Who's closer to their next premiership: Carlton or Freo?

Is Carlton or Freo closer to their next flag?

  • Carlton

    Votes: 102 33.7%
  • Freo

    Votes: 169 55.8%
  • Not Sure

    Votes: 32 10.6%

  • Total voters
    303

Purple_Turtle

Stockholm Syndrome
Oct 12, 2019
2,847
6,043
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
South Fremantle, Hull City
Saw this comparison from Ross Lyon on Footy Classified:



On the 2020 ladder these two teams were separated by 0.6%. On game-day 4 points in an after-the-siren shot where a free kick was given to the wrong player ten metres closer to goal.

Is one team actually closer to a flag than the other, and is the margin significant?
 

Kreuuuzeurns

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 25, 2013
14,331
27,967
AFL Club
Carlton
Would like to see how Freo transition to an attacking style before making a definitive comment. I do like their list but they really need to push in the next 2-3 years whilst Fyfe and Walters are in their prime, they’ll obviously be very tough to replace.

I think we’ve bought ourselves some more time with Cripps and Doc being slightly younger and we have some great KPP talent coming into their prime. Big question marks over the midfield still.

GC just as good as both clubs.
 

Pusswah

Premiership Player
Aug 16, 2009
3,019
4,284
AFL Club
Fremantle
I would have thought they were pretty similar.

I was surprised when Lyon reeled off the midfields though - how worried should the blues be?
How are Walsh and Dow coming on?
Is Setterfield being played in there?
 

chunkylover53

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 13, 2008
8,383
18,230
From Where You'd Rather Be
AFL Club
Carlton
Freo pretty easily. Their list looks better: both their youth and mid aged players. They're only behind Carlton in key forwards but I can see it clicking with Hogan, Lobb and Tabs. I think Carlton will peak at semi finalists a la the early 2010s.
lol it's not Freo 'easily'. I dare say Carltons star power is more exciting (cripps, weitering, walsh, doc, martin, mckay) whilst freos youth like cerra, brayshaw, serong are kicking on far better than ours. that luke ryan is a freak too.

it's close, I'd say Carlton if we land Williams and some mids. but we are also pretty soft so Freo are ahead of us in mental maturity.

I would have thought they were pretty similar.

I was surprised when Lyon reeled off the midfields though - how worried should the blues be?
How are Walsh and Dow coming on?
Is Setterfield being played in there?
Walsh just won the AFLCA best young players award. He'll finish 2nd in our BnF behind Weitering. He's a freak.

Dow is not coming on. Setterifled is improving. We need probably 3 more AFL standard mids.
 

Yojimbo

Cancelled
10k Posts
Nov 14, 2012
10,914
9,834
The "Elephant" in the room.
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Carlton still have an issue with Betts, Murphy and both the Curnow brothers, but in saying that some of the guys coming in are very good players assuming of course that they do come in, no doubt they will get them on one of their sets of books. Their book ends though are well covered and the game style is constantly evolving and very capable of + 100 point scores, Cripps was a little busted this year and hopefully they can get more support around him to take the pressure off. Carlton lost a lot of close games to sides they should have beat and gave up too many runs of goals when momentum switched, winning is a habit, but so to is losing unfortunately.

Fremantle suffer a little with the out of mind out of sight principle, but some of their young players are quality. I guess Mundy and Fyfe have to be addressed as they cannot play forever. Their book ends are good when they are fit and are essential to release their game style more as this year they had to conjure a functioning back line capable of staying in games and did a great job. Their coach came from a Collingwood back ground so it is natural that defense is the first stop on his journey as it should be for most teams.

So in conclusion the whole "Next Premiership" argument is probably in the hands of the next generation of players for both teams, but in AFL these days things can turn quite quickly with astute trading and drafting, but there are eighteen teams thinking the same thing about their teams.
 

Maylandsman

🐯EAT ‘EM ALIVE🐯
Oct 22, 2017
2,547
3,465
By the Seaside
AFL Club
Richmond
A very close match race With Carlton on the line for mine.
Can see Freo solidifying their growth and make a charge in the 2022 season.
 

OnceWeWereKings

Premiership Player
Oct 23, 2007
4,119
9,142
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
I would have thought they were pretty similar.

I was surprised when Lyon reeled off the midfields though - how worried should the blues be?
How are Walsh and Dow coming on?
Is Setterfield being played in there?
It really is just lazy goldfish sensationalist “commentary“
To name Cripps & Murphy as Carlton’s midfield and then go on to name Fremantle‘s as Fyfe, Walters, Cerra, Bradshaw, Serong and Young. Is lazy at best, biased at worst.

It’s acknowledged Cripps played injured for most of the year, with an expectation he goes in for a shoulder reconstruction in the off season. The seasons prior was rated with Fyfe as one of the better players in the league.
Much like Fyfe, if he gets fit he becomes a superstar of the game again.
Murphy is shot, has been for a couple of seasons. Not an important player in our midfield anymore.
Setterfield played an inside mid role this year and took steps forward in establishing himself as a permanent addition to support Cripps. For comparisons sake check his season against that of Cerra & Brayshaw. All are tracking very similar in their three seasons of football.
Walsh has just been named the best young player in the AFL. For comparioson, and without disparaging Serong’s debut season, a season that should see him win the Rising Star, it‘s dwarfed by what Walsh has achieved in his first two.
Dow’s season was ruined by injury, needs to get fit and establish his credentials as an AFL midfielder. He is 20.
Walters has been a star no doubt, but if you are looking at this year as a singular season, as it appears Lyon is doing, then he is neither a mid, as he doesn’t get it enough, nor is he a small forward, as he didn’t score enough.
There are three or four other young Carlton players you could name if you are adding Young to Fremantle‘s midfield group.
To give you an example, if I was to throw up Stoker’s name for Carlton people would scoff. Yet both have played five games and Stocker’s output has been better in every key measurable to that of Young’s.

So if you were to give a fair and reasonable like for like comparison it would look something like this
Fyfe
Walters
Mundy
Cerra
Brayshaw
Serong
Young & others (don’t know enough of Freo’s young up & coming potentials) Would love someone with some in-depth knowledge to expand.

Vs
Cripps
Curnow
Setterfield
Murphy
Martin
Walsh
Dow
Kennedy

SPS, Cuningham, Gibbons, LOB, Stocker, Philip, Kemp

From all accounts, we add Williams from GWS to that rotation next year and target another A grader ball user over the off season and it’s looking a little bit deeper than Lyon’s analysis of Cripps & Murphy.

Do agree with his assessment that we lack toughness at times. Hopefully we can draft a little of that in with someone like a Viney.

Liking what both teams have done with their lists after rebuilding. Will be interesting watching them develop.
There really isn’t any need to turn this thread into a Carlton Vs Freo s**t fight.

Let‘s hope it doesn’t.
 
Last edited:
Mar 18, 2012
9,166
19,401
Vic
AFL Club
Fremantle
So if you were to give a fair and reasonable like for like comparison it would look something like this
Fyfe
Walters
Cerra
Brayshaw
Serong
Young & others (don’t know enough of Freo’s young up & coming potentials) Would love someone with some in-depth knowledge to expand.

Tucker is the main one you're missing. Been on the list 4-5 years, steady improvement each year without tearing games apart so has a pretty low profile. Injured most of this year, but is a starting centre bounce midfielder along with the rest you mentioned when fit.

Young plays half back, not sure he'll move into the middle when he has a pretty high ceiling as an intercept player/rebounder, very similar to Haynes from GWS.

Blakely and Valente would be the depth, which is a bit thin IMO (though the Freo board has big wraps on Valente who hasn't debuted yet).

Aish + Acres play more of a wing role and are starting 22, good players without being stars.

But it's the main 4 of Cerra/Brayshaw/Serong/Tucker who's improvement will be the key in lifting our midfield to A grade level.
 

OnceWeWereKings

Premiership Player
Oct 23, 2007
4,119
9,142
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Comfortably Fremantle.
They will challenge for the 8, whereas Carlton's season once again will be filled with broken promises and minimal development.
12th or 11th again.
Unfortunately, you have the LCDs whom are too stupid to add anything of value. Congratulations, your membership has been renewed, you’ve made it to Platinum.
 

TigerTime88

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 8, 2009
9,760
11,094
AFL Club
Richmond
It really is just lazy goldfish sensationalist “commentary“
To name Cripps & Murphy as Carlton’s midfield and then go on to name Fremantle‘s as Fyfe, Walters, Cerra, Bradshaw, Serong and Young. Is lazy at best, biased at worst.

It’s acknowledged Cripps played injured for most of the year, with an expectation he goes in for a shoulder reconstruction in the off season. The seasons prior was rated with Fyfe as one of the better players in the league.
Much like Fyfe, if he gets fit he becomes a superstar of the game again.
Murphy is shot, has been for a couple of seasons. Not an important player in our midfield anymore.
Setterfield played an inside mid role this year and took steps forward in establishing himself as a permanent addition to support Cripps. For comparisons sake check his season against that of Cerra & Brayshaw. All are tracking very similar in their three seasons of football.
Walsh has just been named the best young player in the AFL. For comparioson, and without disparaging Serong’s debut season, a season that should see him win the Rising Star, it‘s dwarfed by what Walsh has achieved in his first two.
Dow’s season was ruined by injury, needs to get fit and establish his credentials as an AFL midfielder. He is 20.
Walters has been a star no doubt, but if you are looking at this year as a singular season, as it appears Lyon is doing, then he is neither a mid, as he doesn’t get it enough, nor is he a small forward, as he didn’t score enough.
There are three or four other young Carlton players you could name if you are adding Young to Fremantle‘s midfield group.
To give you an example, if I was to throw up Stoker’s name for Carlton people would scoff. Yet both have played five games and Stocker’s output has been better in every key measurable to that of Young’s.

So if you were to give a fair and reasonable like for like comparison it would look something like this
Fyfe
Walters
Mundy
Cerra
Brayshaw
Serong
Young & others (don’t know enough of Freo’s young up & coming potentials) Would love someone with some in-depth knowledge to expand.

Vs
Cripps
Curnow
Setterfield
Murphy
Martin
Walsh
Dow
Kennedy

SPS, Cuningham, Gibbons, LOB, Stocker, Philip, Kemp

From all accounts, we add Williams from GWS to that rotation next year and target another A grader ball user over the off season and it’s looking a little bit deeper than Lyon’s analysis of Cripps & Murphy.

Do agree with his assessment that we lack toughness at times. Hopefully we can draft a little of that in with someone like a Viney.

Liking what both teams have done with their lists after rebuilding. Will be interesting watching them develop.
There really isn’t any need to turn this thread into a Carlton Vs Freo sh*t fight.

Let‘s hope it doesn’t.


Of the above Freo certainly have the higher quality mids and that is why I think the current list will move forward ahead of the Blues. The only thing is if they can do it before Fyfe goes, but I imagine he will still be playing good footy for another 3-5 years given his ability.

Williams is a good get, but you would assume Freo will have the cap space to make a a similar play.
 

OnceWeWereKings

Premiership Player
Oct 23, 2007
4,119
9,142
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Of the above Freo certainly have the higher quality mids and that is why I think the current list will move forward ahead of the Blues. The only thing is if they can do it before Fyfe goes, but I imagine he will still be playing good footy for another 3-5 years given his ability.

Williams is a good get, but you would assume Freo will have the cap space to make a a similar play.
Don’t disagree, development of the youngsters will be key. Something Carlton hasn’t been great at recently.
Think Carlton have more quality in the talls both back & forward though.
How Charlie comes back will have a massive bearing on Carlton’s structure and overall potential for improvement.
Think he is the key.
 

TigerTime88

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 8, 2009
9,760
11,094
AFL Club
Richmond
Don’t disagree, development of the youngsters will be key. Something Carlton hasn’t been great at recently.
Think Carlton have more quality in the talls both back & forward though.
How Charlie comes back will have a massive bearing on Carlton’s structure and overall potential for improvement.
Think he is the key.

Yeah I agree with that. Carlton definitely have the better key position stocks.
 
Aug 27, 2014
38,196
41,193
spacetime
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
there are no other teams worthy
Both clubs are too far away to tell which is closer. It only takes one or two shrewd additions to a list and something to click within a team for them to push up to being contenders. It's not what has happened already that answers this question, it's what happens next.
You get it.
Neither club did anything this year for either group of supporters to think a premiership is a step away.
Make finals first would be a start.
The way picked our team this year, most weeks, tells me we need to shake up the coaching group within to see a better structure on field be applied.
Right now, I got little confidence in what they were thinking at MC so unless that changes we will not develop as we should do and fall short again...
 
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