Luke McPharlin Review

[apuchar]

Luke McPharlin Season Review
2013 GAMES: 16 - 2013 GOALS: 0

2013 Home and Away Season (2012 in brackets)

Disposals per game: 17.2 – 12th – (16.6 – 13th)
Contested possessions per game: 4.2 – 24th – (4.7 – 23rd)
Uncontested possessions per game: 12.5 – 9th – (11.8 – 7th)
Disposal efficiency: 80.7% - 5th – (86.5% - 1st)
Marks per game: 8.8 – 1st – (8.1 - 1st)
Tackles per game: 1.4 – 29th – (1.3 – 27th)
2013 Brownlow Medal votes: 16

*rankings are at Freo and players must have played at least four games to qualify.

Highlight – Held power forward Travis Cloke goalless in Freo’s big round 7 win at Patersons Stadium.

Summary – Injury kept McPharlin out between round 16 and round 23, but when he played, he was at his uncompromising best in the heart of Fremantle’s defence.

Finals

Qualifying Final – 12 disposals, 7 marks
Preliminary Final – 15 disposals, 9 marks
Grand Final – 16 disposals, 7 marks

Summary – After not playing since round 16, McPharlin returned in the finals and was his reliable self. He played on the best key forwards, including Jesse White and Lance Franklin, and was not beaten.

Outlook: McPharlin is a very important part of Freo’s structure, but he is getting into his 30s now. Despite this, his athleticism remains elite, which means Freo should be able to rely on him playing on the best forwards again in 2014.
Exclusive to fremantlefc.com.au

 

[estibador]

Had a decent season but also a few more uncharacteristically poor games than we've seen from him in recent years. Not so much in terms of being beaten by his opponent, but just poor decision making and use of the ball.

His game against Geelong earlier in the season stands out as the worst one I can remember him playing, and I was a little disappointed with his GF too (though he's certainly no Robinson Crusoe in that regard). I do hold him to a pretty high standard though.

 

[gaskin]

The highlight of keeping Cloke goalless is a bit misleading too. IIRC Cloke should have had about 3-4 but missed a few easy shots.

 

[apuchar]

Had a decent year but also a few more uncharacteristically poor games than we've seen from him in recent years. Not so much in terms of being beaten by his opponent, but just poor decision making and use of the ball.

His game against Geelong earlier in the season stands out as the worst one I can remember him playing, and I was a little disappointed with his GF too (though he's certainly no Robinson Crusoe in that regard). I do hold him to a pretty high standard though.

Agree totally. I did wonder at times earlier in the year whether he was totally focused. The games in the finals can possibly be excused by his lack of game time in the lead up to the finals. Benefit of the doubt with that one. It's why I would have considered playing Silvagni in the grand-final. Not sure who I would have left out though.

 

[Kram]

Was solid enough but I'd say that next season might be his last.

 

[Dockernut]

Solid enough year sans injuries, but a pretty stinky finals series.

Should have taken that shot in the GF Lukey, should have taken the shot. ****! Makes me sad just thinking about it.

 

[The Anchorite]

Did he really get 16 Brownlow votes?

 

[Righteo]

This was the first year where I've accepted he really won't be around much longer. Was nearly a different player after he came back from injury, in the past he was able to slot straight back in without missing a beat but he was very, very rusty this year upon his return and he never really got it together again.

Still though he was the standout key defender for most of the year

Retaining Silvagni now looks a masterstroke.

 

[Susan_Boyle14]

Thought he was top two defenders in the league before his injury. His finals series wasn't too bad but he seemed to be making a few uncharacteristic skills errors.

 

[Bulldocker]

As his 2013 buddy, there was very little for me to do but sit back smugly and enjoy ........ up until his injury layoff. For the first time in a very long time I found myself worrying about his decision making and finishing at the pointy end of the season. His GF kick that dropped short on the wing (landing in Hodge's lap) and the bad decision not to shoot on goal when in range were both jaw droppers for me. Even the usually unflappable "Rock" had succumbed to the GF jitters like many of his teammates.

Still, the man has so many plusses against his name for so long. Would be surprised if he is not a major catalyst of our finals march next year. The bloke is a star!

 

[mike91]

Solid enough year sans injuries, but a pretty stinky finals series.

Should have taken that shot in the GF Lukey, should have taken the shot. ****! Makes me sad just thinking about it.

I thought his finals series was alright. That's without even considering the fact that he was injured.

 

[greatgatsby]

I think we weren't interested in making excuses because everyone plays hurt at the end of the year ... but Luke, Walters and Johnno pretty much finished on one leg. You could see McPharlin had lost some confidence in his kicking late in the Prelim.

 

[FFC4ME]

Let's also not forget Luke's superb stint as our acting captain in Pav and Sandi's absence for a long stretch of the year - a period which also coincided with some of his very best form in a stellar career.

And at least he didn't nominate "left" at the coin toss this time, either...

Unfortunately things started to go wrong for Supermac in the North Melbourne game, which is where I first noticed the uncharacteristic errors which would plague the rest of his season. This compounded in the night game at Simmonds where he dropped that easy mark early that led to a goal, and he never really recovered.

Hopefully he still has another 2 years in him, as more of a semi-regular while he mentors our replacement KPDs. Wherever they are.

 

[Kram]

How funny was the "WTF, me?!" look he gave one game when he was handed the red vest.

 

[Beetlebum]

A good season but not a great one, obviously hindered by the injury break at the end of the home and aways and of course having Paddy Ryder trying to split him in half in Round 3.

His time is slowly coming to an end but I see (injury depending) another strong showing in 2014.

 

[StingBitten]

God some people on this board have short memories.

His poor form only began as a precursor to his injury. He was beginning to struggle just after the bye, as as a result his game suffered. Then after that he had a huge layoff and came back underdone; I'd say he played a role in the finals campaign as well as could have done under the circumstances.

Prior to the bye the man was looking to receive consecutive AA honours. He was simply brilliant in the first half of the season. If he truly is to retire at the end of next year I can see him going out with AA honours alongside Johnson and Ibbotson.

 

[Kram]

If he truly is to retire at the end of next year I can see him going out with AA honours alongside Johnson and Ibbotson.

And a premiership medallion

 

[couldhavebeen]

Elvis has carried the teams backline for years being the swingman and playing under some god awful coaches and some not so good players around him for support .
HE GOT INJURED .
He came back into the side still carrying that injury and astounded a lot of critics with his ability to keep going .
His first game back after the injury he was still on 1 leg and had to have extended times off the ground so they could do running repairs .

With that in mind he did a super job to get on the park and play as well as he did .

Generation X kids would have been looking for help and a soft bed ,he got going and played as hard as he could the same as Johnson so cut him some slack guys because injury free or just a little sore he will be a major player for us in the back 6 on our way to another strong home and away season in 2014 charging towards another crack at the flag .

 

[pokerspiv]

I'm not sure Generation X means what you think it means. McPharlin is Generation X by most definitions, along with other renowned softies like Dermott Brereton, Tony Lockett and Jonathon Brown. "Generation X" Typically refers to people born in the period from 1961-1981.

 

[Beetlebum]

Luke is a good December 1981 boy like Pav and myself

 

[couldhavebeen]

I'm not sure Generation X means what you think it means. McPharlin is Generation X by most definitions, along with other renowned softies like Dermott Brereton, Tony Lockett and Jonathon Brown. "Generation X" Typically refers to people born in the period from 1961-1981.

Alright GEN Y then

 

[PapaJ]

God some people on this board have short memories.

His poor form only began as a precursor to his injury. He was beginning to struggle just after the bye, as as a result his game suffered. Then after that he had a huge layoff and came back underdone; I'd say he played a role in the finals campaign as well as could have done under the circumstances.

Prior to the bye the man was looking to receive consecutive AA honours. He was simply brilliant in the first half of the season. If he truly is to retire at the end of next year I can see him going out with AA honours alongside Johnson and Ibbotson.

Was about to post in the same vein. He was in absolute ripping form earlier in the year - I'd almost say career best actually, and that's saying something in the context of Elivs. No doubt he finished the season very much bellow McPharlin level, but overall he was still good for us.

My worry is that this sort of 'slow down' is not a bit more permanent. He's always had a touch of fragility when it comes to soft tissue injuries, and now we're at the later stages of his career, I can't see it getting better now.

 

[The Anchorite]

Seriously, he only got 2 Brownlow votes.

 

[Freo_4eva]

I thought he was clearly injured in the GF.. his early season form showed if he is relatively nursed through 2014 he can still be an elite KPD at the business end of the year i think

 

[DMan 11]

Seriously, he only got 2 Brownlow votes.

Great benchmarking here ....
Just remember Who votes for Chas and what type of player constitutes the top 20-30 each year

Brownlow as a guide for our defensive 6 is simply absurd