- Joined
- Jan 27, 2007
- Posts
- 17,426
- Reaction score
- 251
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
- Other Teams
- Blackpool FC Perth Glory FC
Decline of the ancient mariners
Robert Walls | March 25, 2008
FREMANTLE coach Mark Harvey struggled at his post-game press conference to find the words to describe his team's last-quarter fade-out against the Pies. Collingwood looked younger, fresher and fitter as it stormed home against the Dockers. And, of course, it was younger, fitter and fresher. You could also throw in hungrier. Ten of the Magpies' line-up were 21 or younger. None of the Dockers were. It is a damning statistic.
The Dockers' list is the oldest — and by a long way — in the AFL. But the Dockers fancy themselves. They have to because why else would you bring in the likes of Chris Tarrant, Dean Solomon and Mark Johnson, average age 28, over the past two summers? They think these players will top them off in their quest for a flag. On Saturday's performance, they are sadly mistaken. While most clubs introduced a couple of newcomers into AFL ranks in round one, the Dockers opted for age and experience. Their only new player was former Bomber Johnson, who is to turn 30 soon. The Dockers are dicing with dynamite in their quest to recruit recycled players. If they don't achieve this season, their plan could blow up in their faces.
The old team that was run and tackled off its legs by the young Pies included 10 players who had come off other lists. By my reckoning, nine of the 10 are PTBs (past their best).
Luke McPharlin is the only one who can take his game to a new level. Injuries held back the quick leapster's early development, but in recent years, he has stood up at either full-back or full-forward to show that he is becoming an A-grade player. Peter Bell at his best was a bore-in burrower. Now he receives more ball, especially in the back half, and he doesn't have the foot speed and penetrating kicking skill to hurt the opposition. That he is allowed to live and train in Geraldton, hundreds of kilometres from Fremantle, smacks of an unhealthy compromise.
Jeff Farmer, at 30, still can't be relied on to keep his cool on or off the field. His suspensions and volatility limited him to only eight senior games in 2007. Gone are the days when the "Wizard" regularly kicked a bagful of goals. The Carr brothers give good value week-in, week-out. Matthew is a disciplined, selfless run-with midfielder. Josh wins plenty of close-in hard ball, is spirited, competitive and cheeky. Bottom line, however, is that both are well into the second halves of careers and their best has been seen.
Des Headland should have stayed a Lion and continued to play under Leigh Matthews. Had he done that, he would be twice the player he is now. Coming back to a hero's welcome and an inflated pay packet made him think he had arrived. He hasn't and I doubt he ever will.
Now into his sixth season as a Docker, Headland's career is one that has never realised its potential.
Against his old team in the season opener, Tarrant just went through the motions. He had only three kicks, missed a most gettable goal and would have spent less than 50% of what was in the tank. AFL football today is all about non-stop, gut-bursting running. Tarrant is not interested in doing that, so the Dockers have done their dough on this one.
Reuniting after a year apart were Essendon premiership teammates Solomon and Johnson. Both will try hard, both can be undisciplined and both are well past their best.
Fremantle should take a close look at the Pies. Collingwood has decided to go for youth, to teach and develop their kids its way. It is the way to go. Supporters love that. They feel a connection, an ownership, in seeing their boys develop. To see Scott Pendlebury (then 19), Dale Thomas (20), Heath Shaw (21) and Travis Cloke (21) come through the ranks and finish in the top six in last year's best and fairest gives supporters real hope.
Contrast that with the Dockers, whose youngest players in their top 10 in 2007 were Michael Johnson (23) and McPharlin (26). Supporters of losing teams, at the least, want to see young enthusiastic players being played.
If Mark Harvey continues to lose with the same old same olds, he will be putting a noose around his own neck.
Now into his sixth season as a Docker, Headland's career is one that has never realised its potential.
Against his old team in the season opener, Tarrant just went through the motions. He had only three kicks, missed a most gettable goal and would have spent less than 50% of what was in the tank. AFL football today is all about non-stop, gut-bursting running. Tarrant is not interested in doing that, so the Dockers have done their dough on this one.
Reuniting after a year apart were Essendon premiership teammates Solomon and Johnson. Both will try hard, both can be undisciplined and both are well past their best.
Fremantle should take a close look at the Pies. Collingwood has decided to go for youth, to teach and develop their kids its way. It is the way to go. Supporters love that. They feel a connection, an ownership, in seeing their boys develop. To see Scott Pendlebury (then 19), Dale Thomas (20), Heath Shaw (21) and Travis Cloke (21) come through the ranks and finish in the top six in last year's best and fairest gives supporters real hope.
Contrast that with the Dockers, whose youngest players in their top 10 in 2007 were Michael Johnson (23) and McPharlin (26). Supporters of losing teams, at the least, want to see young enthusiastic players being played.
If Mark Harvey continues to lose with the same old same olds, he will be putting a noose around his own neck.
Fremantle's 10 recycled players
Robert Walls | March 25, 2008
FREMANTLE coach Mark Harvey struggled at his post-game press conference to find the words to describe his team's last-quarter fade-out against the Pies. Collingwood looked younger, fresher and fitter as it stormed home against the Dockers. And, of course, it was younger, fitter and fresher. You could also throw in hungrier. Ten of the Magpies' line-up were 21 or younger. None of the Dockers were. It is a damning statistic.
The Dockers' list is the oldest — and by a long way — in the AFL. But the Dockers fancy themselves. They have to because why else would you bring in the likes of Chris Tarrant, Dean Solomon and Mark Johnson, average age 28, over the past two summers? They think these players will top them off in their quest for a flag. On Saturday's performance, they are sadly mistaken. While most clubs introduced a couple of newcomers into AFL ranks in round one, the Dockers opted for age and experience. Their only new player was former Bomber Johnson, who is to turn 30 soon. The Dockers are dicing with dynamite in their quest to recruit recycled players. If they don't achieve this season, their plan could blow up in their faces.
The old team that was run and tackled off its legs by the young Pies included 10 players who had come off other lists. By my reckoning, nine of the 10 are PTBs (past their best).
Luke McPharlin is the only one who can take his game to a new level. Injuries held back the quick leapster's early development, but in recent years, he has stood up at either full-back or full-forward to show that he is becoming an A-grade player. Peter Bell at his best was a bore-in burrower. Now he receives more ball, especially in the back half, and he doesn't have the foot speed and penetrating kicking skill to hurt the opposition. That he is allowed to live and train in Geraldton, hundreds of kilometres from Fremantle, smacks of an unhealthy compromise.
Jeff Farmer, at 30, still can't be relied on to keep his cool on or off the field. His suspensions and volatility limited him to only eight senior games in 2007. Gone are the days when the "Wizard" regularly kicked a bagful of goals. The Carr brothers give good value week-in, week-out. Matthew is a disciplined, selfless run-with midfielder. Josh wins plenty of close-in hard ball, is spirited, competitive and cheeky. Bottom line, however, is that both are well into the second halves of careers and their best has been seen.
Des Headland should have stayed a Lion and continued to play under Leigh Matthews. Had he done that, he would be twice the player he is now. Coming back to a hero's welcome and an inflated pay packet made him think he had arrived. He hasn't and I doubt he ever will.
Now into his sixth season as a Docker, Headland's career is one that has never realised its potential.
Against his old team in the season opener, Tarrant just went through the motions. He had only three kicks, missed a most gettable goal and would have spent less than 50% of what was in the tank. AFL football today is all about non-stop, gut-bursting running. Tarrant is not interested in doing that, so the Dockers have done their dough on this one.
Reuniting after a year apart were Essendon premiership teammates Solomon and Johnson. Both will try hard, both can be undisciplined and both are well past their best.
Fremantle should take a close look at the Pies. Collingwood has decided to go for youth, to teach and develop their kids its way. It is the way to go. Supporters love that. They feel a connection, an ownership, in seeing their boys develop. To see Scott Pendlebury (then 19), Dale Thomas (20), Heath Shaw (21) and Travis Cloke (21) come through the ranks and finish in the top six in last year's best and fairest gives supporters real hope.
Contrast that with the Dockers, whose youngest players in their top 10 in 2007 were Michael Johnson (23) and McPharlin (26). Supporters of losing teams, at the least, want to see young enthusiastic players being played.
If Mark Harvey continues to lose with the same old same olds, he will be putting a noose around his own neck.
Now into his sixth season as a Docker, Headland's career is one that has never realised its potential.
Against his old team in the season opener, Tarrant just went through the motions. He had only three kicks, missed a most gettable goal and would have spent less than 50% of what was in the tank. AFL football today is all about non-stop, gut-bursting running. Tarrant is not interested in doing that, so the Dockers have done their dough on this one.
Reuniting after a year apart were Essendon premiership teammates Solomon and Johnson. Both will try hard, both can be undisciplined and both are well past their best.
Fremantle should take a close look at the Pies. Collingwood has decided to go for youth, to teach and develop their kids its way. It is the way to go. Supporters love that. They feel a connection, an ownership, in seeing their boys develop. To see Scott Pendlebury (then 19), Dale Thomas (20), Heath Shaw (21) and Travis Cloke (21) come through the ranks and finish in the top six in last year's best and fairest gives supporters real hope.
Contrast that with the Dockers, whose youngest players in their top 10 in 2007 were Michael Johnson (23) and McPharlin (26). Supporters of losing teams, at the least, want to see young enthusiastic players being played.
If Mark Harvey continues to lose with the same old same olds, he will be putting a noose around his own neck.
Fremantle's 10 recycled players
- PETER BELL, AGED 32 (signed from Kangaroos)
- JEFF FARMER, 30 (Melbourne)
- HEATH BLACK, 28 (St Kilda)
- MATTHEW CARR, 29 (St Kilda)
- MARK JOHNSON, 29 (Essendon)
- DEAN SOLOMON, 28 (Essendon)
- CHRIS TARRANT, 27 (Collingwood)
- JOSH CARR, 27 (Port Adelaide)
- DES HEADLAND, 27 (Brisbane Lions)
- LUKE MCPHARLIN, 26 (Hawthorn)
