- Aug 25, 2011
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- 75,489
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
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- Coney Island Warriors, SFFC, Hajduk
ROUND 11 PREVIEW
Collingwood v Fremantle @ Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sunday 3.20pm local time (1.20pm WST)
THE DOUBLE DOWN
Back in round 1, coach Ross Lyon declared it was time for Freo to ‘double down’ on it’s rebuild. He indicated youth will get more chances in the coming games, and regardless of any scrutiny or criticism that might come from this approach, that it needed to happen for the future of the club, and that he and the club were fully committed to that.
Lyon went on to suggest that regardless of any observations, it was the right thing to do and that he felt he and the club were doing it.
Oh, wait, hang on. Sorry, that was this week, after a loss in Round 10. To North Melbourne. After playing 5 players aged over 30 years of age. After dropping 2nd year players in successive weeks.
http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2018-05-27/freo-to-double-down-on-youth
I’ll take a junior Double Down thanks. Michael will have a kebab with the lot.
THE COMEBACK
So… Buckley can coach. Coach can Buckley?! No seriously, can Buckley coach? Indeed, it seems coach Buckley can.
The gamble is starting to pay off.
He also has a beard.
I’m confused.
I must admit, when I picked this game at the start of the year, I expected it to go one of two ways. Easy set ‘em up, knock ‘em down Bucks gags for the lulz. Or more likely preparing to take on newly installed Collingwood head coach J-Lo.
Prodigal son, Chris ‘pressure acts’ Mayne, unofficial best bloke in the business, king of the corral, cap hogging, list clogging Mayney, was entirely surplus to requirements.
He was to serve a purely ceremonial role, name checked with the ever predictable “Chris Mayne Cup” thread title for posterity. Then he had to go and learn how to football again.
The Mayne Man (finally) arrives.
Now my whole preview is ruined.
OPPOSITION PLAYERS TO WATCH
Adam Treloar
My AFL Fantasy captain last week (anticipated the Jacobs tag on Nat), mini-Bucks, figjam jr, the man with more rituals than a Tibetan monk. We all know how dangerous he can be, just ask Jack Macrae…
Now Treloar is not as damaging as some of the more complete midfielders in the game, but he is a steady accumulator and after a shocking start to the year his disposal has improved, having spent considerable time forward this year he has also bobbed up as a goal kicker. I like the kid. Geez he made a blue picking the Pies over the Tiges though.
Will he get the Banfield treatment this week? If he does, Bailey better watch his back or he might end up with a nasty raspberry.
Brodie Grundy
Form ruckman of the comp, this guy is almost as good as Naitanui is overrated. Another famous Fremantle miss, with 211 likely to sit this one out, expect him to have a field day.
Grundy is a clearance beast, teammate Iron Frontbum reckons Grundy is “like another midfielder” and he has put up some pretty fearsome clearance numbers in games this year that would be the envy of many an inside bull.
Against Adelaide earlier this year, Grundy became the first ruckman since Western Bulldogs’ great Gary Dempsey in 1980 to rack up more than 40 hitouts, 30 possessions and a goal in a game as he destroyed the Crows. Add in his 12 clearances for the game and we will definitely have our hands full.
Jeremy Howe
Leaping Jeremy Howe, robbed for MOTY worse than the Adelaide bloke who had it happen right in front of him, now has to do it all over again in 2018, but this time he has to contend with the wildly overrated Liam Ryan and the fat Willie Rioli’s unrealistic after unrealistic attempts, not to mention Nic Nat’s amazing yet solitary mark per game, amongst other high flyers around the comp, to come away with the gong he so rightly deserves.
Prime candidate for the weekly ‘Freo, you’re the tall marking intercept guy in the backline here’s 3 Brownlow votes’ gift. Never really rated him at Melbourne besides his high flying acrobatics, however since leaving Melbourne to get out of the backline (lol how did that work out Jezza?), he has matured into a dour, reliable intercept running backman and leader of the defence at the Pies.
Look for this guy, he will be on the end of most of our “good connections” with our forwards this week.
DOCKERS NOT TO WATCH (hopefully)
Danyle Pearce
Perth expat journo Dale Miller perhaps put it best for me this week.
How the * is this guy still getting a game? My sources tell me he was told in no uncertain terms this pre-season if he wanted to see out his contract it would be firmly seen out down at Rushton, and yet here we are.
Was a great pick up, and has been a good servant of the club, but the 2012-2015 era is long gone folks, time our list reflected that reality.
Hayden Ballantyne
Of wing fame, Hayden a very lucky benefactor of the “giving great effort” mantra overriding all common sense at the selection table, has seen far more action than his form has warranted in 2018. Hayden has featured in all 10 games this year in a forward pocket, despite us recruiting a younger, more sure footed, better recent body of work like for like replacement in Matera.
Unique Name put together a fantastic post in the Matera thread that showed just how we far out of his preferred position (the one we recruited him for) we are currently playing Matera.
The scary thing is Ballas has come out this year and suggested he feels has another 2 years left in him at AFL level after this season. The saddest part of that is we might just be crazy enough to gift them to him.
Michael Johnson
I love this guy, I really do. Having had the pleasure of buddying the great man, our GOAT Pav for his final year, come 2017 I was keen to do the same with MJ, there to defend if necessary and celebrate his wonderful career as one of the linchpins of our most successful era. Then, astonishingly, we gave Johnno an extension for 2018.
Ok, we need some support out on the track and he can provide some leadership and on field coaching down at Peel. Nope, to date Johnson has played 8 of our 10 games so far this year, somehow astoundingly keeping emerging young defenders like Ethan Hughes (25 career games), Ryan Nyhuis (6 career games) and Taylin Duman (4 career games) out of the side.
All this in the 3rd season of a 4 year rebuild. In Ross we trust.
Missing in Action
To add salt to the wounds, two of our midfield stars, Stephen Hill and Aaron Sandilands have already been ruled out for this weekend’s clash so we can run a ruler through them for what will be a tough test on the road at the home of football.
HELLO FRIEND
Chris Mayne
I must admit I didn’t give him a chance to seriously make it back to AFL level. He has gone from high pressuring, corralling, linkman with little scoreboard impact, to high pressuring, corralling linkman with little scoreboard impact, but in a different jumper and in a slightly different part of the ground.
Nafan really can coach after all.
Expecting him to take the mantle of ‘spud player who manages to play a blinder against Freo’, and I also fully expect him to kick multiple goals at crucial stages in the game. Also known as an Anti-Mayne.
TIFbet have some great offers in their Chris Mayne Bonus Bet Sunday Specials*
First goal kicker $1.70
25+ possessions $2.10
3+ goals $1.90
Most pressure acts $1.05
Hug with Bucks post game $5.00
* Please gamble responsibly, odds are indicative only!
Pies fans are loving him right now, here’s some gems from their Chris Mayne ‘appreciation’ thread.
https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/chris-maynes-a-legend.1194456/page-5
Quite gushing in their praise of the great man.
Cheers Chopper.
Genuinely hope you have a good game mate.
LAST 5
2018: LLWLL
Last 5 v Pies: WWWLL
LAST WEEK
Round 10, 2018 @ Perth Stadium
FREMANTLE 3.4 5.5 6.8 8.10 (58)
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.8 4.12 7.13 12.14 (86)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 2, Brayshaw, Fyfe, Cox, Mundy, McCarthy, Johnson
North Melbourne: Waite 3, Wood 2, Brown 2, Simpkin, Jacobs, Turner, Atley, Goldstein
BEST
Fremantle: Walters, Fyfe, Hamling, Matera, Langdon
North Melbourne: Jacobs, Waite, Cunnington, Tarrant, Turner, Macmillan
INJURIES
Fremantle: Sandilands (concussion)
North Melbourne: Durdin (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Williamson, Fleer, Hay
Official crowd: 37,575
Hamling’s non-call killed us. What. The. Actual. *.
Thought we were competitive for most of the game, and if it hadn’t been for some ill-discipline and the above mentioned, we may have managed a win against the odds. As usual, Walters and Fyfe were class, Ed Langdon had another great game as he sets about stamping himself as a genuine star this year in a breakout season and Luke Ryan was superb once again in the back half.
LAST TIME WE MET
Round 11, 2017 @ Domain Stadium
FREMANTLE 2.1 5.5 10.6 12.13 (85)
COLLINGWOOD 3.5 7.9 11.13 15.15 (105)
GOALS
Fremantle: Langdon 2, Grey 2, Neale, Fyfe, B.Hill, McCarthy, Mundy, Taberner, Kersten, Crozier
Collingwood: Elliott 3, De Goey 2, Moore 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Phillips, Pendlebury, Greenwood, Treloar, Crocker, Howe
BEST
Fremantle: Walters, Blakely, Weller, Fyfe, B.Hill, Johnson
Collingwood: Treloar, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Adams, Smith, Howe
Scotty Pendlebury turned back the clock as Collingsworth, who led at every change, defeated a much improved, gallant Freo who, without our 211cm talisman in the middle, bounced back from a 100 point flogging at the hands of eventual Grand Finalists Adelaide the previous week. The match saw Ross Lyon become Freo’s longest serving coach, although, no disrespect to Ross or the club, but this is a milestone barely worth celebrating. The boys must have felt the same way and played accordingly.
I remember this game most memorably for poor Tyson Goldsack doing his best black knight impression.
This was also the last time Johnno successfully bent down to pick up a ground ball.
LAST WORDS
Our footy has stagnated since the ripping clash that was the first Western Derby at the new Perth Stadium.
However, there have been some great signs so far this year, with both our top 5 draft picks Brayshaw and Cerra showing some great signs and looking every bit like future 200 gamers. Ross has suggested he would be doubling down on the rebuild from here on in for 2018, which can only mean more exposure for the youth on our list, with not only some impressive young 2nd & 3rd year players waiting in the wings, but we can expect more debutants as we enter the 2nd half of the season, most likely after the bye.
Harley is warming up down at Peel, and fingers crossed we get to add his class to the mix in the back half of this year. Luke Ryan has gone from strength to strength after a fantastic debut season, Ed Langdon has blossomed into a budding superstar on the wing in place of reigning Doig winner John Smith, and Alex Pearce has exceeded even the most one eyed Docker supporter’s expectations this year, and remains firmly in the mix for an AA nod should his form continue on it’s current trajectory.
Our back half of the year should see some key components return from early season injury, and this should see us aiming for at least a 12th placed finish with improved percentage on 2017, which I’m sure most of us will (begrudgingly) take in a consolidation year. The natives are restless however, and the pressure is building on Ross and the club to begin to show some real, tangible improvement in the weeks ahead.
Coach Sumich anyone?
No one? Good. * off Hackdorn and friends.
Unfortunately, I don’t think we will be able to overcome a resurgent Magpies on their home deck, and with Grundy set to lock horns with green horn Michael Apeness in only his 8th game of AFL footy, our blue chip midfield may struggle without the silver service provided by the evergreen Sandilands.
Walters to kick 3-4 goals, Lachie Neale to top our possession count, and most likely another 3 votes for N.Fyfe in a losing side.
Pies by 34 points in a canter.
Collingwood v Fremantle @ Melbourne Cricket Ground
Sunday 3.20pm local time (1.20pm WST)
THE DOUBLE DOWN
Back in round 1, coach Ross Lyon declared it was time for Freo to ‘double down’ on it’s rebuild. He indicated youth will get more chances in the coming games, and regardless of any scrutiny or criticism that might come from this approach, that it needed to happen for the future of the club, and that he and the club were fully committed to that.
Lyon went on to suggest that regardless of any observations, it was the right thing to do and that he felt he and the club were doing it.
Oh, wait, hang on. Sorry, that was this week, after a loss in Round 10. To North Melbourne. After playing 5 players aged over 30 years of age. After dropping 2nd year players in successive weeks.
http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2018-05-27/freo-to-double-down-on-youth
I’ll take a junior Double Down thanks. Michael will have a kebab with the lot.
THE COMEBACK
So… Buckley can coach. Coach can Buckley?! No seriously, can Buckley coach? Indeed, it seems coach Buckley can.
The gamble is starting to pay off.
He also has a beard.
I’m confused.
I must admit, when I picked this game at the start of the year, I expected it to go one of two ways. Easy set ‘em up, knock ‘em down Bucks gags for the lulz. Or more likely preparing to take on newly installed Collingwood head coach J-Lo.
Prodigal son, Chris ‘pressure acts’ Mayne, unofficial best bloke in the business, king of the corral, cap hogging, list clogging Mayney, was entirely surplus to requirements.
He was to serve a purely ceremonial role, name checked with the ever predictable “Chris Mayne Cup” thread title for posterity. Then he had to go and learn how to football again.
The Mayne Man (finally) arrives.
Now my whole preview is ruined.
OPPOSITION PLAYERS TO WATCH
Adam Treloar
My AFL Fantasy captain last week (anticipated the Jacobs tag on Nat), mini-Bucks, figjam jr, the man with more rituals than a Tibetan monk. We all know how dangerous he can be, just ask Jack Macrae…
Now Treloar is not as damaging as some of the more complete midfielders in the game, but he is a steady accumulator and after a shocking start to the year his disposal has improved, having spent considerable time forward this year he has also bobbed up as a goal kicker. I like the kid. Geez he made a blue picking the Pies over the Tiges though.
Will he get the Banfield treatment this week? If he does, Bailey better watch his back or he might end up with a nasty raspberry.
Brodie Grundy
Form ruckman of the comp, this guy is almost as good as Naitanui is overrated. Another famous Fremantle miss, with 211 likely to sit this one out, expect him to have a field day.
Grundy is a clearance beast, teammate Iron Frontbum reckons Grundy is “like another midfielder” and he has put up some pretty fearsome clearance numbers in games this year that would be the envy of many an inside bull.
Against Adelaide earlier this year, Grundy became the first ruckman since Western Bulldogs’ great Gary Dempsey in 1980 to rack up more than 40 hitouts, 30 possessions and a goal in a game as he destroyed the Crows. Add in his 12 clearances for the game and we will definitely have our hands full.
Jeremy Howe
Leaping Jeremy Howe, robbed for MOTY worse than the Adelaide bloke who had it happen right in front of him, now has to do it all over again in 2018, but this time he has to contend with the wildly overrated Liam Ryan and the fat Willie Rioli’s unrealistic after unrealistic attempts, not to mention Nic Nat’s amazing yet solitary mark per game, amongst other high flyers around the comp, to come away with the gong he so rightly deserves.
Prime candidate for the weekly ‘Freo, you’re the tall marking intercept guy in the backline here’s 3 Brownlow votes’ gift. Never really rated him at Melbourne besides his high flying acrobatics, however since leaving Melbourne to get out of the backline (lol how did that work out Jezza?), he has matured into a dour, reliable intercept running backman and leader of the defence at the Pies.
Look for this guy, he will be on the end of most of our “good connections” with our forwards this week.
DOCKERS NOT TO WATCH (hopefully)
Danyle Pearce
Perth expat journo Dale Miller perhaps put it best for me this week.
How the * is this guy still getting a game? My sources tell me he was told in no uncertain terms this pre-season if he wanted to see out his contract it would be firmly seen out down at Rushton, and yet here we are.
Was a great pick up, and has been a good servant of the club, but the 2012-2015 era is long gone folks, time our list reflected that reality.
Hayden Ballantyne
Of wing fame, Hayden a very lucky benefactor of the “giving great effort” mantra overriding all common sense at the selection table, has seen far more action than his form has warranted in 2018. Hayden has featured in all 10 games this year in a forward pocket, despite us recruiting a younger, more sure footed, better recent body of work like for like replacement in Matera.
Unique Name put together a fantastic post in the Matera thread that showed just how we far out of his preferred position (the one we recruited him for) we are currently playing Matera.
The scary thing is Ballas has come out this year and suggested he feels has another 2 years left in him at AFL level after this season. The saddest part of that is we might just be crazy enough to gift them to him.
Michael Johnson
I love this guy, I really do. Having had the pleasure of buddying the great man, our GOAT Pav for his final year, come 2017 I was keen to do the same with MJ, there to defend if necessary and celebrate his wonderful career as one of the linchpins of our most successful era. Then, astonishingly, we gave Johnno an extension for 2018.
Ok, we need some support out on the track and he can provide some leadership and on field coaching down at Peel. Nope, to date Johnson has played 8 of our 10 games so far this year, somehow astoundingly keeping emerging young defenders like Ethan Hughes (25 career games), Ryan Nyhuis (6 career games) and Taylin Duman (4 career games) out of the side.
All this in the 3rd season of a 4 year rebuild. In Ross we trust.
Missing in Action
To add salt to the wounds, two of our midfield stars, Stephen Hill and Aaron Sandilands have already been ruled out for this weekend’s clash so we can run a ruler through them for what will be a tough test on the road at the home of football.
HELLO FRIEND
Chris Mayne
I must admit I didn’t give him a chance to seriously make it back to AFL level. He has gone from high pressuring, corralling, linkman with little scoreboard impact, to high pressuring, corralling linkman with little scoreboard impact, but in a different jumper and in a slightly different part of the ground.
Nafan really can coach after all.
Expecting him to take the mantle of ‘spud player who manages to play a blinder against Freo’, and I also fully expect him to kick multiple goals at crucial stages in the game. Also known as an Anti-Mayne.
TIFbet have some great offers in their Chris Mayne Bonus Bet Sunday Specials*
First goal kicker $1.70
25+ possessions $2.10
3+ goals $1.90
Most pressure acts $1.05
Hug with Bucks post game $5.00
* Please gamble responsibly, odds are indicative only!
Pies fans are loving him right now, here’s some gems from their Chris Mayne ‘appreciation’ thread.
https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/chris-maynes-a-legend.1194456/page-5
Quite gushing in their praise of the great man.
Cheers Chopper.
Genuinely hope you have a good game mate.
LAST 5
2018: LLWLL
Last 5 v Pies: WWWLL
LAST WEEK
Round 10, 2018 @ Perth Stadium
FREMANTLE 3.4 5.5 6.8 8.10 (58)
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.8 4.12 7.13 12.14 (86)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 2, Brayshaw, Fyfe, Cox, Mundy, McCarthy, Johnson
North Melbourne: Waite 3, Wood 2, Brown 2, Simpkin, Jacobs, Turner, Atley, Goldstein
BEST
Fremantle: Walters, Fyfe, Hamling, Matera, Langdon
North Melbourne: Jacobs, Waite, Cunnington, Tarrant, Turner, Macmillan
INJURIES
Fremantle: Sandilands (concussion)
North Melbourne: Durdin (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Williamson, Fleer, Hay
Official crowd: 37,575
Hamling’s non-call killed us. What. The. Actual. *.
Thought we were competitive for most of the game, and if it hadn’t been for some ill-discipline and the above mentioned, we may have managed a win against the odds. As usual, Walters and Fyfe were class, Ed Langdon had another great game as he sets about stamping himself as a genuine star this year in a breakout season and Luke Ryan was superb once again in the back half.
LAST TIME WE MET
Round 11, 2017 @ Domain Stadium
FREMANTLE 2.1 5.5 10.6 12.13 (85)
COLLINGWOOD 3.5 7.9 11.13 15.15 (105)
GOALS
Fremantle: Langdon 2, Grey 2, Neale, Fyfe, B.Hill, McCarthy, Mundy, Taberner, Kersten, Crozier
Collingwood: Elliott 3, De Goey 2, Moore 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Phillips, Pendlebury, Greenwood, Treloar, Crocker, Howe
BEST
Fremantle: Walters, Blakely, Weller, Fyfe, B.Hill, Johnson
Collingwood: Treloar, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Adams, Smith, Howe
Scotty Pendlebury turned back the clock as Collingsworth, who led at every change, defeated a much improved, gallant Freo who, without our 211cm talisman in the middle, bounced back from a 100 point flogging at the hands of eventual Grand Finalists Adelaide the previous week. The match saw Ross Lyon become Freo’s longest serving coach, although, no disrespect to Ross or the club, but this is a milestone barely worth celebrating. The boys must have felt the same way and played accordingly.
I remember this game most memorably for poor Tyson Goldsack doing his best black knight impression.
This was also the last time Johnno successfully bent down to pick up a ground ball.
LAST WORDS
Our footy has stagnated since the ripping clash that was the first Western Derby at the new Perth Stadium.
However, there have been some great signs so far this year, with both our top 5 draft picks Brayshaw and Cerra showing some great signs and looking every bit like future 200 gamers. Ross has suggested he would be doubling down on the rebuild from here on in for 2018, which can only mean more exposure for the youth on our list, with not only some impressive young 2nd & 3rd year players waiting in the wings, but we can expect more debutants as we enter the 2nd half of the season, most likely after the bye.
Harley is warming up down at Peel, and fingers crossed we get to add his class to the mix in the back half of this year. Luke Ryan has gone from strength to strength after a fantastic debut season, Ed Langdon has blossomed into a budding superstar on the wing in place of reigning Doig winner John Smith, and Alex Pearce has exceeded even the most one eyed Docker supporter’s expectations this year, and remains firmly in the mix for an AA nod should his form continue on it’s current trajectory.
Our back half of the year should see some key components return from early season injury, and this should see us aiming for at least a 12th placed finish with improved percentage on 2017, which I’m sure most of us will (begrudgingly) take in a consolidation year. The natives are restless however, and the pressure is building on Ross and the club to begin to show some real, tangible improvement in the weeks ahead.
Coach Sumich anyone?
No one? Good. * off Hackdorn and friends.
Unfortunately, I don’t think we will be able to overcome a resurgent Magpies on their home deck, and with Grundy set to lock horns with green horn Michael Apeness in only his 8th game of AFL footy, our blue chip midfield may struggle without the silver service provided by the evergreen Sandilands.
Walters to kick 3-4 goals, Lachie Neale to top our possession count, and most likely another 3 votes for N.Fyfe in a losing side.
Pies by 34 points in a canter.
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