Lessons learnt from Port

[Andre]

As a Port outsider looking in Fremantles problems have always been mostly above the shoulders. Aside from you needing to either fast track suitable young ones on your list or trade for a fast midfielder or two you have a list that should be top 6 next year - on paper.

Sandilands in the ruck, J. Carr's toughness, Pavlich as one of the top 3 KPP's (along with Brown and C. Cornes, I'm not going to rate in order here, not the thread for it) in the AFL, talented players like Tarrant and Farmer. Sure it's not perfect, but since the inflated salary cap Lions sides of 2001-2004 no side has been really strong across every line of the ground.

With Harvey it appears you've finally got the coach you need - one who'll be their coach, not their best mate. If he keeps on as he did in round 22, not putting up with any crap and does a good clean out of the fringe players my pick would be you'll be 7-10 next year, then a real chance to be top 4 in 2009 after a full season under him.

That and I'd agree list development is the key. Mahoney, Rodan, Motlop and going back to our 2004 side we had guys like Montgomery, Bishop who were so-so at their original clubs and if not turned into stars, were made better players at Port. List development and culture are somewhat symbiotic. If you accept mediocrity it stalls list development and if you don't develop your list you're stuck with mediocrity.

My one dig at Fremantle fans (though not generally ones on BF) is you are still too accepting of 'close enough is good enough' and 'if we beat the Eagles in the derby that's enough for me this year'. The players need to know clearly the fans won't accept close enough anymore.

 

[Freo Shark]

Why are we after quick fixes?

We trade too readily for players that will supposedly fix our problems. As opposed to developing our own fixes thru early draft picks and topping up on value trades. Then developing them ourselves.

We are trying to win the cup thru trading for it rather than getting there thru earning it thru building a team.

Thats not to say we shouldnt trade and we havent done well trading at times but we need to refresh our list and dip into the early draft picks for a few years.

 

[Scham]

Fact is that in a year that everything that could go wrong went wrong , we finished in 11th place marginally out of the top 4.

Much the same as the Cats in 2006.

I know when i was in competitive sport (speedway) , early on every time you got beaten the temptation was there to throw out the lot and start again or buy a bigger Carburettor or camshaft or something else.

If ever there was a sport where the grass was always greener it is that.

However as that was not economically feasable , i just had to get smarter with what I had.

Every year the competition would arrive to tell me that I was slack and had not replaced my bent diff housing from last year.

Little did they know that it was bent that way on purpose to give 1 1/2 degrees camber on the right rear an 1/4 inch toe out to make the left rear work closer to it's optimum slip angle.

4 Murchison Champs wins (4 R/u's & a 3rd)
3 Fortuscue Wins (4 R/U & 2 3rd's)

4th in the Midwest super saloon challenge against the best in the State, that was the way to go.

Some of the bloke i raced spent more on their on just their carbon fibre rims than the whole car owed me.

Another great lesson I learnt was that when coaching the new drivers the biggest experts on the sidelines were the one that had never done it.

Thanks for that story Ripper, I honestly enjoyed reading it. But from this you'd have to agree with working smarter, instead of spending big bucks etc. We've got to get smarter as a club, and ironically that may mean getting rid of Smart. As pointed out by someone else, he's only done an average job over the years, and as the Port supporter wisely said "enough of accepting average" lets demand a recruiting and developing structure and culture like the top teams.

BTW, I'm still wondering why every club overlooked Priddis in two drafts and 1 and a half rookie drafts when he was a very good junior, won BOG in a WAFL reserves GF as an 18yo, starred in the WAFL as a 19yo including near on BOG in a state game etc? What was the problem with him??? Anyone know.

 

[dominguez]

BTW, I'm still wondering why every club overlooked Priddis in two drafts and 1 and a half rookie drafts when he was a very good junior, won BOG in a WAFL reserves GF as an 18yo, starred in the WAFL as a 19yo including near on BOG in a state game etc? What was the problem with him??? Anyone know.

Was seen as an old fashioned footy player who lacked leg speed with mediocre skills, recruiters want athlete's now. He's lost 5 or 6 kilo's since being drafted which has increased his pace and endurance.

 

[chook2734]

Was seen as an old fashioned footy player who lacked leg speed with mediocre skills, recruiters want athlete's now. He's lost 5 or 6 kilo's since being drafted which has increased his pace and endurance.

Hasn't really improved his skills much though. We've got enough players who can get the ball, but just don't do anything with it.

 

[The Hobo]

Could a case be made for having a crack at Sampi, Ray or Wells?

Mahoney
Rodan
Motlop
Logan


One thing that they all have in common, is that they worked their asses off at their old club, but due to injury, couldn't make it. The important thing is that they are all HARD WORKING, BUT GUSTING players. That is the key to Williams' success.

Williams' wouldn't touch Sampi, the work ethic just isn't there.

 

[The Hobo]

That brings me back to my point in another thread regarding players at Fremantle not taking the step from a good player who has the occassional really good game to being a standout player in the competition. Either we aren't developing them to unleash their full potential, or drafting the wrong players. I don't think it is the latter.

Definately not, because the ones that go away end up being good. Clement, McPhee, Polak, looklng like Mehdurst perhaps, to name a few.

 

[chook2734]

Definately not, because the ones that go away end up being good. Clement, McPhee, Polak, looklng like Mehdurst perhaps, to name a few.

This is the perpetual Freo trading myth though - none of these guys would actually get a game at Freo anymore. Clement is too old, but the other three are not as good as what we've still got.

I don't think our player development is as bad as has been said, but there is definitely room for improvement. If we can get the best out of our 22-23 year olds and have a few youngsters step up, we will be top 8 easily next season.

 

[Roundhouse]

Definately not, because the ones that go away end up being good. Clement, McPhee, Polak, looklng like Mehdurst perhaps, to name a few.

Would you like McPhee, Polak or Medhurst at Port?

I personally would not like them back at Freo. Clement, White and Simmonds are the only traded players that would add something to our current squad and they wanted to go.

They ones that Freo send packing are generally average players who end up being average players.

 

[Cameron_K]

See thats a load of crap, Polak was doing the exact same thing at Fremantle but Mundy/Johnson were better options to play loose in the backline. The same with Medhurst, the guy was doing everything he is now for Collingwood, the difference is he doesn't have the media hounding him every day of the week like he did in Perth.

I would hardly say McPhee has gone on to star, had one good year with Essendon and is now back to his flinching best. Clement is one player who really went on with it but his heart wasn't at Fremantle. These sort of things happen and you just move on, it works both way.

 

[Roundhouse]

Was seen as an old fashioned footy player who lacked leg speed with mediocre skills, recruiters want athlete's now. He's lost 5 or 6 kilo's since being drafted which has increased his pace and endurance.

Yep, much the same as Sandilands being overlooked because recruiters thought he was a throwback to the lumbering dinosaur ruckmen types.

He was a great pick-up by the recruiting staff who something in him that other clubs didn't. Props should also go to the player development program as well, considering just how much progress he has made.

Oh wait, we don't develop good players of the rookie list or through late draft picks do we?

Maybe Sandi is just one of those one-off wins for our recruiters/development staff ....like Hayden....and Grover.....and Warnock ...and Dodd.

 

[wozzie]

Was seen as an old fashioned footy player who lacked leg speed with mediocre skills, recruiters want athlete's now. He's lost 5 or 6 kilo's since being drafted which has increased his pace and endurance.

He has always been a natural athlete. Represented the State in three different sports. His endurance is incredible, runs 18 to 20 k's per game, beep test mid to high 16's. Subi built strength, lost a little pace, Eagles modified picked up pace again. You don't win a Simpson Medal and Sandover Medal with mediocre skills. A football brain something those so called athletes don't or will never possess. Ask Peter German.

 

[malpaso]

It is a bit of both prbably , We must be doing alright in the recruitement area as well.

Sandi
M.J.
Rodger
Crowls
Groves
Thornton
Foster

We just have to up the development a tad.

Great point, however its the coaching we had to UP and that's been done.

Watch out in 08 for the purple horde.

 

[Scham]

Yep, much the same as Sandilands being overlooked because recruiters thought he was a throwback to the lumbering dinosaur ruckmen types.

He was a great pick-up by the recruiting staff who something in him that other clubs didn't. Props should also go to the player development program as well, considering just how much progress he has made.

Oh wait, we don't develop good players of the rookie list or through late draft picks do we?

Maybe Sandi is just one of those one-off wins for our recruiters/development staff ....like Hayden....and Grover.....and Warnock ...and Dodd.

Yeah great point. Plenty of stars there. Haydens probably the only one rated outside of FFC. Warnock will be rated if we can nurture his obvious talent. I saw him when he first got to the club and his talent was evident then, just very skinny, but developing that sort of talent shouldn't be hard.

 

[Tony_Clifton]

I think the idea of picking up a Motlop or Rodan is a bit of a red herring when it comes to lessons learnt from Port. Having faith and sticking with your own players even if they are young is more important. Salopek took a while to find his groove but is now an integral member of the side.

Our own Ryley Dunn has had his introduction to AFL footy stalled but if he stays fit could be a revelation next year. Garick Ibbotson was taken at an early age and will be in the stage of his development next year to be pushing for regular selection. Campbell and Murphy are more likely to be consistant contributers next year. A year playing WAFL is not necessarily a bad thing for these young talls.

The other thing about Port is that they demand success. We want success but we don't demand it. I think this psyche seeps into how are players aproach football and the club in general. Mark Harvey and his hard line status is a good step in the right direction.

 

[chook2734]

I think the idea of picking up a Motlop or Rodan is a bit of a red herring when it comes to lessons learnt from Port. Having faith and sticking with your own players even if they are young is more important. Salopek took a while to find his groove but is now an integral member of the side.

Our own Ryley Dunn has had his introduction to AFL footy stalled but if he stays fit could be a revelation next year. Garick Ibbotson was taken at an early age and will be in the stage of his development next year to be pushing for regular selection. Campbell and Murphy are more likely to be consistant contributers next year. A year playing WAFL is not necessarily a bad thing for these young talls.

The other thing about Port is that they demand success. We want success but we don't demand it. I think this psyche seeps into how are players aproach football and the club in general. Mark Harvey and his hard line status is a good step in the right direction.

Best post I've seen on here in a long time.

 

[dominguez]

Yep, much the same as Sandilands being overlooked because recruiters thought he was a throwback to the lumbering dinosaur ruckmen types.

He was a great pick-up by the recruiting staff who something in him that other clubs didn't. Props should also go to the player development program as well, considering just how much progress he has made.

Oh wait, we don't develop good players of the rookie list or through late draft picks do we?

Maybe Sandi is just one of those one-off wins for our recruiters/development staff ....like Hayden....and Grover.....and Warnock ...and Dodd.

What's your point, and how does it relate to Matt Priddis?

 

[The Hobo]

Would you like McPhee, Polak or Medhurst at Port?

I personally would not like them back at Freo. Clement, White and Simmonds are the only traded players that would add something to our current squad and they wanted to go.

They ones that Freo send packing are generally average players who end up being average players.

McPhee, probably not. But he showed he has talent, and I still think he has alot of talent. He had one very good year.

Polak has much improved since moving interstate, and I think next year he will really take the next step. Remember, talls take longer

Medhurst, not anymore, we have Ebert and Motlop. But if we didn't have one of those two, i'd take Medhurst in a flash. His decision making isn't the best, but he is a very good mark for his size, decent pace, strong body etc. Has the tools necessary, watch him take the next step next year too.

Clement NOW after he's retired, obviously not, but he left Freo many years ago and has been one of the best defenders in the league for many years now.

Remember, the players named, most left the club last year, so relaly haven't had time to show it. I really do think they will show something next year.