Autopsy The 2021 preseason is done and we've learnt heaps

[SHill Shall]

lessons learnt from pre-season.

Lloyd Meek. - All things considered (given barely played a afl game in 3 years) this kid goes all right. Actually better than all right - he's a real competitor that deserves a shot at the big time. Was competing well with the best ruck in the competition until tiring late.
Lobb - Not sure how good he was anyway to be honest.
Banfield - I have the feeling he will be a lot better with quality around him - which doesn't exist right now. If he's one of the key targets in the forward line then we are in trouble.
Tucker - Has been a consistent performer for us for a few years and will improve as the season goes on with a limited preperation.
Blakely - Just going to be one of those really good WAFL players unfortunately.
Tabs - See Tucker - limited pre season and will improve with games.
Young - Will be a very good player this year. His laser passes down the corridor (which don't always come off) need to be encouraged. He will get more of an understanding of his limitations with these passes but at this stage he has more skill than most others.
Mundy - Still got the smarts but time has to catch up with him sooner or later and it looks like it might be this year.
Aish - Doesn't go as hard as he should but good decision maker and kick means he's all right at this level.
Acres - Doen't go as hard as he should and poor decision maker and kick means he's not all right at this level.
Fyfe - Needs to play mainly in the midfield - it is where games are won.
Cox - ????
Shultz - Not enough tricks in the trick bag unfortunately.
Switta - Not enough tricks in the trick bag unfortunately.
Colyer - Not enough tricks in the trick bag unfortunately.
Sturt - At the age of 20 and with the 3 games to his name - is the most important player in the 22. If he stays fit and on the park - we have a shot at finals. If not, I don't think we do.
Treacy - Would love to see him come on this year but would be surprised if he does (young key forwards rarely do immediately)
Walters - Very important to stay fit and healthy for the next 3 years.
Pearce - Will improve with games this year.
Hamling - Will improve with games this year.
Fredericks - Sorry Mick Malthouse but Freddy belongs at this level. Good user, fast and pretty good decision maker. If he finds some confidence I can see him being a 200 game player.
Henry - Hasn't done much but give him time.
Cerra, Serong, Brayshaw - All important cogs of the midfield group over the next 5/10 years.

The forward line: Stuffed if I know! Easily the worst area of the ground. Sturt Tabs and Walters need to be in there. Aside from that, I don't know what the answer is and just hope the club does.

Just Longmuir - Like the cut of his jib. From of a tactical and building relationships point of view - I reckon he's better than Lyon. Less experienced of course so lets give him some time to sort this team out.

Fantastic summary - imo the only off key comment was re Banfield.

 

[CapitalA]

We can - but I’d vote for throwing Treacy in to replace Lobb. He could produce a couple of lead and mark goals like in the first scratchy - which are just not in either Meek or Darcy’s armoury.

Yeah but we have no good back up ruck in the team if we make that call. Meek was cooked yesterday being the sole ruck.

 

[Wilksyy]

Melbourne looked worse than we did so thats nice.

Nice to read something positive. Reading this thread I feel like taking Prozac.

 

[pK75]

Because it is a practice game, and no one gives 2 fu**s about the outcome, most likely.

I was going to say “because we want to keep that card up our sleeve for the first derby worth points” but I think you summed it up nicely

 

[SHill Shall]

Yeah but we have no good back up ruck in the team if we make that call. Meek was cooked yesterday being the sole ruck.

Throw Treacy in to F50 ruck contests. He's apparently done a bit of it. Under sized and all that - but beggars can't be choosers.

 

[SHill Shall]

Nice to read something positive. Reading this thread I feel like taking Prozac.

Just to add balance they add Oliver, Brayshaw and Viney into their midfield from today's game - subject to them getting up of course.

On the other hand we have Serong, Cerra and Ryan up our sleeve.

 

[masai]

got it

+

I noticed when, a player takes a mark, normally the opponent would run up and stand exactly where the mark was take. The player with the ball then steps back their 10 metres or so to take the kick.

With the new rule, the defending player must stop ( Simon says !!!! ),and is unable to run up to where the poccession was actually take. The attacking player essentially gains 10 metres at times.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

Lobb is our second ruck, and our first ruck has played zero games. He is also pretty much the tallest forward in the game so requires a decent KPD, and he will likely be replaced by a 19 year old debutant. Lobb out is a pretty decent whack.

Yes, but that is a different argument to his being important to our forward line. I think as a ruck he will be missed. As a KPF way, way, way less so.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

Yeah but we have no good back up ruck in the team if we make that call. Meek was cooked yesterday being the sole ruck.

Tabs and Cox have played as 2nd ruck in the past (even when the cupboard wasn't as bare as now). There no reason to think they couldn't give Meek a chop out when needed. Of course, I wouldn't call either of them particularly good 2nd rucks!

 

[theGav56]

Yes, but that is a different argument to his being important to our forward line. I think as a ruck he will be missed. As a KPF way, way, way less so.

Treacy has made a reasonable and promising contribution after half time in the scratchies. Not enough to be a realistic problem for defences yet. But at this stage I think life is significantly better for Taberner with Lobb in the forward line.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I haven’t been able to watch the weekends game properly, is Cox playing more a third tall role now where he can zone off more? Hamling and Pearce as stoppers should allow Cox that freedom which he seems to be enjoying

 

[gaskin]

I haven’t been able to watch the weekends game properly, is Cox playing more a third tall role now where he can zone off more? Hamling and Pearce as stoppers should allow Cox that freedom which he seems to be enjoying

That is what it seemed like but that is Ryan's role. I doubt Cox does it when Ryan comes back.

 

[Halfbaked]

Throw Treacy in to F50 ruck contests. He's apparently done a bit of it. Under sized and all that - but beggars can't be choosers.

He would lose most taps which is not ideal. But his recovery time in marking contests is elite, hopefully this would also be the case at ruck contests. You can never have too many strong bodies opening up packs at stoppages in the forward line.
As a late pick key forward we should not expect to much from him, however we also should remember that on the weekend he playing against a very well organised defence that eats unorganised forward lines for breakfast.

 

[thefreodockers]

The key players constantly being injured is so unbelievably frustrating. You look at Brisbane - their side is so durable. their top players back up week in, week out to play, and there is stuff all injuries. Neale, mcluggage, Rayner, berry, Cameron all extremely tough and durable. Hell - they even seem to be able to turn previous crocks like Birchall, Daniher and McCarthy into reliable players.
Their 22 barely changes all season. Dev Robertson was sitting in their emergencies all last season (22-26 players effectively) and barely got a game all year. Imagine a luxury like that at freo?

Harris Andrew’s gets a hamstring injury last year and he’s back at 100% performance for finals after missing a couple of games. If only future durability could me measured on draft night.
I’m still pleased we drafted Logue and Sturt but these guys are now approaching 50 AFL games less than players of similar talent from those drafts purely due to availability at some point the opportunity cost is really gonna hurt us. Right now if I’m travelling back in time to 2018 draft night im taking Durssma over Sturt, he’s probably less talented than Sturt but he’d have had 40 games pumped into him already instead of 3 and we’d have a very good AFL winger in place for the next decade instead of stopgaps like Acres that will need to be replaced in the next year or two anyway. Meanwhile even if Sturt does get fit he’s probably 40 games away from being a game breaker in big finals..

Maybe not quite so durable...

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Tell you what, im excited to see what Freddy brings the first month of the season after his two pre-season matches. Noticeably bigger, stronger and more composed. Skies the limit with that kid at the moment

 

[Granny Val]

Agree. He is now in my Supercoach team.

Tell you what, im excited to see what Freddy brings the first month of the season after his two pre-season matches. Noticeably bigger, stronger and more composed. Skies the limit with that kid at the moment

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Scham]

Tell you what, im excited to see what Freddy brings the first month of the season after his two pre-season matches. Noticeably bigger, stronger and more composed. Skies the limit with that kid at the moment

I’m touching wood but he’s looking like an unbelievably good draft selection and considering we traded up the board to get him, a great job by our recruitment team.

 

[malpaso]

Just to add balance they add Oliver, Brayshaw and Viney into their midfield from today's game - subject to them getting up of course.

On the other hand we have Serong, Cerra and Ryan up our sleeve.

They win the ball inside, rest of their setup is not flash. Make sure May is tied up and track Petracca when he goes forward. Mind you, playing the Bulldogs at Marvel isn't ideal for anyone...

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Finally getting a chance to watch the game, I'm not sure what you grumpy campaigners are expecting from a 3 game player but Young was as good as you can possibly hope for a 3rd game general defender to be. Made like 3 mistakes for the game.

Same with Henry, do we realise he came on midway through the 3rd? Barring the shot on goal, every touch the kid had was gold, including the ever-imported 45 degree kick into the corridor which should have set up a shot on goal if the handpass hadnt been fluffed later on. Find it strange everyone is jumping on the Chapman bandwagon but most think Henry isnt ready for AFL, both were as good as each other in that last quarter and a half

 

[Wilksyy]

Just to add balance they add Oliver, Brayshaw and Viney into their midfield from today's game - subject to them getting up of course.

On the other hand we have Serong, Cerra and Ryan up our sleeve.

Cheers now I have taken the Prozac.

But in all seriousness I think we will beat Melbourne. That Eagles game showed us how the new man on the mark rule can nullify a team with good kicking and retain possession. Skills that Melbourne lack. Be a low scoring game cos we don’t have a Liam Ryan but I think we will win.

 

[Okinakashi]

With the new rule, the defending player must stop ( Simon says !!!! ),and is unable to run up to where the poccession was actually take. The attacking player essentially gains 10 metres at times.

The defenders should be allowed to move up to the mark - the eagles did it well. Fyfe did it a few times. We should be practicing it and getting feedback from the umpires.

 

[Lach72]

Finally getting a chance to watch the game, I'm not sure what you grumpy campaigners are expecting from a 3 game player but Young was as good as you can possibly hope for a 3rd game general defender to be. Made like 3 mistakes for the game.

Same with Henry, do we realise he came on midway through the 3rd? Barring the shot on goal, every touch the kid had was gold, including the ever-imported 45 degree kick into the corridor which should have set up a shot on goal if the handpass hadnt been fluffed later on. Find it strange everyone is jumping on the Chapman bandwagon but most think Henry isnt ready for AFL, both were as good as each other in that last quarter and a half

Agree with you

 

[Mogumber]

Banfield out improves our skill set, like handballs and kicking for goal on the run.
Bring in Western, as the kid is fast, and our forward line is slow and cumbersome

 

[theGav56]

Banfield out improves our skill set, like handballs and kicking for goal on the run.
Bring in Western, as the kid is fast, and our forward line is slow and cumbersome

Western is injured. I would play Watson in Banfield’s role, or possibly Chapman. Or just try Hamling in defence.

Melbourne has a reasonable defensive set up from the look of their game against Bulldogs. Despite the pressure with large parts of the game played in the Bulldogs attacking half, they held their ground.

 

[arsesmart]

The defenders should be allowed to move up to the mark - the eagles did it well. Fyfe did it a few times. We should be practicing it and getting feedback from the umpires.

There's no should with it really, it's largely an arbitrary call.

The way I see it, upscaling the value of a mark has huge potential for opening up the game (redressing the weight of numbers at the contest).

I'd prefer leaning more towards advantaging the player who's taken the mark early on, too much potential for unreasoned habit to return to status quo otherwise.