We're screwed...

[paul8241]

You clearly don't remember much of the 90's if you're putting O'Reilly, and to a lesser extent Mann in there.

As ridiculous as it sounds, Peter Mann was arguably 2nd best performed CHF in the league in 1995. Just about led the league in marks. Of course, he only took about another 3 in his career after that, and 2 of them were a bit dubious.

Don't get me wrong, Mann and O'Reilly were both fine contributors, but they were 24 and 23 y/o respectively and both in the mid to later parts of their injury shortened careers. They were both excellent players who still only contributed a combined total of less then 200 AFL games for Freo between them.

Either we had the worst fitness coaches in the league that destroyed careers or poor medical staff, but all four of those players were lost through injury.

 

[Chops_a_must]

What medical staff?


Mann was probably only behind Jakovic as a CHB in 94. We tried to turn him into something he wasn't.

O'Reilly was one of, if not the best full back in the league when he came to us and blew out his hammies. We had the chance to create one of the best backlines in the league when we started - we did not.

 

[Damon_3388]

As a non-Dockers supporter, to me it sounds like only real negatives on Mann and O'Reilly are that their careers were cut short due to injury. I was pretty young when the Dockers came into the AFL, and admittedly had a lot more limited comprehension of the game than I do now (as most peope would when they are 7 years old) but I still watched a lot of footy and read all I could about it, and from what I understand, Mann and O'Reilly were definitely considered bright spots for the Dockers at the time, and they were sorely missed once they went down with injury. If they had played out their careers in purple and green, or at least each made it to 30, I'm sure they'd be held in much higher regard.

Didn't O'Reilly have an injury-riddled stint at Carlton after he left the Dockers as well? I seem to remember seeing a Carlton team photo sometime in the late '90s with him in it, but I don't remember him playing too many games (if any) for the Blues.

I think why Mann may have been turned into a CHF was due to Freo's lack of key forwards in their initial recruitment. I know they had John Hutton lined up as their Full Forward, but that didn't really work out for whatever reason, so they had to have someone down there to take a mark and provide something. After Mann and before Matthew Pavlich and Justin Longmuir, the Dockers really stuggled to consolidate in the key forward department IMO. They pinch-hitted with Daniel Bandy and Jeff White occasionally (rotating through when they weren't rucking), but apart from them and Kingsley Hunter (who appears to have been up foward out of necessity more than anything as well) and maybe Greg Madigan and Daniel Parker (both of whom had potential, but didn't exactly set the world on fire), no other genuine key forward prospects for the Dockers pre-Pavlich/Longmuir come to mind immediately for me. If someone who knows the Dockers and their history better than me can name any more, I'd be grateful.

 

[Stronzo]

Did anyone hear barra interview walls this arvo? It was so obvious he'd been reading this thread, instead he said "some dockers suppoters have sent me an email rolleyes amazed that you've got them in the top 8"

 

[silverscope]

Did anyone hear barra interview walls this arvo? It was so obvious he'd been reading this thread, instead he said "some dockers suppoters have sent me an email rolleyes amazed that you've got them in the top 8"

Bit sad they can't think of their own material

 

[Clay Davis]

Has Barra ever had his own material?

 

[Rob]

Don't get me wrong, Mann and O'Reilly were both fine contributors, but they were 24 and 23 y/o respectively and both in the mid to later parts of their injury shortened careers. They were both excellent players who still only contributed a combined total of less then 200 AFL games for Freo between them.

Either we had the worst fitness coaches in the league that destroyed careers or poor medical staff, but all four of those players were lost through injury.

Dude, O'Reilly was a champion for us. Hardly ever got beaten, and was constantly matched up against some of the best full forwards of all time. Ironically enough, both Lockett and Ablett kicked their 1000th goal against him. I say ironically because both never had much success against O'Reilly.
From memory, Ablett needed 3 goals in a game against us to make 1000, and all these cards were made up and plenty of arrangements were made as it was considered it was a fait accompli. Despite Geelong dominating the game, it took Ablett until late in the 3rd quarter to kick his 3rd, and even that was only because of a bad bounce. That's all he had for the day.

The only disappointing thing was that injury took over his career late. But we still had about 5 high quality years from him, and IMO was easily our best player in the 90's.

 

[paul8241]

Dude, O'Reilly was a champion for us. Hardly ever got beaten, and was constantly matched up against some of the best full forwards of all time.

He handed a lot of quality forwards a football lesson.

The only disappointing thing was that injury took over his career late. But we still had about 5 high quality years from him, and IMO was easily our best player in the 90's.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but when your fullback is your best player most of the time, it generally means you're struggling in the middle. Our teams winning record was below average, so players that win in their positions week in week out do stand out above the rest.

Unfortunately, injuries prevented us fielding our best team most weeks and our poor list depth left us exposed.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

It's good that someone is talking us up, but since forever it seems (like the West & Slimes) that they build us up to knock us down harder.

 

[dominguez]

Did anyone hear barra interview walls this arvo? It was so obvious he'd been reading this thread, instead he said "some dockers suppoters have sent me an email rolleyes amazed that you've got them in the top 8"

Heard the interview, Wallsy said that he probably doesn't think we'll make the 8 but if we are no chance of making it (ie bottom 4) after 15 rounds he'll get the sledge hammer out.

Putting us in the 8 guarantees him one of his weekly newspaper columns. Freo play well, "Dockers finally deliver as I expected". If Fremantle struggle the headline will be "Dockers underachieve again".

 

[Stronzo]

Heard the interview, Wallsy said that he probably doesn't think we'll make the 8 but if we are no chance of making it (ie bottom 4) after 15 rounds he'll get the sledge hammer out.

Putting us in the 8 guarantees him one of his weekly newspaper columns. Freo play well, "Dockers finally deliver as I expected". If Fremantle struggle the headline will be "Dockers underachieve again".

Yep, he was trolling us good.

 

[Chops_a_must]

I know they had John Hutton lined up as their Full Forward, but that didn't really work out for whatever reason,

WE LOVE YOU HUTTSSSSS!!!!!!!!

Oh I miss Huts.

I miss the drunk guys that used to yell that out even more though.

He was a bit of a gun actually, but retired after the first year.

 

[Freo_4eva]

Alot of people on this board (I am looking at you IP) need to eat some humble pie.

The fact that Robert Walls has taken a courageous stance and tipped Freo for the finals shows that he is not prejudiced against the club as some idiots on this board suggest.

Robert is probably the most gifted and talented football commentator going around - and the football loving public is much better off for his media presence.

He is an incredibly intelligent football expert who calls things as he sees it. The reason why Walls has been critical of the club for the last two years is because the club has played like shit for the last two years. Simple as that.

Alot of people on this board do not give Walls a fair go - I think that is very un-Australian.

Regards,

GJ

I am praying that the sarcastic richtor scale was off the charts... somehow i doubt it though..

 

[anchor man]

Yet again this FN moron takes up space here.Do people realise that this EXPERT is the most sacked coach in the AFL.Yet poeple still want to listen and read what he has to say.
I will say it again,as I have said many times before,and I do apologise to the morons about the place.ROBERT WALLS IS A FN MORON.

 

[legitimatic]

****ing brilliant post GJ, I haven't laughed so hard in a long time, comedy brilliance

 

[DockersMad]

Is it just me, or does it seem like GJ was spoiling for a fight early this morning? His calling cards are everywhere.

 

[sportsmaniac89]

Bloody hell I haven't laughed so hard since, well, ever. Absolute class.

All I can say is put up with him in Perth media for a year, you may reconsider, I dunno.