No Oppo Supporters The Melt Thread

[Unique Name]

Doggies list is more balanced IMO

Doggies have about 5 blokes that can run and carry the ball out of the backline who can also defend.

 

[free at last]

Than GWS??

No chance.Vlad has created an all-star team who'll dominate for the next decade.

 

[theGav56]

Carlton is not a top 4 side , and last year win against freo due to fyfe injury . b.hill and hamling I don't consider new player but experience young player that add value to the core group . (fyfe,Neale , s.hill, walters and Sandi). Anyway we all had different opinion supporting the same team .

Which of Hamling's 23 games most qualifies him as experienced?

He may be 23 but he is a long way from being an established player. Same with Kersten and McCarthy. These guys all need substantial development and will take time. I think one of his big problems for us is that he seems to be thought of as a CHB due to our needs, but it just does not seem like his ideal position by a long shot. Same with Kersten and McCarthy where our needs are for a power forward, and neither of them actually fit that description. They will all take time.

 

[Lach72]

Which of Hamling's 23 games most qualifies him as experienced?

He may be 23 but he is a long way from being an established player. Same with Kersten and McCarthy. These guys all need substantial development and will take time. I think one of his big problems for us is that he seems to be thought of as a CHB due to our needs, but it just does not seem like his ideal position by a long shot. Same with Kersten and McCarthy where our needs are for a power forward, and neither of them actually fit that description. They will all take time.

I don't see him as a CHB.

I see him as the Michael Johnson replacement.

Alex Pearce is the CHB we have been waiting for, with Dawson/Collins at FB.

Similarly, Apeness is the power forward.
He offers what Taberner does not, and Taberner is too similar to McCarthy and Kersten.

Ideally I'd have Apeness playing deep, in the same way Patton does.
Walters and Ballantyne at his feet, McCarthy as the CHF, Kersten on one flank Bennell on the other

 

[meima]

Which of Hamling's 23 games most qualifies him as experienced?

He may be 23 but he is a long way from being an established player. Same with Kersten and McCarthy. These guys all need substantial development and will take time. I think one of his big problems for us is that he seems to be thought of as a CHB due to our needs, but it just does not seem like his ideal position by a long shot. Same with Kersten and McCarthy where our needs are for a power forward, and neither of them actually fit that description. They will all take time.

If you read my opinion , most of it is direct at sutty , d.pearce , sherriden ,subantype of players . how hard is it for them to gel with other teammate that been with freo for a long time . kersten , b.hill ,play up to the level I expected in a new environment . Cam Mac one year out without proper training I consider a reasonable match for him. Hamling and Johnson both got incident that cause then to have interrupted pre season . how many year people keep saying the b , c grade need to step up .

* hamling i mean experience , out of Dawson and Johnson he is the most experience and the defense can build around him .

 

[Wally Walpamur]

Yes I agree this is a bad thing to be saying. It's almost as if he is saying" don't be surprised if we any have no success for the duration of my coaching contract. It's all part of the grand plan so I shouldn't have much performance judged until then" Good luck with that!

I distinctly remember when he came to the club he said "We are a club in a hurry". At the time that was a concern to me because success usually
doesn't come in a rushed manner. Now we are being told this is going to be a slow process. Fans do not want to hear they are potentially going to be watching shithouse performances for several years. Least of all a Freo fan.

Sydney , Geelong and Hawthorn have managed to have periods of sustained top level performance. This can only be through good management.
Lyon has become coach at 2 clubs that already had good lists - both fleeting with triumph but failing and crashing to earth. Sometimes success by being in the right place at the right time can give an inflated perception of actual ability. He has been in charge for 5 years - if this was the EPL he would have been sacked after last season.

I am sick of hearing all the platitudes he comes out with. They are just used as deflections against pertinent questions.

As the old saying goes "It's better to under promise and over deliver than over promise and under deliver." I think the club would do more harm spouting that we're going to be playing finals/contending for a flag in the near future, when in reality, we're nowhere near it. If we manage to make finals, great, but don't place that expectation on the current playing list. As a supporter, i'd rather the club acknowledge exactly where the list is poised rather than bullshit themselves and supporters and place higher expectations than what can realistically can be delivered.

In relation to "the club is in a hurry" I think he was referring to that the window of opportunity for a flag, based on the demographic of the playing list when he arrived, was about to hit it's peak in terms of games played and age. Now that just about all of that list has been or is about to be turned over, we can't expect sustained finals appearances and to be genuine contenders without getting a core group of good young players that have played ~100 games. If you look at our kids, it's probably going to take 4-5 years for those players to reach 100 games. We also have to acknowledge that during this time, our inability to recruit top end talent to the club and poor drafting (Simpson, Pitt) has set us back somewhat.

 

[meima]

I'm actually really surprised this thread has got going this early before we've even played a proper match.

You may not like our recruiting. Fair enough. I think it could be improved but it's far from the worst in the league over recent history.

You may not like our coach/gameplan. That's fair enough as well but IMO our coach has taken three GF sides vastly inferior to their opposition and taken them so close that some say they should've won.

Do I think this pre season match means anything? Not at all. We have a few problems that need fixing - no doubt about that. Two to three years outside the eight should give us the resources needed to set the foundations of new top four/flag window era. We knew that before last weekend. We'll still be continuing with the rebuild even if we finish well above expectations this year. I'm not sure why a glorified scratch match sets off a blaze of negative comments on here, some of which could be correct but many of which are just irrelevant and/or incorrect.


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I think you are misunderstood here , I don't actually see anybody here complaining about hamling , b.hill, kersten and cam Mac not playing well . All is direct at those c grade players . I honesty pretty happy with our recruit team from 2013 on ward . how to gain experience and chemistry when you not playing them. Eg ibbo - replace with logue .

 

[DudleyDocker]

As the old saying goes "It's better to under promise and over deliver than over promise and under deliver." I think the club would do more harm spouting that we're going to be playing finals/contending for a flag in the near future, when in reality, we're nowhere near it. If we manage to make finals, great, but don't place that expectation on the current playing list. As a supporter, i'd rather the club acknowledge exactly where the list is poised rather than bullshit themselves and supporters and place higher expectations than what can realistically can be delivered.

In relation to "the club is in a hurry" I think he was referring to that the window of opportunity for a flag, based on the demographic of the playing list when he arrived, was about to hit it's peak in terms of games played and age. Now that just about all of that list has been or is about to be turned over, we can't expect sustained finals appearances and to be genuine contenders without getting a core group of good young players that have played ~100 games. If you look at our kids, it's probably going to take 4-5 years for those players to reach 100 games. We also have to acknowledge that during this time, our inability to recruit top end talent to the club and poor drafting (Simpson, Pitt) has set us back somewhat.

A very reasoned and well thought out post.

Piss off and come back with some emotional and unreasonable melting, we don't want your common sense here.

 

[Docker82]

I think you are misunderstood here , I don't actually see anybody here complaining about hamling , b.hill, kersten and cam Mac not playing well . All is direct at those c grade players . I honesty pretty happy with our recruit team from 2013 on ward . how to gain experience and chemistry when you not playing them. Eg ibbo - replace with logue .

Not rating players that you consider C Graders is fine but I've seen posts in here referring to recruiting decisions made 15 years ago or decisions that cost us a grand total of nothing. I consider these mistakes to be absolutely irrelevant to the situation we find ourselves in. Then there's stuff like Ross Lyon doesn't even look at fringe or even players that aren't in the starting 18. I'm sorry but unless we've had a mass exit of players (which probably would've resulted in Ross being sacked not extended), which we haven't I can't see see how that can possibly be true. That's incorrect as it comes and is nothing but posters taking pot shots but instead of using facts they just do a Crumpet Face and make something up.

I know this is a melt thread. Melt at Suban, Sutcliffe, D.Pearce all you want, I don't particularly rate them either but some of the stuff posted in this thread the last couple of days is irrelevant to where the club is at in 2017 and/or downright incorrect.

 

[PurpleWizard]

How strong do you think GWS and GC will be in 2022? I think GWS will have at least a couple of flags under their belt and their young guns from today will be in their peak period. They'll be flying! This is the year IMO otherwise it'll be a long, long time before we get another shot at it. Our list is as good as the Bullies was last year, we just need some belief, some quality coaching and a heap of luck (like the Bullies had).

Severely underrating Bulldog's list. They've had their time at the bottom and drafted well and have a team to show for it. Sandi, Fyfe, Sunny, SHill and Neale are the only guaranteed players that would get a game for them.

The dream for this season would be if Mundy, Ibbo, Ballaz, MJ and even Sandi could turn back the clock and have career best seasons. A fit AP, Fyfe, Sandi and Bennell can play a full season. Plus some of our consistently below average players such as Sheridan, Crozier, Sutcliffe and Suban become adequate role players. Plus some of our younger brigade step up and play consistent or quality footy in CMac, Tabs, Langdon, Weller, Tucker, Blakely, Balic, Logue and Apeness. Also I think Neale and SHill have another gear they could possibly get to.

The reality is though most of our older players aren’t going to play their best footy. Yarran is gone which hurts and AP and Bennell are injured again which is a massive blow. Our youngsters have shown a bit especially Blakely and Tucker but no one screams star going into this season. Coming off 4 wins it was always going to be tough to bounce back.

The shit thing is most of the top teams such as Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong have stayed on top because they keep getting big names to their club or in Sydney’s case get gifted Heeney and Mills. This means there’s been an array of lower placed teams such as bulldogs, Carlton, Essendon, St Kilda and Melbourne that have been on the bottom for the awhile and consequently have lots of high picks.

I hope we can come out and play some good footy this season but it’s going to take a while for this team to gel, there’s a lots of new faces out there. I still believe in RTB but do feel he’s struggling adapting to today’s footy where he can’t smother the game and play contested footy. If he can’t show some sort of competent ball movement by year’s end I may start doubting. We are in footy limbo and in a transitional stage and even though we may not get many wins I’m hopeful we can be competitive and that our young players will show a bit. Things may click and the dream may come true and if so the season will be a real joy.

 

[walken79]

Didn't we win all our Pre-Season games last year?
This being the case, on current form we will finish 3rd this year.
Everybody relax.

 

[Carnthedockers]

Severely underrating Bulldog's list. They've had their time at the bottom and drafted well and have a team to show for it. Sandi, Fyfe, Sunny, SHill and Neale are the only guaranteed players that would get a game for them.

The dream for this season would be if Mundy, Ibbo, Ballaz, MJ and even Sandi could turn back the clock and have career best seasons. A fit AP, Fyfe, Sandi and Bennell can play a full season. Plus some of our consistently below average players such as Sheridan, Crozier, Sutcliffe and Suban become adequate role players. Plus some of our younger brigade step up and play consistent or quality footy in CMac, Tabs, Langdon, Weller, Tucker, Blakely, Balic, Logue and Apeness. Also I think Neale and SHill have another gear they could possibly get to.

The reality is though most of our older players aren’t going to play their best footy. Yarran is gone which hurts and AP and Bennell are injured again which is a massive blow. Our youngsters have shown a bit especially Blakely and Tucker but no one screams star going into this season. Coming off 4 wins it was always going to be tough to bounce back.

The shit thing is most of the top teams such as Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong have stayed on top because they keep getting big names to their club or in Sydney’s case get gifted Heeney and Mills. This means there’s been an array of lower placed teams such as bulldogs, Carlton, Essendon, St Kilda and Melbourne that have been on the bottom for the awhile and consequently have lots of high picks.

I hope we can come out and play some good footy this season but it’s going to take a while for this team to gel, there’s a lots of new faces out there. I still believe in RTB but do feel he’s struggling adapting to today’s footy where he can’t smother the game and play contested footy. If he can’t show some sort of competent ball movement by year’s end I may start doubting. We are in footy limbo and in a transitional stage and even though we may not get many wins I’m hopeful we can be competitive and that our young players will show a bit. Things may click and the dream may come true and if so the season will be a real joy.

I'm very much in this boat. Love ross, but starting to very much feel he is stuck in his ways. I'm hating the excuses he has been dropping, it filters down to the playing group. My worry is also the on field leadership, we have a lot of introvert players. What we would give for a sam Mitchell type leader.

 

[nurries]

maybe Ross should of said we aim to be top 4 (I don't think we will be top 8) and then watch the WA media circus smack him around the chops by mid year

We don't know what they think internally

 

[theGav56]

If you read my opinion , most of it is direct at sutty , d.pearce , sherriden ,subantype of players . how hard is it for them to gel with other teammate that been with freo for a long time . kersten , b.hill ,play up to the level I expected in a new environment . Cam Mac one year out without proper training I consider a reasonable match for him. Hamling and Johnson both got incident that cause then to have interrupted pre season . how many year people keep saying the b , c grade need to step up .

* hamling i mean experience , out of Dawson and Johnson he is the most experience and the defense can build around him .

I did read your opinion and I quoted it back to you. The comments about Hamling I don't agree with, especially on the grounds of you labelling him as "experienced" in the same sentence as B Hill. If I don't agree with other stuff I'll let you know ok.

In fact, while I am at it, who do you think had the more difficult debut, Kersten who you gave a pass to, or Hamling who you gave a fail to?

 

[Scham]

This is the year? Really?
I thought I was being optimistic with 2022.
I guess what I tried to say is its better to be shit while gws are good because they are going to thrash everyone in the next few years....

You are being optimistic with 2022.

 

[mayne iac]

I thought that

 

[Scham]

Severely underrating Bulldog's list. They've had their time at the bottom and drafted well and have a team to show for it. Sandi, Fyfe, Sunny, SHill and Neale are the only guaranteed players that would get a game for them.

The dream for this season would be if Mundy, Ibbo, Ballaz, MJ and even Sandi could turn back the clock and have career best seasons. A fit AP, Fyfe, Sandi and Bennell can play a full season. Plus some of our consistently below average players such as Sheridan, Crozier, Sutcliffe and Suban become adequate role players. Plus some of our younger brigade step up and play consistent or quality footy in CMac, Tabs, Langdon, Weller, Tucker, Blakely, Balic, Logue and Apeness. Also I think Neale and SHill have another gear they could possibly get to.

The reality is though most of our older players aren’t going to play their best footy. Yarran is gone which hurts and AP and Bennell are injured again which is a massive blow. Our youngsters have shown a bit especially Blakely and Tucker but no one screams star going into this season. Coming off 4 wins it was always going to be tough to bounce back.

The shit thing is most of the top teams such as Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong have stayed on top because they keep getting big names to their club or in Sydney’s case get gifted Heeney and Mills. This means there’s been an array of lower placed teams such as bulldogs, Carlton, Essendon, St Kilda and Melbourne that have been on the bottom for the awhile and consequently have lots of high picks.

I hope we can come out and play some good footy this season but it’s going to take a while for this team to gel, there’s a lots of new faces out there. I still believe in RTB but do feel he’s struggling adapting to today’s footy where he can’t smother the game and play contested footy. If he can’t show some sort of competent ball movement by year’s end I may start doubting. We are in footy limbo and in a transitional stage and even though we may not get many wins I’m hopeful we can be competitive and that our young players will show a bit. Things may click and the dream may come true and if so the season will be a real joy.

Brad Hill, Hamling, Weller, Bennell, AP, Mundy, even Blakely, Langdon and Tucker are every bit as good as the Bullies players IMO. You're overrating them and underrating us. It's just that they're playing to their potential, we aren't

 

[DudleyDocker]

All this doom and gloom about GWS and Gold Coast being invincible for the next 5 years is wearing a little thin. I remember when the Suns entered in 2011 people were saying we have 3 years before they are completely dominant. Same with the Giants.

The Giants are a strong side, but far from invincible, Gold Coast are middle of the road, with some good young talent - but then so are other teams.

We can't predict what will happen to these teams in terms of injuries, penalties, player movements and all the other variables that go to make up a successful team. I'm of the view that we just work on the assumption that there are 17 other teams all vying to be the best they can be, and we just have to try to be better.

This narrative of give up for the next 5 years because nobody has a chance is just dumb.

 

[meima]

I did read your opinion and I quoted it back to you. The comments about Hamling I don't agree with, especially on the grounds of you labelling him as "experienced" in the same sentence as B Hill. If I don't agree with other stuff I'll let you know ok.

In fact, while I am at it, who do you think had the more difficult debut, Kersten who you gave a pass to, or Hamling who you gave a fail to?

Hamling food poisoning is more serious than kersten I gave both of them a tick in a new environment . I don't actually think hamling can do anything as the service ( assist) to JK is too great to handle .

 

[blue shark]

Doggies have about 5 blokes that can run and carry the ball out of the backline who can also defend.

Yeah but we have Dawson, Spurr, Ibbo, Sutcliffe, I see your point.

 

[blue shark]

Does anyone else think Ross would be a better coach if the AFL had player zones like netball? If you watch the girls play, they
know getting the ball quickly into the forward line catches the opposition out.
The way the rules are changing, the bounce up, wont be long.

 

[PurpleWizard]

If we are going to play 7 defenders and even more rolling back we need to handball more. Why kick long to the wing when no one is there.

 

[Purple Jesus]

I don't see him as a CHB.

I see him as the Michael Johnson replacement.

Alex Pearce is the CHB we have been waiting for, with Dawson/Collins at FB.

Similarly, Apeness is the power forward.
He offers what Taberner does not, and Taberner is too similar to McCarthy and Kersten.

Ideally I'd have Apeness playing deep, in the same way Patton does.
Walters and Ballantyne at his feet, McCarthy as the CHF, Kersten on one flank Bennell on the other

Agree with this. Although I'd have Waters and Kersten switched, Walters further up the ground to benefit from his kicking.

 

[TheLoris]

Just rewatched this game and while west coast were very clean, we were a rabble in the middle. Whoever let Barlow go should be sacked. I know the argument about him not being part of our next premiership, but there's at least 10 to 15 others that also won't be, and that's being very generous. I'd rather have him on the list. I would be actually very surprised if we win a flag within 10 years. The drafting has been deplorable. Still no quality key power forward on the list and the young mids, apart from Neale look average at best. We try and play these young mids as small defenders but they can't actually even defend or win the hard ball. How long until they can extract the ball from the middle, ie Sheridan, Crozier, Weller...all top 20 picks.

End rant.

 

[danstar]

Were just shit and nothing will ever change we won't win a premiership till 2175