Soft footy is back!

[Rob]

Very very disappointing performance. The fact that Lloyd barely touched it all day yet still conceded 17 goals and a riparse like Lovett got so many touches shows just how unaccountable we were. It was as if the players got arrogant, how many times did we handball out of a pack straight to an Essendon player?

Poor effort.

 

[sabre_ac]

Same old really isnt it.
Backline forced to do the majority of the work and attack.
Medhurst still as useless and as much of a liability as ever.

 

[chaosx123]

There definitely were signs of promise going into the final quarter but oh well. My Freo supporter mates are all crying right now. They were so happy last night too...

 

[BB gun]

We have palyed soft footy since the richmond game.

 

[Rob]

We have palyed soft footy since the richmond game.

We didn't against Melbourne. We fought for the ball in the middle, and didn't let the opposition get easy kicks away if we didn't get it ourselves. Today we did. Notice the amount of effective kicks from the centre Essendon had, especially in the last quarter, simply because our midfielders were incapable of putting enough pressure on them.

 

[Ripper]

We didn't against Melbourne. We fought for the ball in the middle, and didn't let the opposition get easy kicks away if we didn't get it ourselves. Today we did. Notice the amount of effective kicks from the centre Essendon had, especially in the last quarter, simply because our midfielders were incapable of putting enough pressure on them.

Spot on.

 

[dominguez]

Medhurst still as useless and as much of a liability as ever.

I think you've gone the Robert Walls approach and bagged a player for one poor game. Until Today he was having a very good season.

 

[dominguez]

Very very disappointing performance. The fact that Lloyd barely touched it all day yet still conceded 17 goals and a riparse like Lovett got so many touches shows just how unaccountable we were. It was as if the players got arrogant, how many times did we handball out of a pack straight to an Essendon player?

Poor effort.

We really missed Walker and Hayden Today. We didn't have anyone downback with the pace to go with Lovett. Mundy would have been a better option than Grover though.

 

[Jetau]

I want Hayden back as much as you do, Dominguez, but he hasn't played for Freo all year. Walker, yes, we could use him but the 22 have to do the job. It was unfortunate that Haddrill got injured again but someone should have been able to do the job on Lovett.

Unfortunate end to a mediocre effort from Freo.

 

[Plugga]

Smell the coffee...we are on the right track. Yes, we played poorly today, due to our midfield, though our FB line was superb, Half back, Grover & Siegert had games they'd rather forget, Pav again superb, Hase, JCarr, Bell, Headland didn't fire a shot. McPharlin had no space in which to operate on the smaller ground

Thank god we only play 1 game all year at that crapy surface....

Lay off Medhurst - he has had a great year so far...Telstra Dome not his kinda surface!

We'll be back next week, I dont think you could say we were soft today, some poor disposal (see Dylan Smith's every kick!!), but besides that beaten by a better team on the day...CC was out coached, should have moved maybe McPharlin in last quarter to CHB & given the 50m arc to JLO.

Hindsight is a great thing...but the signs are still there for this club, don't BAG the team - pick out the positives, we can still make the Top 6 in the long haul!

 

[dominguez]

Smell the coffee...we are on the right track. Yes, we played poorly today, due to our midfield, though our FB line was superb, Half back, Grover & Siegert had games they'd rather forget, Pav again superb, Hase, JCarr, Bell, Headland didn't fire a shot. McPharlin had no space in which to operate on the smaller ground

Thank god we only play 1 game all year at that crapy surface....

Lay off Medhurst - he has had a great year so far...Telstra Dome not his kinda surface!

We'll be back next week, I dont think you could say we were soft today, some poor disposal (see Dylan Smith's every kick!!), but besides that beaten by a better team on the day...CC was out coached, should have moved maybe McPharlin in last quarter to CHB & given the 50m arc to JLO.

Hindsight is a great thing...but the signs are still there for this club, don't BAG the team - pick out the positives, we can still make the Top 6 in the long haul!

I usually look for the positives but the fact that 2 of our last 3 games in Melbourne have been shockers is a huge concern. You've named 9 players there who had poor games, and that's far too many. Essendon are aren't a very good side and Lloyd barely got a kick. A decent performance from half of that 9 and we would have won. The fact that we were exposed for a lack of pace by a side known for their lack of leg speed was also a concern.

One positive I guess is that every game we have lost was because we played poorly. There hasn't been a game this season where I've thought "Oh well, they were just too good for us". Every loss has been because we went missing for a period of time- Essendon and Saint Kilda in the last 1/4, The egos in the second 1/2 and the whole game against the tigers. If we can blanket the opposition when they get on a roll we will be very hard to beat.

 

[rgauci]

I usually look for the positives but the fact that 2 of our last 3 games in Melbourne have been shockers is a huge concern. You've named 9 players there who had poor games, and that's far too many. Essendon are aren't a very good side and Lloyd barely got a kick. A decent performance from half of that 9 and we would have won. The fact that we were exposed for a lack of pace by a side known for their lack of leg speed was also a concern.

One positive I guess is that every game we have lost was because we played poorly. There hasn't been a game this season where I've thought "Oh well, they were just too good for us". Every loss has been because we went missing for a period of time- Essendon and Saint Kilda in the last 1/4, The egos in the second 1/2 and the whole game against the tigers. If we can blanket the opposition when they get on a roll we will be very hard to beat.

We got sucked in to thinking they had a lack of pace. Sheedy packed his team full of dynamo's and we went too tall and too tough.

We didn't get beaten on the bottom of packs, we got beaten by fleet footed players.

Reminded me of the Ali vs. Foreman fight. 'I'm gonna dance, I'm gonna dance.' Commonly known as rope a dope now. I'm afraid we were roped, doped, and made to look stupid.

Because we had far too many inside midfielders and too few players with pace. In hindsight (how wonderful you are):

Out: Sandilands Smith
In: Gilmore Johnson

 

[FreoDocker]

We were beaten by a more committed team today. Essendon lead us to the ball and just seemed that little bit more desperate to push the ball forward at any opportunity. Our midfield was well down and we regressed into old habits of going wide and conceding short possessions. I thought one of the main deficits in our game today was the relative ease Essendon had in bringing the ball out of defence. When you’re willing to concede 50 metre passes from the kick outs, you know you’re in a bit of trouble.

 

[LongBombFromOutside50]

I usually look for the positives but the fact that 2 of our last 3 games in Melbourne have been shockers is a huge concern. You've named 9 players there who had poor games, and that's far too many. Essendon are aren't a very good side and Lloyd barely got a kick. A decent performance from half of that 9 and we would have won. The fact that we were exposed for a lack of pace by a side known for their lack of leg speed was also a concern.

Agree with this. We had far too many passengers today and far too many players making basic skill errors. I'm thinking possibly Smith, Webster, Grover and Siegert won't be in the side next week.

 

[whizzbert]

Medhurst still as useless and as much of a liability as ever.

He had a bad game today. He's been far from useless this year... last week he set up at least three goals as well as kicking his own three, and other games he's been a good contributer and playing for the team. I don't think it's fair to target him just because he played one lousy game today.

 

[doppo]

Trust Freo to be leading at 3 Qtr time against the team who has the worst record in 4th Qtrs in the comp, and get rolled by 35 points.

Our midfield got spanked. Can't blame Medhurst for that, although he was ordinary.

Disappointing thing for me is not the younger players like Webster, more so the 'leaders' like Josh Carr, Hase and Bell going missing when the Bombers applied the pressure. Particularly after they've done it successfully the last 4 times they've played us.

Ah well, who's coming in next week?

 

[voodoo_86]

There definitely were signs of promise going into the final quarter but oh well. My Freo supporter mates are all crying right now. They were so happy last night too...

Things were so much better last night..

 

[Brickie]

Midfield was smashed around the clearances, distinct lack of pace and defensive pressure thru the midfield was obvious, Bell, Hasleby, J.Carr, M.Carr, Cookie and Smith too many of the same kind of players.They get burnt going the other way.
Defence held up pretty well considering the amount of ball in there forward line today, its not the same defence we had last year either its an inexperienced group with Polak, Mundy and Thornton. Parker was a rock today as he is usually. Wouldnt have invisaged a defence without Mcpharlin, Haddrill, Hayden and Walker this time last year.


Bring schammer in next week at least he's quick and carrys the ball, id like to see Hayden build up a solid fitness base in the WAFL (went okay today in the ressies apparently) before bringing him back he's loves a run and the occasional run thru the midfield would be good. Bring Doddy in hes done a good job of tagging in the first 3 rounds , id put him on Hodge whos been setting up most of the Hawks play this year. Next weeks no gimme either,there midfield/ruck group are bloody good and we cant afford to get smashed out of the middle like this week.

Ins: Schammer, Dodd, Murphy, Walker
Outs: Haddrill (inj), Smith, Siegert, Headland/Webster

 

[auste1234]

For mine.

Ins : Schofield, Schammer, Walker
Outs : Webster, Hadrill, Smith

Webster is one of my favourite players, but he got given a bath today and just seems below his best. After todays showing i am sure Clown man could be in contention this week. What has his form in the wafl been like the last couple of weeks?

 

[dominguez]

How did Murphy go Today for Souths? Schammer is a very important part of our side when inform but he was very poor in his games for Freo this season. Doesn't deserve a game until he puts in a blinder for Claremont. Schofield's the same, he shouldn't get a run until he hits form with Subi.

Your right about Hodge. He plays a similar game to McPhee, hopefully we do a better job of shutting him down.

 

[Brickie]

How did Murphy go Today for Souths? Schammer is a very important part of our side when inform but he was very poor in his games for Freo this season. Doesn't deserve a game until he puts in a blinder for Claremont. Schofield's the same, he shouldn't get a run until he hits form with Subi.

Your right about Hodge. He plays a similar game to McPhee, hopefully we do a better job of shutting him down.

Murph kicked 2, had a poor first half but played well in the 2nd, give him a go with Mcpharlin staying in the goalsquare and him leading out from it. He'll more than likely get jacobs and he plays loose.

 

[dugrene]

I was at work. Listened on radio.

Taped the game and watched about 15 mins of last 1/4 so far.


My observations.

The umpires let the bully tactics continue through the game.
They (apparently) conspired not use their whistles.
How did our guys let that goal through kicked from them the Center Sq.
WTF with the relayed free kick and M. Carr didnt get another kick.
Was elvis injured ?
Who was responsible (coach or players) that allowed Mcphee take so many contested marks.
That funny shaped ball and how it bounced killed us in the last 1/4.
No tag on Lovett.
Last and most important. We were outplayed for too often.

Of the last 16 quarters of footy we have played we have had one shocker. Nothing to cut your wrist about.
CC has still got my confidence.

 

[pav_is_god]

The midfield let us down. They either play extremely well or extremely poorly and I can't understand with that many good players how they manage to all be shyte at the same time. It seems to me that the only midfielder that consistently stands up when things are tough is Cook, but he isn't polished or damaging enough to make much of a difference.

 

[masai]

Unfortunately some of the "soft" players were our leaders.

Positives in my eyes were 211 doing more around the ground, Parker playing like the Twig of Integrity, Pav proving he isn't a front runner.

Yep maybe Soreknee might have done better ........ horses for courses.