I'm a very level headed Fremantle supporter. I've seen it all. The unbelievable inconsistency, the big winning streak, that horror year in 2001.
While I don't think the Dockers have completely turned the corner, I think its fair to say they showed signs of a promising future tonight against the Blues.
A lot of the criticism we have copped has been reasonably fair, even if a lot of it is made by Victorians who don't see enough of our games, but I think Fremantle is starting to turn it around.
In 1994, when the AFL granted our license, people often forget we didn't have the dream run the Gold Coast will get with draft concessions, a TAC Cup side and plenty more. We pretty much had to take the best of the rest the Eagles didn't want and snag a few players from other clubs in Victoria etc.
Yes we drafted poorly, yes we traded even worse for a period there, but Fremantle were the first club to be introduced in the modern era in a state where a side had already been established. Talent scouts were basically a couple of club volunteers and drafting was a pretty big raffle in the early years.
Our performances from 1995-2001 reflect on this.
Since 2002, when Chris Connolly took over, our win/loss ratio hasn't been fantastic, and we've won just one final from four appearances, but throughout just about all of those seasons we have proven to be competitive against all sides at some stage. Consistency has cost us dearly, as well as an inability to win away from Subiaco and the close games, but that is an issue which confronts a lot of interstate clubs.
Tonight, our oldest player on the field was Dean Solomon. At 28, he was magnificent in and under the contests and provided support down back all night. Chris Tarrant, a bloke most people thought was finished as an AFL player, mostly because of his yips and inconsistency, has been reborn.
There's one bloke who always misses out on AA selection and his name is Roger Hayden and although he's creeping into his late 20s, still has at least three good seasons in him. He has also found a new lease of life up the ground. He has been aided for several years by another unknown in Antoni Grover, who is also a credible defender who often battles outside of his weight division for break even matches.
Our leaders in Pav, Hase, Sandilands and McPharlin are at the peaks of their careers and certainly have several more good years in them.
The names Hill, Suban, Hinkley, Ibbotson, Palmer, Pearce, De Boer, Pearce and Ballantyne may not be well known names in most AFL households, but they have all shown enough promise to suggest they can lead the way for the clubin the next 10 years.
But the difference in our form over the past three weeks has nothing to do with the aforementioned players or Mark Harvey, it comes down to these names.
David Mundy, Steven Dodd, Byron Schammer, Brett Peake, Michael Johnson, Paul Duffield and Scott Thornton.
These guys are in their mid 20s, have been given ample time to develop, and are FINALLY starting to repay the faith on a consistent basis.
We're young, we'll lose some games we're supposed to win along the way, but Fremantle's future is fairly bright, even with the Gold Coast and possibly West Sydney coming into the competition.
It's awfully hard to win premierships at the top level, just ask St Kilda, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Richmond and Collingwood, who have yet to win a flag since we've been in the competition.
Even if we get into a position where we have a potential premiership list and the window is wide open, you only need to come up against a side like Geelong or the Lions of 01-03 and your hopes are gone.
For my sanity's sake, I flipping hope we win one. But as long as we start making the finals on a regular basis and become one of the most feared sides in the competition, I'll be very happy.
Mark Harvey only needs to do one thing. Drop Ryan Murphy or get someone to teach him how to get the ball a bit more. God love him when he's got a set shot from anywhere within range, but the WAFL superstar just needs to get a bit more of it!!!!!
Damn I love the Dockers. Damn its been a journey. Damn they've aged me.
While I don't think the Dockers have completely turned the corner, I think its fair to say they showed signs of a promising future tonight against the Blues.
A lot of the criticism we have copped has been reasonably fair, even if a lot of it is made by Victorians who don't see enough of our games, but I think Fremantle is starting to turn it around.
In 1994, when the AFL granted our license, people often forget we didn't have the dream run the Gold Coast will get with draft concessions, a TAC Cup side and plenty more. We pretty much had to take the best of the rest the Eagles didn't want and snag a few players from other clubs in Victoria etc.
Yes we drafted poorly, yes we traded even worse for a period there, but Fremantle were the first club to be introduced in the modern era in a state where a side had already been established. Talent scouts were basically a couple of club volunteers and drafting was a pretty big raffle in the early years.
Our performances from 1995-2001 reflect on this.
Since 2002, when Chris Connolly took over, our win/loss ratio hasn't been fantastic, and we've won just one final from four appearances, but throughout just about all of those seasons we have proven to be competitive against all sides at some stage. Consistency has cost us dearly, as well as an inability to win away from Subiaco and the close games, but that is an issue which confronts a lot of interstate clubs.
Tonight, our oldest player on the field was Dean Solomon. At 28, he was magnificent in and under the contests and provided support down back all night. Chris Tarrant, a bloke most people thought was finished as an AFL player, mostly because of his yips and inconsistency, has been reborn.
There's one bloke who always misses out on AA selection and his name is Roger Hayden and although he's creeping into his late 20s, still has at least three good seasons in him. He has also found a new lease of life up the ground. He has been aided for several years by another unknown in Antoni Grover, who is also a credible defender who often battles outside of his weight division for break even matches.
Our leaders in Pav, Hase, Sandilands and McPharlin are at the peaks of their careers and certainly have several more good years in them.
The names Hill, Suban, Hinkley, Ibbotson, Palmer, Pearce, De Boer, Pearce and Ballantyne may not be well known names in most AFL households, but they have all shown enough promise to suggest they can lead the way for the clubin the next 10 years.
But the difference in our form over the past three weeks has nothing to do with the aforementioned players or Mark Harvey, it comes down to these names.
David Mundy, Steven Dodd, Byron Schammer, Brett Peake, Michael Johnson, Paul Duffield and Scott Thornton.
These guys are in their mid 20s, have been given ample time to develop, and are FINALLY starting to repay the faith on a consistent basis.
We're young, we'll lose some games we're supposed to win along the way, but Fremantle's future is fairly bright, even with the Gold Coast and possibly West Sydney coming into the competition.
It's awfully hard to win premierships at the top level, just ask St Kilda, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Richmond and Collingwood, who have yet to win a flag since we've been in the competition.
Even if we get into a position where we have a potential premiership list and the window is wide open, you only need to come up against a side like Geelong or the Lions of 01-03 and your hopes are gone.
For my sanity's sake, I flipping hope we win one. But as long as we start making the finals on a regular basis and become one of the most feared sides in the competition, I'll be very happy.
Mark Harvey only needs to do one thing. Drop Ryan Murphy or get someone to teach him how to get the ball a bit more. God love him when he's got a set shot from anywhere within range, but the WAFL superstar just needs to get a bit more of it!!!!!
Damn I love the Dockers. Damn its been a journey. Damn they've aged me.
