Opinion Expectations

[PapaJ]

So hard to call these things so far out. So many uncontrollable factors can hit any team any time. I still reckon we're top 4 if we get an reasonable run of injuries etc.

I always like to group these things:

- I'd say Syd and Hawks are still going to be a step above. They can take a few knocks through the year, the sort that can derail most teams, with the least impact on how they'll finish overall.

- After that, there's us with a group of Nth, Geelong, Port, maybe even teams like Tigers and I'd throw in GC (depending on coach etc.) who if things go their way with a nice draw, good run of injuries etc. will push top 4 and, conversely, if they get hit by poor luck will be fighting it out amongst the bottom half of the 8.

 

[god of purple]

I don't really want to put expectations on this year. I see it as a free shot with nothing to lose. I also hope the players and the coaching staff aren't putting any expectations on themselves either. Take it one week at a time, and you never know what could happen.

But, off the top of my head I'd say 5-8. We would be doing very well to finish top 4, but in saying that I think its a fair possibility to happen. Apart from Syd, Haw, Port, I can't really see anyone jumping up into top 4. Don't rate North at all, Essendon will go down the dunny if (as I expect) they get their penalties, I can't see Geelong improving, and no one else is chomping at the bit. Actually I even still have my doubts about Port - do they have enough depth? However, I would not be surprised to see us missing the finals.

 

[clogged]

Agree. I don't actually think we were that unlucky with injuries this year Pav and Sandi had awesome yrs but next year we will have the oldest list in the league and our injury situation will get worse. I'm willing to bet Mcpharlin will retire before the finals even start and this still one of our major problems.

Not saying we can't do it but geez we need some of our mediocre/ young players to start playing out of their skin and I'm sceptical. Ports players are doing it at 21.

Also I'm not convinced top 4 is good enough. We need to finish top 2 to be a chance and I don't think we're that good.

This year was the best injury situation Freo has had in years IMO. No syndesmosis, turf toes, broken legs, hamstrings off the bone or shoulder reconstructions for any of the key players. Just about every important key player in years past missed half a season with serious injury, usually two each year (Sandi and Pav in 2013, Sandi and Fyfe in 2012, Mundy and Barlow in 2011, Barlow in 2010). Only McPharlin missed significant games this year, and that was with niggles. Even Morabito went a whole season without doing an ACL.

All up, this was the second worst season since the club climbed into finals again in 2010. I doubt there is much capacity to improve with the team as it stands. Scraping into the eight with a more inexperienced side would be a good year.

 

[balthazarthedonk]

This year was the best injury situation Freo has had in years IMO. No syndesmosis, turf toes, broken legs, hamstrings off the bone or shoulder reconstructions for any of the key players. Just about every important key player in years past missed half a season with serious injury, usually two each year (Sandi and Pav in 2013, Sandi and Fyfe in 2012, Mundy and Barlow in 2011, Barlow in 2010). Only McPharlin missed significant games this year, and that was with niggles. Even Morabito went a whole season without doing an ACL.

All up, this was the second worst season since the club climbed into finals again in 2010. I doubt there is much capacity to improve with the team as it stands. Scraping into the eight with a more inexperienced side would be a good year.

Walters? Our highest goal scorer from the year before and the player we rely on more than anyone else for goal assists?

 

[clogged]

Walters? Our highest goal scorer from the year before and the player we rely on more than anyone else for goal assists?

Not a key position player or a midfielder. As good as he is, the fact he is so so important for the forward line to function properly is more an indictment on the rest of the forwards. A good side should be able to restructure to cover a small forward relatively easily.

I compare him to someone like Luke Breust. If Breust missed half the season Hawthorn would probably just roll on and keep winning, and make top two. I mean, they won the premiership after losing their best forward to their most likely challenger. Freo did not play 2014 under that much duress.

 

[balthazarthedonk]

Not a key position player or a midfielder. As good as he is, the fact he is so so important for the forward line to function properly is more an indictment on the rest of the forwards. A good side should be able to restructure to cover a small forward relatively easily.

I compare him to someone like Luke Breust. If Breust missed half the season Hawthorn would probably just roll on and keep winning, and make top two. I mean, they won the premiership after losing their best forward to their most likely challenger. Freo did not play 2014 under that much duress.

But it doesn't stop him from being a "key player" for Freo, particularly as our forward line is not structured the way that the Hawks' is. His loss was undoubtedly a significant problem for us this year

 

[electricfeel]

We need plenty to go right next season and it would be nice if we played a permanent forward line for the majority of the season rather than the makeshift versions we had all year this year. Albeit, we couldn't help but have Walters fall down to injury but still, we are incredibly desperate for a second tall.

Agree with others that we need more match winners than role players. I am one that thinks we should shuffle Crowley off now, or play him less. I know that's an unpopular opinion but too many times this year he just wasn't effective enough as a tagger and was therefore a liability given how average he is other wise. I've already expressed my opinion on this though.

But most importantly, we need to play with some heart. I don't think we gave enough heart and effort this year. Too many times we did "just enough" to get a win. It was almost as if we expected it to all happen for us again and we expected to make the GF again. That Saints game was a total shambles and indicative of how we thought talent and skills alone is enough to get us by. I can only think of a small handful of games this season where I felt we proud of our efforts as a team and one of the most impressive wins was probably our Round 1 win against Collingwood... we hardly saw that kind of effort later on in the season. Michael Barlow grabbing his jumper was probs the most passionate I've ever seen anyone this year as well as Fyfe dragging the entire team over the line against Carlton. Maybe this season has become a blur for me now, but we need more of that passion if we want to win the flag next year.

 

[Kram]

We just don't have the depth of the other best sides, the game against North without Walters, Ballantyne missing because of a stupid suspension killed us.

 

[Mr Peabody]

This year was the best injury situation Freo has had in years IMO. No syndesmosis, turf toes, broken legs, hamstrings off the bone or shoulder reconstructions for any of the key players. Just about every important key player in years past missed half a season with serious injury, usually two each year (Sandi and Pav in 2013, Sandi and Fyfe in 2012, Mundy and Barlow in 2011, Barlow in 2010). Only McPharlin missed significant games this year, and that was with niggles.

- McPharlin missed 11 games and struggled in several more.
- Ibbotson missed 12 games. He's pretty key down back especially given we don't bat deep.
- Johnson missed 6 games. Was lame in several too. Wasn't there when the whips were cracking.
- Walters missed 16 games. While not a key position player, he is a key player for us nonetheless.
- Barlow missed 5 games. Played under duress at the end with that foot injury.
- Hill missed 4 games.
- Ballaz missed 4 games through injury and suspension.
- Fyfe missed 4 games through suspension.
- Clarke missed preseason and the opening 3 games.

Not sure how that stacks up to prior years but I'll go the converse and say it's the worst run we've had in recent years. For me Macca, Johnno, Walters & Ibbo were the significant ones this year and not having the first two for the finals cost us dearly especially when Silvagni went down as well.

I think Macca's niggles were more than that too. A medial ligament and a tendon issue in the calf were at least nagging niggles.

 

[Outshined]

Doubt we'll be top 4. Don't have any confidence in the current list winning a flag over Hawthorn, Port and Sydney.

Probably top 8, given our home ground advantage/playing Etihad pretty well.

 

[valkorum]

- McPharlin missed 11 games and struggled in several more.
- Ibbotson missed 12 games. He's pretty key down back especially given we don't bat deep.
- Johnson missed 6 games. Was lame in several too. Wasn't there when the whips were cracking.
- Walters missed 16 games. While not a key position player, he is a key player for us nonetheless.
- Barlow missed 5 games. Played under duress at the end with that foot injury.
- Hill missed 4 games.
- Ballaz missed 4 games through injury and suspension.
- Clarke missed preseason and the opening 3 games.

Not sure how that stacks up to prior years but I'll go the converse and say it's the worst run we've had in recent years. For me Macca, Johnno, Walters & Ibbo were the significant ones this year and not having the first two for the finals cost us dearly especially when Silvagni went down as well.

I think Macca's niggles were more than that too. A medial ligament and a tendon issue in the calf were at least nagging niggles.

Dont forget Fyfe suspended for 4 games as well

 

[Mr Peabody]

Dont forget Fyfe suspended for 4 games as well

Thanks Valkorum. Post edited/updated.

 

[Quokka]

Overall it probably was a decent year for Freo injury wise, with Sandi and Pav holding up so well. Still going into our last final without Mcpharlin, Johnston, Silvagni or even Smith or Bradley available might well have cost us a preliminary. (A.Pearce might even have been done by then too?)

 

[clogged]

Not sure how that stacks up to prior years but I'll go the converse and say it's the worst run we've had in recent years. For me Macca, Johnno, Walters & Ibbo were the significant ones this year and not having the first two for the finals cost us dearly especially when Silvagni went down as well.

Nope. If your cut off is three games, then in 2013:

McPharlin missed 9 games
Hill missed 5 games
Clarke missed 8 games
Sandilands missed 15 games
Pavlich missed 13 games
Ballantyne missed 4 games
Ibbotson missed 12 games
Both Fyfe and Mundy missed three games each.

=72 games missed by best 22 players. Versus 65 this year.

Both Griffin and Bradley did their knees, leaving Alex Silvagni as the only key forward option, and in the Collingwood game Zac Dawson had to play ruck.

Depth was actually tested in key positions last year - this year it wasn't.

 

[Fanatical]

My only expectation/hope more than anything is that we prove the commentators/critics wrong. As soon as we lost to Port everyone was writing us off and saying the window has probably passed us by. While I think the chances of a premiership are diminishing, by no stretch do I not think 2015 could be the season. Look at Port in 2014, after 2013 everyone said it was a false dawn and they wouldn't back it up - how wrong they were, why can't that be us in 2015? I just get the feeling that if we have a good run with injuries and a couple of the younger boys can have break out years and the likes of Lachie Neale keep tracking up who says that 2015 can't be the year that we can zip the lips of some of those egirls?

 

[Mr Peabody]

Nope. If your cut off is three games, then in 2013

=72 games missed by best 22 players. Versus 65 this year.

Depth was actually tested in key positions last year - this year it wasn't.

Yo Clogged. No offence to you but whatever you're smoking may have done the same to your memory.

McPharlin and Johnson are our Key Backs (as an old timer, I view them as our Full Back and Centre Half Back). Their absence left us way too thin down there. Both played lame at times when they did come in as well. Silvagni, the back up depth, only played 7 games for the year and for a good bunch of time was not available for selection when the other two were struggling. And when it counted, the two Key Backs did not play in the Sydney final and all three did not play in the Port final. A thin defence was a major contributor to our straight sets exit.

As for the injury count between the years, I had not included Silvagni's run of outs so I'll retract my earlier comments to a "similar" bad run of injuries between the 2 years! But you're not going to get me to concur that 2014 was "the best injury situation that Freo has had in years"....even if we share a toke one day son.

 

[clogged]

McPharlin and Johnson are our Key Backs (as an old timer, I view them as our Full Back and Centre Half Back).

Yeah nah.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah nah.

So McPharlin All Australian Full Back in 2012 and Johnson All Australian Left Full Back in 2013 doesn't do it for you?

Whether they are over the hill or not is a separate issue - they were our Key Backs in 2014.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah nah.

So it's '74, we're nearing the end of the 8th, Ali has Foreman cornered in the 'Rumble in the Jungle' and Foreman raises his glove and says "talk to the hand, the face ain't listening"....

 

[gaskin]

Johnson All Australian Left Full Back in 2013 doesn't do it for you?

This isn't soccer mate. There is no left full back in footy. Dawson and McPharlin are our key defenders.

 

[Mr Peabody]

This isn't soccer mate. There is no left full back in footy. Dawson and McPharlin are our key defenders.

Sorry, I meant Left Back Pocket...which is where Dawson plays on the resting rucks.
I'm not being a smart arse but the Match Committee tends to name them Luke as FB, Macca as CHB and Zac in the pocket.

And sure they rotate, but in the context as intended, they are all Key Backs and in 2014, 2 of them did not contribute enough, the depth also was injury prone and all of that combined to impact our season's end.

 

[Silent Alarm]

If a back pocket is a 'key back,' doesn't that make Ballas and Sonny key forwards?!

ISSUE SOLVED!

 

[malpaso]

speaking of 2013 vs 2014 anyone remember C.Pearce?

 

[Riseupaustralia]

Sorry, I meant Left Back Pocket...which is where Dawson plays on the resting rucks.
I'm not being a smart arse but the Match Committee tends to name them Luke as FB, Macca as CHB and Zac in the pocket.

And sure they rotate, but in the context as intended, they are all Key Backs and in 2014, 2 of them did not contribute enough, the depth also was injury prone and all of that combined to impact our season's end.

Sherman knows more about footy than you.

 

[Mogumber]

5 to 8. Our window is closing.