Supporters perceptions

[masai]

I was glancing through the daily rag this morning and saw the article about the rag's player of the year. For the Freo team, they had Pav right up there and Bell next.

On this board, if you look through the voting you will see that Cook is in second place and Bell is being viewed as having a poor season. I know we give five vote and the local rag only gives 3.

Who is the better judge?, are the media voting on players past reputations?, are supporters being too sentimental?, do the supporters take some players efforts for granted?. eg. Bell & Parker.

I perceive that Cook is having a darn good season, doing what he does best. Bell is playing a little below his lofty standards. The media has the perception that Bell has been our second best player?.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Very interesting post masai. I have, over the last few days, been thinking that we as supporters should come up with another "award". Unfortunately I have been rather preoccupied with a whole of of other "stuff" that I haven't had the chance to put up a post. But you have opened the door a little for me here, and what the hell, while the other "stuff" is still there, this will provide a bit of a distraction for 10 or 15 minutes that it takes to type it all up.

My idea is that we should make an award that recognises players who go out onto the field of play and put in an effort full of heart, guts and determination - one that recognises the character of the players over the last 120 years that have played footy for, and in, Freo - be that the original FFC, Unions, EF or SF. The players who go out there, and leave a little of themselves on the field as they show the pride and passion that footballers from Freo have always been known for. As we are all aware, apart from maybe 3 or 4 players over the last 11 years - this is a spirit that the current FFC has yet to capture.

This could extend well beyond BF - it could be done on any website, or on any supporter group level or whatever. I believe that results should be communicated to the club at some level - just to let the powers that be know what what we, the supporters and members, expect from our football club - the football club that is representing the proud region of Fremantle to the rest of the country. The football club that is currently considered the softest in the league. The AFL club from Freo - an area long considered to be one of the toughest and hardest footballing areas in Australia. We, the supporters, should be the judges - not the media, not opposition fans - US. We let them know if they are doing it okay, or of they are not. We let them know which players are worthy of being a FREMANTLE player by the effort and desire they show when they play the game. We let them know who is upholding the traditions of Freo by playing for the jumper, for the club, for their team-mates, for pride and for us.

The players we vote for each week don't necessarily have to be the BOG - in fact I think just as often as not, they won't be the BOG. They will be the guys who try their guts out - even if they get beaten by their direct opponent, the ones who set as example for their team-mates. I think we should vote for no more than 2 players per week (and seriously - are we likely to get more than that....) unless the situations are extenuating - and if we think that no-one showed up; well we vote for no-one. I don't want to name names, so just as an example - say if one player racks up 30 possessions and kicks 5 goals in a win, but has done it all as a front-running receiver... then that may not be worthy of votes. But if say, someone else gets a run with role, shuts down his opponent, makes 7 or 8 tackles, lays a couple of good shepherds, doesn't pull out of any contests, put his head over the ball and body on the line consistently, but only gets 9 or 10 possessions - well that may be worth considering for a vote.

I have been thinking through a few names for this award... something that recognises who and what footy in Freo is all about. I thought of the "sickly original" names like "Freo Spirit Award", the less than serious ones like the "Kickett up the Guts Award"... but thought maybe something that recognises two recent champions of SF and EF - and by coincidence guys whose sons have made it onto the list at FFC - might be more appropriate. Blokes who gave their all, were as hard and tough and skilled as they come, never gave an inch and never backed down: the "TI-Bomber Award".

Past recipients of the award could have included Dale Kickett, Shaun McManus, Peter Bell and Troy Cook. Michael Johnson may have scored himself a point for keeping at his task and not dropping his head when given the task on BBBBazza on the weekend, even though he was soundly beaten. Troy Cook almost definfitely would have scored a point for his incessant tackling and often being the only one to be contesting the ball against 2 or 3 opponents. Pav, while highly skilled and a hard, hard worker with an enormous engine, needs to do a bit more with his 6'4", 100kg frame, and go a bit harder in some of his second efforts to be right up there... although there is little question that his heart lies with our club and he does work his butt off... but add in that unquantifiable but "extra" and he'd be there too. He needs to hurt people and go in hard and angry when he doesn't win the initial contest. Like all of them.

I think it needs to start this coming week. This is the last roll of the dice for 2005, before we start looking towards 2006 and another year of hope. How the players react will tell us a lot about their characters. We need to start scrutinising what is being done, the efforts the players are putting in, the way they represent the 120 years of proud football tradition from the Port City - and we need to let them know about it.

 

[Plugga]

I perceive that Cook is having a darn good season, doing what he does best. Bell is playing a little below his lofty standards. The media has the perception that Bell has been our second best player?.

yeah...agreed, no way in the world is Bell our 2nd best player in 2005. He is having a below par season. I run a tipping comp, & some tipsters give votes on just the Toasters & Freo games 5-4-3-2-1 basis. For Freo players here are the votes as the supporters see it.....on the freo side;

Pavlich 40, Josh Carr 17, Cook 16, Matt Carr 15, Farmer 12, Black 11, Bell 10, Hasleby 10, Longmuir 10, McPharlin 8, Mundy 6, Parker 5, Schammer 5, Medhurst 4, Siegert 3, Gilmore 3, Polak 2, Headland 1, thornton 1, dodd 1, McManus 1

We also do the reverse & pick out the 3 worst players on the ground, obviously some games are easier than others...it's called the Dan Parker Medal..here is the leaderboard;

Webster 11, Johnson 8, Murphy 6, Thornton 6, Schammer 6, McManus 5, Farmer 4, Woods 4, Medhurst 4, Dunn 3, Josh Carr 2, Parker 2, Polak 2, Siegert 2, Sandilands 2, Smith 2, hasleby 2, Pavlich 2

 

[ImperialPurple]

BTW - I don't mean to marginalise or dismiss any supporters of other WAFL teams - not at all. But I think, regardless of whichever club is your WAFL team, that we can all agree that there has always been tough, hard footy played in Freo and by the Freo clubs. A hardness that this current FFC needs to discover before too long, or else that spirit will be consigned to history and folklore as how "it used to be in Freo".

 

[dugrene]

IP good post.

I was tracking down bog votes from 'wehavethepassion'. Further to masai's thread starter we at BF see the bog votes a little differently to wehave...etc.

eg.

257 M. Pav
145 J. Farmer
118 J..Carr
116 M. Carr
86 Belly

See wehavethepassion

I dont know d/land's votes. I wont go their.

Following on from IP's post. The internet is only going to get bigger. Tradable information is already here. So if all the (credible?) forums pooled their votes at years end we could come up with the...say 'Fremantle all forums super fairest and best' award Named after a Fremantle icon either footy or community.If you get my drift.

With the supporters voting across differing forum sites it would have to be representative of how people see any players performance.

Each forum could have a their own criteria for their own award but the 'super forum award' would be the Sandover equivalent.

 

[Plugga]

pav is clearly the champ of 2005 - daylight 2nd. Would be the only All Australian candidate this year.

 

[ImperialPurple]

ok, so I put it all out there - I lay my heart and my pain on the line....

sheesh, I'd rather get canned by everyone than be ignored...

 

[masai]

IP your views are duely noted.

I have always been sceptical of the standard Best & Fairest awards, I reckon it rewards the finishers rather than the doers. In my "illustrious" amateur footy career I watched as many of the 100% players receive nil awards but the midfielders and half forwards had mortgages on the awards. One season our full back had a stellar season but received 1 vote, our lunatic (when he turned up!!) forward pocket received 12 votes.!!!.

For arguments sake, everyone would agree that Pav is at present the best player, but no one would begrudge a player like Cook or in seasons past Parker being rewarded with the "Freo Rock", for 100% performances week in week out.

As a supporter I'd like to also introduce the "umbrella award", which is awarded to any player who needs a good kick up the ........ The award will be presented by Mrs IP and Junior IP thumping the award "winners" over the head with an umbrella, in the style of all those umbrella wielding grannies in the outer of WAFL games at Freo Oval, circa 1970's -1980's.

 

[voodoo_86]

I think effort is already significantly considered on this board. Which is why cookie is right up there, in a losing team, he'll almost always get the votes - not because he has starred, but because he's one of the only blokes that looked like he gave a damn.

 

[dugrene]

Thought I'd bump this.

Masia's and IP's thread direction should not be consigned to the too hard basket.

Mabey during the off season something can be arranged for 2006.

The reason I bumped the thread is because of parker's 200th game. If we are ever looking give an award a name then why look futher than Shane Parker.

 

[masai]

Thanks for bumping this thread into life.

Yesterday in the West, in the report on the game, the following quote was made :-

" Although Fremantles gifted players such as Luke McPharlin, Des Headland, Matthew Pavlich and Heath Black attracted the rave reviews from the crowd yesterday, the human cannonball deserved the most plaudits ".

The quote was referring to Cookie, the media are slowly catching up with what the supporters have been saying for a long time. I can tell you in my part of the crowd, ALL the plaudits were for Cook.

 

[Redgum]

I am quite surprised that Blackie isn't higher up in the voting. He is the leading possession getter at the club. Has the best disposal of the ball ,I think he is the leading longest kicker into the forward 50 in the AFL and always hits a target. I would have him second to the Pav without hesitation.

 

[Freo Shark]

My idea is that we should make an award that recognises players who go out onto the field of play and put in an effort full of heart, guts and determination - one that recognises the character of the players over the last 120 years that have played footy for, and in, Freo - be that the original FFC, Unions, EF or SF. The players who go out there, and leave a little of themselves on the field as they show the pride and passion that footballers from Freo have always been known for. As we are all aware, apart from maybe 3 or 4 players over the last 11 years - this is a spirit that the current FFC has yet to capture.

The players we vote for each week don't necessarily have to be the BOG - in fact I think just as often as not, they won't be the BOG. They will be the guys who try their guts out - even if they get beaten by their direct opponent, the ones who set as example for their team-mates. I think we should vote for no more than 2 players per week (and seriously - are we likely to get more than that....) unless the situations are extenuating - and if we think that no-one showed up; well we vote for no-one. I don't want to name names, so just as an example - say if one player racks up 30 possessions and kicks 5 goals in a win, but has done it all as a front-running receiver... then that may not be worthy of votes. But if say, someone else gets a run with role, shuts down his opponent, makes 7 or 8 tackles, lays a couple of good shepherds, doesn't pull out of any contests, put his head over the ball and body on the line consistently, but only gets 9 or 10 possessions - well that may be worth considering for a vote.

Excellent post and idea !!

I seriously think you should forward that to Schwabby, Rick Hart and Co. This award could be a prized award in years to come and actually mean something special to players especially because its probably unlikely ever to be a Doig Medal winner.

How you would run it should be taken fairly serious and perhaps it be members only who register to vote seriously for it. Perhaps it should be you IP who presents it to the play at the Doig medal nite. Perhaps you might end up giving it to Mundy

 

[masai]

I am quite surprised that Blackie isn't higher up in the voting. He is the leading possession getter at the club. Has the best disposal of the ball ,I think he is the leading longest kicker into the forward 50 in the AFL and always hits a target. I would have him second to the Pav without hesitation.

Yep Blackie has been pretty good, but he has had some shockers where he was either AWOL or getting "dinky" easy possessions. As I have stated elsewhere, being the leading possession winner (on it's own) means B all.

Cookie has had a very even season, being the grunt behind the team. Doing alot of the work that does not attract votes from the media.

 

[masai]

Perhaps it should be you IP who presents it to the play at the Doig medal nite. Perhaps you might end up giving it to Mundy

I don't think Alvin could every live it down if IP presented an award to Pav (drool, drool, ..... cute bum, .... oh what I could do with those thighs ...).

Mundy or Cookie are safe options.

 

[dominguez]

If I was awarding the B&F for the first 15 rounds I'd rank our players in the following order-
Pavlich
Farmer
Black
Cook
Parker
Bell
McPharlin
Mundy
J Carr.

 

[Scham]

Mine would be;

Pavlich
Farmer
JLo
Parker
Black
Thornton
Haselby
Carr
Bell
Mundy

 

[ImperialPurple]

I don't think Alvin could every live it down if IP presented an award to Pav (drool, drool, ..... cute bum, .... oh what I could do with those thighs ...).

Mundy or Cookie are safe options.

I turn my back for 5 minutes and this is what you lot get up to...


I was feeling pretty impassioned when i wrote that... still think it's a good idea.

 

[masai]

Mine would be;

Pavlich
Farmer
JLo
Parker
Black
Thornton
Haselby
Carr
Bell
Mundy

Mr Cook is coming to see you .....

 

[masai]

I turn my back for 5 minutes and this is what you lot get up to...


I was feeling pretty impassioned when i wrote that... still think it's a good idea.

Got to keep our humour levels up, and at times in this politically correct climate, IP you make a perfect target.

I love your idea, the awards go to the pretty boys, very rarely to the boys who are at the coalface every week.

I think I might deserve a medal after these school holidays .....

 

[Scham]

Mr Cook is coming to see you .....

You're next on the list Mr Cook...honestly!

 

[Freo Shark]

I turn my back for 5 minutes and this is what you lot get up to...


I was feeling pretty impassioned when i wrote that... still think it's a good idea.

Consider the thread duly bumped.

IP, put it to Schwabby etc. Its a good idea.