Mega Thread 2013 Pre Season

[caterina]

Feel free to contribute your thoughts on the matter

Aww sorry at the time it was just easier to make a weak, very weak joke then spend the time speculating why I don't think we will win a flag with the forward set up you describe. No offence intended, I'm sure when you are bladdered you are still wiser than me

 

[The Anchorite]

Must've been bad

I hope he referred him to a specialist consoler before the disappointment gets infected.

 

[gaskin]

Video from todays training. Some goal kicking, ruck work and weights.

http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/videoaudio/tabid/8665/contentid/508270/default.aspx

 

[Arcassius]

Aww sorry at the time it was just easier to make a weak, very weak joke then spend the time speculating why I don't think we will win a flag with the forward set up you describe. No offence intended, I'm sure when you are bladdered you are still wiser than me

No offense taken It was an interesting discussion going back to the Harvey days when he was talking about 'where the game is headed' - it would be good to get some other opinions on the future of the running game and tall position players in those structures

 

[Nickos66]

Yeah I'm not too sure a lady who works with me bumped into him at the specialist surgery.

Is she alright?

 

[DockerLand1]

I take it you were supposed to say Beau Waters? Not Walters?

Also, I don't think Tunbridge has been delisted? He's a rookie with WCE.

Apologies Nickos66. Thought that you were talking to me in relation to Walters.

 

[Arcassius]

jedi - I get the feeling your post is a gift that keeps on giving

 

[Nickos66]

Apologies Nickos66. Thought that you were talking to me in relation to Walters.

Aaahh righto, I didn't even bother to go back and have a look at what your post was about.

I don't always quote posts when I reply, and then shit usually falls apart.

 

[Arcassius]

http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7009/newsid/152248/default.aspx

Lachie Neale has returned from his break fit and ready to tackle his second pre-season.

The 19-year-old spent time back home in Adelaide with his family during his six week break and said he had come back feeling fresh and looking forward to a challenging pre-season.

“I had a good break, I spent most of the time on the farm with my family. It was also good to spend some time in Adelaide catching up with school friends,” Neale said.

Neale said he was a lot more prepared for a grueling pre-season regime after having come into last years not knowing what to expect.

“This time last year I hadn’t done much running after the SANFL,” he said.

“The last couple of weeks have been challenging, but I’m feeling really good.”

After playing 11 AFL games in 2012, Neale said his main focus for season 2013 was to find some consistency in his game.

 

[rgauci]

Reminds me of a chat we had at the meetup regarding whether there is a real need for so many tall forwards with the way the game is progressing - whether a fleet of goal kicking mids and fast athletic mid sized forwards with a resting ruck and a token KPF would be enough

IMO, the direction of the game is determined by group think at the time. West Coast successfully implemented a land of the giants forward line in 2011 (the first club to successfully implement 4 talls) without suffering in terms of locking the ball in the forward 50. A few clubs are seemingly attempting to replicate that strategy, namely St. Kilda (Lee, Riewoldt, White, Stanley), Melbourne (Clark, Dawes, Howe, Hogan) and North (Petrie, Tarrant, Hansen) with mixed results. Collingwood won a flag in 2011 with a very tall forward line but have subsequently gone a bit smaller lately since Buckley's reign choosing a more rebounding style game.

There is also another movement where the defence can be caught out by fast ball movement through the defence and lightning fast players, ala Jetta. The aim is to get a very fast forward goal side of the defence with the ball in hand. Sydney and ourselves seem to be the two primary movers in this regard and the tactic has been branded fast break or an offside tactic. Our future forward line seems destined to take advantage of this tactic. Defences won't be able to deal with both strategies effectively as one requires speed and the other strength and height which don't often come together.

The problem with our tactic is it takes highly skilled half back flankers willing to take a risky kicks into the middle of the ground. It also relies on the midfielders having the ability to take contested marks in dangerous areas of the ground namely the centre circle.

So to forfill the potental we need a distinct group of endurance running, highly skilled, and lightning quick forwards. We have a reasonable group to hatch the plan. Whether it will take us to the ultimate prize is yet to be determined.

 

[pavsbootlace]

When I was at training this morn, I noticed a couple of the young talls who are trying out for a rookie spot. One of them caught my eye and looked very agile with a sticky set of hands and a good kick. So, I just checked out the facebook photos and it was Matthew Taberner. I like the look of that kid.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

jedi - I get the feeling your post is a gift that keeps on giving

Merry Christmas

 

[yakka man]

When I was at training this morn, I noticed a couple of the young talls who are trying out for a rookie spot. One of them caught my eye and looked very agile with a sticky set of hands and a good kick. So, I just checked out the facebook photos and it was Matthew Taberner. I like the look of that kid.

He's also very fit and the club are keen. Hopefully he is on our list in 14 and a half hours.

 

[valkorum]

Video from todays training. Some goal kicking, ruck work and weights.

http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/videoaudio/tabid/8665/contentid/508270/default.aspx

That was last Thursdays training - 06/12/2012

 

[valkorum]

Aww sorry at the time it was just easier to make a weak, very weak joke then spend the time speculating why I don't think we will win a flag with the forward set up you describe. No offence intended, I'm sure when you are bladdered you are still wiser than me

Then explain how Sydney won the flag with a similar forward setup to ours.

 

[valkorum]

When I was at training this morn, I noticed a couple of the young talls who are trying out for a rookie spot. One of them caught my eye and looked very agile with a sticky set of hands and a good kick. So, I just checked out the facebook photos and it was Matthew Taberner. I like the look of that kid.

Everyone so far seems to like the cut of his jib after seeing him train (well us BF'ers)

 

[pavsbootlace]

He's also very fit and the club are keen. Hopefully he is on our list in 14 and a half hours.

Why does 14 and a half hours seem like such a long time. It's like Christmas eve... again

 

[pavsbootlace]

Everyone so far seems to like the cut of his jib after seeing him train (well us BF'ers)

Yes, it seems so. But, has anyone seen him actually play? Anyone... Bueller...

 

[caterina]

No offense taken It was an interesting discussion going back to the Harvey days when he was talking about 'where the game is headed' - it would be good to get some other opinions on the future of the running game and tall position players in those structures

No doubt the game is evolving, but a mark and a set shot within scoring range is and always will be one of the most important commodities in the game. Of course you can get that from lace out passes from a dominant midfield to mid size leading forwards, but the contested mark in the forward 50 is still king, as it can turn a rushed or pressured entry into a goal. The rumour of the death of the KPF is greatly exaggerated

Then explain how Sydney won the flag with a similar forward setup to ours.

I don't follow you. I was responding to the post about a hypothetical forward line. How does this forward set up resemble Sydney's:

fast athletic mid sized forwards with a resting ruck and a token KPF would be enough

Are Reid and LRT token players? Is Goodes a fast mid sized forward?

The Sydney 2005 premiership side was closer to the set up in Arcassius' post than the 2012 one

 

[Dockernut]

Everyone so far seems to like the cut of his jib after seeing him train (well us BF'ers)

That's all that matters isn't it?

 

[Seppo]

Yes, it seems so. But, has anyone seen him actually play? Anyone... Bueller...

http://au.prime7.yahoo.com/v1/video...a13/bushie-sets-sight-on-draft/v1_news_video/
Some small clip of him in that link.

 

[Dockernut]

Nicely spotted Seppo. Not a very impressive highlights package really, but meh, he could do a reverse Sibasado.

 

[DMan 11]

Stupid question, but what number in each jumper was he ????

 

[sherrif]

I take it you were supposed to say Beau Waters? Not Walters?

Also, I don't think Tunbridge has been delisted? He's a rookie with WCE.

You are right on both counts. Appologies to Walters for mixing up his name with one of the most underserving All Australian players of all time. Tunbridge has not been delisted, but I still prefer to have Neale and Sutcliffe on our list by a long margin. One of the things that I think goes missing in the debate, about our list managment when people complain about the lack of tall forwards we have recruited over the last few drafts, is the impact of the introduction of the two new clubs. Both GWS and Gold Coast hace effectively controlled one draft each and also have had access to the best half a dozen or so seventeen year olds one other year. The two clubs have each selected four or five promisaing tall forwards which have made it very difficult to recruit one to our club. The only key tall forward who is consistently doing well and was recuited in Brad Lloyds's time not by the two new teams is Jack Darling, and I think the Eagles exaggerated his off field behaviour issues to turn clubs off recruiting him. Crameri and Sam Reid are perhaps other examples, but there are definitely not many. (Note: T.Walker was a NSW Scholarship player, Hawkins was father/son).

My point is that by focussing on drafting the best player at any position in the draft we have actually done better over the five year period Brad Llyod has been in charge then the vast majority of rival AFL team. One of the key reasons for this success I feel is that we have not picked for need and wasted picks on key forwards who arent good enough. When Nat Fyfe was drafted many Docker fans complained on the message boards we did not take Aaron Black and there are quite a few other examples. My point is that I wish people who criticize our recruiting at least take some of the positives into account from what BL has done. I think there has been alot of positives in his time in charge, but most people seem to only mention the negative aspect to the clubs recruiting record.

 

[freo84]

You are right on both counts. Appologies to Walters for mixing up his name with one of the most underserving All Australian players of all time. Tunbridge has not been delisted, but I still prefer to have Neale and Sutcliffe on our list by a long margin. One of the things that I think goes missing in the debate, about our list managment when people complain about the lack of tall forwards we have recruited over the last few drafts, is the impact of the introduction of the two new clubs. Both GWS and Gold Coast hace effectively controlled one draft each and also have had access to the best half a dozen or so seventeen year olds one other year. The two clubs have each selected four or five promisaing tall forwards which have made it very difficult to recruit one to our club. The only key tall forward who is consistently doing well and was recuited in Brad Lloyds's time not by the two new teams is Jack Darling, and I think the Eagles exaggerated his off field behaviour issues to turn clubs off recruiting him. Crameri and Sam Reid are perhaps other examples, but there are definitely not many. (Note: T.Walker was a NSW Scholarship player, Hawkins was father/son).

My point is that by focussing on drafting the best player at any position in the draft we have actually done better over the five year period Brad Llyod has been in charge then the vast majority of rival AFL team. One of the key reasons for this success I feel is that we have not picked for need and wasted picks on key forwards who arent good enough. When Nat Fyfe was drafted many Docker fans complained on the message boards we did not take Aaron Black and there are quite a few other examples. My point is that I wish people who criticize our recruiting at least take some of the positives into account from what BL has done. I think there has been alot of positives in his time in charge, but most people seem to only mention the negative aspect to the clubs recruiting record.

It will always come back to this one phrase " You can't please everybody"