam Boy]

Are Freo scary good?
I always rank this years top side against premiers and dominant side of previous years. I think in the modern game the scary good sides such as Essendon 2000 and Geelong 2011 are a thing of the past.

Brisbane are quality but we drew with them in 2025 and went with them for 3 and half quarters earlier this year.
Collingwood? We troubled them in 2022, were 9 goals up on them in 2024 and matched them for 3 quarters in 2025.
Geelong is the only recent premier we can't get near but I wouldn't call any of the Geelong sides in the 2020's scary good.

The last scary good premier would probably be Melbourne if I am being legit. Defensively and offensively we just could not go with them.

The Richmond side that won 3 flags held no fear for us as Richmond has been our bitches for 36 years.


So maybe Freo are the benchmark for 2026 and in their own right deserve to be the flag favourite.
But they are in no way a 124 points better than us. No chance.
The fact we came into that game with that kind of preparation off the bye says to me that the headspace of the players is nowhere near acceptable.

Melbourne 2021? They definitely hit their straps late in the season and played an insane grand final, but we went with them for 3 quarters earlier in the year, and we were terrible.

 

[amaz199]

I've never felt so flat going into a weekend.

I went with a few workmates to watch Adelaide vs Dogs and just the sheer work rate difference... we have so much work to do.

 

[7577969923]

Yes, well, my apologies. If I had more faith in other users I'd have picked up on it immediately. Unfortunately some posters expect everyone to wear the continuation of these awe-inspiring shit results without any emotional reaction whatsoever. So I played a straight bat.

In the meantime, I'll be off to shoot a trespasser and shit in my toilet with its bafflingly high water levels

Cold splash on the bum. Reminds me of American toilets. Why do they have so much water?

It was probably a good week to take a break and remind myself that it's just footy. I think I posted something earlier this year along the lines of 'we'll have some great days, and we'll still have some shit ones, and the Big Footy peeps would overreact to both.' The Freo game was definitely shitter than I had envisaged, but I am confident we can put in a massively better effort this week.

 

[Chadwiko]

VFL teams are out.

Banch and RHJ listed as playing despite being an AFL emergency, so not flying over to Perth it would seem. Means Toby Pink is the only available emergency for tomorrow's game.

Dawson and Fisher also playing so have been sent home early from WA it would seem.

 

[Passmore]

Yes, but we just lost by 130... not as if we're flying with them in.

The whole gist of wanting excitement in the team is bang on IMO, we do actually need a spark.



Still don't like it, though it does make sense. Get the **** off the ground and go have your little dalliance with your old teammates laters.

I'd have thought they'd all be feeling too much shame to want to look anyone in the eye, let alone socialise.

Grab a couple a stubbys, sit in the corner and contemplate what just happened.

 

[shintemaster]

I'll be mildly content if we beat WC by at least 1 point more than we lost last week.

 

[7577969923]

Are Freo scary good?
I always rank this years top side against premiers and dominant side of previous years. I think in the modern game the scary good sides such as Essendon 2000 and Geelong 2011 are a thing of the past.

Brisbane are quality but we drew with them in 2025 and went with them for 3 and half quarters earlier this year.
Collingwood? We troubled them in 2022, were 9 goals up on them in 2024 and matched them for 3 quarters in 2025.
Geelong is the only recent premier we can't get near but I wouldn't call any of the Geelong sides in the 2020's scary good.

The last scary good premier would probably be Melbourne if I am being legit. Defensively and offensively we just could not go with them.

The Richmond side that won 3 flags held no fear for us as Richmond has been our bitches for 36 years.


So maybe Freo are the benchmark for 2026 and in their own right deserve to be the flag favourite.
But they are in no way a 124 points better than us. No chance.
The fact we came into that game with that kind of preparation off the bye says to me that the headspace of the players is nowhere near acceptable.

I think Freo are better than they have been given credit for. Well, at least up until now. That lack of credit is probably due to a few reasons - they are coming from the midfield last year, with no sustained track record of success (Sydney, Geelong, and Brisbane possibly get the inverse of this, too much credit), they are from interstate, and they hadn't really buried a team until us. They have a great list, are mostly healthy, and playing a good system. If everybody plays at their best, I think Freo and Sydney are the hardest to beat.

I'd say they are two years ahead of us.

 

[Sticksphat]

I think Freo are better than they have been given credit for. Well, at least up until now. That lack of credit is probably due to a few reasons - they are coming from the midfield last year, with no sustained track record of success (Sydney, Geelong, and Brisbane possibly get the inverse of this, too much credit), they are from interstate, and they hadn't really buried a team until us. They have a great list, are mostly healthy, and playing a good system. If everybody plays at their best, I think Freo and Sydney are the hardest to beat.

I'd say they are light years ahead of us.

FIFY

 

[chubbspeterson]

And 2cm taller than Matthew Scarlett was. Height isn’t everything when it comes to defending well.

Sure. Scarlett was athletic. Pink is honest, tries hard, good clubman, but not athletic enough.
None of Pink, Corr and Logue are good enough. I'd honestly cut them all and invite down a couple of state league players.
Even young McMenamin from Western Jets has more athleticism and potential to develop into something.

 

[chubbspeterson]

I think you'd still be pretty upset if we dropped Logue, Zurhaar, Spargo and McDonald and co and we lost by 6 goals on the weekend. Despite last weeks horror show the team we picked is still our most competitive sans perhaps one or two players. The reaility is underperforming veterans will be phased out of the team when we have talent ready to replace them.

It's a fair point, but the counterpoint is Dees have added a 2nd gamer and two debutants from the MSD against *.
I think after that Cats belting at Marvel, he's been reluctant to make the team composition too young ever since.
I would agree with you that Harvey, Whitlock and Blamires are really the only one's who performed well enough in the VFL. I guess you don't know if they are ready until you play them though.
Hopefully the compositon of the team trends towards the younger kids by year end after we grab some more wins.

 

[DrZaius]

Im tipping you were one of these bananas going troppo when we appointed him.

What would this change other than demonstrating the ability to change his opinion based on new information?
You know, that thing called critical thinking.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Their job is to play, and they didn't do that. Therefore, we've really no obligation to support them in the classic happy clapping sense

They deserve all the feedback they get after not turning up like that. 7th highest loss in club history I think I read.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Are Freo scary good?
I always rank this years top side against premiers and dominant side of previous years. I think in the modern game the scary good sides such as Essendon 2000 and Geelong 2011 are a thing of the past.

Brisbane are quality but we drew with them in 2025 and went with them for 3 and half quarters earlier this year.
Collingwood? We troubled them in 2022, were 9 goals up on them in 2024 and matched them for 3 quarters in 2025.
Geelong is the only recent premier we can't get near but I wouldn't call any of the Geelong sides in the 2020's scary good.

The last scary good premier would probably be Melbourne if I am being legit. Defensively and offensively we just could not go with them.

The Richmond side that won 3 flags held no fear for us as Richmond has been our bitches for 36 years.


So maybe Freo are the benchmark for 2026 and in their own right deserve to be the flag favourite.
But they are in no way a 124 points better than us. No chance.
The fact we came into that game with that kind of preparation off the bye says to me that the headspace of the players is nowhere near acceptable.

Yep. 10 goal loss you could probably understand if they had a killer quarter like Crows and Cats did, not 120 points.

 

[ferball]

**** off Clarkson.

I loved the Gold Coast win but it was hardly a 4 quarter effort. And 1 week before that we were tripe vs the crows.

Yet all senior players from a stretch of 2x thumpings + 1x get out of jail win are safe and "backed in".

Starting to really feel we're going nowhere in the big picture with this guy.

He's Fawlty Towers, Hey Hey It's Saturday.

Great in their day. But it's not their day anymore.

Faulty Towers is still great. Hey Hey Idiots Saturday never was.

 

[DuckYeah]

McCarthy, Duursma and Ginbey would be in their top 5-10 players. Ginbey is likely leading their B+F. I think losing to West Coast this weekend would be a far bigger indictment on the group than what happened vs Fremantle.

If we can win the next 3 games we get to 8-8. I'd say most supporters would have taken that at the start of the year.

Maybe? What are melbourne on? because thats where this club should be.

 

[DuckYeah]

**** off Clarkson.

I loved the Gold Coast win but it was hardly a 4 quarter effort. And 1 week before that we were tripe vs the crows.

Yet all senior players from a stretch of 2x thumpings + 1x get out of jail win are safe and "backed in".

Starting to really feel we're going nowhere in the big picture with this guy.

He's Fawlty Towers, Hey Hey It's Saturday.

Great in their day. But it's not their day anymore.

Yep. Im about done with him, but I have the opinion his coaching authority should be revoked and he is strictly a manager of cohesion and culture. Can run the main sessions but we seriously need a contingency plan and implement it Full Time in 2028. Give the keys to am assistant and not that muppet budget hack from Boxhill that has landed as an assistant