You can not be serious...

[ImperialPurple]

Now, I wouldn't expect anyone to know this from this early... but let's see how close we can get to what Freo's win-loss situation will be in 2004. Of course it's based on the 2003 form, but it will be interesting to see how accurate we are.


2004 AFL Fixture


Round 1:
Saturday 27th March
Fremantle v Carlton at Subiaco Oval - Freo win


Round 2:
Sunday 4th April
Sydney v Fremantle at SCG - most likely a Sydney win (hope I'm wrong, I'm going to that game!)


Round 3:
Sunday 11th April
Fremantle v Adelaide at Subiaco Oval - close, but Freo should get up


Round 4:
Sunday 18th April
Collingwood v Fremantle at Telstra Dome - Collingwood


Round 5:
Sunday 25th April
Fremantle v Geelong at Subiaco Oval - Freo

Round 6:
Saturday 1st May
West Coast v Fremantle at Subiaco Oval (night) - if WC still have their back-line probs, then Freo. Otherwise close, but I reckon we can do 'em both derbies this year!!


Round 7:
Saturday 8th May
Fremantle v St Kilda at Subiaco Oval - Freo win


Round 8:
Sunday 16th May
Hawthorn v Fremantle at York Park - prob Hawks - it's a bloody long way to go from WA for both WA teams... >:-(


Round 9:
Saturday 22nd May
Fremantle v Brisbane Lions at Subiaco Oval - no idea! I'll be bold and say the home ground advantage will make it a Freo win.

Round 10:

Friday 28th May
Essendon v Fremantle at Telstra Dome (night) - as above. Prob Essendon. Hope that if we lose it's by less than10 goals (as in the last two games v Essendon...)


Round 11:
Sunday 6th June
Fremantle v Melbourne at Subiaco Oval - Freo win


Round 12:
Sunday 13th June
Richmond v Fremantle at MCG - Freo win


Round 13:
Friday 18th June
Fremantle v Port Adelaide at Subiaco Oval (night) - dunno. Port.


Round 14:
Sunday 4th July
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle at Telstra Dome - Freo win.


Round 15:
Saturday 10th July
Fremantle v Kangaroos at Subiaco Oval (night) - Freo win.


Round 16:
Saturday 17th July
Adelaide v Fremantle at AAMI Stadium (night) - Adelaide win.


Round 17:
Saturday 24th July
Fremantle v Sydney at Subiaco - Freo win.


Round 18:
Saturday 31st July
Carlton v Fremantle at Optus Oval - Freo win.


Round 19:
Friday 6th August
Fremantle v Collingwood at Subiaco Oval (night) - ummmmm, hard but given that Collingwood are completely unused to travelling further west than Adelaide, I'll have to give this one to Freo.


Round 20:
Saturday 14th August
Geelong v Fremantle at Skilled Stadium - Geelong are pretty good at Skilled, it's even further than going to Melbourne, an improving side... Geelong. Just.


Round 21:
Sunday 22nd August
West Coast v Fremantle at Subiaco Oval - Gotta be Freo.... . This will be our year to really be "the best in the west" and beat them in both derbies!!


Round 22:
Saturday 28th August
St Kilda v Fremantle at Telstra Dome (night) - Saints.


Win / Loss ratio - 14:8... will that be enough for Top 4??

Over to the experts....



Any other suggestions for keeping us amused during the off-season??

 

[masai]

I'm looking at a similar win / loss ratio to 2003.

The real improvement will be in our percentage, forwards produce more regularly, backs even tighter, midfield roving the ruck.

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by masai
I'm looking at a similar win / loss ratio to 2003.

The real improvement will be in our percentage, forwards produce more regularly, backs even tighter, midfield roving the ruck.

Spot on. 14 wins would normally get you a top 3 berth and I expect the competition to be a lot closer. With the predicted improvement in the bottom Vic sides there shouldn't be 3 sides (shouldn't be any) with predraft picks this year. 14 wins may get top spot.

Having said that we still have to win them!

 

[ThePope]

CC was right

I think the fact that we are even having this sort of thread proves CC's point, that we aren't in premiership mode.

Do you reckon Brisbane is doing this sort of thing? Collingwood? Port? The Wiggles in the early 90s? Essendon in 99-01? Hawthorn/Essendon in the mid 80s?

Of course they weren't, because they believed/knew that they could win EVERY game.

Until we are not scared about playing Brisbane anywhere, the Adelaide sides in Adelaide, or even Geelong or Hawthorn in the outer Melbourne suburbs (just a joke for any Taswegians), then we should almost ignore the win/loss ratios or ladder positions and push to ensure that Polak, Schammer, Sandi, Dunn and co develop so that we will be a serious flag contender before Belly, Cookie and Macca get too old. They will all be 28 next year, so I reckon we have about 4 years. Unfortunately for Clive and Parker, I don't think that we'll get there in time for them.

Having said all of that, other than I reckon we'll smash Geelong or Hawthorn whereever we'll play them this year, and that the Wiggles are gone regardless of there backline probs, I basically agree with most of IPs post.

 

[Milkman]

Re: CC was right

Originally posted by ThePope
the Wiggles are gone regardless of there backline probs.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Sera]

You won't be anywhere near 14 wins

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by Sera
You won't be anywhere near 14 wins

What 16? 17? 18? Kind of you to say but we are a bit more realistic over here.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Originally posted by Sera
You won't be anywhere near 14 wins

you're right Sera - I would have gone for 19, but I didn't want to appear arrogant or over-confident (despite what his holiness the pontiff with the pointy had would prefer us to be saying.).

 

[Sera]

Originally posted by RIPPER_46
What 16? 17? 18? Kind of you to say but we are a bit more realistic over here.

Want to wager on that as well?

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by Sera
Want to wager on that as well?

No She'll be right. I think the other is a surer bet.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Pope - you're right that if we were in true premiership mode that we would be confident of 22 wins for the season.
However, i think the "we should win about 14" comes from hoping, but being too scared to really hope for real success.
In a nutshell:
Years 1 - 2.... new at this stuff, new look game plan, not a lot of help from the AFL to build a competitive squad, we're all enjoying the ride.
Year 3... a ray of hope, fades away by season end.
4 - 7... regular floggings and resignation that things basically were pretty average for supporters of the purple. Still looking for the corner in order to be able to turn it.
Year 8... Found that bloody corner, and got around it.
Year 9... is this for real, or is it too good to be true? We've made a mark - can we follow it up?
Year 10.. hangover from last year. Still a bit worried to think too much will happen. Unwilling to stick the head too far up in case it's shot off. Another year like last year, and we'll all be swelling with confidence and ready to make bigger and better predictions.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Originally posted by ImperialPurple


2004 AFL Fixture




Round 6:
Saturday 1st May
West Coast v Fremantle at Subiaco Oval (night) - if WC still have their back-line probs, then Freo. Otherwise close, but I reckon we can do 'em both derbies this year


Round 21:
Sunday 22nd August
West Coast v Fremantle at Subiaco Oval - Gotta be Freo.... . This will be our year to really be "the best in the west" and beat them in both derbies!!

WE HAVE 2 AWAY DERBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No IP, this is not cos you posted it wrong. On the AFL website, look at the draw and the corresponding matches. You'll find we have 2 AWAY DERBIES!!!

You can't be serious!

 

[masai]

Originally posted by ImperialPurple
Pope - you're right that if we were in true premiership mode that we would be confident of 22 wins for the season.
However, i think the "we should win about 14" comes from hoping, but being too scared to really hope for real success.
In a nutshell:
Years 1 - 2.... new at this stuff, new look game plan, not a lot of help from the AFL to build a competitive squad, we're all enjoying the ride.
Year 3... a ray of hope, fades away by season end.
4 - 7... regular floggings and resignation that things basically were pretty average for supporters of the purple. Still looking for the corner in order to be able to turn it.
Year 8... Found that bloody corner, and got around it.
Year 9... is this for real, or is it too good to be true? We've made a mark - can we follow it up?
Year 10.. hangover from last year. Still a bit worried to think too much will happen. Unwilling to stick the head too far up in case it's shot off. Another year like last year, and we'll all be swelling with confidence and ready to make bigger and better predictions.

That in nutshell says it all.

Sabre please note when making extravagent claims.

 

[avdbrm]

no, they just put the name 'west coast' first because them people at the AFL have never heard of freo before....they typ ed in west coast then checked their books to make sure there's really a team.

i guess the first derby (home for the toasters, i think) will no doubt be packed with yellow and blues keen to experience a match with atmosphere (for once), but as usual the small contingent of dockers supporters will severely outvoice the yellow and blues who need encouragement from the stands before they actually do anything.....i think the guy who engraves the derby trophy may as well just get a small cattle brander with "fremantle dockers" on it....hell, he can lend it to the guy who does the premiership trophy too.


as for the rest of the season....well i can never remember the fixtures so all i care about is the home games.... i wonder how we'll do at home...considering 3 games last year nearly had me in tears....

 

[ThePope]

Re: Re: You can not be serious...

Originally posted by Kapow!!!
WE HAVE 2 AWAY DERBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No IP, this is not cos you posted it wrong. On the AFL website, look at the draw and the corresponding matches. You'll find we have 2 AWAY DERBIES!!!

You can't be serious!

The 2nd one is our home game. most of the original AFL website fixtures had both as Wiggles named first, and some even had us playing Geelong in a home game at the MCG at the same time as some other game there!

 

[Kapow!!!]

I thought we were playing them at Kardinia Park!

 

[jko'neal]

Would not be too confident with the Richmond,Carlton,Western Bulldogs games away,surely they wont play as bad as last year and Richmond always seem to play better against the WA teams in Melbourne.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Originally posted by jko'neal
Would not be too confident with the Richmond,Carlton,Western Bulldogs games away,surely they wont play as bad as last year and Richmond always seem to play better against the WA teams in Melbourne.

fair comment, but if we are to be taken seriously at all, we MUST win these three games. No question.

 

[Exeter]

Originally posted by ImperialPurple
fair comment, but if we are to be taken seriously at all, we MUST win these three games. No question.

And there's the rub IP. Freo aren't taken seriously, at least not in the eastern states and not yet at any rate.

I posted something on the AFL board months ago querying what other (non Eagles) supporters knew about the Dockers and their squad; the response was underwhelming.

From my reading of it, backed up by frequent travel to the east, the Dockers are an unknown quantity outside of the west (excluding professional commentators of course).

Interestingly, I've also found that the same people I've spoken to often have a skewed opinion of the Eagles potential and stage of development rating them better than what they probably are at this stage. To be fair, my research is not exhaustive and is only based on what I've heard so i don't know how representative it is.

Its going to take some time and sustained success for the Dockers to loom large in the collective psyche of our trans-continental friends

 

[masai]

Originally posted by Exeter
And there's the rub IP. Freo aren't taken seriously, at least not in the eastern states and not yet at any rate.

I posted something on the AFL board months ago querying what other (non Eagles) supporters knew about the Dockers and their squad; the response was underwhelming.

From my reading of it, backed up by frequent travel to the east, the Dockers are an unknown quantity outside of the west (excluding professional commentators of course).

Interestingly, I've also found that the same people I've spoken to often have a skewed opinion of the Eagles potential and stage of development rating them better than what they probably are at this stage. To be fair, my research is not exhaustive and is only based on what I've heard so i don't know how representative it is.

Its going to take some time and sustained success for the Dockers to loom large in the collective psyche of our trans-continental friends

That sounds pretty similar to the responses I've got whilst on the eastern seaboard.

I suppose it's part of our mental makeup but alot of times when looking at sporting teams, we put alot of weight on what our mind has seen from past years and we don't always take in what's staring us in the face. As in Exeter's example, Freo are seen in most peoples eyes as hopeless and Eagles as very strong, images that might be out of date, even when 2003 playing form is flashed in front of their eyes.

This all says to me that we are still seen as under dogs and the only way to change peoples views on a team is to smash their team.

 

[ThePope]

Originally posted by Kapow!!!
I thought we were playing them at Kardinia Park!

We are in Rd 20, but in the original fixtures on the AFL website in rd 5 it was Fremantle vs Geelong, at the MCG! They all must have still been hungover from Jacko's going away party when they published the fixtures.

 

[Rob]

Originally posted by Exeter

From my reading of it, backed up by frequent travel to the east, the Dockers are an unknown quantity outside of the west (excluding professional commentators of course).

That's better than a year ago when we were a known quantity away from home - they knew we were crap.

 

[The Mission Man]

While Exeter's research seems daunting in its comprehensive thoroughness and zealous attention to all the wrong details, I can't help but be reminded of this:

Some Melbournian opinions on Freo from season 2003

Not that I give a rat's patootie what the followers of the 10 interstate clubs below us on last year's ladder think. Their opinions will mean nothing when Sandi211lands bends them over, The Raging Bull tears them a new hole and Tequila Schammer slams it full of pain and misery. Not a sausage. Really.

 

[TimN]

My view on how the general public over here sees Freo is that it depends a lot on what they have seen recently. The second derby last year was watched by a big audience in Melbourne, because it was shaping the 8, and that improved Freo's credibility a lot. But then the way the final went undid a lot of that gain, I would say.

I basically only get to see Freo in Melbourne, so I am a bit more cautious in my opinions on how we'll do next year. The team I saw in Melbourne still seemed a bit fragile mentally, and I would hate to see Freo play too many games away from Subi without Pav, because he really seemed the only one holding them together in a couple of the games last year.

Anyway, I agree with a lot of ImperialPurple's tips, but I'd actually tip a win against Sydney at the SCG, but losses vs Adelaide and Brisbane at home, and in at least one of the derbies. I'd expect that we will lose against one of Richmond, Carlton or Footscray in Melbourne too. That would make for 11 wins, and the possibility of a nailbiter vs St Kilda for a finals spot at the end of the season. I'd pencil us in for a win in that one, though, with the loss to Freo pushing St Kilda down to 10th. (Richmond will, of course, be occupying 9th at the end of the season.)

Of course I hope I'm wrong and that I am under-estimating my team, but I'm doing my best to be realistic.

 

[Exeter]

Originally posted by The Mission Man
While Exeter's research seems daunting in its comprehensive thoroughness and zealous attention to all the wrong details, I can't help but be reminded of this:

Some Melbournian opinions on Freo from season 2003

Not that I give a rat's patootie what the followers of the 10 interstate clubs below us on last year's ladder think. Their opinions will mean nothing when Sandi211lands bends them over, The Raging Bull tears them a new hole and Tequila Schammer slams it full of pain and misery. Not a sausage. Really.

When considering the average punter's anecdotal responses, which ones are the right details?

But you're right, the views of other teams' supporters are irrelevant to what actually happens over the season. My point was, and remains, that I think there are a lot of people outside of WA who will be surprised as to what happens this year.

And that's always good for a laugh.