The cup runneth over

[theGav56]

Our recruiting staff have done an incredible job with recruiting KPP's. The cupboards are full to overflowing.

Down back we have Grover, Thornton and Haddril as very fine players all of whom could have an argument to say that they should be in the starting lineup. Polak is out of form, but has many of the attributes to be a good CHB. On top of that our backline is flying without them.

Up forward we have two of the most accurate kicks in the game beginning to forge a fantastic combination. Longmuir is the perfect resting ruckman/third tall, and a mark like the one Sandilands had over Big Red in the forward line last week is another string to the forward line bow. Plus Campbell is doing nicely in the WAFL. Drum has looked sharp, and even Gilmore has added something.

Then I had a look in the other side of the cupboard at another cup that held speedy skilled midfielders, and it was half full.

 

[sabre_ac]

Then I had a look in the other side of the cupboard at another cup that held speedy skilled midfielders, and it was half full.

Regardless of how much the game is changing, key position players are worth their weight in gold and more so now than ever speedy midfielders are a dime a dozen.

Key position players win finals, key position players win grand finals.

 

[theGav56]

Regardless of how much the game is changing, key position players are worth their weight in gold and more so now than ever speedy midfielders are a dime a dozen.

Key position players win finals, key position players win grand finals.

Agree. Good example is Simmonds who got his weight in gold from Richmond. Unfortunately if you paid all of our good KPP's their weight in gold we wouldn't be competative as we would only be able to afford the worst possible midfield. Better to pay the ones you need their weight in gold (including the backups) and look at trading in some of the other other gold for some silver service from some speedy skilled midfielders.

 

[Burnzy]

Agree. Good example is Simmonds who got his weight in gold from Richmond. Unfortunately if you paid all of our good KPP's their weight in gold we wouldn't be competative as we would only be able to afford the worst possible midfield. Better to pay the ones you need their weight in gold (including the backups) and look at trading in some of the other other gold for some silver service from some speedy skilled midfielders.

I can see what you're saying, having too many good KPPs to choose from is a good problem to have, but balancing our list is more important. Until you name players to be traded, this will remain a purely philosophical argument.

 

[theGav56]

I can see what you're saying, having too many good KPPs to choose from is a good problem to have, but balancing our list is more important. Until you name players to be traded, this will remain a purely philosophical argument.

Until the trade period is over it's a philisophical argument. I agree with CC when he says anyone is tradeable.

Looking at where we are likely to finish in the draft we are likely to be able to secure one of a good batch of skilled midfield players (Jetta, Collard. Proud, Selwood). So in a few years time they will be very useful.

A faster option is to put a deal (player/s/picks) together for a good mid. Polak for Ray has been discussed. Geelong have a couple of handy players who may be available (Kelly, Byrnes). Polak for Kelly may be possible. I'd certainly take it. Byrnes not so sure.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Still need a pacy, game breaking midfielder.

 

[Cameron_K]

Hang on, 4 weeks ago weren't people calling for Smarts head saying what a ****house job he had done?

 

[theGav56]

Hang on, 4 weeks ago weren't people calling for Smarts head saying what a ****house job he had done?

They were. I think some even wanted CC sacked? Haven't heard from them for a little while.

 

[bushie]

They were. I think some even wanted CC sacked? Haven't heard from them for a little while.

Hands up for that..

17th of June I reckon.

Still deep down don't think he is the right man for the long term but happy to go with the flow.

But in my defense I think he has started to play a few guys in their correct positions since then and has been more adaptable in his game plan.

Reckon someone has had a word in his shell like that footy is a simple game and he has listened.

Well done

 

[theGav56]

Hands up for that.:

Good on you Bushie.

 

[dominguez]

They were. I think some even wanted CC sacked? Haven't heard from them for a little while.

After 4 seasons he hasn't won a final and didn't deserve a 5th season. The results in recent weeks have been encouraging but 1 month doesn't make a season. Hopefully he proves myself and many others wrong and the team continues its recent form, but I still have my doubts about Connolly's ability to get the most out of a very talented group. If we win a final and play well in the second week of September he should be retained for next season. Without a finals win he should definately be replaced, unfortunately I think his buddy Schwabb will settle for making the eight.

 

[purp_bling]

Yep, I'll put my hand up too - and stand by it! I'm stoked to see us doing so well, and really do hope that we meet our season's expectations. However, Freo should never have been in the position that CC's future required so much speculation. We should never have been pantsed by Hawthorn, Brisbane and Geelong this year.

I believed then, and believe now, that the players are not fully behind CC. If he can turn that around, through good coaching and management - then, yep, I will eat humble pie. Till then, he seems like a bloke who can't get it right until we reach crisis point, and I'll enjoy hoping our upswing lasts deep into September.

 

[theGav56]

After 4 seasons he hasn't won a final and didn't deserve a 5th season.

I don't think that a rookie coach can take a bottom of the table side to consistant finals performer in 4 years. I don't know of one who has? Add to that a club history of under-achieving and a hostile media environment (look at the effect it had on Croad), and he has probably achieved just under what may have been expected.

Regardless, what I have really like in some of the recent wins has been the clarity of the coaching. Match-ups, direction of play, selections etc.

 

[FreoFury]

They were. I think some even wanted CC sacked? Haven't heard from them for a little while.

Yeah guilty as charged. Still not totally convinced though the improvement is encouraging. I still stand by the fact that to scrape into the finals may not actually help us at all in the long run as it will simply toss CC a life line and it ll be more of the same next year. Personally in his 5th year I was hoping we would be challenging for a GF position. We may still be but it will be an unprecidented step by the playing group and I wont be putting my house on it. Lets hope they can pull it off though.

 

[mick ryan]

They were. I think some even wanted CC sacked? Haven't heard from them for a little while.

Shame on all of them I say.

 

[dominguez]

I don't think that a rookie coach can take a bottom of the table side to consistant finals performer in 4 years. I don't know of one who has? Add to that a club history of under-achieving and a hostile media environment (look at the effect it had on Croad), and he has probably achieved just under what may have been expected.

Regardless, what I have really like in some of the recent wins has been the clarity of the coaching. Match-ups, direction of play, selections etc.

Paul Roos, Neill Craig and John Worsfold have acheived a lot more than Connolly and none of them have more experience.

Taking over a team that finished bottom can be a positive. Croad, McPharlin, Medhurst, Farmer, Simmonds and Polak all arrived with Connolly at the end of 2001.

A history of underacheiving means you have a list of early draft picks.

Croad would have been fine if Connolly had played him at CHB. The media scrutiny wasn't warranted, but Schwabb guaranteed there would be pressure on Trent when he traded him for the 1st pick in the best ever draft and paid him $500,000p.a.

 

[theGav56]

Paul Roos, Neill Craig and John Worsfold have acheived a lot more than Connolly and none of them have more experience.

Taking over a team that finished bottom can be a positive. Croad, McPharlin, Medhurst, Farmer, Simmonds and Polak all arrived with Connolly at the end of 2001.

A history of underacheiving means you have a list of early draft picks.

Croad would have been fine if Connolly had played him at CHB. The media scrutiny wasn't warranted, but Schwabb guaranteed there would be pressure on Trent when he traded him for the 1st pick in the best ever draft and paid him $500,000p.a.

So, what timeframe do you think a rookie coach should be goven to take a bottom of the table side to consistent finals performer? Finishing in that position requires that you have a massive tunrover of your list (as we did). So how long? 1year is too short. 2 years? For me, they are pretty much on the timeframe I had expected, and if they had managed to sqeeze in in the last two years when they missed out by a game, they would be ahead of my expectations.

As you say Croad was drafted by Schwab. Do you really think CC would have drafted him? He came from Hawthorn and CC would have been part of the decision to trade him. With MacPharlin we did not need a CHB, we needed a CHF.

 

[Redgum]

Croad was only ever a smoke screen to get Mcpharlin, you all knew that didn't you ???...hehehe

 

[YelloMit]

Still need a pacy, game breaking midfielder.

Peake in 2 years. Maybe sooner.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Peake in 2 years. Maybe sooner.

My thoughts exactly

 

[dominguez]

So, what timeframe do you think a rookie coach should be goven to take a bottom of the table side to consistent finals performer? Finishing in that position requires that you have a massive tunrover of your list (as we did). So how long? 1year is too short. 2 years? For me, they are pretty much on the timeframe I had expected, and if they had managed to sqeeze in in the last two years when they missed out by a game, they would be ahead of my expectations.

As you say Croad was drafted by Schwab. Do you really think CC would have drafted him? He came from Hawthorn and CC would have been part of the decision to trade him. With MacPharlin we did not need a CHB, we needed a CHF.

If we had qualified for the finals in 2004 and 2005 and won atleast one I would say that the team had performed to a level equal to the talent on the list. Finishing outside the 8 two years in a row was a massive underachievement.

Connolly was the one at hawthorn who pushed for Croad to be traded, which was part of the problem while Trent was at Freo. It was a poor decision by Schwab to trade for Croad when he had already decided to appoint his buddy CC.

It's disappointing that people are happy to accept one woeful final in 4 seasons. Half the teams make the finals each year, and we have more talent and early draft picks than most teams. The fact that some of you are getting excited about sitting 8th shows that you are happy with mediocrity and have become accustomed to failure.

 

[rotto]

Lets face it CC has ability to screw up players by playing them out of position or changing them too much. Examples include:

Medhurst - successful playing close to goals , then moves him into the midfield and hf with no success and then moves to the hf line. The guy is a freak and CC makes him pass and then he second guess himself.

Croad - All Australian CHB with Hawthorn, traded to Dockers play at FF with no success, and traded back to Hawthorn playing at CHB and doing well.

Polak - plays ff for sharks, CC plays him as a back and does well. CC decides to play him forward with no success.

Simmons - Outstanding in the ruck and next season plays him at CHF with no success and goes to Richmond then played in the Ruck and doing well.

Schammer - does ok in the middle and has good pace which the midfield needs. Plays him the backline with no success and becames very unsure of himself.

Murphy - great kick/ fast leading forward does well at FF at South Fremantle. CC plays him as Tall back with no success and only moves into the forward when Mcpharlin and J Longmuir injuries and Polaks poor from.

McPharlin - All Australian CHB and moves him to FF against Melbourne and does great against a team full of injuries with tall backs. Places him at FF with little success and then gets injuried. Murphy fill FF and for team balance plays back does well.

 

[Ripper]

It would be incredibly bad coaching to put players in one position and leaving them there , and therefore not having any idea how they will go in other positions.

Last time I looked Croad was playing CHF with good effect at Hawthorn.

 

[rotto]

U help players by placing him in positions that utilised their strengths and hides their weaknesses. Croad is an exceptional running capacity but does not have the ability to kick under pressure especially for goal, so does CC play him at FF where u need to kick straight. Murphy is a fast leading and great kick for goals and CC plays him back. Do u remember when Scahmmer was matched up with Stokes in the Geelong game and Stokes with greater physical strength gave him a bath ? Our midfield needs pace and the backline have good depth. Schammer has a good pace and would have done ok in that match if he was placed in the right position. Lets face it CC keeps get it wrong after 5 years.

 

[Borry]

It's disappointing that people are happy to accept one woeful final in 4 seasons. Half the teams make the finals each year, and we have more talent and early draft picks than most teams. The fact that some of you are getting excited about sitting 8th shows that you are happy with mediocrity and have become accustomed to failure.

Theres no point in aiming for a finals win if they are struggling to make the eight in the first place. The aim at this present should be purely to get their spot in the eight secure and nothing else. Whats the point in aiming for a finals vvictory when they keep choking when a finals spot is there for the taking, let alone on the finals stage?

Having said that I agree all the way with the fact that the clubs mindset needs a major revamp as far as on field goes. The successful clubs have a winning premierships is everything mentality, at this stage Freo have a near enough is good enough mentality.