Clancee Pearce elevated!

[Nickos66]

True, what would you rather - a 220+ game B/C grader or a 90 game A/B grader?

 

[Jentleman Geff]

A premiership.

 

[Nickos66]

Not sure you'll get too many counter-arguments there.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

You'd be talking about some father-son players though right? In any case, the pieces don't often fall that gracefully, look no further than Melbourne for shitty drafts, every kid's a potential A grader before they've been at the club for 2 years - according to fans, and I guess just like with Melbourne - it's how you develop them that determines their standing in the game.

Apart from Gaz and Hawkins and the fortuitous get of Ottens , Geelong basically built the core of their team over two drafts.
Fremantle have had a couple of successful lead ups to the last two drafts where I think we have set ourselves up like Geelong.
Obviously the ND just gone is all potential at this stage. However people talk about the gun youngsters like Omeara , Martin and to a lesser extent Hogan that slipped us, we have gained Josh Simpson who looks absolutely amazing.
I have no reason to doubt that Josh Simpson will go on and thrill Freo fans and prove to be one of those once in a generation players . Geelong got Gazza by arrangement, we got Josh the hard way.
Melbourne is not a good example to use because they are a pox who deserve nothing but failure. Unfortunately the young kids can't help who takes them. The boys that come to us will look forward to it rather than resenting it.
My point is our success in drafting won't come down to Luck it will be the result of careful consideration and evaluation as was Geelong's two super drafts.

 

[Wee Jessies]

No lack of respect, but he is not yet an A grader. You look at Simpson's pre-draft highlights vs Hill's pre-draft highlights and you'll see the difference. One wants to break the lines by taking on the tackler directly with pace, whereas the other tries to dance around them. Whether Simpson makes it at AFL level is another matter, but it is fairly apparent there are major flaws in Hill's game.

I love Fyfey, he is already averaging 0.7 Brownlow votes a game putting him in the company of Ablett, Swan, S Black and J Selwood. My point was teams don't stick the hard tag on Fyfe or Mundy they go to Hill surely the logical assumption is that the team will try and stop the opposition's most damaging player and by default that would make Hill A-grade (as well if you like). Does he need to learn to handle a tag better? Sure, does the team need to block for him more, definitely.

As far as saying Hill doesn't break the lines like Simpson that is laughable, Simpson won't be able to walk through players at AFL level. If Hill can't use his elite pace to break the lines, he gives himself space to use his elite left foot to find a target, he rarely turns the ball over and that is why is an A-grader in my books.

 

[Jentleman Geff]

I love Fyfey, he is already averaging 0.7 Brownlow votes a game putting him in the company of Ablett, Swan, S Black and J Selwood. My point was teams don't stick the hard tag on Fyfe or Mundy they go to Hill surely the logical assumption is that the team will try and stop the opposition's most damaging player and by default that would make Hill A-grade (as well if you like). Does he need to learn to handle a tag better? Sure, does the team need to block for him more, definitely.

Hill is extremely damaging but also easy to tag. That is why he is tagged.

As far as saying Hill doesn't break the lines like Simpson that is laughable, Simpson won't be able to walk through players at AFL level. If Hill can't use his elite pace to break the lines, he gives himself space to use his elite left foot to find a target, he rarely turns the ball over and that is why is an A-grader in my books.

I am comparing their highlights clips as juniors. Simpson runs in straight lines at the tackler, Hill has always tried to dance around them. It speaks of each players' confidence in their physical ability.

 

[caterina]

Apart from Gaz and Hawkins and the fortuitous get of Ottens , Geelong basically built the core of their team over two drafts.
Fremantle have had a couple of successful lead ups to the last two drafts where I think we have set ourselves up like Geelong.

My point is our success in drafting won't come down to Luck it will be the result of careful consideration and evaluation as was Geelong's two super drafts.

Fred are you saying our drafts in 2011 and 2012 are the equivalent to Geelong's in 1999 and 2001? I agree with you that our drafting has been really solid but that is a pretty big call.
Corey and Bartel were both top 10 picks for a start which we haven't had, and the 1999 draft for Geelong also had a big element of luck. Before picking up Ling and Enright late in the draft they blew three other first and second round picks on guys that were delisted within a few years.
In total in those drafts they had 14 live picks plus father sons, and probably at best half of those ever made it .We haven't had that luxury, for ours to be equivalent every pick we have had in 2011 and 2012 would have to be a top grader.

 

[Nickos66]

Apart from Gaz and Hawkins and the fortuitous get of Ottens , Geelong basically built the core of their team over two drafts.
Fremantle have had a couple of successful lead ups to the last two drafts where I think we have set ourselves up like Geelong.
Obviously the ND just gone is all potential at this stage. However people talk about the gun youngsters like Omeara , Martin and to a lesser extent Hogan that slipped us, we have gained Josh Simpson who looks absolutely amazing.
I have no reason to doubt that Josh Simpson will go on and thrill Freo fans and prove to be one of those once in a generation players . Geelong got Gazza by arrangement, we got Josh the hard way.
Melbourne is not a good example to use because they are a pox who deserve nothing but failure. Unfortunately the young kids can't help who takes them. The boys that come to us will look forward to it rather than resenting it.
My point is our success in drafting won't come down to Luck it will be the result of careful consideration and evaluation as was Geelong's two super drafts.

It's a bit late for me to reply in full but Scarlett was another, i'm fairly certain there was at least 1 or 2 more too.

 

[Jentleman Geff]

Fred are you saying our drafts in 2011 and 2012 are the equivalent to Geelong's in 1999 and 2001? I agree with you that our drafting has been really solid but that is a pretty big call.
Corey and Bartel were both top 10 picks for a start which we haven't had, and the 1999 draft for Geelong also had a big element of luck. Before picking up Ling and Enright late in the draft they blew three other first and second round picks on guys that were delisted within a few years.
In total in those drafts they had 14 live picks plus father sons, and probably at best half of those ever made it .We haven't had that luxury, for ours to be equivalent every pick we have had in 2011 and 2012 would have to be a top grader.

Good summary. They were bumper drafts for Geelong, but they drafted a lot of players in them as well.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Fred are you saying our drafts in 2011 and 2012 are the equivalent to Geelong's in 1999 and 2001? I agree with you that our drafting has been really solid but that is a pretty big call.
Corey and Bartel were both top 10 picks for a start which we haven't had, and the 1999 draft for Geelong also had a big element of luck. Before picking up Ling and Enright late in the draft they blew three other first and second round picks on guys that were delisted within a few years.
In total in those drafts they had 14 live picks plus father sons, and probably at best half of those ever made it .We haven't had that luxury, for ours to be equivalent every pick we have had in 2011 and 2012 would have to be a top grader.

2008 was our equivalent to 1999. Maybe 2009 is the equivlent to 2011.

I am pretty sure we got Suban, Hill, ballantyne, de Boer, Pearce, Broughton, Clarke, Walters, and Broughton.

2009 - Morabito, Barlow, Fyfe


I would say those picks are on par with the Cats draft picks minus a key forward but we didnt have the bonus of a father son pick or 3.

 

[rgauci]

We nailed 2008, 2009 and 2011 IMO.

2008:
Hill, Ballantyne, Suban, Clarke, Walters, DeBoer, C.Pearce, (Broughton - now Tanner Smith)
Now delisted: Bucovaz, Ruffles, Hall, Sibosado, Van Berlo

7 remain on the list with most playing every final last year. Most were rookie age players and can be expected to continue improving. It's impressive that 7 players in our starting 22 can come from the 1 draft. This was the year that started a trend, Fremantle decided to replenish through the draft and it was a bumper draft to make that decision.

By Comparison Collingwood retain 4 picks (Sidebottom, Beams, Blair and Keeffe), Essendon 2 (Hurley, Zaharakis), West Coast 3 (Naitanui, Shuey, Smith). Looking through the draft i can't see a club that i would swap the whole draft with. I wouldn't trade our 7 for any other teams total draft. Melbourne who finished bottom, drafted extremely poorly, worse than most clubs in the bottom 8, that draft should have set them up for the future, but instead has left them languishing. Personally i think we finished 1st in the draft.

2009:
Morabito, Fyfe, Barlow, Silvagni
Now Delisted: Houghton, Roberton, Bollenhagen, Crichton

4 out of a possible 8 remaining on the list with 2 being in our top 10 payers and potentially a 3rd. The Barlow selection in the rookie draft is the late gem that moves us above the masses.

We don't have claims to have won this draft/trade period. Sydney acquired Mumford, Josh Kennedy, McGlynn, Rohan, Jetta, Sam Reid, though if you remove the trading, we probably come out slightly ahead of Sydney purely in terms of drafting. Richmond drafted very well and have a high retention rate. West Coast had a shocker, there first 3 picks were Shepherd, Weedon and Stevens, not dissimilar to our 2010 effort. Geelong despite winning the premiership is one of the best performers in this draft, Menzel, Duncan, Christianson, Vardy, Podisadly. So based on the fact Sydney got 4 premiership players out of 1 draft, with 2 best 22 sidelined with injury, they win this period. With us top 4.

2010:
Pitt, Michie, Mellington (Faulks, Mzungu, Griffin through trading)
Now delisted: Lower, Roberts, Anthony

No Stars, 6 remain on the list but i doubt that will be the case in 2-3 years time. Overall most clubs did poorly with Gold Coast taking everything available.

2011:
Sheridan (16), Crozier (20), Forster (29), Neale (58), Sutcliffe (71), Dawson (PSD), Spurr (rookie), Schloithe (rookie), Menagola (rookie)
Delisted: JWK

Very early days to be assessing, and i think it's best to hold judgement. But compare that list with Port who finished 2nd last; Wingard (6), Renouf (pick 33 trade), Ebert (pick 28 trade), Ah Chee (45), Blee (51), McCarthy (PSD - RIP), Pfeiffer (rookie), D. Butcher (rookie). I didn't compare with Gold Coast who finished last because they took minimal players. Maybe i don't know much about the Port Adelaide players, but that list doesn't scream bumper draft.

In reality GWS picked the eyes out of this draft and it's difficult to see any team doing particularly well besides them.

Since 2008 we've done very well through drafting and some trading. Our net gain from 2006 and 2007 is Chris Mayne and Kepler Bradley. Both coming from the 2007 draft. That is deplorable. 2004 and 2005 is just is probably worse with the net gain being Garrick Ibbotson.

Short Summary: Good 2008-2012, God awful shit 2004-2007, Good 1999-2003

Out of interest if you look through the management at Fremantle, most turned over around 2007-8, Harris, Rosich, Bond, Lloyd, Parker and personally i've liked our direction since then. We have the best playing list we've ever had and the best coaching panel. In the next 5 years we should have the leagues best facilities. We aren't in debt, we have an aligned WAFL club starting next year. In hindsight, before 2008 we seem to be treading water.

 

[Righteo]

Outstanding post rgauci Agree with everything you've said. Hopefully one of our 2010 kids becomes a regular, Mello seems the most likely at this stage, with Mzungu and Griffin we could claim some respectability from that draft.

 

[Jezzitizle]

We nailed 2008, 2009 and 2011 IMO.



Short Summary: Good 2008-2012, God awful shit 2004-2007, Good 1999-2003

Out of interest if you look through the management at Fremantle, most turned over around 2007-8, Harris, Rosich, Bond, Lloyd, Parker and personally i've liked our direction since then. We have the best playing list we've ever had and the best coaching panel. In the next 5 years we should have the leagues best facilities. We aren't in debt, we have an aligned WAFL club starting next year. In hindsight, before 2008 we seem to be treading water.

Great post, one point that should be added is that there has been more focus and money put into drafting by freo, including and after 2008. I cant remember who said it, one of the steves or bondy. Really shows that if you invest the resources you start to get the results. Its probably where the richest clubs have the greatest advantage, finding and developing the young kids.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

No we won't.
Geelong had two very good drafts where they set themselves up.
I think we have just had the two excellent drafts with the PSD still to come , promising some KPP to us.
It won't be luck it will be calculated selections.

Lets face it though, three of geelong's better players were father son picks. one thing i have noticed about geelong is how they spruik how well they have drafted, well lets see how these great young players go without scarlett to protect them, if chapman and johnson go down with injury, with enright and corey another year older, with bartel getting the heavy tag week in week out. I think if anything we showed in the elimination final last year, that geelong's kids arent nearly as good as what they have been spruiking, or atleast certainly no better than ours.

No lack of respect, but he is not yet an A grader. You look at Simpson's pre-draft highlights vs Hill's pre-draft highlights and you'll see the difference. One wants to break the lines by taking on the tackler directly with pace, whereas the other tries to dance around them. Whether Simpson makes it at AFL level is another matter, but it is fairly apparent there are major flaws in Hill's game.

I wouldnt say that fyfe is an A grader yet. Not with his kicking the way it is.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

Hill is extremely damaging but also easy to tag. That is why he is tagged.


I am comparing their highlights clips as juniors. Simpson runs in straight lines at the tackler, Hill has always tried to dance around them. It speaks of each players' confidence in their physical ability.

Im not so certain hill is "easy to tag" id say that is mainly due to experience, last year he started to break those tags, not so much a flaw in his game style, just that he wasnt experienced enough to work through it.

On simpson, his highlights are awesome no doubt, but so were richard tamblings. We just dont know how he is going to turn out, Richmond were adamant that tambling was clearly the standout player for them when they drafted him, and he is now lucky to even be on a list.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

We nailed 2008, 2009 and 2011 IMO.

2008:
Hill, Ballantyne, Suban, Clarke, Walters, DeBoer, C.Pearce, (Broughton - now Tanner Smith)
Now delisted: Bucovaz, Ruffles, Hall, Sibosado, Van Berlo

7 remain on the list with most playing every final last year. Most were rookie age players and can be expected to continue improving. It's impressive that 7 players in our starting 22 can come from the 1 draft. This was the year that started a trend, Fremantle decided to replenish through the draft and it was a bumper draft to make that decision.

By Comparison Collingwood retain 4 picks (Sidebottom, Beams, Blair and Keeffe), Essendon 2 (Hurley, Zaharakis), West Coast 3 (Naitanui, Shuey, Smith). Looking through the draft i can't see a club that i would swap the whole draft with. I wouldn't trade our 7 for any other teams total draft. Melbourne who finished bottom, drafted extremely poorly, worse than most clubs in the bottom 8, that draft should have set them up for the future, but instead has left them languishing. Personally i think we finished 1st in the draft.

2009:
Morabito, Fyfe, Barlow, Silvagni
Now Delisted: Houghton, Roberton, Bollenhagen, Crichton

4 out of a possible 8 remaining on the list with 2 being in our top 10 payers and potentially a 3rd. The Barlow selection in the rookie draft is the late gem that moves us above the masses.

We don't have claims to have won this draft/trade period. Sydney acquired Mumford, Josh Kennedy, McGlynn, Rohan, Jetta, Sam Reid, though if you remove the trading, we probably come out slightly ahead of Sydney purely in terms of drafting. Richmond drafted very well and have a high retention rate. West Coast had a shocker, there first 3 picks were Shepherd, Weedon and Stevens, not dissimilar to our 2010 effort. Geelong despite winning the premiership is one of the best performers in this draft, Menzel, Duncan, Christianson, Vardy, Podisadly. So based on the fact Sydney got 4 premiership players out of 1 draft, with 2 best 22 sidelined with injury, they win this period. With us top 4.

2010:
Pitt, Michie, Mellington (Faulks, Mzungu, Griffin through trading)
Now delisted: Lower, Roberts, Anthony

No Stars, 6 remain on the list but i doubt that will be the case in 2-3 years time. Overall most clubs did poorly with Gold Coast taking everything available.

2011:
Sheridan (16), Crozier (20), Forster (29), Neale (58), Sutcliffe (71), Dawson (PSD), Spurr (rookie), Schloithe (rookie), Menagola (rookie)
Delisted: JWK

Very early days to be assessing, and i think it's best to hold judgement. But compare that list with Port who finished 2nd last; Wingard (6), Renouf (pick 33 trade), Ebert (pick 28 trade), Ah Chee (45), Blee (51), McCarthy (PSD - RIP), Pfeiffer (rookie), D. Butcher (rookie). I didn't compare with Gold Coast who finished last because they took minimal players. Maybe i don't know much about the Port Adelaide players, but that list doesn't scream bumper draft.

In reality GWS picked the eyes out of this draft and it's difficult to see any team doing particularly well besides them.

Since 2008 we've done very well through drafting and some trading. Our net gain from 2006 and 2007 is Chris Mayne and Kepler Bradley. Both coming from the 2007 draft. That is deplorable. 2004 and 2005 is just is probably worse with the net gain being Garrick Ibbotson.

Short Summary: Good 2008-2012, God awful shit 2004-2007, Good 1999-2003

Out of interest if you look through the management at Fremantle, most turned over around 2007-8, Harris, Rosich, Bond, Lloyd, Parker and personally i've liked our direction since then. We have the best playing list we've ever had and the best coaching panel. In the next 5 years we should have the leagues best facilities. We aren't in debt, we have an aligned WAFL club starting next year. In hindsight, before 2008 we seem to be treading water.

been said by others, but that is a really good post, and puts it in perspective a little, perhaps I have been a little hard on lloyd (not bond).

sydneys 2009 would have to go down as just about the best offseason in AFL history wouldnt it?

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Lets face it though, three of geelong's better players were father son picks. one thing i have noticed about geelong is how they spruik how well they have drafted, well lets see how these great young players go without scarlett to protect them, if chapman and johnson go down with injury, with enright and corey another year older, with bartel getting the heavy tag week in week out. I think if anything we showed in the elimination final last year, that geelong's kids arent nearly as good as what they have been spruiking, or atleast certainly no better than ours.



I wouldnt say that fyfe is an A grader yet. Not with his kicking the way it is.

Agree with this comparison of Geelong and our youngsters.
I don't want to get too pre-occupied about Geelong because I believe Fremantle and Geelong have passed on the stairway.

Nat Fyfe's kicking is not a weakness as such but it clearly isn't elite.
I think he would still be rated A Grade despite his kicking because he is so good in other facets of the game.
Fremantle also have others who are pushing up as A grade. We have a good representation of B+ I reckon.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

been said by others, but that is a really good post, and puts it in perspective a little, perhaps I have been a little hard on lloyd (not bond).

sydneys 2009 would have to go down as just about the best offseason in AFL history wouldnt it?

Nah, you can't deny it now. Chris wouldn't be on your Christmas card list.
You've bagged him continually and unfairly I reckon.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

Nah, you can't deny it now. Chris wouldn't be on your Christmas card list.
You've bagged him continually and unfairly I reckon.

Ive never denied that i do not rate bonds list management. His trading record is poor and his unwillingness to draft key position players (i personally believe because he has been scared off by our history with KPP players) has made us bottom heavy. Which is why I still believe we would be better off without him. Although I can not deny that he was a big part of bringing Lyon to the club, which was an absolute coup. We have been down this path of discussion before though. Its done to death, Unless his management brings us a premiership in the next 1-4 years i would say even he would admit he has failed and will fall on his own sword.

Lloyd on the other hand, perhaps I have been a little harsh, at the end of the day it is bond who has guided him towards what types of players we recruit, Lloyd has simply tried to provide us with the best players he can see, and in many cases he has done well, particularly with the rookie list.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Fred are you saying our drafts in 2011 and 2012 are the equivalent to Geelong's in 1999 and 2001? I agree with you that our drafting has been really solid but that is a pretty big call.
Corey and Bartel were both top 10 picks for a start which we haven't had, and the 1999 draft for Geelong also had a big element of luck. Before picking up Ling and Enright late in the draft they blew three other first and second round picks on guys that were delisted within a few years.
In total in those drafts they had 14 live picks plus father sons, and probably at best half of those ever made it .We haven't had that luxury, for ours to be equivalent every pick we have had in 2011 and 2012 would have to be a top grader.

Once Geelong had those drafts, Cat, it took a year or two to gel and get the game plan right that suited them.
Our past two drafts haven't had the time to integrate yet but I am confident they will. Of course having the right coach is helpful to mould them.

 

[theGav56]

Im not so certain hill is "easy to tag" id say that is mainly due to experience, last year he started to break those tags, not so much a flaw in his game style, just that he wasnt experienced enough to work through it.

On simpson, his highlights are awesome no doubt, but so were richard tamblings. We just dont know how he is going to turn out, Richmond were adamant that tambling was clearly the standout player for them when they drafted him, and he is now lucky to even be on a list.

There is a clear strategy at play with the recruitment of Pearce and Simpson, and I would suggest that at least part of that strategy is to stop the hard tag on Hill from being effective. If too much work and focus goes to Hill then it will hurt the opposition. That is what happens with good teams. They are not dependent on a single players impact, and simply find another avenue. I am also sure we have the off-field staff to ensure that our impact in the midfield is extremely potent and multi-faceted.

We are entering a new phase at Freo where we can hope for, and hopefully achieve a top-line midfield, full of grunt, aggression, skill, discipline, accountability and explosive pace, honed and focussed with a gameplan that the players are well drilled in and have the confidence that it will be successful. (is that too long a sentence?)

 

[Lach72]

Probably. But I'm ok with it.

Agree with your points. The pace and hard running that will be at our disposal, particularly if Mora returns to full fitness will be something to behold.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

There is a clear strategy at play with the recruitment of Pearce and Simpson, and I would suggest that at least part of that strategy is to stop the hard tag on Hill from being effective. If too much work and focus goes to Hill then it will hurt the opposition. That is what happens with good teams. They are not dependent on a single players impact, and simply find another avenue. I am also sure we have the off-field staff to ensure that our impact in the midfield is extremely potent and multi-faceted.

We are entering a new phase at Freo where we can hope for, and hopefully achieve a top-line midfield, full of grunt, aggression, skill, discipline, accountability and explosive pace, honed and focussed with a gameplan that the players are well drilled in and have the confidence that it will be successful. (is that too long a sentence?)

yes, it is pretty clear that speed and skill are becoming the priority, which from a Ross Lyon coached team is a surprise to many "experts" but not me, Ross Lyon is a brillaint tactical mind, and he has seen that speed and skill particularly on subi oval are a must, so he has adapted his mind set to suit the situation.

I have made it clear that I dont like the pearce recruitment, my concern is because of the highlighted. Im not sure with Pearce, Simpson and Hill in the team, we will have enough grunt or agression, particularly now that we have lost mcphee, lower and broughton. I have seen pearce in particular squib many contests. he has some outstanding attributes, but getting the hard ball is not one of them. My concern is that when the chips are down, and we need to win the hard ball, is having these three outside runners going to hurt us?

Hill last year started to show a penchant for going in hard, simpson from his highlights certainly doesnt seem soft, but I have real reservations about Danyle. Particularly in finals, where the game becomes a contested slog fest 9 times out of 10. It will be great to relieve the pressure off hilly who can break loose, but im not sure that we have any aggression in the midfield whatsoever any more or any depth in players who thrive on getting the hard ball.

you could make a case for deboer, possibly clancee pearce, but neither of mundy, barlow or fyfe are bull at a gate aggressive. We need to hope that one of suban or mellington can make an impact in the midfield i think to cover that lack of aggression. People are suggesting neale as well, but other than a good nab cup, where even Gerrick Weedon looked the goods, I dont think neale has shown that much yet, and in any case he is probably too small to make an impact on a contest (I will be crucified for that comment, but it is my honest opinion, so I cant shy away from it). Morabito is another name that gets bandied around, but he is yet to show he can stay on the park, and I think he will be a forward rather than a midfielder.

2013's priority IMOl be recuiting a key forward, our next priority should be recruiting a tough inside midfielder

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

you could make a case for deboer, possibly clancee pearce, but neither of mundy, barlow or fyfe are bull at a gate aggressive. We need to hope that one of suban or mellington can make an impact in the midfield i think to cover that lack of aggression. People are suggesting neale as well, but other than a good nab cup, where even Gerrick Weedon looked the goods, I dont think neale has shown that much yet, and in any case he is probably too small to make an impact on a contest (I will be crucified for that comment, but it is my honest opinion, so I cant shy away from it). Morabito is another name that gets bandied around, but he is yet to show he can stay on the park, and I think he will be a forward rather than a midfielder.

2013's priority IMOl be recuiting a key forward, our next priority should be recruiting a tough inside midfielder

fyfe is tougher than he looks. i think he's a little underestimated in that aspect. ballas is also a tough cookie. neale was almost at playing weight last year and looks to have put on the required weight this year. jury's still out on his toughness but he might start throwing his new found weight around.
didn't mora play mainly midfield for peel last year? i might be mistaken.
we've got a few other tough players on the list:
mellington
clancee
de boer
dawson
silvagni
spurr
crowley

players who have shown good signs of toughness:
crozier
crichton
suban
mayne
walters

there aren't too many squibs left. even duff and ibbo have getting rid of theirs and d. pearce in that environment would probably have his worked out. ross has shown his tolerance for it only goes so far.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

fyfe is tougher than he looks. i think he's a little underestimated in that aspect. ballas is also a tough cookie. neale was almost at playing weight last year and looks to have put on the required weight this year. jury's still out on his toughness but he might start throwing his new found weight around.
didn't mora play mainly midfield for peel last year? i might be mistaken.
we've got a few other tough players on the list:
mellington
clancee
de boer
dawson
silvagni
spurr
crowley

players who have shown good signs of toughness:
crozier
crichton
suban
mayne
walters

there aren't too many squibs left. even duff and ibbo have getting rid of theirs and d. pearce in that environment would probably have his worked out. ross has shown his tolerance for it only goes so far.

dont get me wrong, Fyfe is tough, but he is not the sort of kamikaze throw himself at a ground ball type player like deboer or lower are.

morabito has played mostly midfield, thats true, but I personally think he will end up a half forward flanker

I think your mistaking toughness at the contested possession with toughness. What I mean is that if the ball is in between player A and say someone like joel selwood, who would you back to win that contest? prior to this preseason I would have said Lower, Deboer and Mcphee, now I think only Deboer would be the player I would back in our side. All those players you have nominated as being tough I agree, but none of them have been proven to be contested possession specialists.