Opinion Qualifying Final Changes vs. Sydney

[Outshined]

MJ's loss makes winning the midfield battle even more imperative. Fyfe, Mundy and Barlow are going to have to find an even higher gear.

 

[YelloMit]

In recent times, Freo have shown they can play really well in the wet. So if it does happen to pour down, I'm still fairly confident they can take it to Sydney.

 

[Spoken4]

MJ's loss makes winning the midfield battle even more imperative. Fyfe, Mundy and Barlow are going to have to find an even higher gear.

Johnson is a great player but a bit of perspective. He had 13 disposals and 1 mark against Port Adelaide. Compare this to Ibbotson who had 17 disposals and 6 marks. We still won the game against a team that played brilliantly, and did so also without Fyfe.

Silvagni for McPharlin; Ibbotson for Johnson; and Mayne as a back up defender. We will be fine.

 

[Unique Name]

Everyone relax. Fyfe's been chomping at the bit now for two weeks. He will be released upon the ground Hannibal Lecter style. Sydney need to worry more about him than we need to worry about their forwards.

 

[Goldy McH]

Sydney do have a tall and super talented forward line though. Rain will be a godsend

 

[free at last]

Sydney do have a tall and super talented forward line though. Rain will be a godsend

Sydney folk are so cussing the weather forecast of it being wet on Saturday.

 

[Outshined]

Johnson is a great player but a bit of perspective. He had 13 disposals and 1 mark against Port Adelaide. Compare this to Ibbotson who had 17 disposals and 6 marks. We still won the game against a team that played brilliantly, and did so also without Fyfe.

Silvagni for McPharlin; Ibbotson for Johnson; and Mayne as a back up defender. We will be fine.

No disrespect to Port, but Franklin, Tippet, Reid and Goodes is an entirely different proposition to Schulz and Westhoff.

 

[Purple_Passion]

Was Ross on 6pr tonight? Any updates on McPharlin?

 

[Jake1987]

Just throwing it out there folks, but I reckon Luke McPharlin is a serious chance to get up this week!

 

[Spoken4]

No disrespect to Port, but Franklin, Tippet, Reid and Goodes is an entirely different proposition to Schulz and Westhoff.

No, not really. Shultz is a dominant full forward like Franklin. Silvagni would have done a much better job on him than Dawson and will do so on Franklin. Tippet is hit and miss. Reid very rarely performs. Goodes tends to play half forward like Wingard but is half as effective as him now.

I prefer our forward set up to theirs - two strong tall forwards in Pav and Tabs; two mercurial and super fast small forwards; a mid sized forward who is a tackling machine in Mayne and a fast and creative mid sized forward in Crozier.

 

[Jake1987]

Ross's update on Luke Mc was the exact same as his update on Barlow last week: Wouldn't think so, but you never know.

 

[Jake1987]

Ross's update on Luke Mc was the exact same as his update on Barlow last week: Wouldn't think so, but you never know.

 

[malpaso]

Johnson is a great player but a bit of perspective. He had 13 disposals and 1 mark against Port Adelaide. Compare this to Ibbotson who had 17 disposals and 6 marks. We still won the game against a team that played brilliantly, and did so also without Fyfe.

Silvagni for McPharlin; Ibbotson for Johnson; and Mayne as a back up defender. We will be fine.

You do realize that Johnson was playing hurt don't you? So comparing his stats to Ibbo's is a bit stupid. He stuck the game out admirably and got us over the line doing just enough to keep the Hoff at bay.

 

[malpaso]

No disrespect to Port, but Franklin, Tippet, Reid and Goodes is an entirely different proposition to Schulz and Westhoff.

Franklin is the one to worry about, stop him and we are good. Goodes is past it and Tippett will play into Dawson's hands. Sydney will also be susceptible to the rebound as those talls aren't going to excel at keeping the ball in the forward 50.

 

[clogged]

Johnson's value is greater than his possessions. He instructs the rest of the backline on where to set up, how to structure, etc.

 

[clogged]

Franklin is the one to worry about, stop him and we are good. Goodes is past it and Tippett will play into Dawson's hands. Sydney will also be susceptible to the rebound as those talls aren't going to excel at keeping the ball in the forward 50.

Exactly this. Contain Franklin, watch the rest, make sure their midfield don't get goal side, and hit them on the rebound.

It can be won but it won't be easy.

 

[free at last]

No, not really. Shultz is a dominant full forward like Franklin. Silvagni would have done a much better job on him than Dawson and will do so on Franklin. Tippet is hit and miss. Reid very rarely performs. Goodes tends to play half forward like Wingard but is half as effective as him now.

I prefer our forward set up to theirs - two strong tall forwards in Pav and Tabs; two mercurial and super fast small forwards; a mid sized forward who is a tackling machine in Mayne and a fast and creative mid sized forward in Crozier.

Goodes tends to play for frees.

 

[Spoken4]

You do realize that Johnson was playing hurt don't you? So comparing his stats to Ibbo's is a bit stupid. He stuck the game out admirably and got us over the line doing just enough to keep the Hoff at bay.

Careful. My point is that Ibbotson can and will play Johnson's role very well against Sydney. He can and will fill the gap left by Johnson.

And Silvagni will be a damn good substitute for McPharlin and I fully expect him to control Buddy.

 

[Spoken4]

Goodes tends to play for frees.

Yep, and he is now on notice for diving. Umpires will be watching him this week.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Johnson's value is greater than his possessions. He instructs the rest of the backline on where to set up, how to structure, etc.

Good point.

 

[Righteo]

Johnson is a great player but a bit of perspective. He had 13 disposals and 1 mark against Port Adelaide. Compare this to Ibbotson who had 17 disposals and 6 marks. We still won the game against a team that played brilliantly, and did so also without Fyfe.

Silvagni for McPharlin; Ibbotson for Johnson; and Mayne as a back up defender. We will be fine.

It is a valid point for sure, we've had a cracking 3-4 weeks but an underdone MJ has been a bit of a liability during that time.

 

[Freo Dr]

This will be Seppo in Sydney on Saturday morning.....

 

[PeelnThunder]

Out: Johnson, Crozier, Suban
In: Fyfe, Deboer, Silvagni

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Good men through the ages tryin' to find the sun.
And I wonder still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

 

[Outshined]

No, not really. Shultz is a dominant full forward like Franklin. Silvagni would have done a much better job on him than Dawson and will do so on Franklin. Tippet is hit and miss. Reid very rarely performs. Goodes tends to play half forward like Wingard but is half as effective as him now.

I prefer our forward set up to theirs - two strong tall forwards in Pav and Tabs; two mercurial and super fast small forwards; a mid sized forward who is a tackling machine in Mayne and a fast and creative mid sized forward in Crozier.

Hah, the eternal optimist. Underrating the damage that forward line is capable of IMO, especially if we allow Sydney's midfielders to gain ascendancy. Hence why Fyfe etc will have just as big of a role to play as our defenders.

Agree with the others in Franklin being the key, but containing him can't come at the expense of relaxing or losing focus against the others, which is often where the potency comes from in top 4 forward lines. We've seen it over the last few weeks with Taberner and Pavlich.

I'm approaching the game with quiet confidence, but IMO it should be tempered with the realization that our second string defense is going to have to be at its absolute best, along with the rest of the team. Passengers will cripple us.