Player Review

[RacerX]

Comments?

BANDY Daniel
No. 44
A bloke with the perfect build, endurance and athleticism for a tall AFL player, unfortunately all this comes with mind of a 4 year old. Would do better under ruthless coach who won't let him make any decisions for himself, on or off the field - ever.

BELL Peter
No.32
One of the best inside players in the league. Good showing for freo this year apart from a brief hamstring injury. Has a future with freo but I question whether his wage might have been better spent on a tall.

BLACK Heath
No.7
Up and coming player, has cemented his position in the team this year. Will probably be lured back to Vic so we better be prepared to trade him for a tall from over east. I hope he stays.

BOOTSMA Brad
No. 40
Doing well at the top level after being picked up late from South. Would do better on the half forward flank where his long kicking can be used to crack open a flooding defence. Will also do better when he learns to relax at top level. Good average player.

BROWN Leigh
No.30
Reliable but lacks pace. Probably won't make it as a defender due to his slowness, has shown the capacity to play up front in attack on occasion. We should hold on to him and see how he goes over the next year or two - could go either way.

CARR Matthew
No. 9
Plays way off his man in defence, I mean way off his man. That said he can get away with it depending on the opponent. Started the season with a flurry but seems to have been "worked out" by opposing teams. If he can adjust his game he will be a handy defender. (could do with some kicking training too)

COOK Troy
No.10
Gutsy, tough and always willing to play the man. Can be inspirational but his playing style means he never lasts a game. I reckon he needs to be moved up front as a crumber on occasion so he can better last the game, benching him till he gets his breath back doesn't seem to work.

DODD Brad
No.12
Played one game this year, kicked two goals and did his knee in the process. Whether he survives into next year depends on the new coach.

EASTAUGH Simon
No.31
Renowned over east for his lack of skills he was picked up because they didn't know what else to do with the draft pick. Has played well for the bulldogs, will get his AFL chance at freo in the remaining games. Not considered a long term proposition. Prove us wrong Simon.

FEWSTER Brendon
No. 18
Jeckyl and Hyde this guy, does good things then does very bad things straight afterwards. Doesn't seem to have the presence he should given his size. Maybe we should give him some angry pills. Will last until we find someone better.

FLETCHER Adrian
No.2
Great player with a long AFL history. I like him but we have too many guys of his mold in the team and he is the oldest. I'm gunna go controversial and say we only keep him till Haselby learns the trade.

GROVER Antoni
No.14
I still think he would make a good defender. Will have his chance to make it in this season and the one following. Could go either way.

HASLEBY Paul
No. 4
Up and coming freo legend. Needs a good fast outside player to complement his abilities.

JONES Anthony
No.5
Good reliable defender with a slight injury cloud. We'll get a few more good years out of him.

KICKETT Dale
No.11
Tough as nails and goes like terrier on speed. Reaching the end of his career but I hope we get a season or two more out of him. Should become the first Freo Player to become a club legend.

KOOPS Steven
No. 28
Drafted too young and worked too hard, as result is so injury prone he recently pulled a muscle coming out of the players run. Sadly, he won't make it and we should learn a lesson in how to develop players of his type (Dion Woods).

LONGMUIR Justin
No.20
Coming of age very young for a big man. Given a lot of responsibility too early but lapped it up. Keep an eye on this guy he's gunna be good.

LONGMUIR Troy
No.21
Good year last year but hasn't shown much this year. I reckon he will become one of our regular backmen once he gets back to his old form.

MCMANUS Shaun
No. 8
Probably should not be captain, not really suited to it. Does some silly things on occasion but is the heart and soul of the team. Take the captaincy off him and let him focus on his own game. Otherwise he has talent to burn.

MCPHEE Adam
No.17
Looks good, looks very good so far. We need to settle this guy in WA somehow, the Vic teams will be circling around him like seagulls round your fish and chips at Cicerellos.

METROPOLIS Daniel
No.3
Jury is still out on Metro. I was hoping he would add some of the eagles professionalism to the squad but it seems to have gone the other around.

MICHAEL Clem
No. 16
When will he be back damn it. He's deceptive because he lacks true athleticism but is a natural footballer. Great player and much needed at the moment.

MODRA Tony
No.6
May as well retire, his hearts not in it anymore. An aging champion who should have got a premiership medallion with Adelaide.

NORRISH Jason
No.25
Not doing so well this year is Norrish. I would give him a run in the centre occasionally where his outside abilities would help all our inside men.

PARKER Shane
No. 23
Great defender, stout yeoman. Even though his form has been down of late I don't have a bad word to say about him.

PAVLICH Matthew
No.29
Good player who has suffered from poor delivery from his midfielders. Huge potential for the future and a key component of Freo's master plan.

PRESCOTT Ashley
No.36
Keep playing him as a tagger, he's done a great job with limited opportunities. Was wasted during the Drum era but will have a regular spot for the rest of the season.

SCHELL Daniel
No. 27
A forward with classical leading and marking skills. Kicking is average but can only get better with experience. Will work his way into a regular forward role and will no doubt be driven mad by Waterhouse who will continually run across his leads and occasionally shirtfront him.

SHIPP Andrew
No.33
Hard worker who lacked opportunities under Drum, for some reason he can go missing on occasion but I think this is as much the midfielders fault as his. He will be around for a while at freo.

TOIA Luke
No.1
Been at freo a while and has suffered from injuries. Has good skills but if he can't keep himself on the track he will either be traded or failing that delisted.

WALKER James
No.19
Good pace which is much needed at freo. He's not quite there yet (as an AFL player) and I can't put my finger on why.

WATERHOUSE Clive
No. 26
The mercurial Clive. Clive can upset the balance of any forwardline with his freewheeling style and inability to follow any coherent gameplan. We either build the forward line around him or we build it without him, either works for me. Should kick more goals than he does.

WOODS Dion
No.34
Don't overtrain him like we did Koops. Could become the legendary evasive aboriginal forward if we persevere with him. Don't let him overdo the weights like the other guy who went to Nth Melbourne, no not Abraham – the other fella.

 

[sabre_ac]

Thats a pretty good warp up.

We are still a few key position players away from a good side.
Ill just put forward a few opinions.

Daniel Bandy:
A prime example of a athlete and not a footballer.He has the makings of a champion.But wont get any further than that tag.Unless our new coach thinks he can work miracles this guy has to be traded, while he has value.


Heath Black:
Hard to believe this guy is only 22, seems like he has been at the club forever.If he goes back to vic like has been rumored, whoever trys to snare him will have to pay big time.Every club is dying for a fast,clean left footer who is accurate from the 50 meter arc.

Leigh Brown:
Not sure about this one.He is a great clubman, and shows glimpuses that he will be a strong solid defender.His lack of pace is balanced by his skills.I dont think he is overly slow, and would match up very nicely on some of the half forwards.

Carr:
I think ou wrap up him was a little harsh.He seems to be mr fix it, a player that can take a big grab and run in the midfield.He can play all over the ground.He is a handy pick up and could develop into a great player.

Haselby:
Without a doubt hte best mid fielder going around.This kid can do it all, not to mention he is a strong overhead mark.
Harvey in the making

Koops:
Im begging to agree with you on him

Justin Longmuir:
Like hasleyb the future of the club, expect to see allot of the Longmuir to haslby to Pavlich show.

McPhee:
Has been compared to Mc Kenna but only time will tell if he reached htose heights.
Another player that will be commanding the big bucks to stay at freo.

Walker:
All the attributes and breeding to be a absolute gun.Taking too long to mature.Another possible trade bait.

Our trade baits include:
Bandy,Walker,Koops, and sadly probally Black

We need to go all out to secure the likes of Hay and or Headland.
But in doing so we cannot hand over our 1st and 2nd draft pics.
Pavlich is the priority sigining.

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by RacerX

PARKER Shane
No. 23
Great defender, stout yeoman. Even though his form has been down of late I don't have a bad word to say about him.

Stout yeoman????

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by sabre_ac

Haselby:
Without a doubt hte best mid fielder going around.This kid can do it all, not to mention he is a strong overhead mark.
Harvey in the making

McPhee:
Has been compared to Mc Kenna but only time will tell if he reached htose heights.
Another player that will be commanding the big bucks to stay at freo.

LOL. You mean without a doubt the best midfielder going around in your club right??? Cos as far as midfielders go Haselby aint on the level yet. Comparing him to a Duel Brownlow Medalist is taking it just too far.

Same for McPhee, hes played what like 4 games or something and he's the next McKenna...not likely.

 

[RacerX]

Darky - I reckon your pretty much a stout yeoman yourself.

Sabre - I agree in hindsight that I was hard on Brown, so far he has impressed by his ability to step up to the AFL level with little time to adjust.

I used to think we should get Headland, however, I heard his whole family moved to queensland permanently because Des was homesick. That would make him less attractive for freo. Hay gets the thumbs up, but we'd have to pay an exorbitant price for him I'd reckon.

 

[GoEagles]

RacerX - good point about Des Headland. I reckon that if either WA team was to get him, it was last year/start of 2001. He now seems to be settled in Queensland with his family there and also he's got a rugrat from his partner

 

[anchor man]

question marks????

RacerX:n you sumation of the players,right on some but I query a few others.
!}BANDY,Basketball background,Athlete not footballer.But worth while holding.

2}Son of TI.What more can you say.Son of the Greatest.Very sadly missed.but must not be rushed back in.

3}Shipp,a must hold for the club,is going to be something special.Has had injury problems,no fault of Drum,just could not get on the track.

4}Brown,must be kept,not as slow as people may believe.Star backman of the very near future.Other clubs would give an arm and a leg to get this kid.They don't come much bigger either.

5}McPhee,leave the kid alone and don't put any pressure on him.Another to be the back bone of the club in the near future.

6}Koops,agree with you.To young to spindly to injury prone.Played to many games coming straight back from injury.Is not that good to come straight back.

7}Eastaugh,disagree on the lack of skill side of things,was just unlucky at Essendon with to many big men.I believe that if he was at that club now he would be a walk up start.Must be perservered with.Picked up because of the injury to Michael not because they didn't know what to do with the draft choice{get it right}

8}Jones,slight injury problem????Said tongue in cheek I hope.Recruited 1995 played only 57 games prior to this year,slight injury problemhMMMM???Good player BUT.

9}Schell,jury still out on this one,needs to toughen up.to easy pushed off the ball.

 

[RacerX]

I'm always keen to hear others opinions on the squad Anchor Man.

I'm surprised to hear you singing the praises of Shipp - you sound a bit like Neesham commentating, mind you he does seem to be moderately talented. I was unaware of lingering injury problems and my sources told me that Drum refrained from playing him early on in the season.

I like Schell and think you are a bit harsh on him. His biggest fault is inaccurate kicking not strength. Name a forward who wins AFL strength contests from day 1 - I reckon there can't be many around. Most AFL defenders a rookie would meet have been strength training for years.

Thanks for the revision on how we got Eastaugh. My comments about skills stemmed from a thread on the communal AFL board where upteen dozen Bomber fans named Eastaugh as the least skilled player in the game.

Anchor Man - did you go to the Bulldogs V Royals game on Sunday? If you did you may have noticed a bit of spite developing between the two teams. It might be related to the alignment of the two teams to local AFL teams, what do you think?

 

[anchor man]

just rivalry

RacerX just thought the game against East Perth was as per normal.The mighty Fighting Bulldogs and the other mob have always hated each other.I didn't go but watched it on TV,it was pretty hard.South were just out done by a far more disciplined team.
Believe me Shipp is going to be a beauty.He is strong and takes marks and is very hard to shift off the ball.

Eastaugh can't be to badly skilled If my memory is correct Essendon picked him up twice in the draft.May be wrong but don't think so.