Do we really have that much depth?

[hoogs]

So, from 1-16, where would you rate our midfield in the competition? Below top 4 (above average) and above bottom 4 (below average), is what I would regard as average.

Our core group of Bell, Hasleby, J.Carr, Black and Crowley is as good as any when fit, bar a drugfree Eagles.]

Add in the others and our depth makes us quite formidable.

 

[dominguez]

As a supporter we always rate our own players higher than opposition supporters would. Most supporters of rival clubs would rate the following groups above of Bell, Hasleby, Josh.
Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball
Black, Lappin, Power
Goodwin, Ricciutto, Edwards
Burgoyne, Cornes, Burgoyne
Goodes, Bolton, Kirk

 

[Burnzy]

As a supporter we always rate our own players higher than opposition supporters would. Most supporters of rival clubs would rate the following groups above of Bell, Hasleby, Josh.
Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball
Black, Lappin, Power
Goodwin, Ricciutto, Edwards
Burgoyne, Cornes, Burgoyne
Goodes, Bolton, Kirk

would they also include Judd, Cousins, Kerr?

 

[hoogs]

As a supporter we always rate our own players higher than opposition supporters would. Most supporters of rival clubs would rate the following groups above of Bell, Hasleby, Josh.
Hayes, Dal Santo, Ball
Black, Lappin, Power
Goodwin, Ricciutto, Edwards
Burgoyne, Cornes, Burgoyne
Goodes, Bolton, Kirk

Maybe true, but do they have another dozen players capable of running through the middle? Players like Pavlich.

I remember when CC said that he wanted a team of midfielders like Port when he first go to Freo. Looks like he's pretty damn close. The flexibility that we now have is second to none.

 

[Freo Dr]

Posted by Ralph Dagg: "Maybe you're not bagging Murphy but not your giving him much credit either. He was damn accurate in the WAFL as well as his junior career. And in relative terms he's done way more than Campbell. He's done it in the real games, not in a pre-season."

Agreed Ralph, with Murphy taking at least the third best tall defender and after his season last year I am expecting good things from spud this year - that's why he is in my dream team.


"And Mourish. A huge talent who is way too fat to play AFL at this point."

Yeh I cannot understand all the hype about this guy so far with some even plonking him into their round one team. I watched him really close for three quarters of the game against Hawthorn. He is tall and can take a grab and apart from his first kick which was nerves probably he has a really good kicking action. But .... He is carrying far too much weight for an AFL player and that is hampering his fitness, his ability below his knees and most importantly his speed off the mark which is crucial for a forward. Once going he is ok but his first five meters are really slow and players burnt him off easily. A year and a half on the track/WAFL and then we will see where he is at.

You want to talk about exciting young players yet to play a senior game for the dockers and I would be thinking Warnock, Ibbotson and Collard at the moment. Blacky was talking about 19 year old Ibbo on 6PR yesterday and was his pick as the best young player for Freo. 19 years old, fastest player at the club, really silky skills on both sides of his body. Blacky reckons he will be playing wing in about a year (replace Macca?) and 'OWN' it for at least five years as one of the best wingmen in the comp.

 

[Cameron_K]

You want to talk about exciting young players yet to play a senior game for the dockers and I would be thinking Warnock, Ibbotson and Collard at the moment. Blacky was talking about 19 year old Ibbo on 6PR yesterday and was his pick as the best young player for Freo. 19 years old, fastest player at the club, really silky skills on both sides of his body. Blacky reckons he will be playing wing in about a year (replace Macca?) and 'OWN' it for at least five years as one of the best wingmen in the comp.

I said it when he was drafted as a young age recruit he would be something special and what I have seen so far this year has only made me more confident of this.

 

[inferno66]

"And Mourish. A huge talent who is way too fat to play AFL at this point." Yeh I cannot understand all the hype about this guy so far with some even plonking him into their round one team. I watched him really close for three quarters of the game against Hawthorn. He is tall and can take a grab and apart from his first kick which was nerves probably he has a really good kicking action. But .... He is carrying far too much weight for an AFL player and that is hampering his fitness, his ability below his knees and most importantly his speed off the mark which is crucial for a forward. Once going he is ok but his first five meters are really slow and players burnt him off easily. A year and a half on the track/WAFL and then we will see where he is at.

Mourish reminds me a bit of Michael Johnson. When Johnson was drafted by Freo he had a bit on the heavy side. But after time on the track Johnson was trimmer and really put his mark on AFL football. I reckon Mourish will come good in a year or two on the training track

 

[Freo Dr]

I said it when he was drafted as a young age recruit he would be something special and what I have seen so far this year has only made me more confident of this.

Yeh from what I have seen of Ibbo this year he does look the goods allright and blacky is a pretty handy wingman himself so he should know.

I was looking forward to seeing Warnock and also have not seen Collard play but all reports on them sound good. I am not bagging Mourish just that like Johnson he needs some serious track work before he is ready for AFL level - not even sure his fitness level is enough to really see him out for a full WAFL game yet which is similiar to MJ when he was recruited. He may continue to play WAFL reserves before working his way up.

Also if Collard is going to be groomed to take over from the Wiz (as I understand it) which position is Mourish going to claim? Will he be thrown down back first?

 

[theGav56]

"And Mourish. A huge talent who is way too fat to play AFL at this point."

Yeh I cannot understand all the hype about this guy so far with some even plonking him into their round one team.

Realistically I would not expect him to get a game for a couple of years. If he does it perhaps means that some of our more established players are not performing to requirements. Doesn't mean that I'm not excited about him, but a fair bit of that excitement is because of the nature of his drafting. A late pick who was rumoured to have been "hidden" and suggested that he does not perform well at the national draft camp diminishing his darft value for other clubs. Also the mystery surrounding his actual details regarding his physical stats; it was difficult to get accurate info about him.If he succeeds then these things will form part of the mystique that is The Shadow Man.

For me it is a little similar with Ibottson, who was plucked from nowhere, having done nothing, and taken with a pick that the recruiters were criticised for using, because "no-one else would have been going to take him." If the reality is that he becomes a decent player, then the recruiters have done well, and there will be an aura of mystery surrounding his selction as well.

Also if Collard is going to be groomed to take over from the Wiz (as I understand it) which position is Mourish going to claim? Will he be thrown down back first?

I would have thought that Mourish has quite different qualities and physically may actually be better suited to FF or perhaps a big bodied onballer. Collard looks more in the crumbing forward come midfield role.

 

[hoogs]

"And Mourish. A huge talent who is way too fat to play AFL at this point."

Yeh I cannot understand all the hype about this guy so far with some even plonking him into their round one team. I watched him really close for three quarters of the game against Hawthorn. He is tall and can take a grab and apart from his first kick which was nerves probably he has a really good kicking action. But .... He is carrying far too much weight for an AFL player and that is hampering his fitness, his ability below his knees and most importantly his speed off the mark which is crucial for a forward. Once going he is ok but his first five meters are really slow and players burnt him off easily. A year and a half on the track/WAFL and then we will see where he is at.

I don't think we would have had the chance to pick him up if he wasn't fat. Turn it into muscle, play him in 2009.

 

[dthom]

Yeah probably between 5th and 8th. We don't currently have a midfielder who can be relied upon to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and really dominate for a quarter/half. While Bell, Hasleby and Josh are quality senior players, they don't often impose themselves on a game like the tall, speedy midfielders do.

Enter Garrick Ibbotson... I reckon he's gonna be really really good. Extremely fast and at 187cm he's not as short as any of those midfielders you mentioned thats for sure. I am really hoping he gets a senior game this year

 

[dominguez]

Enter Garrick Ibbotson... I reckon he's gonna be really really good. Extremely fast and at 187cm he's not as short as any of those midfielders you mentioned thats for sure. I am really hoping he gets a senior game this year

I'm looking forward to seeing Ibbo play this year, he seems to have a lot of fans.