- May 11, 2015
- 956
- 3,032
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
- Other Teams
- Ipswich Town FC, Leeds Rhinos
Three conversations separated by 30 years, some of it accurate, some of it embellished for dramatic effect…
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Conversation 1
When: The mid-1980s
Who: 10 year old me and my father
Where: Our living room, Ipswich, UK
Context: Channel 4 had recently started broadcasting as the fourth TV channel in the UK. Struggling to source enough material, it had resorted to showing highlights from random international sports leagues - hoping to recreate the success it had achieved two years earlier when it had launched NFL and gained a large cult following.
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DAD: Son, there’s a new sport on Channel 4 tonight called ‘Aussie Rules Football’, do you want to check it out?
ME: Sure. Any idea what it’s like?
DAD: No idea, maybe like American Football? The newspaper says that the teams featured this week are the Magpies, Hawks, Bombers and Saints. Sounds like the types of names that the NFL teams have.
ME: Can you imagine naming your team after a Magpie? It’s why I support the LA Raiders – at least their name sounds cool.
[Later that evening]
DAD: Come on Son, it’s about to start.
ME: OK, who’s playing?
DAD: Says they’re going to show Hawthorn versus Collingwood first.
ME: I though the paper said the names were things like Saints and Bombers?
DAD: No idea, must be the towns they are from. Although I’ve never heard of either Hawthorn or Collingwood – no idea where they are in Australia.
[A couple of minutes later]
ME: They don’t wear pads like American Footballers?
DAD: Maybe they don't hit each other as hard as American Footballers? There’s loads of them on the pitch, which direction are they playing – they’re all just standing around anywhere.
ME: Why do they all have short hair on top of their head and long hair down the back?
DAD: Don’t know, looks a bit like my haircut in the early 70s.
ME: At least they’re using their feet to kick the ball.
DAD: Yes, but then they are also throwing it around like a rugby ball.
[Another couple of minutes later]
ME: Have you any idea what’s going on?
DAD: No idea. But I think they get six points if they kick it between those posts. Not sure why six points. And then this guy dressed like a cricket umpire waves his fingers and some flags!
ME: Oh look, those two are punching each other…wait…now, they’re all punching each other. The referee doesn’t seem to be stopping them
[Five minutes later]
DAD: Can't have been a good game if the best action is five minutes of fighting. Maybe the next game will be better. I think they said it’s Melbourne versus Footscray. I’ve heard of Melbourne, that’s where your cousin lives.
[Five minutes later]
DAD: Did you see that, did you see that. He pretty much jumped on the other guy’s head to catch that ball. Wow!!
ME: I know, and it looks like that was allowed, because he’s been allowed to keep the ball. Surely you can’t jump on someone like that and not give a free kick away. Do you have any idea what’s going on yet?
DAD: Not a clue, but they’re some bloody tough blokes out there – looks like you can do anything to anyone and not give a free kick away.
[Five minutes later]
ME: They’re all fighting each other in this game as well.
DAD: And yet still no-one is getting a red card – I don’t understand. There would be no players left on the pitch in English Football if that happened.
[About 10 minutes later as the program draws to a close]
DAD: That must be the league table – I only recognise Melbourne and Sydney. Never heard of any of these other places - Saint Kilda, Geelong, Fitzroy, Essendon. What about places like Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth – where we play in the Ashes?
ME: I’m assuming St Kilda are the Saints. Do you know which teams are the Hawks, Bombers and Magpies?
DAD: No, it just says the town names. Must have been the paper trying to make then sound like the American Football teams. Any idea who you’re going to cheer for then?
ME: Don’t know. Whoever are the Bombers – they sound cool. I’d hate to support a team called the Magpies.
DAD: I agree – Magpies is a terrible name. Maybe I’ll support the Hawks.
[One week later]
DAD: Do you want to watch Aussie Rules. It’s on again tonight?
ME: Sure, maybe the Bombers will be on this week.
DAD: I spoke to my mate at work who’s from Melbourne. Apparently, all of the teams are based in Melbourne apart from Sydney - who used to be a Melbourne based team but they moved a couple of years ago. He said Aussie Rules is only really played in Melbourne. He said he was a Collingwood fan – they’re the ones called the Magpies. He said they’re the biggest and best team in the country.
[Later that evening]
ME: Oh look, they’re all fighting each other again…I think I’m going to go and play on my Atari…
[Another week later]
DAD: Do you want to watch Aussie Rules tonight, I think I know what’s going on now.
ME: No thanks, it’s just loads of hairy men fighting each other – it’s really boring.
(Literally my overriding impression of Aussie Rules for almost 30 years)
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Conversation 2
When: March 2014
Who: 39 year old me and my wife (via text messages)
Where: Me in the social area at work. My wife at home.
Context: Ten weeks after moving to Perth from the UK, I’ve been asked by colleagues if I want to join them for a beer after work to watch the first game of the new AFL season.
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ME: Hi Babe. I’m going to stay for a drink after work. The Fremantle Dockers are playing in the first game of the season and it’s on TV.
WIFE: Is that AFL?
ME: Yes – or footy as they all seem to call it. Apparently Freo are favourites to win the whole league this year.
WIFE: When will you be home?
ME: I don’t think I’ll watch much. All I can really remember about AFL is that there’s lots of fighting and I didn’t really understand what was going on.
WIFE: Who are they playing?
ME: Collingwood – there’s a couple of Collingwood fans at work – but both of them are dickheads to be honest.
[45 minutes later]
ME: I might stay a bit longer, the game is actually quite good - I think – I don’t really know what’s going on.
WIFE: OK. Who’s winning.
ME: Fremantle are. There’s lot of people in breakout area, lots of cheering and the two Collingwood fans are pretty quiet.
[30 minutes later]
ME: This game is really bloody amazing and Fremantle are just awesome at it. There’s this player called Fyfe, he’s doing everything.
WIFE: Have they started fighting yet?
ME: Not really, they kind of hit each other a bit after they score a goal, but that seems to be allowed.
WIFE: Are there lots of Dockers fans amongst your colleagues?
ME: Not really, just a couple. Most are apparently Eagles fans.
WIFE: Aren’t they the other WA team? I thought they were rivals?
ME: Yes, apparently they are – but this one guy said the one thing all footy fans agree on is that everyone hates Collingwood so he’s supporting the Dockers
WIFE: Why?
ME: Apparently it’s something to do with their fans and their president – they called him ‘a prick’. There's this other guy - he supports a team called Carlton - he really hates Collingwood. Says, that Carlton recently poached the Collingwood coach and that Carlton are probably going to win the league this year.
[An hour later]
ME: I’m leaving shortly. The game just finished. It was incredible. The Dockers were incredible. They thrashed Collingwood and look certainties to win the whole thing this year.
WIFE: OK, well see you soon.
ME: Do you want to go to the Fremantle game next week. It’s at that big stadium we drove past in Subiaco. They’re playing the team from the Gold Coast.
WIFE: Will there be tickets still available? That stadium looked amazing.
ME: My colleague who’s an Eagles fan said it would be easy because Fremantle don’t have any fans and only sell out when they play the Eagles. Actually the more I spoke to him the more I thought he was a bit of a dick.
WIFE: Someone at work the other day said that Eagles fans tended to be the old school Perth lot and a lot of Dockers fans were those who’d either moved to Perth from overseas or who like to support the underdogs.
ME: Great – I guess we should be Dockers fans then – especially if they’re going to be the best team in the league. Will be nice to support a team that might wins something.
(we really were magnificent)
[10 minute later – from the back of a Taxi]
ME: I’ve managed to get us some tickets – right behind one of the goals.
WIFE: Excellent, that should be a good spot.
ME: So, according to Wikipedia, the rules are quite simple. If you kick it and then catch it then it’s called a mark and you can’t be tackled. You can punch it to another player, but then they can be tackled. You kick it through the tall posts and get six points, or between the posts next to them and get one point.
WIFE: That seems straightforward.
ME: Yes, there’s no offside, so players can stand anywhere. There’s some rule about tackling someone and getting a free kick if they don’t pass it, but that sounds simple enough.
Postcript - [One week later]
ME: These seats are crap. They’re not even seats, just wooden benches.
WIFE: I can’t even see the other end of the pitch and most of the fans around us seem to be wearing red Gold Coast shirts.
ME: Why does that lady have a poncho on – we haven’t seen a cloud since we landed in January.
[30 minutes later]
ME: I don’t think I’ve ever been more wet in my life.
WIFE: I have puddles in my shoes.
KIDS: Can we go home…
(Honestly - we sat on the uncovered benches in summer clothes because it hadn't rained since we had landed in Perth 10 weeks before this!!)
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Conversation 3
When: A couple of weeks ago
Who: Me
Where: Inside my head
Context: Having become an obsessive Freo fan over the last eight years and a regular reader of BigFooty I decided this year to become a buddy and volunteer to write a preview. I chose Collingwood because they are the one team who have been a constant during my introduction to footy (albeit 30 years apart).
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PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: Why why why did I volunteer to do this??
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: Because you like being the centre of attention.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: But I’ve only been watching footy for eight years – I can’t make any subtle references to Freo or Collingwood teams from before 2014 – christ, I’ve only ever known Mick Malthouse as a Carlton coach and dickhead on radio.
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: But I need to write something.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: I know, I know. But what can I write about.
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: Look, Collingwood are a basketcase, Buckley is going to be out at the end of the season, they’ve just played the worst game of footy I’ve ever seen against the Cats, I’d be surprised if they win another game this season.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: I'm right – it will be OK – this should be easy – Collingwood have really slow ball movement, they’re on a terrible run of form, Buckley is struggling – it’s actually quite predictable and I can write a straightforward preview . Do the gag about everyone hating Collingwood and it will be fine.
[A couple of days later]
AFL.COM HEADLINE: Buckley resigns, Demons game to be his last.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: It’s OK, they’re going to be smashed by the Demons,
[A few days later]
AFL.COM HEADLINE: Pies farewell Buckley with an emotional win over league leaders.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: It’s OK, it’s OK - just mention a bit about how De Goey spending more time in the midfield and moving Moore back into defence has made them more solid down back, but pretty impotent up forward.
[A couple of days later]
AFL.COM HEADLINE: De Goey suspended, Moore possibly out for the season.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
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PREVIEW
Teams
- Fremantle: Freo will be hoping that Fyfe and Taberner can return to bolster a midfield and forward line that did will last time out, albeit against pretty abject opposition. This poster also hopes for the return of his buddy Switta. Wilson is also available after suspension. A conservative view would be that they come in for Western, Walker and Bewley and Crowden; but there’s a part of me that wants to see JL make Wilson come back through the WAFL to really make the point that hitting an opponent in the dick to give away a 50 (especially when your team has the momentum) is unacceptable.
- Collingwood: Who knows!! With Moore and De Goey out, along with Grundy and Adams tests following short lay-offs, and Howe out for a few more weeks; the Pies are seriously short of star power – and I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about the others they have to come in. Let’s just say, that for once, Freo might be playing a team with even more of an injury/suspension crisis than we have.
Form
- Both teams are coming in to the game off the bye, so no advantage/disadvantage for either.
- Both teams won their final game before the bye, both to some extent against the odds.
- Freo blooded two new vertically challenged speedsters and were seriously depleted with injuries; relying on a forward line led by an 18 year old manchild off the rookie list. The first half was really poor, but as has been the trend of late, Freo put in a dominant third quarter to pull away from the Suns.
- The Pies gave a gutsy and emotional farewell to Bucks (who if I’m honest, I quite like). Whilst I only saw the highlights, several commentators have said that Melbourne unfortunately succumbed to a classic case of ‘ league leaders rocking up and thinking they have it in the bag’ (see R10 2015 Freo vs Tigers for Exhibit A).
Prediction
This is the one game this week that will have tipsters all over the country scratching their heads:
- What will be the interim coach effect? Will the Pies be liberated and play a slightly less constipated gamestyle?
- What impact will Moore and De Goey’s absence make?
- Which was the worst footy played all season– Freo vs Gold Coast’s first half or the Pies vs Cats in R11?
- Will Grundy return from his neck injury to take on the in-form ruck of the comp in Freo’s original manchild?
- Will a Tabs, Treacy, Lobb forward line be too much for a Pies backline without Moore and Howe?
- Will a forward line led by Darcy Cameron (who??) be too much for a depleted back line led by our Tasmanian Hercules?
- Will we even be able to see the broadcast with the roof open at Marvel due to COVID restrictions in the middle of a Saturday afternoon?
- Will we see the typical away Freo performance – or will it be more like the MCG performance against the Pies in 2019 (what I consider to be our best four quarter performance over the last 3-4 years)?
To be honest, I have no idea, so I’m going to stick with the trend that we’ve seen from Freo over the last few games. A pretty scrappy first half, with Freo dominating the third quarter, but not kicking enough of a score to put the game to bed as the Pies come home with a wet sail in the fourth.
Freo by less than two goals and with 100s of Freo fans nervous wrecks on their couches.
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Conversation 1
When: The mid-1980s
Who: 10 year old me and my father
Where: Our living room, Ipswich, UK
Context: Channel 4 had recently started broadcasting as the fourth TV channel in the UK. Struggling to source enough material, it had resorted to showing highlights from random international sports leagues - hoping to recreate the success it had achieved two years earlier when it had launched NFL and gained a large cult following.
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DAD: Son, there’s a new sport on Channel 4 tonight called ‘Aussie Rules Football’, do you want to check it out?
ME: Sure. Any idea what it’s like?
DAD: No idea, maybe like American Football? The newspaper says that the teams featured this week are the Magpies, Hawks, Bombers and Saints. Sounds like the types of names that the NFL teams have.
ME: Can you imagine naming your team after a Magpie? It’s why I support the LA Raiders – at least their name sounds cool.
[Later that evening]
DAD: Come on Son, it’s about to start.
ME: OK, who’s playing?
DAD: Says they’re going to show Hawthorn versus Collingwood first.
ME: I though the paper said the names were things like Saints and Bombers?
DAD: No idea, must be the towns they are from. Although I’ve never heard of either Hawthorn or Collingwood – no idea where they are in Australia.
[A couple of minutes later]
ME: They don’t wear pads like American Footballers?
DAD: Maybe they don't hit each other as hard as American Footballers? There’s loads of them on the pitch, which direction are they playing – they’re all just standing around anywhere.
ME: Why do they all have short hair on top of their head and long hair down the back?
DAD: Don’t know, looks a bit like my haircut in the early 70s.
ME: At least they’re using their feet to kick the ball.
DAD: Yes, but then they are also throwing it around like a rugby ball.
[Another couple of minutes later]
ME: Have you any idea what’s going on?
DAD: No idea. But I think they get six points if they kick it between those posts. Not sure why six points. And then this guy dressed like a cricket umpire waves his fingers and some flags!
ME: Oh look, those two are punching each other…wait…now, they’re all punching each other. The referee doesn’t seem to be stopping them
[Five minutes later]
DAD: Can't have been a good game if the best action is five minutes of fighting. Maybe the next game will be better. I think they said it’s Melbourne versus Footscray. I’ve heard of Melbourne, that’s where your cousin lives.
[Five minutes later]
DAD: Did you see that, did you see that. He pretty much jumped on the other guy’s head to catch that ball. Wow!!
ME: I know, and it looks like that was allowed, because he’s been allowed to keep the ball. Surely you can’t jump on someone like that and not give a free kick away. Do you have any idea what’s going on yet?
DAD: Not a clue, but they’re some bloody tough blokes out there – looks like you can do anything to anyone and not give a free kick away.
[Five minutes later]
ME: They’re all fighting each other in this game as well.
DAD: And yet still no-one is getting a red card – I don’t understand. There would be no players left on the pitch in English Football if that happened.
[About 10 minutes later as the program draws to a close]
DAD: That must be the league table – I only recognise Melbourne and Sydney. Never heard of any of these other places - Saint Kilda, Geelong, Fitzroy, Essendon. What about places like Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth – where we play in the Ashes?
ME: I’m assuming St Kilda are the Saints. Do you know which teams are the Hawks, Bombers and Magpies?
DAD: No, it just says the town names. Must have been the paper trying to make then sound like the American Football teams. Any idea who you’re going to cheer for then?
ME: Don’t know. Whoever are the Bombers – they sound cool. I’d hate to support a team called the Magpies.
DAD: I agree – Magpies is a terrible name. Maybe I’ll support the Hawks.
[One week later]
DAD: Do you want to watch Aussie Rules. It’s on again tonight?
ME: Sure, maybe the Bombers will be on this week.
DAD: I spoke to my mate at work who’s from Melbourne. Apparently, all of the teams are based in Melbourne apart from Sydney - who used to be a Melbourne based team but they moved a couple of years ago. He said Aussie Rules is only really played in Melbourne. He said he was a Collingwood fan – they’re the ones called the Magpies. He said they’re the biggest and best team in the country.
[Later that evening]
ME: Oh look, they’re all fighting each other again…I think I’m going to go and play on my Atari…
[Another week later]
DAD: Do you want to watch Aussie Rules tonight, I think I know what’s going on now.
ME: No thanks, it’s just loads of hairy men fighting each other – it’s really boring.
(Literally my overriding impression of Aussie Rules for almost 30 years)
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Conversation 2
When: March 2014
Who: 39 year old me and my wife (via text messages)
Where: Me in the social area at work. My wife at home.
Context: Ten weeks after moving to Perth from the UK, I’ve been asked by colleagues if I want to join them for a beer after work to watch the first game of the new AFL season.
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ME: Hi Babe. I’m going to stay for a drink after work. The Fremantle Dockers are playing in the first game of the season and it’s on TV.
WIFE: Is that AFL?
ME: Yes – or footy as they all seem to call it. Apparently Freo are favourites to win the whole league this year.
WIFE: When will you be home?
ME: I don’t think I’ll watch much. All I can really remember about AFL is that there’s lots of fighting and I didn’t really understand what was going on.
WIFE: Who are they playing?
ME: Collingwood – there’s a couple of Collingwood fans at work – but both of them are dickheads to be honest.
[45 minutes later]
ME: I might stay a bit longer, the game is actually quite good - I think – I don’t really know what’s going on.
WIFE: OK. Who’s winning.
ME: Fremantle are. There’s lot of people in breakout area, lots of cheering and the two Collingwood fans are pretty quiet.
[30 minutes later]
ME: This game is really bloody amazing and Fremantle are just awesome at it. There’s this player called Fyfe, he’s doing everything.
WIFE: Have they started fighting yet?
ME: Not really, they kind of hit each other a bit after they score a goal, but that seems to be allowed.
WIFE: Are there lots of Dockers fans amongst your colleagues?
ME: Not really, just a couple. Most are apparently Eagles fans.
WIFE: Aren’t they the other WA team? I thought they were rivals?
ME: Yes, apparently they are – but this one guy said the one thing all footy fans agree on is that everyone hates Collingwood so he’s supporting the Dockers
WIFE: Why?
ME: Apparently it’s something to do with their fans and their president – they called him ‘a prick’. There's this other guy - he supports a team called Carlton - he really hates Collingwood. Says, that Carlton recently poached the Collingwood coach and that Carlton are probably going to win the league this year.
[An hour later]
ME: I’m leaving shortly. The game just finished. It was incredible. The Dockers were incredible. They thrashed Collingwood and look certainties to win the whole thing this year.
WIFE: OK, well see you soon.
ME: Do you want to go to the Fremantle game next week. It’s at that big stadium we drove past in Subiaco. They’re playing the team from the Gold Coast.
WIFE: Will there be tickets still available? That stadium looked amazing.
ME: My colleague who’s an Eagles fan said it would be easy because Fremantle don’t have any fans and only sell out when they play the Eagles. Actually the more I spoke to him the more I thought he was a bit of a dick.
WIFE: Someone at work the other day said that Eagles fans tended to be the old school Perth lot and a lot of Dockers fans were those who’d either moved to Perth from overseas or who like to support the underdogs.
ME: Great – I guess we should be Dockers fans then – especially if they’re going to be the best team in the league. Will be nice to support a team that might wins something.
(we really were magnificent)
[10 minute later – from the back of a Taxi]
ME: I’ve managed to get us some tickets – right behind one of the goals.
WIFE: Excellent, that should be a good spot.
ME: So, according to Wikipedia, the rules are quite simple. If you kick it and then catch it then it’s called a mark and you can’t be tackled. You can punch it to another player, but then they can be tackled. You kick it through the tall posts and get six points, or between the posts next to them and get one point.
WIFE: That seems straightforward.
ME: Yes, there’s no offside, so players can stand anywhere. There’s some rule about tackling someone and getting a free kick if they don’t pass it, but that sounds simple enough.
Postcript - [One week later]
ME: These seats are crap. They’re not even seats, just wooden benches.
WIFE: I can’t even see the other end of the pitch and most of the fans around us seem to be wearing red Gold Coast shirts.
ME: Why does that lady have a poncho on – we haven’t seen a cloud since we landed in January.
[30 minutes later]
ME: I don’t think I’ve ever been more wet in my life.
WIFE: I have puddles in my shoes.
KIDS: Can we go home…
(Honestly - we sat on the uncovered benches in summer clothes because it hadn't rained since we had landed in Perth 10 weeks before this!!)
---------------------------------------------
Conversation 3
When: A couple of weeks ago
Who: Me
Where: Inside my head
Context: Having become an obsessive Freo fan over the last eight years and a regular reader of BigFooty I decided this year to become a buddy and volunteer to write a preview. I chose Collingwood because they are the one team who have been a constant during my introduction to footy (albeit 30 years apart).
---------------------------------------------
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: Why why why did I volunteer to do this??
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: Because you like being the centre of attention.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: But I’ve only been watching footy for eight years – I can’t make any subtle references to Freo or Collingwood teams from before 2014 – christ, I’ve only ever known Mick Malthouse as a Carlton coach and dickhead on radio.
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: But I need to write something.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: I know, I know. But what can I write about.
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: Look, Collingwood are a basketcase, Buckley is going to be out at the end of the season, they’ve just played the worst game of footy I’ve ever seen against the Cats, I’d be surprised if they win another game this season.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: I'm right – it will be OK – this should be easy – Collingwood have really slow ball movement, they’re on a terrible run of form, Buckley is struggling – it’s actually quite predictable and I can write a straightforward preview . Do the gag about everyone hating Collingwood and it will be fine.
[A couple of days later]
AFL.COM HEADLINE: Buckley resigns, Demons game to be his last.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: It’s OK, they’re going to be smashed by the Demons,
[A few days later]
AFL.COM HEADLINE: Pies farewell Buckley with an emotional win over league leaders.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: It’s OK, it’s OK - just mention a bit about how De Goey spending more time in the midfield and moving Moore back into defence has made them more solid down back, but pretty impotent up forward.
[A couple of days later]
AFL.COM HEADLINE: De Goey suspended, Moore possibly out for the season.
PANICKING VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
RATIONAL VOICE IN MY HEAD: s**t!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
PREVIEW
Teams
- Fremantle: Freo will be hoping that Fyfe and Taberner can return to bolster a midfield and forward line that did will last time out, albeit against pretty abject opposition. This poster also hopes for the return of his buddy Switta. Wilson is also available after suspension. A conservative view would be that they come in for Western, Walker and Bewley and Crowden; but there’s a part of me that wants to see JL make Wilson come back through the WAFL to really make the point that hitting an opponent in the dick to give away a 50 (especially when your team has the momentum) is unacceptable.
- Collingwood: Who knows!! With Moore and De Goey out, along with Grundy and Adams tests following short lay-offs, and Howe out for a few more weeks; the Pies are seriously short of star power – and I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about the others they have to come in. Let’s just say, that for once, Freo might be playing a team with even more of an injury/suspension crisis than we have.
Form
- Both teams are coming in to the game off the bye, so no advantage/disadvantage for either.
- Both teams won their final game before the bye, both to some extent against the odds.
- Freo blooded two new vertically challenged speedsters and were seriously depleted with injuries; relying on a forward line led by an 18 year old manchild off the rookie list. The first half was really poor, but as has been the trend of late, Freo put in a dominant third quarter to pull away from the Suns.
- The Pies gave a gutsy and emotional farewell to Bucks (who if I’m honest, I quite like). Whilst I only saw the highlights, several commentators have said that Melbourne unfortunately succumbed to a classic case of ‘ league leaders rocking up and thinking they have it in the bag’ (see R10 2015 Freo vs Tigers for Exhibit A).
Prediction
This is the one game this week that will have tipsters all over the country scratching their heads:
- What will be the interim coach effect? Will the Pies be liberated and play a slightly less constipated gamestyle?
- What impact will Moore and De Goey’s absence make?
- Which was the worst footy played all season– Freo vs Gold Coast’s first half or the Pies vs Cats in R11?
- Will Grundy return from his neck injury to take on the in-form ruck of the comp in Freo’s original manchild?
- Will a Tabs, Treacy, Lobb forward line be too much for a Pies backline without Moore and Howe?
- Will a forward line led by Darcy Cameron (who??) be too much for a depleted back line led by our Tasmanian Hercules?
- Will we even be able to see the broadcast with the roof open at Marvel due to COVID restrictions in the middle of a Saturday afternoon?
- Will we see the typical away Freo performance – or will it be more like the MCG performance against the Pies in 2019 (what I consider to be our best four quarter performance over the last 3-4 years)?
To be honest, I have no idea, so I’m going to stick with the trend that we’ve seen from Freo over the last few games. A pretty scrappy first half, with Freo dominating the third quarter, but not kicking enough of a score to put the game to bed as the Pies come home with a wet sail in the fourth.
Freo by less than two goals and with 100s of Freo fans nervous wrecks on their couches.
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. Pretty much mirrors my AFL trajectory too, remember those channel 4 days well!
