Expectations and predictions for 2018

May 2, 2017
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One of the better (balanced) write-ups I've seen online for those that haven't read it... https://www.zerohanger.com/2018-season-preview-fremantle-dockers-17854/
Yeah agree it is a bit better. Some actual analysis.

Pretty much what most of us observe watching us. Can't get it out of the back half and when we do there is not a lot to kick to. Hopefully Wilson (and Ryan) and the continued development of Cam, Kersten and Tabs fixes some of that. We are still gun around stoppages which bodes well if we can get the ball to stay in the forward line for a while.
 

yyou

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DaveLister

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I agree that it is better than most, but my only point of disagreement is when it is mentioned (or something similar) that a 3 pronged attack of McCarthy, Kersten & Taberner was preferred
I don’t reckon Tabs was in the frame for much of the season
Yeah I'd say those 3 only played in 2 of the same games last season.
I thought it was particularly lacking on comments about our young but not 2017 draft players; Tucker, Ryan, Logue, Cox and Darcy deserved a mention.
 

Docker82

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We did prefer a three pronged attack most of the time but it wasn’t always those three.

Started with McCarthy, Kersten and Griffin, then Logue came in and played quite a lot forward, after that Taberner, then Cox, then Taberner made his way back into the side as McCarthy or Kersten missed through injury, suspension or form. Without looking at the stats Cox would’ve played more games than Taberner and played almost exclusively forward.
 

M_rash

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Oct 1, 2013
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Was a joy watching Giro and Matera take a mark and just hit up a short target with ease.

Ryan to Giro to Matera to ????

Nearly have a formula capable of taking the ball from half back to the goals. Time to get excited guys!
 

Ysaye

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Was a joy watching Giro and Matera take a mark and just hit up a short target with ease.

Ryan to Giro to Matera to ????

Nearly have a formula capable of taking the ball from half back to the goals. Time to get excited guys!

Our goals or theirs?
 

ydraw

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Trade Stephen Hill? What?!
Logue, Tucker and the yet to even have a chance to debut Cerra are C grade players?

The "trade Hill" thing is surely based on the fact that he's the oldest "young" player on our list. If our premiership window is longer than 3-4 years away then he'll be retired by the time we challenge.

On the other hand if you are of the belief that we're only 2-3 years away from challenging then obviously you'd hang onto him.
 

ydraw

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Geez you have much bigger stones than me. Our B22 is much better than 15th (but not top 4 yet IMO) but we are VERY reliant on keeping 90% of those blokes on the field.

Sandilands, Johnson and Fyfe in particular.
 

theGav56

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Sandilands, Johnson and Fyfe in particular.
Personally I don't overly care if Sandilands or Johnson get on the field or not. If they are on field then their primary role is to help with the teams transition into a new era in the ruck and defensive areas of the ground. On the other hand, having them on the field denies an opportunity to their imminent replacements.

Johnson is almost redundant in this role once A Pearce comes in, and fitness pending, he will struggle to be best 22.

Sandilands seems to be having a super pre-season, and while I don't want to call time of one of the greats of the game, by this time next year we will be so overstocked with ready to go replacements that it will be a potentially awkward situation to manage.
 

ydraw

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Johnson is almost redundant in this role once A Pearce comes in, and fitness pending, he will struggle to be best 22.

Don't really agree with that at all. Johnson is one of the best in the business at setting up play from the back half. He's in the top 10 in the AFL for kick rating. When he doesn't play we struggle to get the ball inside 50. That's why he's so important to us, not his defending. If anyone's going to be replacing that role it's Nathan Wilson, not Pearce.
 

theGav56

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Don't really agree with that at all. Johnson is one of the best in the business at setting up play from the back half. He's in the top 10 in the AFL for kick rating. When he doesn't play we struggle to get the ball inside 50. That's why he's so important to us, not his defending. If anyone's going to be replacing that role it's Nathan Wilson, not Pearce.
Good luck fitting Pearce, Hamling, Logue and Johnson into the same defense. And regardless of Johnson playing or not, Wilson and Ryan will be the future of setting up from the half back, not Johnson.
 

Scham

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Maybe Jonno plays more forward? Has pinch hit there to good effect over the years and would leave Tabs for dead in terms of footy nouse which is what we badly need up forward.
 

M_rash

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Are those intuition based ladder predictions, or have you been through a ladder prediction program???
Women have intuition. My ladder prediction is based purely on the vibes.

And a rigorous mathematical algorithm based on blockchain technology, decentralised from Champion Data, accounting for 2017 H&A form, trade and draft acquisitions, organic growth, preseason training loads, GPS data, off-field scandals, coaching and board shake ups, and fixture difficulty rankings. But mostly based on the vibes
 

theGav56

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Maybe Jonno plays more forward? Has pinch hit there to good effect over the years and would leave Tabs for dead in terms of footy nouse which is what we badly need up forward.
So we decide to play Johnson ahead of any of Kersten, Cox, McCarthy, Apeness or long shots Jones, Strnadica and Dixon?

Unless we’re shooting for finals I hope not.
 

Ysaye

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Maybe Jonno plays more forward? Has pinch hit there to good effect over the years and would leave Tabs for dead in terms of footy nouse which is what we badly need up forward.

From what Ross Lyon said, I reckon Pearce will be thrown forward again at first (CHF, with McCarthy full forward and Kersten HFF), with him going back when opposition talls riot on us / we want to lock our back-half down.

Based on training, Logue at CHB, Hamling FB. Johnson maybe third tall defender if fit (although for me it is either Spurr or him as the defensive pointer).
 
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