Mega Thread Miscellaneous Freo Discussion thread

[Taylor]

UNDER 25 B22

B Ethan Hughes (23) ~ Joel Hamling (24) ~ Griffin Logue (19)
HB Nathan Wilson (24) ~ Alex Pearce (22) ~ Luke Ryan (21)
C Darcy Tucker (19) ~ Andrew Brayshaw (18) ~ Bradley Hill (24)
HF Ed Langdon (21) ~ Cam McCarthy (22)* ~ Adam Cerra (18)
F Mitch Crowden (18) ~ Matthew Taberner (24)* ~ Sam Switkowski (18)
R Sean Darcy (19) ~ Connor Blakely (21) ~ Lachie Neale (24)
I/C Brennan Cox (19) ~ Tommy Sheridan (24) ~ Tom North (18) ~ Brady Grey (22)

EMG Ryan Nyhuis (21) ~ Hugh Dixon (18) ~ Shane Kersten (24) ~ Michael Apeness (22) ~ Lloyd Meek (19) ~ Scott Jones (22) ~ Bailey Banfield (19) ~ Stefan Giro (18) ~ Luke Strnadica (19)

* Hopefully with Dixon, Apeness, Cox and Kersten all putting pressure on Tabs and McCarthy to retain their spots.
** Starting 18 looks pretty good (although inexperienced forward line) but the bench isn't that great.

22 AND UNDER B22

B Ryan Nyhuis (21) ~ Alex Pearce (22) ~ Griffin Logue (19)
HB Taylin Duman (19) ~ Brennan Cox (19) ~ Luke Ryan (21)
C Ed Langdon (21) ~ Andrew Brayshaw (18) ~ Darcy Tucker (19)
HF Tom North (18) ~ Hugh Dixon (18) ~ Adam Cerra (18)
F Sam Switkowski (18) ~ Michael Apeness (22) ~ Cam McCarthy (22)
R Sean Darcy (19) ~ Connor Blakely (21) ~ Mitch Crowden (18)
I/C & EMG Brady Grey (22) ~ Bailey Banfield (19) ~ Lloyd Meek (19) ~ Scott Jones (22) ~ Stefan Giro (18) ~ Luke Strnadica (19)

Understandably the 22 and Under team is a little underwhelming currently but just being able to field a full team in that age range is relatively exciting for the future. I'd lock in about two thirds of that starting 18 to still be on an AFL list in 3-5 years time when they come into their prime.

Switkowski is 21, isn't he?

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Wilson is a gun and won't go missing like Des did, he is a defender and the ball will be handed to him on a platter at Fremantle.

You may be confusing that 22 thing with the WCE squad, our youngsters are getting a lot of chances, Hughes played 18 games and cemented his spot in the side, Ryan played the last 11 games of the season and is also going nowhere. Seriously confused about that last statement unless you were meaning just general consensus when watching the Eagles? (I have heard talk of Simpson not playing youngsters etc)

The kids weren't given a go until the experienced players had proven how shit they were for at least a month.

Ross is hugely conservative at team selection.

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[Taylor]

The team actually had input on that, I'm sure it's been made public by now but the leadership approached the match committee to give the experienced players another chance before effectively ending their careers by dropping them for the younger players, which was their plan.

So they gave them the extra game, they still didn't get the job done so Plan A went into effect, the next game against the Bulldogs sealed the deal.

 

[freo_leo29]

The kids weren't given a go until the experienced players had proven how shit they were for at least a month.

Ross is hugely conservative at team selection.

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The kids werent given a go until they were proven in the WAFL, can't fit all 44 players into 22 it just doesn't work.

Hughes played 18 games last season and Ryan played 11 both were locked into the 22 by the end of the season which is the point I was arguing...

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

The team actually had input on that, I'm sure it's been made public by now but the leadership approached the match committee to give the experienced players another chance before effectively ending their careers by dropping them for the younger players, which was their plan.

So they gave them the extra game, they still didn't get the job done so Plan A went into effect, the next game against the Bulldogs sealed the deal.

The leadership approached Ross and 'a robust discussion' was had, the finer details of which everyone on either side of the trench remained tight lipped about, so as to avoid the inevitable turmoil of either Ross or the players throwing the other under the bus.

I personally took it the other way, in that we played defeatist, no hope football from the moment round 1 started, and the leadership group have gone to the coaches and argued to be backed in.

Rounds 1 and 2 certainly weren't a case of the right game plan being played by the wrong players, as the game plan for the next few weeks wouldn't have been the absolute polar opposite if that was the case.

The players didn't go to Ross after the first 2 rounds and beg him to keep playing stagnant, obtuse football, only for Ross to fight tooth and nail instead to play the sharp, fast and offensive football that he's known for. There's not enough multiverses.

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[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

The kids werent given a go until they were proven in the WAFL, can't fit all 44 players into 22 it just doesn't work.

Hughes played 18 games last season and Ryan played 11 both were locked into the 22 by the end of the season which is the point I was arguing...

So like I said, the kids weren't given a crack until the old guard had conclusively shown that they weren't capable.

Darcy was tearing the ****ing door down, yet we still played Griffin ahead of him. Nyhuis was killing it for weeks on end while Spurr was causing cancer down back. Logue couldn't get a game during a rebuild until we'd thrown in the towel.

By all means he didn't have much young talent to throw games at anyway, but he surely wasn't proactive about it in the first place.

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[DMan 11]

Had an interesting thought the other day about the new stadium , Both W.A teams have not played there yet of course , So how long will it take to build that fortress mentality? One good thing from a Freo perspective is that we only played at Subi once every second week , But West coast trained there as well , So it was more their home ground than ours really. So from that perspective i am glad that at least in Derbies it is now a truly shared neutral venue .

Importantly, we've been able to replicate the dimensions on our new oval so we should have a tiny advantage, given we can train on it.
I wonder if it factors into any gameplay calculations of Ross's ?
We are an anywhere, anytime team so logic says no - but when you look at how much space it will have on the wings compared to Subi I wonder if that has relevance to our game plan ...

 

[SHill Shall]

So like I said, the kids weren't given a crack until the old guard had conclusively shown that they weren't capable.

Darcy was tearing the ******* door down, yet we still played Griffin ahead of him. Nyhuis was killing it for weeks on end while Spurr was causing cancer down back. Logue couldn't get a game during a rebuild until we'd thrown in the towel.

By all means he didn't have much young talent to throw games at anyway, but he surely wasn't proactive about it in the first place.

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So its hard to get in and even harder to get turfed. Over the long run that’s not such a bad thing for the group dynamic. You know you’ve earned your way in and can’t complain too much when you finally get the chop. As fans we get too impatient but inside the camp they’re dealing with real men and their careers.

 

[freo_leo29]

So like I said, the kids weren't given a crack until the old guard had conclusively shown that they weren't capable.

Darcy was tearing the ******* door down, yet we still played Griffin ahead of him. Nyhuis was killing it for weeks on end while Spurr was causing cancer down back. Logue couldn't get a game during a rebuild until we'd thrown in the towel.

By all means he didn't have much young talent to throw games at anyway, but he surely wasn't proactive about it in the first place.

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Darcy didn't have the match fitness, nyhuis was behind Ryan Hughes and Logue.
Loguew wasin the team round 3...

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

So its hard to get in and even harder to get turfed. Over the long run that’s not such a bad thing for the group dynamic. You know you’ve earned your way in and can’t complain too much when you finally get the chop. As fans we get too impatient but inside the camp they’re dealing with real men and their careers.

Absolutely it's a reasonable strategy when our list and 22 is fairly stable. It isn't a reasonable strategy when we're mid way through a rebuild, trying to expose and develop new talent to replace players that are not up to scratch now and certainly not 3-4 years down the road. It is/was conservative, stubborn and outdated coaching.



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[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Darcy didn't have the match fitness, nyhuis was behind Ryan Hughes and Logue.
Loguew wasin the team round 3...

Darcy didn't just wake up the day before his debut, match fit enough to play half the season as our leading ruck. Griffin was hardly in better shape physically (and so cooked even Stevie Wonder could see it) but it didn't stop us from selecting him.

Nyhuis could've been behind whoever, he was performing in the WAFL level while we were in clear need of a shutdown defender, yet chose to stick with Spurr or shuffle the deckchairs and play others who have shown they've passed their use by date.

Logue was dropped one match after poor finishing was the difference between kicking 4-5 goals and not, after being swung forward.

That's not brave coaching or development, especially during a rebuild, it's weak and stinks of self interest. He should be biting the bullet and making the hard decisions.

Make all the excuses you want, but he was exactly the same at St Kilda. Why is it so hard to accept?

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[freo_leo29]

Darcy didn't just wake up the day before his debut, match fit enough to play half the season as our leading ruck. Griffin was hardly in better shape physically (and so cooked even Stevie Wonder could see it) but it didn't stop us from selecting him.

Nyhuis could've been behind whoever, he was performing in the WAFL level while we were in clear need of a shutdown defender, yet chose to stick with Spurr or shuffle the deckchairs and play others who have shown they've passed their use by date.

Logue was dropped one match after poor finishing was the difference between kicking 4-5 goals and not, after being swung forward.

That's not brave coaching or development, especially during a rebuild, it's weak and stinks of self interest. He should be biting the bullet and making the hard decisions.

Make all the excuses you want, but he was exactly the same at St Kilda. Why is it so hard to accept?

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Darcy didnt just wake up the day before his debut match fit, he worked towards it thanks to playing in the WAFL, thats pretty obvious.

Nyhuise was behind Ryan and Logue as a defender and wasn't banging the door down, Spurr was a leader in our already young backline, Spurr and Johnno the only experienced heads, we needed him the start of last season to help instruct the youngsters including Hamling.

Logue was dropped for poor performance and brought back in for good performance, this is what a good coach does and is fairly simple.

 

[SHill Shall]

Make all the excuses you want, but he was exactly the same at St Kilda. Why is it so hard to accept?

Of course he is - why is that a problem? He’s still in the top half of coaches going round and this time he’s taking us through the full rebuild. Due to mismanagement of their administration and our Godfather offer, he didn’t hang around long enough at St Kilda to carry them through that phase. But I’d rather be us than them right now, given what they have been through and looking at their current list and head coach - both very vanilla.

He now has a glorious opportunity to prove his naysayers wrong, and I for one sincerely hope he succeeds.

 

[M_rash]

Darcy didnt just wake up the day before his debut match fit, he worked towards it thanks to playing in the WAFL, thats pretty obvious.

Nyhuise was behind Ryan and Logue as a defender and wasn't banging the door down, Spurr was a leader in our already young backline, Spurr and Johnno the only experienced heads, we needed him the start of last season to help instruct the youngsters including Hamling.

Logue was dropped for poor performance and brought back in for good performance, this is what a good coach does and is fairly simple.

Agree with this!

Either way, the kids can play!!! And are being developed beautifully! If they played more games earlier, perhaps they would be even better. Or perhaps they would be self entitled shitbags that just expect to be picked regardless of form. Who knows.

Let’s debate this for another 3 months because there’s nothing else to do. I’m in the Ross is Boss camp and love him very much and think his poopies smell like roses and can do no wrong. Come at me IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

 

[Del183359]

Agree with this!

Either way, the kids can play!!! And are being developed beautifully! If they played more games earlier, perhaps they would be even better. Or perhaps they would be self entitled shitbags that just expect to be picked regardless of form. Who knows.

Let’s debate this for another 3 months because there’s nothing else to do. I’m in the Ross is Boss camp and love him very much and think his poopies smell like roses and can do no wrong. Come at me IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN

Not sure if his poops are odourless and perfectly formed but He’s backing himself in to turn this club into a Premiership contender. I think it’s reasonable to cut him some slack this season. However if there is not a marked improvement in 2018 I would expect the vultures to start circling. We’d want to be close to the eight to be on track imo.

 

[Harry Reems]

Anyone else currently watching the replay of the Demolition Derby on 7 Mate?

Unfortunately this game is always remembered for the ugly brawl which was initiated by Michael Gardiner after Mitchell White went off on a stretcher due to a perfectly legal bump by Toy Cook.

But apart from Clive Waterhouse kicking 7 goals on Glen Jakovich, to come back from being 7 goals down halfway through the 3rd quarter with Pavlich, Black and Modra all off the ground through injury was amazing.

And what about Show Boat Matera cleaning up the umpire, yet he was the one who went off injured?

Other highlights include Jason Norrish tagging Dean Kemp out of the game, watching Clem Michael beating Ryan Turnbull in the ruck and Paul Haselby schooling Drew Banfield.

It was a shame that Andrew Shipp only impressed in this game.

 

[M_rash]

Not sure if his poops are odourless and perfectly formed but He’s backing himself in to turn this club into a Premiership contender. I think it’s reasonable to cut him some slack this season. However if there is not a marked improvement in 2018 I would expect the vultures to start circling. We’d want to be close to the eight to be on track imo.

I just can’t see us being close to the eight - I mean, I can see it (Hamling, AP, Logue beasting tall forwards with Wilson, Ryan and Hughes rebounding. Fyfe, Neale, Blakely dominating stoppages feeding out to the Hills, Walters, Bennell, Tucker, Brayshaw and Cerra. Tabs and/or Cox somehow become 40 goal players, McCarthy gets back into the groove after a quietish return year. Matera adds some goal kicking power whilst also spurring Ballas on to return to his niggling best. I can see it because it’s preseason and that’s all the best case outcome).

I think lots of people want their cake and to eat it too. We’ll regularly be fielding one of, if not the youngest 22 week after week (average age dragged up by Sandi, Mundy, Ballas, MJ). Most of our preferred back six have played less than 50 games. Our kids look good, but realistically will all need at least 50 games into them before turning in consistent performances.

The future of the list looks great (possibly because half the list has barely played and therefore are all superstars until proven otherwise). Being close to finals would be a minor miracle with such a young list. I think 2019 is when we’ll be close to finals action.

The only teams I think we’ll finish ahead of this year are Carlton, Roos and Suns. I quite like what Brissy are assembling at the moment. They have some good avenues to goal, possibly boosted with Charlie Cameron and the return of Christanson. I reckon Hodge will accelerate the development of their back six, which is their main weakness. Depending what Stewy Dew can do with the Suns, maybe they become dangerous. But they are the big unknown for me in that bottom 5.

As for Ross, I think his biggest challenge will be to be more dangerous on the counter attack. He’ll embed his defensive principles into the team, get the back six settled but then needs to capitalise on rebound. Fast, quick, PRECISE ball movement from centre-back turnovers down to the goal square. We need to leave a few forwards home, or close enough to home to get those “cheap” Adelaide type goals where Jenkins and Betts stroll into an open goal.

End epically long post. Merry Christmas Y’all. Go Freo! Don’t wait for it, just go get it! Be wildly optimistic like last year. No limits. No ceilings. But another top 5 pick would be handy (especially in the super draft).

 

[theGav56]

Whatever happened to the posters who proclaimed Lyon would never rebuild but would go to a club with a developed list as soon as our window was closed ?

 

[Del183359]

Whatever happened to the posters who proclaimed Lyon would never rebuild but would go to a club with a developed list as soon as our window was closed ?

They disappeared along with the Eagles Premiership window.

 

[Harry Reems]

Whatever happened to the posters who proclaimed Lyon would never rebuild but would go to a club with a developed list as soon as our window was closed ?

They're still there on the St Kilda and West Coast forums.

 

[Harry Reems]

I saw Chris Mayne having dinner last night with about 12 really hot chicks at Bread In Common.

 

[TheInjuryFactory]

This up just now on AFL site...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-28/stats-leaders-in-every-category-in-2017

Didn't expect much Freo in that list, however I was surprised to find we had two stat leaders in 2017.



Overall rank of #1 means both hold the all-time AFL record for these stats.

I love Lachie but that many missed tackles means he hasn't impacted that contest and has taken himself out of it by attempting but failing to tackle. Definite room for improvement in 2018.

Cam's rubber chest speaks for itself. Really hope he works hard as **** on this over the summer, his marking wasn't AFL standard by a long stretch last year.

 

[FUS_RO_DAH]

This up just now on AFL site...

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-12-28/stats-leaders-in-every-category-in-2017

Didn't expect much Freo in that list, however I was surprised to find we had two stat leaders in 2017.

View attachment 447722

Overall rank of #1 means both hold the all-time AFL record for these stats.

I love Lachie but that many missed tackles means he hasn't impacted that contest and has taken himself out of it by attempting but failing to tackle. Definite room for improvement in 2018.

Cam's rubber chest speaks for itself. Really hope he works had on this over the summer, his marking wasn't AFL standard by a long stretch last year.

Well, that' depressing.

 

[JunglistPosse]

I saw Chris Mayne having dinner last night with about 12 really hot chicks at Bread In Common.

Out with his Collingwood team mates was he ? Oh wait you said hot .

 

[bgreenie88]

I saw Chris Mayne having dinner last night with about 12 really hot chicks at Bread In Common.

hard life eh