Fremantle Dockers 2018/19 season watch

[Macpotata]

What do you guys make of Freo? They've performed admirably in the JLT which doesn't do then any injustice. No I do not base teams off this unless you are Richmond, as they have the credentials, players, form and championship caliber. Freo do have some quality in Fyfe, Walters, Neale, Mundy and can get goals from Ballantyne, a settled McCarthey and an ever improving Taberner. They have some good kids come up the last couple of years who aren't kids anymore as well as a number of experienced veterans.

The first half of last season was good with come back wins against the dogs, Dees and tigers, the last two at the MCG. Should have beaten us at the Cattery where they blew a lead and Walters missed on the siren to win it. Hey really fell off though in the 2nd half of 2017. Lyons been there for a number of years and has taken them far before.


Can they be a surprise, make the 8, or are they going to be where many expect and have a season not to dissimilar to 2017?

 

[Yeti]

It's the pre-season.

Ballantyne is cooked, West Coast made him look better than mediocre. McCarthy has done nothing and Taberner is a tease only at this stage (sorry ydraw).

We are 2 years into a full rebuild, anything better than 12th will be a miracle. Expectations should be eliminate the 100+ point wins, increase our scoring power, improve ball movement and continue to revert back to pressure footy.

Games in Brayshaw, Cerra, Logue, A.Pearce etc and we will be challenging for the 8 in 2019 and hopefully top 4 in 2020.

No one does a list turnover of 30 players in 3 years and is challenging for a flag straight away.

 

[Kwality]

As a Ross Lyon believer I'd suggest he'd be happy, just needs a bit of luck with injury. On the up ...

 

[gavaniacono]

Miles ahead of co-staters Eagles. Final 8 in 2019.

 

[Monument Hills]

looking good for 2019, 2020 but don't expect too much this year.

 

[Righteo]

My goodness BF is as knee-jerk as they come. We've gone from a bottom 4 lock to potentially making the 8 now (looking at the ladder predictions thread) on the back of one pre-season game against a distinctly mediocre team.

We'll still be very inconsistent this year but I do have faith that we're developing a list capable of contending again in a few seasons.

 

[Righteo]

Expectations should be eliminate the 100+ point wins, increase our scoring power, improve ball movement and continue to revert back to pressure footy.

this

 

[Walshy1]

I was praying it wasnt a Freo poster, thank god it wasnt.

If we are higher then 12th then Jesus must have come again

 

[Mr.X]

How Freo go in 2018 has a care factor of about 3 out of 10

 

[Freomaniac]

I await the responses from Eagles and Saints fans on this thread

 

[Macpotata]

How Freo go in 2018 has a care factor of about 3 out of 10

The same case could be said for your mob.

 

[rfctiger90]

My goodness BF is as knee-jerk as they come. We've gone from a bottom 4 lock to potentially making the 8 now (looking at the ladder predictions thread) on the back of one pre-season game against a distinctly mediocre team.

We'll still be very inconsistent this year but I do have faith that we're developing a list capable of contending again in a few seasons.

It’s because nobody really pays attention to Freo.

 

[stax on the mull]

Learn to read basic English and comprehension.

Your post actually says "doesn't do THEN any injustice"

which doesn't do then any injustice

Any Fremantle supporter that has read your opinions about Fremantle scattered through other threads and posts would doubt you have any sincerity in starting this one. You're like Perth Boy revisited.

 

[master bate]

Hardest team to rate. Midfield could be excellent, backline could be good enough. Forward line won't be great but that hasn't stopped the Tigers and Dogs winning flags the last two years - not that I'm saying Freo will get to that level.

Injuries are a concern, like most teams who have cleaned out the list they'll lack depth. But my bigger concern is probably not being sure if Ross Lyon really knows how he wants his team to play. Lots of ordinary ball movement against Adelaide was followed by Ross talking about pressure, then against the Eagles they bought the pressure but also took the game on and moved the ball well.

 

[Freo]

It’s because nobody really pays attention to Freo.

Plenty do over here. Don't you just love the Melbourne centric myopic view.

 

[Quokka]

It's the pre-season.

Expectations should be eliminate the 100+ point wins....

I thought we did that years ago, personally it's the big loses that I'm hoping Freo start cutting out next.
Agree with the rest, hoping we have some good games and show some more cohesion as a best 22. Top 8 would need a hell of a run but mid table would be a solid result.

 

[Quinz]

The extra home game helps, although hard to say until they've played a few games at the new stadium to see how they adapt to the dimension changes.

The midfield in the last two years has been less than the sum of its parts. Despite a lot of good names in there they were bottom three in the comp for disposals, tackles, inside fifties and contested possessions, and below average in clearances. It's a great midfield on paper, but they probably need the Hill brothers, Fyfe, Mundy and Neale to kick 4-5 goals a week between them to cover the forward line deficiencies. Sandilands and Darcy will be big factors.

They're dead last, by a distance, in marks inside fifty for the last two seasons. Kersten, Taberner and McCarthy is a solid forward group but not much more, Walters is a star but does he have another gear? Ballantyne will play the odd quality game, if Bennell gets going he could be a point of difference on the half forward line.

Backline should get better with Alex Pearce back and Joel Hamling with a second pre season to really click with the rest of the defence.

A lot of potential debutants and young players, which makes a rapid rise up the ladder unlikely. Banfield, Brayshaw and Cerra will probably play early.

Don't think they're likely to get out of the bottom six, 10 wins would be a success.

 

[Spoken4]

How Freo go in 2018 has a care factor of about 3 out of 10

And yet you went to all the effort to post in said thread? Interesting.

 

[Righteo]

It’s because nobody really pays attention to Freo.

There's that too. Doesn't stop people acting like they're knowledgeable about our list though

 

[SHill Shall]

The extra home game helps, although hard to say until they've played a few games at the new stadium to see how they adapt to the dimension changes.

The midfield in the last two years has been less than the sum of its parts. Despite a lot of good names in there they were bottom three in the comp for disposals, tackles, inside fifties and contested possessions, and below average in clearances. It's a great midfield on paper, but they probably need the Hill brothers, Fyfe, Mundy and Neale to kick 4-5 goals a week between them to cover the forward line deficiencies. Sandilands and Darcy will be big factors.

They're dead last, by a distance, in marks inside fifty for the last two seasons. Kersten, Taberner and McCarthy is a solid forward group but not much more, Walters is a star but does he have another gear? Ballantyne will play the odd quality game, if Bennell gets going he could be a point of difference on the half forward line.

Backline should get better with Alex Pearce back and Joel Hamling with a second pre season to really click with the rest of the defence.

A lot of potential debutants and young players, which makes a rapid rise up the ladder unlikely. Banfield, Brayshaw and Cerra will probably play early.

Don't think they're likely to get out of the bottom six, 10 wins would be a success.

I guess those views are provisional until we find out where the Eagles are at in 2018. If WC are really as abject as they seemed yesterday, then there is no basis for believing Freo have made any significant improvement.

R1 is only 2 weeks away and will start providing answers.

 

[Quinz]

I guess those views are provisional until we find out where the Eagles are at in 2018. If WC are really as abject as they seemed yesterday, then there is no basis for believing Freo have made any significant improvement.

R1 is only 2 weeks away and will start providing answers.

I don't read a lot into preseason form, but the directness of Freos ball movement looked much improved from last season.

 

[Schauermann]

eliminate the 100+ point wins

Why eliminate? We should make them the norm and work on 200+ wins...

 

[threesixpio]

Fyfe = Superman

Having him play for a whole season won’t hurt.

Hopefully get to see some Hill brother action

Hate Freo way less since Brad returned home. Good luck to them

 

[The 747]

A bit off the pace while they reload. The forward line is no good, its all players who don't deliver. Look good for a couple years time though.

 

[10571z]

TBH I think they still have quite a few good players to make them very dangerous in their day.