Nat Fyfe: ruined by injuries?

[StCicatriz]

Ruined by fremantle. Instead of resting him after the sam mitchell corky they played him into stress fractures and then a fractured leg that required a plate

Then they brought him back too quick and he required another plate which threatened his career and has cost him a year of football

He needs to get out whilst he can

 

[Rotayjay]

St Kilda supporters really out and about in this thread

 

[Power Raid]

I hope fyfe stays at freo but regardless of where he goes (or stays), I hope he returns to his best

 

[Damon_3388]

Interesting to note...

Score involvements per game
2015 - 7.45
2017 - 7.18

At the end of the day, even if he seems "down" his Brownlow form, he's still helping put as much score on the board as he ever has.

He's also doing the little things as much as ever, too:

Tackles per game
2015 - 4.30
2017 - 4.47

1%ers per game
2015 - 1.55
2017 - 2.88 (career high)

This could be evidence of not having to carry as much attacking load as he once did as well (with the development of Lachie Neale as Freo's main clearance weapon), allowing him to do other things on the field and round out his game more, or he could just be genuinely working harder at the "unsexy" aspects of footy, too.

Fyfe's much-hyped contested work is still extremely good as well:

Contested marks per game
2015 - 1.65
2017 - 1.76

Contested Possession Percentage
2015 - 61.81%
2017 - 56.08%

He's also putting up career-highs in gametime and disposal efficiency:

Time on Ground
2015 - 87.00%
2017 - 89.12%

Disposal Efficiency
2015 - 69.44%
2017 - 73.42%

Turnover Percentage
2015 - 17.01%
2017 - 15.32%

Again, it's unsexy, but it's evidence of improvement in areas that were considered weaknesses previously (disposal and decision-making, durability).

Admittedly, the uptick in disposal efficiency could have a lot to do with kicking the ball a lot less, and the metres gained difference would have a direct correlation to this too:

Kick-to-Handball Ratio
2015 - 0.9136
2017 - 0.7011

Metres Gained Per Disposal
2015 - 13.18
2017 - 10.52

But perhaps that's what's needed from him in the context of the team, maybe admitting that he's not the greatest kick of the footy, but can still win the ball and dish off to better users by foot. Once again, unsexy, but may make him a better, more useful player in a team context.

Whether you "blame" injuries, Ross Lyon, or whatever else, Fyfe might not seem as individually brilliant and exciting and "dynamic" now as he was in 2015, and he may never be again. He might be a more well-rounded player and teammate now though, and work better with others in a midfield unit. That may not be as fun to watch, but in a team sport, being able to play to your strengths in a team environment is what comes first.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Last 3-4 weeks he's got back to his best. Earlier in the year he was playinga different role as well.

 

[Tim Evans Beard]

Has anyone got a comparison on his weight from Brownlow year to this year?
It looks to me like he is smaller. I always thought his was a 'power' based game where he used explosive strength to gain an extra yard, bust a tackle or take a contested mark. If he has lost size, and with it this explosive ability, his footy nous will still have him in the right places and his stats won't significantly change - however the impact of those stats will (a little bit more pressure, an opposition hand in the contest, tackle instead of half tackle, etc).
It would make sense to lose size given the nature of the injury (muscular skeletal) and a reduction in size would result in a a reduction in stress to a structural deficiency.

 

[Righteo]

St Kilda supporters really out and about in this thread

It's gold.

 

[Schauermann]

Missed half of 2012 (averaging more Brownlow votes then anybody else, but only 9 games).
Down on form for the second half of 2015. Imagine that season with him going at full level until the end...
Missed most of 2016.
Needed half of 2017 to get back to his best (or at least close).

Missing the last game of 2011 most likely cost him a B&F as well (second by 3 votes, avering 6,7)...

So you could say so atm. But has ~5 more potential peak season ahead of him. In the end it depends on you those pan out...

 

[The_Eagles]

Fyfe was almost at his sublime superlative best
Him at full flight I think is still almost number 1 player ?

 

[Capt Hindsight]

Has definitely hit form again the last month. Gets through the rest of the season injury free and has a big preseason he should be back to his best next year.

 

[Vintage]

Thanks for the stats Damon. He's getting better through the season, if he gets through and has a full preseason I reckon he'll be back to pretty much top of his game again.

Great to see him taking a few more grabs recently which is a healthy sign.

Edit: mr hindsight got in while I was typing

 

[sloppyjoespizza]

Him at full flight I think is still almost number 1 player ?

and he's not a cocky, arrogant, smug, a-hole like Dangerfield is.

 

[DaveLister]

His contested marking numbers have been through the roof in the last month

Edit: since coming back from his 2 weeks off he's taken 19 contested marks in 6 games, 9 in the last 2

 

[WilloTree]

Pick 1: M Kreuzer (28yrs).

Pick 20: N Fyfe. (25yrs). 1 Brownlow.

He's unprecedented... Oh no. did I just say that? I take it back.

freeeekin Carlton supporters and their salt. Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Fyfe was almost at his sublime superlative best
Him at full flight I think is still almost number 1 player ?

I rate him as the best player when he's up. Wins an unhealthy amount of contested football, I think when he was flying it was 65-70% of the contests he was in? Not the greatest kick but he plays within his skills so he's not trying to over-do it,

Start of the year he was playing more team orientated football, using his body to block for Neale, Hill ect. While he got more gametime through his legs. I think your general football fan doesn't watch this and just looks at stats, lack of highlights and will draw conclusions, He did pretty much miss a season and 2 pre-seasons. Was the "man" at fremantle so expectations were high no matter how he came out and played

 

[james Dean]

Pick 1: M Kreuzer (28yrs).

Pick 20: N Fyfe. (25yrs). 1 Brownlow.

He's unprecedented... Oh no. did I just say that? I take it back.

freeeekin Carlton supporters and their salt. Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in.

Ok

 

[One_Wing]

Thanks for bumping this. Smugness levels off the charts right now.

 

[largebus]

He basically said on the post-game interview last night that he was still gradually finding his "jump and run" which is pretty consistent with the game he played

 

[Jimmybob]

and he's not a cocky, arrogant, smug, a-hole like Dangerfield is.

I would've thought that's exactly what he is!

 

[gungho]

So, this thread is about Fyfe never making it back to his best in 2015. Well, you know what? He's actually been pretty bloody good this year and his last month of football, according to player ratings, has him as the number 1 player in the competition.
Let's be honest, if he was playing for a melbourne team he would be the highest profile player in the AFL by a streak and would be penned into the AA team before anyone else. At 193cm he's a complete hybrid. No midfielder can take a pack mark like him, (he took 33 contest marks in the brownlow year and he's already taken 34 this year) and very few are as strong in a contest.
He's now the favourite to win freo's best and fairest and I reckon he'll finish in the top 5 in the brownlow - all this in a season where he's returning from a broken leg. He's got his leap back. He's got his mark back. He disposal efficiency is better than it has been in his entire career and he is 25 years old and signed up for another 6 years. Seems like he's going pretty well to me.

 

[PP34]

So, this thread is about Fyfe never making it back to his best in 2015. Well, you know what? He's actually been pretty bloody good this year and his last month of football, according to player ratings, has him as the number 1 player in the competition.
Let's be honest, if he was playing for a melbourne team he would be the highest profile player in the AFL by a streak and would be penned into the AA team before anyone else. At 193cm he's a complete hybrid. No midfielder can take a pack mark like him, (he took 33 contest marks in the brownlow year and he's already taken 34 this year) and very few are as strong in a contest.
He's now the favourite to win freo's best and fairest and I reckon he'll finish in the top 5 in the brownlow - all this in a season where he's returning from a broken leg. He's got his leap back. He's got his mark back. He disposal efficiency is better than it has been in his entire career and he is 25 years old and signed up for another 6 years. Seems like he's going pretty well to me.

The thread was made when he was looking out of sorts. Definitely was playing like his legs were an issue.

There was always a chance he could prove me and others wrong.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Ruined by fremantle. Instead of resting him after the sam mitchell corky they played him into stress fractures and then a fractured leg that required a plate

Then they brought him back too quick and he required another plate which threatened his career and has cost him a year of football

He needs to get out whilst he can

Lol so much salt in a single post.

 

[SSSSSS]

Fyfe was almost at his sublime superlative best
Him at full flight I think is still almost number 1 player ?

100% agree. I think he would be the #1 player when fully fit. I recall the game he played against Dangerfield in his Brownlow year when Danger was still a crow. It's still IMO one of the greatest 1v1 matches any two players have played. Dangerfield was probably a year or two off his peak but had really announced himself as a top 5 player and the game those two played was unbelievable.

Genuine 1 v 1. Danger had Fyfe covered on speed (just) but Fyfe was so damn strong through the body. They had some ridiculous numbers like 25+ contested touches each and would have had close to 20 clearances between them. Gave the chocolates to Fyfe who has a titan.

Would love to see a rematch. Danger has hit his absolute best and hopefully if Fyfe get back to his, it will make for an amazing rivalry.

 

[Schauermann]

had close to 20 clearances between them.

Actually 23. 14 Fyfe, 9 Dangerfield. 3 contested marks each, Danger 29 and Fyfe 26 contested possesions.

 

[SSSSSS]

Actually 23. 14 Fyfe, 9 Dangerfield. 3 contested marks each, Danger 29 and Fyfe 26 contested possesions.

Incredible match from both players. I mean the game as a whole was quite a sloppy mess considering the pressure that was applied from both sides but I couldn't help be enthralled from the heavy weight bout between those two. The cream really did rise to the top.