Poll: reason for Freos decline in 2023

[pK75]

It's a few things:

1. Skill errors at critical times. Poor handballs that slow the momentum of the overlapping player, kicks behind someone or just off target that makes us have to go backwards, kicking the ball over a leading forwards head, OOF in our D50, wtf mistakes where we kick it to the other team for no freaking reason, among others. Not sure why this is the case but we're just not playing up to our potential.

2. The connection between mids and forwards. forwards not leading to space and mids trying to just bomb it i50. When we were humming in the middle of the season pre-bye, we were hitting Amiss on the **** lace out. After the bye, no mas. This is a combo of coaching, gameplan, and execution imo.

3. Lack of a true bull mid (ala Fyfe in his prime) to help win clearances. Serong and Brayshow are incredible players, but JOM doesn't have the big bodied mid impact we need. Seeing what Youngy has done in two games is some evidence for this. I'm really excited by what I'm seeing from him. What blew my mind is how Cox said in an interview that he was eyeing the midfield for awhile and he's been asking questions about midfield play for some time. Young confirmed this in an interview days later. That's interesting as hell to me. He's got the motivation and with a bit more muscle, he'll he a hell of player in the guts. But I digress...

4. Second youngest team in the comp. Success isn't linear. It'll happen but it's just not our year. We've got more on the 22-and-under team than any one else. Eagles have NONE. Our future is bright.

So basically, I think it's a combination of things.

On point 3 above, I think we made a terrible mistake by dropping Brodie earlier in the year, we needed his clearances desperately at times, I agreed it wasn’t working with him and JOM in the middle but we should have tried mixing it up, he basically won the GC game coming on as the Sub, but was then replaced by Fyfe in that role. I still have hope he comes good but think our coaches place way too much emphasis on player’s defensive ability and not enough on attacking.

 

[Mr Cheese]

I'm going to go with, "it wasn't the year we wanted, but maybe it was the year we needed".

We're set for a decent run; I think the changes this year, whilst detrimental in the short-term, have provided useful experience and gelling time for the group. They'll be better for it next year as long as we focus on skills and fitness rather than match-sims this preseason.

On SM-G955F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Righteo]

I honestly believe that Young 2 Mid (and a whole preseason training exclusively as a mid) will net us an extra 1-3 wins alone. Getting Young uncontested kicks into the forward 50 with Amiss/Sturt/Jacko/Freddy et al leading into space will see us put up some decent totals.

 

[Lach72]

On point 3 above, I think we made a terrible mistake by dropping Brodie earlier in the year, we needed his clearances desperately at times, I agreed it wasn’t working with him and JOM in the middle but we should have tried mixing it up, he basically won the GC game coming on as the Sub, but was then replaced by Fyfe in that role. I still have hope he comes good but think our coaches place way too much emphasis on player’s defensive ability and not enough on attacking.

Hmmm. If for instance we’d done something like this with some coaching nouse:

Keep Brodie in.
Move Brayshaw to the wing.
Move young into the middle to be the defensive/offensive mid.

Brodie could do what he’s best at. Hands on ball first.
Brayshaw could be the defensive winger
Young stopping the midfield run of the best midfielder

 

[theGav56]

Hmmm. If for instance we’d done something like this with some coaching nouse:

Keep Brodie in.
Move Brayshaw to the wing.
Move young into the middle to be the defensive/offensive mid.

Brodie could do what he’s best at. Hands on ball first.
Brayshaw could be the defensive winger
Young stopping the midfield run of the best midfielder

I agree. Suggestions like this reflect that the core issue is coaching, not playing personnel. I'm not anti Longmuir but in the coaching group he could use some strategic input. The club has been a bit derelict in not identifying that earlier and putting a better support structure in place.

 

[MadMundy]

Josh Carr

Josh Carr

Age

43

Ht

179cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.8

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

7.2

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.3

5star

CL

2.0

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.2

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

0.8

3star

leaving had a much bigger impact than I think we'll ever know, look at how well Port Adelaide's midfield has gone.

 

[eastfreo75]

1. Loss of players
1.1 Lobb contesting marking wasn't replaced.
1.2 Acres contesting on the wing wasn't replaced.

2.0 Coaching
2.1 Collingwood worked us out in the finals and the coaching didn't make changes.
2.2 Selection of going too small in the forward line when Darcy was injured. 2 Key forwards and 5 small forwards isn't big enough.

3.0 Fyfe
3.1 Failed as forward. Can't kick straight.
3.2 Doesn't have the same power in his shoulders to break tackles.
3.3 Defensive a liability from the spread.

4.0 Players Attitudes Early
4.1 Success isn't a given and our players thought it would. Early losses to non final teams have a hurt us badly ie Roos and Crows.

5.0 Lack of depth in the ruck/key forwards
5.1 Losing Lobb and Logue reduced our depth and injury to Darcy hurt.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Josh Carr leaving had a much bigger impact than I think we'll ever know, look at how well Port Adelaide's midfield has gone.

He probably left because of how he was treated about the covid ‘breach’ which in hindsight was completely ridiculous.

 

[MadMundy]

He probably left because of how he was treated about the covid ‘breach’ which in hindsight was completely ridiculous.

Have to agree, I feel the midfield wouldn't have dropped off half as bad if we had just left that alone, unless Carr truly sees himself as a Port Adelaide man over a Fremantle man.

 

[Footskill]

He probably left because of how he was treated about the covid ‘breach’ which in hindsight was completely ridiculous.

Nah. He broke the rules. Doesn't set good example. It can't be free for all. Also, darling refused the jab for awhile and that impacted them

 

[MadMundy]

Nah. He broke the rules. Doesn't set good example. It can't be free for all. Also, darling refused the jab for awhile and that impacted them

When the guy has such a positive impact on the coaching of the club, I think that you can let something as minor as that slide.

 

[Footskill]

When the guy has such a positive impact on the coaching of the club, I think that you can let something as minor as that slide.

Have to agree to disagree. It goes for a talented player. They are not above the rules. Small Indiscretions can lead to other bigger ones, then other breeds discontent for other players when they get away with it.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Nah. He broke the rules. Doesn't set good example. It can't be free for all. Also, darling refused the jab for awhile and that impacted them

There are public things and private things. There are ways to handle these things and I got the sense it was handled clumsily.

 

[estibador]

It's funny, I feel like the general vibe the last couple of years was people didn't rate Carr and wanted him gone. Or maybe it was just a vocal minority giving me that impression.

Probably shows how hard it is to judge whether assistants are any good from the outside.

 

[pavstar]

Putins to blame for Freo not making the finals in 2023…

 

[blue shark]

It's funny, I feel like the general vibe the last couple of years was people didn't rate Carr and wanted him gone. Or maybe it was just a vocal minority giving me that impression.

Probably shows how hard it is to judge whether assistants are any good from the outside.

Doesn’t help that we didn’t replace him, or poach like other clubs?
No changes again this year and we are still under staffed.
We lose players and coaches, it sometimes happens but we appear to be reactive.
Best assistants were Scott, Kirk, Carr.
Then you have a guy like Proir who was here for a decade.

 

[Lach72]

Things I’d like to see next year.

Chapman back off half back, perhaps in place of Luke Ryan.

Walker back in the back pocket.

if Henry leaves Stanley and Drizzy smashing lap after lap in pre season and taking the wing spots. Andy can rotate

Jordan Clark

6

Jordan Clark

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.7

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.3

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.5

3star

K

8.5

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

172.0

3star

D

12.2

3star

K

10.4

4star

HB

1.8

2star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

moving in to the midfield rotation. Speed, skill and penetrating kick.
Aish can take his spot if necessary
attacking and aggressive football

Sturt to play every game

 

[apuchar]

It's funny, I feel like the general vibe the last couple of years was people didn't rate Carr and wanted him gone. Or maybe it was just a vocal minority giving me that impression.

Probably shows how hard it is to judge whether assistants are any good from the outside.

He has always chosen Port over us and he was never going to be senior coach at Freo. He may be at Port

 

[Bigger]

Bogan Josh has 4 kids and a South Australian missus. He's an Adelaide guy now for good and was always more Port than Freo. I can hack that.

Was his departure the reason for our midfield decline?

I think it's more the "gloria mundy" than the "sick transit".

 

[nurries]

Mundy provided the silk and smarts in the midfield. We have missed that big time. If we can get Young or Johnno to close to that level that would help.

 

[theGav56]

Pretty sure if we offered Carr the Senior coaching job he'd be a Fremantle first kinda guy.

Can't see any reason he'd move back as an assistant.

 

[theGav56]

Mundy provided the silk and smarts in the midfield. We have missed that big time. If we can get Young or Johnno to close to that level that would help.

I think that is clearly one of our midfield deficits. The other is a lack of goal scoring from them. At the moment it's nothing more than a popgun threat from them.

 

[ROGS]

Things I’d like to see next year.

Chapman back off half back, perhaps in place of Luke Ryan.

Walker back in the back pocket.

if Henry leaves Stanley and Drizzy smashing lap after lap in pre season and taking the wing spots. Andy can rotate

Jordan Clark moving in to the midfield rotation. Speed, skill and penetrating kick.
Aish can take his spot if necessary
attacking and aggressive football

Sturt to play every game

move noddy into the centre bounces for some size and grunt

 

[freo1]

move noddy into the centre bounces for some size and grunt

Disposal isnt good enough.

 

[blue shark]

Disposal isnt good enough.

Listening to Jlo on next years preseason and it doesn’t sound groundbreaking.
Wants the fire in the belly from his players for missing finals.
What about the club as a whole?
The directive has to come from the top, it’s called leadership and to drive change.
If the players are out sourcing their fitness, etc, I just don’t see how we can
massively improve. Sure a few players will push themselves but as a group?
You are only as good as your teachers and we don’t have anyone cracking the
whip.
His media ramblings are rarely about other factors, but on the players shoulders
for a loss.