Freeman

[Dynamics]

I guess the circumstances of the 'risk' vary from player to player.
For example, if the player was Didak going into the 2010 finals & he was given the all clear, then they would play him, however this was Freeman in his first year, who wasn't vital to our short term on field success, hence nothing really to gain, therefore put him on ice.
Finals in the AFL were becoming doubtful this year & Freeman was not going impact upon that, hence a no brainer.

I keep saying this, but... I get it. But I don't think that not playing any supposedly fit player for an entire month is a no brainer at all. It's odd. There are all sorts of other benefits besides that player's impact on finals. We reintroduced Sharon to get him game time as it's highly valuable for his development.

I'm just speculating but I think the club didn't just say "let's play it safe". I can't help but wonder if they doubted that he was "ready to go" at all and said let's give ourselves a few more months. Subtle difference.

Anyway I'm going around in circles now.

 

[jjsmitty8]

Spoke with Freeman last week. He was ready to go about 3-4 weeks before the end of the season however the club decided that there was no point and not worth the risk.

I spoke to him once about 4 weeks after he did the hamstring. He told me that he was about 4 weeks away, we all know how that played out.

 

[ipswichpies]

Better for Freeman to have a full pre season than to bring him in for a week or 2 at the end.Sharenberg was unfortunate but he had played a few games and he had solid training behind him.

 

[Apex36]

I keep saying this, but... I get it. But I don't think that not playing any supposedly fit player for an entire month is a no brainer at all. It's odd. There are all sorts of other benefits besides that player's impact on finals. We reintroduced Sharon to get him game time as it's highly valuable for his development.

I'm just speculating but I think the club didn't just say "let's play it safe". I can't help but wonder if they doubted that he was "ready to go" at all and said let's give ourselves a few more months. Subtle difference.

Anyway I'm going around in circles now.

You may be right, but I'd prefer the club to err on the side of caution in this case. At least this way hopefully Nate can get his body absolutely cherry ripe over the preseason (fingers crossed) and reload for 2015.

 

[MyManLynch]

I keep saying this, but... I get it. But I don't think that not playing any supposedly fit player for an entire month is a no brainer at all. It's odd. There are all sorts of other benefits besides that player's impact on finals. We reintroduced Sharon to get him game time as it's highly valuable for his development.

I'm just speculating but I think the club didn't just say "let's play it safe". I can't help but wonder if they doubted that he was "ready to go" at all and said let's give ourselves a few more months. Subtle difference.

Anyway I'm going around in circles now.

Or they doubted their own assessment of hamstring injuries (by year end).
Maybe they were spooked & not willing to follow their own plans.

 

[Dynamics]

Yep don't disagree with the last two comments. I think there's a fair chance they were scared that they may not have got it quite right at yet and all this talk of him being ready to go was overstatement.

 

[PTpie]

Maybe they just thought "holy sh*t!, this injury was bad, really bad. Let's take a cautious approach and leave it alone?".

TBH I don't really mind. He'll have a complete pre-season and be better for it. I mentioned earlier I think Freeman will be almost a lock in our best 22 from the get go. He has all the traits we lack in the middle of the park and I can see him being a Dayne Beams mk2. I wish him well and injury free over the next 5 years!

 

[Anzacday]

Maybe they just thought "holy sh*t!, this injury was bad, really bad. Let's take a cautious approach and leave it alone?".

TBH I don't really mind. He'll have a complete pre-season and be better for it. I mentioned earlier I think Freeman will be almost a lock in our best 22 from the get go. He has all the traits we lack in the middle of the park and I can see him being a Dayne Beams mk2. I wish him well and injury free over the next 5 years!

More like Dangerfield.
He has strength of a Josh Kennedy and the pace of Dangerfield

 

[DWil6]

More like Dangerfield.
He has strength of a Josh Kennedy and the pace of Dangerfield

Lets hope he's any where near those 2. Odds are against it but we can hope.

 

[jackcass]

Working on the assumption that it's true that they just told Freeman to get ready for preseason even though he could have played...

I don't get it.

I was happy for Sharon to play VFL if he was right to go, but I can't see why you'd put one on ice and not the other.

Beyond "blah blah case by case basis". If they were both ready for some game time, surely you either play both or put both in the cupboard?

Guess Freeman coming off a soft tissue injury is more prone to a re-occurance than someone coming of surgery to fix bones in his feet.

PS: Sorry, see every man and his dog has made similar comments. Just respond to posts as I rea them.

 

[PieBeast]

He's back to running at full pace for the last week or so, will be fine for the pre-season.

 

[PTpie]

More like Dangerfield.
He has strength of a Josh Kennedy and the pace of Dangerfield

I meant that in the sense that he will come into his own in a short frame of time and we'll be like "wtf? this guy is awesome!". I remember Beams coming into the side as a skinny tattooed kid who just had a great knack of being where the ball was and kicking a great snap goal. All of a sudden he was a regular.

“Nathan’s probably the best burst-running midfielder in the TAC Cup at the moment and has to be elevating his claims come draft time. He has really taken well to a more defensive focus so his game is not just all-out attack, which it might have been previously. I think that has come about through his work rate and his desire.”

- Sandringham Dragons region manager Ryan O’Connor

The same article compares him to Dangerfield with respect to his speed and clearance work and Pendlebury with his lateral movement. Scary prospect eh?

 

[Anzacday]

I meant that in the sense that he will come into his own in a short frame of time and we'll be like "wtf? this guy is awesome!". I remember Beams coming into the side as a skinny tattooed kid who just had a great knack of being where the ball was and kicking a great snap goal. All of a sudden he was a regular.

“Nathan’s probably the best burst-running midfielder in the TAC Cup at the moment and has to be elevating his claims come draft time. He has really taken well to a more defensive focus so his game is not just all-out attack, which it might have been previously. I think that has come about through his work rate and his desire.”

- Sandringham Dragons region manager Ryan O’Connor

The same article compares him to Dangerfield with respect to his speed and clearance work and Pendlebury with his lateral movement. Scary prospect eh?

Thanks for the link, well that confirms it then, we've got ourselves a beauty!

 

[Vicky Park]

Looking forward to unleashing this beast in 2015.