Prediction Round 10 Changes vs. Essendon

[Righteo]

Lol i am a Tottenham fan and a freo suppport.....also a red sox supporter.

Sucker for punishment

If I'm not mistaken the Red Sox have won four WS this millennium! You're eating pretty good from where I'm sitting as a Brewers fan. Freo and Milwaukee only have one appearance at the big dance in their histories and both lost. I defy anyone to name a more miserable combination.

 

[MakeshiftMartyr]

Disappointed like most with OMac over Davies. The only sense I can make of it is, with the other ins being younger and less experienced, we wanted to avoid going in too young.

 

[swanny1234]

This is what CHATGPT had to say about this.

I’d probably frame it as a mismatch between what sport is for and what anxious fans sometimes turn it into.


A fan who becomes relentlessly pessimistic about their own team often thinks they’re being “realistic,” but underneath it can be a form of emotional self-protection:


“If I expect failure first, it’ll hurt less if it happens.”


That feels rational in the moment, but it creates a bad trade:

• You experience the stress of losing before the game starts.
• You often miss the enjoyment of the actual journey.
• Wins feel like temporary relief rather than joy.
• Your identity can become tied to being “the smart critic” instead of someone who actually enjoys sport.

And paradoxically, it can make someone feel more invested, not less. They start treating outcomes as a referendum on themselves:

• “If my team loses, my weekend is ruined.”
• “If I believe too much, I’ll look foolish.”
• “I need to predict the collapse before it happens.”

That last one is common with long-suffering fanbases like Fremantle Football Club supporters, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. fans, or generations of Chicago Cubs fans pre-2016 World Series — communities can almost inherit defensive pessimism as culture.


What I’d say to them:


1. Your team does not owe you emotional certainty
Sport is compelling precisely because it is uncertain. If outcomes were guaranteed, nobody would watch.


2. Being negative early doesn’t soften losses
You don’t get bonus points for “calling it.”
If your team loses after you spent a week catastrophising, you suffered twice.


3. Criticism is fine—compulsion is the issue
Thoughtful analysis is part of fandom. Constant doom-posting after every mistake often signals anxiety, not insight.


4. Remember your actual role
You are a supporter, not the coach, recruiter, board member, or selection committee. Unless you’re actually Justin Longmuir or sitting on the board of Fremantle Football Club, your primary job is to enjoy the theatre.


5. Ask: would I still watch if we never won a title?
That question reveals whether you love the sport itself—or only the validation of winning.


And the hardest truth:


Your team will likely break your heart eventually. Every dynasty ends. Most seasons end in disappointment. Even fans of Manchester City F.C., New England Patriots, or Golden State Warriors still spend most years not winning the ultimate prize.


That’s normal.


Healthy fandom sounds more like:


“I want us to win badly. I’ll analyse honestly. But I refuse to ruin the experience by rehearsing disappointment.”


And if I were being very direct:


Your pessimism may feel like wisdom—but often it’s just fear wearing an intelligent disguise.


Given your repeated Fremantle Football Club references over time… I suspect this may or may not be a very timely question. If so: enjoy the ride. Flag windows are rare. Anxiety has a way of making people miss eras they later wish they appreciated more.

Yeah look there’s definitely elements of truth to that. Interesting it also mentioned my second football team, Tottenham, in the same breath. We may get relegated next week, so at least Freo are going better than them.

 

[swanny1234]

Lol i am a Tottenham fan and a freo suppport.....also a red sox supporter.

Sucker for punishment

Fellow Spurs fan here - hoping to god we don’t get relegated.

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

Two hoodoo meet head to head.

We have never beaten Essendon at the MCG.

We have never lost as Walyalup.

So what you're saying is even if we win Fremantle would still never have beaten Essendon at the MCG?

 

[oldgoat]

Fellow Spurs fan here - hoping to god we don’t get relegated.

We can pray with you Swanny.
Wanna do a deal?

 

[oldgoat]

So what you're saying is even if we win Fremantle would still never have beaten Essendon at the MCG?

finally something we can all get behind....
Record breaking winloss at the Gee!

 

[Nothing]

If I'm not mistaken the Red Sox have won four WS this millennium! You're eating pretty good from where I'm sitting as a Brewers fan. Freo and Milwaukee only have one appearance at the big dance in their histories and both lost. I defy anyone to name a more miserable combination.

Bills, Mets, Newcastle. I like misery.

 

[freo84]

So what you're saying is even if we win Fremantle would still never have beaten Essendon at the MCG?

 

[rgauci]

Essendon have brought back their midfield heavy weights. In the rain it won’t be a cake walk they will challenge us.

 

[mike91]

Watch a peel game if you have time - Simpson has really been nothing special, unfortunately

If we're being completely honest, Simpson has been a big disappointment this season so far. Plays a fairly easy position at wafl, yet consistently struggles to get 20 touches. I actually think he needs a huge kick up the behind, because those numbers at the twos for a third year player is simply not good enough

 

[Hamann188]

Bills, Mets, Newcastle. I like misery.

Yeah I'm a Bills man too.

Next year for sure.

 

[Nothing]

Yeah I'm a Bills man too.

Next year for sure.

I thought that in the early 90s too.

 

[Barnabus]

If we're being completely honest, Simpson has been a big disappointment this season so far. Plays a fairly easy position at wafl, yet consistently struggles to get 20 touches. I actually think he needs a huge kick up the behind, because those numbers at the twos for a third year player is simply not good enough

I don't really think WAFL form is as relevant as many think. For someone who plays his position (an attacking half back) he is reliant on game plan and other players so he can find it hard to get involved. This can mean he doesn't get as many possessions. I think the reason he isn't being considered for the AFL is that he doesn't appear to be as creative as we saw at the start of last year. Personally I believe if we threw him an AFL game when the opportunity arises (eg. injury to Clark, Chapman, Ryan or Worner) he would likely rise to the occasion and we might have trouble dropping him.

 

[Hamann188]

I thought that in the early 90s too.

All 4 times?

 

[Nothing]

All 4 times?

It still hurts

 

[Cesoir]

I don't really think WAFL form is as relevant as many think. For someone who plays his position (an attacking half back) he is reliant on game plan and other players so he can find it hard to get involved. This can mean he doesn't get as many possessions. I think the reason he isn't being considered for the AFL is that he doesn't appear to be as creative as we saw at the start of last year. Personally I believe if we threw him an AFL game when the opportunity arises (eg. injury to Clark, Chapman, Ryan or Worner) he would likely rise to the occasion and we might have trouble dropping him.

I'm leaning more towards the view of mike91. He has had many, many opportunities to stamp himself as a cut above WAFL and I'm just not seeing it.

Just gifting him a game and hoping he rises to the occasion is the opposite of rewarding WAFL form. Hugh Davies is performing well week after week and can't get a gig.

 

[funguy1984]

WA under 18s vs WA under 20s live now on WAFL YouTube channel

 

[Troy Cooked It]

McDonald over Davies is not making a material impact to the result of this game, I dont think many would debate that, but to me it either shows;
1) They do not think Davies will be AFL level or:
2) There is zero view to the future

I dont like either option.

I think it’s option 2 and while im with you on not liking it, I think why they’ve picked McDonald is also why we’ve been undefeated for 8 straight weeks.

We’ve heard it from all club leaders all year, we’re planning and playing to win this week and this week only. So match committee just asked that simple question, which player more likely leads us to winning this weekend? I too would pick McDonald in that scenario.

Different argument though on if that mantra will be beneficial for us in the long run.

 

[Kram]

Yep I don't care about anyone's age or draft position.

When you are a chance to win the thing pick the absolute best team available. We are a still a young team anyway.

 

[dominguez]

Davies isn’t the amazing tall defender people here are making it. Stiff not to be selected on form, but it’s him v McDonald. Just simply have to do.

Simpson has absolutely done nothing for Peel. He’s not close to AFL level with the way he goes about it.

The changes are fine. Still an elite team. Wagner is replaceable. Young not really but the midfield has enough firepower. Defence with McDonald Cox Ryan and Clark is fine, for a few weeks.

Davies doesn't need to be amazing, just come in and play a role like Zach Dawson.

Cox is 28 in a couple of months and Pearce and Ryan are 30. The fact that match committee feel the best defender at Peel is also 30 is a worry.

We have so much talent across the field aged 19-26 hopefully keeping us in the window for years to come except for tall backs which are critical.

 

[dominguez]

If we're being completely honest, Simpson has been a big disappointment this season so far. Plays a fairly easy position at wafl, yet consistently struggles to get 20 touches. I actually think he needs a huge kick up the behind, because those numbers at the twos for a third year player is simply not good enough

Agree. At this stage Simpson isn't going to make it. Needs to improve considerably over the next 16 months to earn a new deal.

 

[Deathly]

Bills, Mets, Newcastle. I like misery.

I would have stopped following baseball after what Stearns & Cohen did.

 

[apuchar]

B Cox just said we kept it simple because Macca has been in the team regularly and it is a simple changeover. I wouldn't mind seeing Davies in if Ryan gets injured. Would bring a bit more height to the third talk role and would probably defend better than Ryan sometimes.

 

[Dump Truck]

Fellow Spurs fan here - hoping to god we don’t get relegated.

Honestly if we do get relegated its just karma for sacking Ange and then taking too long to sack Frank.