Analysis Game Plan for the Finals

[Westerberg]

Stage 1 of the plan this year was obviously finish top 2, manage players’ workloads during games and ideally get a week’s rest before the first game of the finals.

Now that that has been achieved more or less as planned with the Hawthorn game being the only major stuff up, how do we expect we’ll approach the finals?

Minor tweaks or something we haven’t seen much of during the year? Will we attempt to sustain the high intensity more fluid attacking plan for more than a quarter or two at a time?

Surely there will be a better balance between attack and defence, rather than the either or approach which was what it felt like at times during the year.

Top of the ladder and we’re something of a mystery, I don’t know what to expect…

 

[Sweetback]

See weeks 1 to 8 of season 2015.
I think Ross went all out in the first two months and then pulled on the handbrake for the rest of the season, tweaking things within games from there, where injury, form and personnel allowed. When instructed the midfield contributes to a spread of goal kickers. I think we will activate the blitzkrieg.

 

[Deveraux]

I agree Sweetback, and I feel there were several times in rounds 9-present that they diverted back to make sure it still clicked while tweaking etc. I know it sounds optimistic but I can'y shake the feeling RTB has a big bag of tricks up his sleeve to call upon if needed.

 

[Allikat]

Finals game plan: Win everything

 

[purplerunsdeep]

Finals are a whole another prospect. When fit and healthy (cue resting players) we have a game plan that will stack up. Heavy defensive - heavy contested and quick direct football.

 

[StingBitten]

Our manic pressure could make a comeback in the QF or PF if we can sustain it this time. Couple that with our massive attacking presence earlier in the year and makes a fairly deadly combo.

 

[Tbonefreo]

Fresh team. Finals and no injuries. Romp to the flag

 

[Silent Alarm]

Nah don't you guys know, we've been losing games intentionally because "Ross" has something up his sleeve.

Just like those people thought he did last season...

 

[Grandstan]

Looking forward to seeing what this team is capable of. There haven't been many genuine four quarter performances this year, but once finals start there's no holding back.
Sydney were too good for us last year, but this year the injury list may be in our favour.

 

[Kram]

Bring Silvagni in to king-hit Mitchell and Hodge.

 

[Docker Alyssa]

Bring Silvagni in to king-hit Mitchell and Hodge.

"You gotta take em out. Take em down. Do yourrrr yourrr 'Stuff'" -- Jeff Goldblum talks on "The mother ship"

 

[Bicco]

I'm sure 'giving great effort' will be in there somewhere.

 

[MadDocker]

Win at all costs. Its 3 games. Less than half of what we did at the start of the year so attack it with twice as much gusto.

Turn it on. Play like your life depends on it and bring the damn cup home to Fremantle.

Destiny awaits.

Forever Freo.

 

[Purple Suit]

I've heard they have been practicing the flying anchor at training. Sandi taps it to Lachie Neale, then he picks him up over his head to form an anchor shape(once opposition players are hanging off Sandi's legs). Sandi then runs the whole length of the field without bouncing since Lachie has possession. Lachie snaps the goal from 2m out.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Nah don't you guys know, we've been losing games intentionally because "Ross" has something up his sleeve.

Yep. And he made it so obvious this week that even sceptics could make it out.

 

[E Shed]

A lot weighs on Fyfe. He was the catalyst for the first 9 games when he took his game to superhuman levels.
If we get Ballas back and he's utterly tweeked to go batshit crazy and Fyfe is at 90% things could get interesting.

 

[Banker]

Will be interesting to see how Ballas performs, considering only his upper body was affected with injury.

 

[DMan 11]

IMO we will see a freo team prepared to play more up-tempo footy for longer periods of time.
Good teams know when to take risks in a game and hit the accelerator...and I reckon our playing group now has a really good understanding of this.
I don't think it's a case so much of Ross having 'something up his sleeve' , more so a case or Ross urging the guys to go a full throttled, corridor centric, play on based style more often. His expectation will be that we maintain the press and run, with more effort on the attacking component than what we've all sen in second halves this year.
I'll be as happy as a pig in $hit if this is the case, were one of the more electric teams to watch in this mode

 

[Allikat]

A lot weighs on Fyfe. He was the catalyst for the first 9 games when he took his game to superhuman levels.
If we get Ballas back and he's utterly tweeked to go batshit crazy and Fyfe is at 90% things could get interesting.

We need Fyfe at least at 90% though. In the last couple of games where he's played so obviously injured, everyone plays the "give it to Fyfe" game, but he's not able to do much with the ball. It kinda kills our game plan.

 

[Okinakashi]

We need Fyfe at least at 90% though.

Mundy has been fairly Fyfe-esque in the last few games. Willing himself into contests.

If the 2 of them are on-song at the same time. Look out...

 

[Frigate]

We will be going about it like we did at the start of the year. It will be an assault, and I hope it will be relentless. I think we have also worked hard on slowing down momentum - it is one of those things we hate to watch, but it is something we need to be able to do, as it can be the difference in winning and losing those close encounters.

I have said for a number of years, Johnson and Ballantyne are critical to our chances of beating the best teams. We have Johnno back, and Ballas will be available for the first final.... and then Fyfe!

Opposition fans harp on how Ballas cannot play finals - but that is rubbish, he has helped win some massive games for us. They also say Fyfe cannot kick for goal, yet after some research he has kicked at around 70% accuracy over 3 years - probably up there with most of them. In fact, if you look at Gary Jnr, in 2013 - a Brownlow year - he kicked at a ratio of 28:23. Fyfe this year is at 17:14. It means nothing. 2014 Fyfe was 24:10. So yes, I am happy for Fyfe to take a shot at goal after the siren.

Can we play 4 quarters? That is the question.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Ross before the Melbourne game flagged how our defensive set up in the early rounds worked well without Dawson with just the one tall lock down defender (McPharlin) emphasising that we were bouncing out more via Ibbo & Johnson through rapid and direct ball movement before the opposition could set up their press. He noted that those two could also play tall where required too. Made the point that the modern game is such that you can get locked into your defensive 50 and can't get out. Dawson was at a point to be left out of the Melbourne game for balance.

It's a bit of a dilemma as while the bounce is good to promote more scoring I'm unsure that we can afford to not play Zac with the Swans fielding Tippett, Franklin and Reid, the Eagles having Kennedy, Darling and Sinclair and the Hawks loading up with their big talls.

Will RTB revert to instinct with a more defensive set up and lock down or will he roll the dice down back and turn to what worked earlier in the year?

 

[FreoRicci]

We need Fyfe at least at 90% though. In the last couple of games where he's played so obviously injured, everyone plays the "give it to Fyfe" game, but he's not able to do much with the ball. It kinda kills our game plan.

The gameplan over the last two months has changed and got more faith/confidence that alot of the midfielders will back themselves to take the game on. If we can do that, then let the opposition worry so much about Nat, that Mundy, Hill, Suban and Neale all go unnoticed.

 

[FreoRicci]

Ross before the Melbourne game flagged how our defensive set up in the early rounds worked well without Dawson with just the one tall lock down defender (McPharlin) emphasising that we were bouncing out more via Ibbo & Johnson through rapid and direct ball movement before the opposition could set up their press. He noted that those two could also play tall where required too. Made the point that the modern game is such that you can get locked into your defensive 50 and can't get out. Dawson was at a point to be left out of the Melbourne game for balance.

It's a bit of a dilemma as while the bounce is good to promote more scoring I'm unsure that we can afford to not play Zac with the Swans fielding Tippett, Franklin and Reid, the Eagles having Kennedy, Darling and Sinclair and the Hawks loading up with their big talls.

Will RTB revert to instinct with a more defensive set up and lock down or will he roll the dice down back and turn to what worked earlier in the year?

Believe we should stick with Dawson/McPharlin knowing that 18 won't cope with the load of taking on Buddy/Tippet without the help. We need Dawson on Tippet, leaving Johnson/Ibbotson with the resting ruckman, spreads the load evenly. Definitely don't want to have the Silvagni/Dawson combo we had to put up with last year's Finals.
McPharlin goes to Darling and Dawson does a honourable job on Kennedy given how difficult that role is.
As such who replaces Dawson anyway? A. Pearce? Duffield? Definitely not confident in either of the two winning the 1 on 1s and in the air.

 

[sij1981]

Believe we should stick with Dawson/McPharlin knowing that 18 won't cope with the load of taking on Buddy/Tippet without the help. We need Dawson on Tippet, leaving Johnson/Ibbotson with the resting ruckman, spreads the load evenly. Definitely don't want to have the Silvagni/Dawson combo we had to put up with last year's Finals.
McPharlin goes to Darling and Dawson does a honourable job on Kennedy given how difficult that role is.
As such who replaces Dawson anyway? A. Pearce? Duffield? Definitely not confident in either of the two winning the 1 on 1s and in the air.

Lets first worry about Sydney match.