No Oppo Supporters The Positivity Thread

Aug 27, 2007
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The new rules are made for big bodied mids at the centre ball ups. Less congestion means the big boys can grab it and charge forward using their strength. It's made for Fyfe and Mundy. This will not be popular but Hogan and Logue in there as well could be dynamite. Both have big tanks and big kicks. The Lachie Neale type inside mid that gets in and under and dishes out the handball to the outside distributor won't be as important at the centre ball ups. The big mid that can win his own ball and burst through and deliver long and quick to the one on one forward half will be very important.

No I can see that working. Pav was great in the middle at that big-bodied role, we just lacked anyone forward for him to kick it to/bring it to ground once it reached the 50

Now we have any of Lobb/Hogan/McCarthy/Tabs/Cox who can either mark/bring it to ground and then have the luxury of guys like Walters/Ballantyne/Collyer/Swita/Schulz/Matera crumbing

The new 6-6-6 rule has been great for us, as in the past few years clubs were stacking numbers in our forward line/half-flank knowing we would likely win the clearance and just bomb it blindly in to our 50. Now they can't and have to rely on either a) their inside mids rushing back to cover, b) their wingmen running back to cover or c) hoping their defenders can outmuscle or outsize our tall timber and win it back. On the flipside it's meant our defense is able to go to man on man and if there is a mismatch in our favour we can exploit TF out of it - hence Pearce absolutely killing it in the first half when the game was more in the balance and not worry about the extra man being able to run in from the midfield as quickly to help - especially on a bigger ground like optus.

Still early days, but I think with guys like Mundy and Fyfe in the middle winning the ball, plus the option of guys like Hogan/Logue to run through and do their thing, we are going to have an alright season. Different ball-game when it's not directly after a goal, but we might even be a team to let a goal in just to get a reset (especially if we are winning), as all it wil take is a quick clearance and goal from us to re-set again and we've already recovered from the one we let in in the first place

#happydays
 

Nolo180

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Sep 17, 2014
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My confidence was sooo low after an injury ravaged preseason but now I reckon we should win our next 3 comfortabley including the derby. I would be stoked if thats the case.

I cant see us beating GWS at Manuka but if the wind isnt blowing its arse off like last year we should give it a good nudge.

We have some tough away games through out the year (GWS, Pies,Crows,Dees,hawk,PT ) but I feel somewhat confident against the stronger sides at home (Rich, WC, Syd, & Cats).

And we play the bombers & StK twice!

I felt we would get 6-8 wins but now its more like 10 -13. We could be playing finals if the teams stays fit. If we can score heavily we can hopefully start to bully some teams around and who knows we could get some respect from the wider football world (media) which could in in turn get us some love from the umpiring fraternity (Frees + Brownlowe votes) and some grace from the match review panel...Wouldnt that be nice for a change.

Agh you can dare to dream...
 
May 2, 2017
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My confidence was sooo low after an injury ravaged preseason but now I reckon we should win our next 3 comfortabley including the derby. I would be stoked if thats the case.

I cant see us beating GWS at Manuka but if the wind isnt blowing its arse off like last year we should give it a good nudge.

We have some tough away games through out the year (GWS, Pies,Crows,Dees,hawk,PT ) but I feel somewhat confident against the stronger sides at home (Rich, WC, Syd, & Cats).

And we play the bombers & StK twice!

I felt we would get 6-8 wins but now its more like 10 -13. We could be playing finals if the teams stays fit. If we can score heavily we can hopefully start to bully some teams around and who knows we could get some respect from the wider football world (media) which could in in turn get us some love from the umpiring fraternity / match review panel...

Agh you can dare to dream...
Love the optimism but think you may be getting ahead of yourself re first bold.

Playing the bombers early last year was great. Playing them late not so much. They could be flying or a complete train wreck both times and we won't know that until that week. Also Saints won't be trivial either game, especially in Melbourne.

Edit: FTR, I do think we improve on last year and I thought that before North.
 
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Channels

All Australian
Dec 2, 2017
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A big win alleviates a lot of concerns.

2 weeks ago, we couldn't have any success without a fit Bennell, Hogan starting, Ballas dropped etc.

Our biggest problem after round 1 is having too much depth. Competition for spots is the best problem a club can have.

After last week, not sure how Sandi, Bewley, Logue, SHill, Valente, Bennell and Cox could even get into this side, let alone how Hogan gets structured into the side. Right now players have to play their way in or out.
 

StingBitten

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Either week 1 or week 2 was an aberration. The games are far too different to be a clear indicator of our season.

In the spirit of positive threadativity, one must assume that it was yesterday's game that was the aberration.
 

armpit

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Aug 8, 2013
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Good work. In the interests of positive threadativity, so many couldn't have been wrong in the previous posts.
 
Apr 7, 2010
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Only round 2, better to get that kind of performance out of the way early. McCarthy is finally a legit player. Bhilly has stepped it up a gear. Fyfe should get some more coaches votes. Winnable game this week against the Saints gives us a chance to hopefully rectify some of yesterday's failings. Players and supporters alike get a useful reality check. Colyer isn't a complete crab like I and others thought. Tabs keeps doing his thing.

meh.
 
So far Cam McCarthy has been our biggest positive across the two rounds. He really looks like a changed player. I thought he nearly won us the game yesterday. Hope to see this form continue.

I agree with this!

His effort levels have improved markedly compared to the first couple of seasons and 7 goals in 2 games is a reward for that effort. That set shot he nailed from the boundary was also an absolute ripper too.
 

wayToGo_

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Oct 24, 2015
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Champion Data rankings for the first two games of the season has McCarthy #5, Fyfe #9 and Hill #19.

Think that's fair enough as McCarthy has been the highlight so far and it also shows Hill is doing a lot more than just uncontested work (as uncontested doesn't add the CD rankings).

Walters is #47 and Langdon #74. Shows how good Walters was in Rd 1 compared to Rd 2 as he didn't rank at all in game 2.

Interestingly Lycett is #2 for the first two games. Clear proof that players leaving West Coast play better once they're gone ;)
 

Monument Hills

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Dec 12, 2017
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Haven't watched the game from Sat. (was out for my birthday). Just hoped for a loss of less than 60 points. Was pleasantly surprised that a Fyfeless Freo that had an off night in front of goals nearly pipped the premiers on their own turf in front of their booing fans.

As I said b4 the season started, there are a lot of new faces and it will take time for everything to gel. Looking forward to the second half of the season when we get some of our players back and they've had more time playing together.
 
Apr 25, 2011
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Haven't watched the game from Sat. (was out for my birthday). Just hoped for a loss of less than 60 points. Was pleasantly surprised that a Fyfeless Freo that had an off night in front of goals nearly pipped the premiers on their own turf in front of their booing fans.

More than Fyfe, a midfield missing SHill, Sandi and Blakely. Also Being a man down in q2. That was a gutsy effort, missing so much of our midfield and a KPD against their forward line (one of the best tall set ups in the league), there is no way that we should have come close and yet we did. Well done boys :thumbsu:
 

MadMundy

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Mar 29, 2019
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Positive thoughts on some players so far this season

Cam McCarthy- looks to have finally found his feet as the 3rd tall in our team. He's already kicked half of the goals he kicked last year and he looks to continue his good form. Easily our most reliable kick in the team. If he's got it inside 50 or just outside, it's a guaranteed goal.

Brandon Matera- Only played two games so far but looks to have improved leaps and bounds from last year. For one they're actually playing him forward which will help the process, but he also seems to be putting more effort into his game this year, hope him and Switkowski can tear it up as our smalls.

Brad Hill- After an injury riddled 2018 the guy looks to have recaptured his 2017 form. One of the hardest runners in the team and a key player of our midfield.

Adam Cerra- What can I say, the guy has the smoothest disposal and disposal efficiency in our team. The guy knows what he's doing, got a great footballing brain and will only continue to improve.

Matt Taberner- Despite his fellow forward McCarthy kicking the majority of the goals for us, Taberner has been our overall best forward so far this season. Our most reliable contested mark, and a relatively decent shot on goal, he always manages to get himself involved in the contest.
 
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