Opinion Expectations

[Kram]

I wish people would give up this fantasy of McPharlin being a permanent forward.

 

[Arcassius]

I wish people would give up this fantasy of McPharlin being a permanent forward.

Totally agree - we should be playing Pav down back

 

[Righteo]

I wish people would give up this fantasy of McPharlin being a permanent forward.

The very reason he had effect up forward was that throwing him up there caused the opposition defence to become unbalanced, if he played up there permanently I wouldn't back him in to beat the best key backs week in week out.

 

[Kram]

Totally agree - we should be playing Pav down back

Nah throw Pav into the ruck.

 

[Righteo]

Nah throw Pav into the ruck.

Rhys Palmer to FF IMO.

 

[Kram]

God it was infuriating when Harvey used to put Pav in the middle, I know we were struggling but he wasn't even that good in there imo.

 

[Righteo]

God it was infuriating when Harvey used to put Pav in the middle, I know we were struggling but he wasn't even that good in there imo.

Not to mention he was more bulked up back then than he probably is now playing as a permanent forward, fair recipe for disaster that.

 

[Kram]

Yeah Harves was one weird mofo at times.. Good to see he is back coaching at Essendon.

 

[malpaso]

God it was infuriating when Harvey used to put Pav in the middle, I know we were struggling but he wasn't even that good in there imo.

He is good in bursts in the middle as he actually did this year to get momentum back for us in games. He is able to get the ball and push past the first couple of tackles and either handball or kick with distance.

 

[pavsbootlace]

.. snip ...

I personally see the extension of Luke as dumb. Just me. And it feels sacrilegious saying that. He's been a servant for this footy club, consistent and underrated. But he's too old. People forget how he missed games in 2013 too.

Pav is an utmost champion who is even underrated on this forum. The fact he's kicking nearly 50 goals at his age, after an entire career of being the great white hope, is pretty admirable. But can he really be expected to keep it up? Would Hawthorn or Sydney really rely on a man of that age to be the focus of their forward line? If he goes, who steps up? I'm sick to **** of these 'role players' coming in because they fit a physical range, but being found out because they're not good enough. Taberner will stick out and do nothing without Pavlich and even Apeness, who I really like and rate, will need some help. I just see us going down in the forward 50, with some big injury to Pav, and having a serious dilemma up there.

I don't know, but if Cyril Rioli can be cooked in a Grand Final and miss, what, 10 to 15 weeks, and for the Hawks to plays as enviably as they did, where does that leave Freo? I personally think Sonny is a better player than Cyril, but the way we missed him was just... it took the guts from the side. Freo hopes and crosses fingers and toes and asks for John Safran-like voodoo spells to not have injuries and for the miraculous hypotheticals to unfurl. When that happens, you're ******.

Luke's extension is very handy. Largely because Silvagni has proven to be quite unreliable fitness-wise in the last few years. I'm quite looking forward to seeing Alex Pearce and Smith get a couple of games each this year, but without 15 games from Luke, the youngsters would be playing a lot more often. Imagine Silvagni being injured and Dawson being suspended - your backline is McPharlin, Johnson, Ibbo, Duff, spurr, Sutcliffe, not too bad. Now imagine swapping A Pearce or Smith for McPharlin... eeek! Luke doesn't need to play 22 games, he just needs to cover while Smith and Pearce mature.

As for Pav, I don't expect him to be All-Australian, but a serviceable effort from Pav is enough to give the forward line stability while Taberber and Apeness mature. In the last 2 years, Pav has been good for 2.1 goals per game, which this year had him =16th in the comp.

I don't think we'll be a top 4 team next year, but without Luke and Pav, we'd be significantly weaker.

 

[Arcassius]

McP just needs a minimum of 12 games this year

 

[Righteo]

Just don't bother freoextra, unfortunately all I can do right now is thread ban, damn training wheels.

Really average attempt.

Ok cleaned up a bit, please don't reply to that guy until he's gone.

 

[freoextra]

Just don't bother freoextra, unfortunately all I can do right now is thread ban, damn training wheels.

Really average attempt.

Ok cleaned up a bit, please don't reply to that guy until he's gone.

Oh I was just about to have some fun with him but well played sir, I move on!

 

[Righteo]

I actually deleted a few of my own that were a bit troll-indulgent, I know West Coast trolls are fun to push around but they stink up the joint pretty badly.

Seriously, if I had to list 10 teams I'm wary of next year I doubt they'd make it in there.

 

[Arcassius]

I actually deleted a few of my own that were a bit troll-indulgent, I know West Coast trolls are fun to push around but they stink up the joint pretty badly.

Seriously, if I had to list 10 teams I'm wary of next year I doubt they'd make it in there.

Brisbane and the Bulldogs just went past them

 

[Clems Knee]

I actually deleted a few of my own that were a bit troll-indulgent, I know West Coast trolls are fun to push around but they stink up the joint pretty badly.

Seriously, if I had to list 10 teams I'm wary of next year I doubt they'd make it in there.

But, but, but...
They have the reigning Brownlow medallist! And NicNat! And Sharrod!
And Coxy will be the best ruck coach evvver!!!

 

[Righteo]

Brisbane and the Bulldogs just went past them

Could easily make a case for another 3-4 teams too. GWS definitely have a better midfield now, GC will leapfrog them too IMO.

I digress though, at this very early stage I have us finishing 4th again. Port a good chance to overtake us but Geelong will slide, hopefully Sydney too.

 

[Righteo]

But, but, but...
They have the reigning Brownlow medallist! And NicNat! And Sharrod!
And Coxy will be the best ruck coach evvver!!!

You pretty much summarised why they're so mediocre in three lines.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

But, but, but...
They have the reigning Brownlow medallist! And NicNat! And Sharrod!
And Coxy will be the best ruck coach evvver!!!

Don't forget the better Selwood!

 

[freoextra]

You pretty much summarised why they're so mediocre in three lines.

Or the first three words.

 

[freoextra]

Don't forget the better Selwood!

There is only one Selwood that can play but yah just can't tell some people.

 

[Arcassius]

You pretty much summarised why they're so mediocre in three lines.

It's easy to summarise the eagles with a few lines

 

[Purple Jesus]

They also have 3 flags to go with those 3 lines. We don't have sh*t. This club frustrates me. Every other club seems to be able to identify a weakness and fill it. We are fast running out of time.

 

[go_the_dockers]

They also have 3 flags to go with those 3 lines. We don't have sh*t. This club frustrates me. Every other club seems to be able to identify a weakness and fill it. We are fast running out of time.

The eagles pretty much relied exclusively on the draft for their premierships, Stenglein is the only person I can think of that they recruited outside of the draft.

I think we missed the opportunity in trading away some fringe players to get more draft picks, with clubs apparently sniffing around players Griffin.

The only player who really interested (and was gettable) me was Shoenmaker but I think he was quiet happy with staying at the Hawks, so we should have a look at him next year.

It is really hard to get people over to WA, so we have to rely on the draft.

 

[Lach72]

Chick