2023 - A year of regression before the final ascent...

[FDH16]

With the trade period done and dusted it's time to reflect on where the list sits, what we were seeking to achieve and how close we are to the ever elusive maiden premiership.

I am pleased Fremantle's hierarchy identified the need to bolster the inside mid brigade, Brodie was a pleasant surprise in 2022 and will continue to build in 2023. What became more and more glaring as the year rolled on was our over reliance on Mundy to win inside ball and drive field position. Acquiring JOM will alleviate the burden on Serong/Brodie and allow Fyfe the flexibility to roll forward. With Raz and Johnson still needing a few pre-seasons to be AFL ready, when it counts, this was a pleasing acquisition.

The greatest upside of this trade is we no longer need to run Andy Brayshaw from the centre square. He just isn't capable of being a force in there and held us back, on occassion, in the two finals this year. He is much better suited as an outside runner and will be an upgrade on Acres on the wing. This is Andy's best position and will allow him to blow up his opponent, hold his width and deliver the ball inside 50.

Jackson, will improve our dynamicism from the centre-square, he is capable of roving his own tap and pushing through traffic. Too often we exited laterally, slowly and allowed opposition defenses to roll with our ball movement. Hopefully Jaeger can burst from stoppage as well. The removal of Brayshaw from the starting CB team will show up the more JOM/FYFE, Serong, Brodie with Jackson and Darcy find their groove. Corbett might be a nice guy, but he's largely irrelevant and cover - whole lot of meh on his acquisition, hopefully he proves me wrong, though, I am never wrong.

One of the unfortunate realities of a high attrition rate is the requirement to re-train running patterns, stoppage set ups and internal chemistry. We have shipped out/retired 4 genuine starters, 2 consistent rotational players, and will now inject a two starters.

Amiss is the key to our progression, he along with the emergence of another key forward (my great hope for Jackson) will decide if we mount the summit, but it will not be in 23.

The type of synergy that is necessary intra team is not concocted over-night, one may pre-season will not be enough. This group will need to gel and bond, on field and off.

For me, whilst we may have lost our leading goal-kicker campaigner lord, a top 10 B&F player, an AA calibre winger and fuzzy haired swing man, I've never been more bullish on the state of our list, whilst cautiously aware that synergy takes time to create.

We are almost there.

I want bring you all back to my points here. Bolded in Italics accordingly.

Until the club recognises Andy is a net loss at centre square stoppages, and immediately around the ball, we'll go nowhere.

Andy yanked himself an MVP on the back of the grunt work of Mundy & Brodie - he feeds off receiving the ball, and blowing up his opposition on the spread and with his tank.

We are trying to force a square peg into a round hole. It hasn't worked, it won't work and it needs to change.

That is entirely on Longmuir as coach and to a lesser extend, Andy as a player.

We are continually being mauled at stoppage, and when we do win the clearance, Andy & Caleb seek to exit laterally.

Gives opposition sides time to set up behind the ball, makes us kick over fingernails - dirty ball and does not help our young forwards.

We need to exit into clear grass, out the front of stoppages, so our mids can hit up the developing forwards.

 

[FDH16]

Taberner has been in the system for a decade.

He's never kicked over 40 in a season, he won't start now.

Treacy is not going to get close to 40, let alone 30.

Amiss & Jackson will need to the heavy lifting.

Finals Goal Scorer tally.

41 Amiss
33 Walters
33 Schultz
26 Frederick
22 Jackson

The disappointing forwards for mine this year were Switta & Treacy.

It's great we're finally getting back to a forward line which two key pillars emerging as the spot up targets.

Treacy needs to develop into a capable third tall.

 

[s_wd6]

Finals Goal Scorer tally.

41 Amiss
33 Walters
33 Schultz
26 Frederick
22 Jackson

The disappointing forwards for mine this year were Switta & Treacy.

It's great we're finally getting back to a forward line which two key pillars emerging as the spot up targets.

Treacy needs to develop into a capable third tall.

Treacy will be that third tall when a) he can hold the marks that he gets both hands on, and b) when he doesn't have to be backup ruck.

 

[gungho]

Finals Goal Scorer tally.

41 Amiss
33 Walters
33 Schultz
26 Frederick
22 Jackson

The disappointing forwards for mine this year were Switta & Treacy.

It's great we're finally getting back to a forward line which two key pillars emerging as the spot up targets.

Treacy needs to develop into a capable third tall.

Whilst I do agree that Treacy needs to improve, you are being a bit tough on the guy who essentially went to play backup ruck when Darcy went down.

 

[Freomaniac]

Not sure why you get a kick out of Freo down the ladder

Me personally...

I guess we gotta swallow our pride for this 2023 season.

Strangely we could of and should of made finals in 2023 had we not lost too many close home games.

This squad needs to make finals in 2024 or Longmuir might get sacked.

I dont mind freo having a 3-5 year period of finals from next season onwards.

 

[Swan Districts Kid]

FDH16 - When I originally read your opening post, hot on the heels of our trade/draft period, I thought you were very pessimistic.

Turns out that you were amazingly prescient! Not since Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

predicting we wouldn't reach finals in 2016, have I seen such a impressive 'against the grain' prediction that turned out to be true. Can I suggest you change your avatar to Nostradamus?

Will be really interested to hear your crystal ball predictions for season 2024 following our trade period & draft.

 

[FDH16]

Whilst I do agree that Treacy needs to improve, you are being a bit tough on the guy who essentially went to play backup ruck when Darcy went down.

It's the AFL, and he still seems more intent on "creating a contest" thank clunking his marks. Infuriating watching him try "set the ball" to his crumbers, take the ****ing mark. Appreciate he's young and still developing, but he needs to draw more attention to create space for Amiss.

FDH16 - When I originally read your opening post, hot on the heels of our trade/draft period, I thought you were very pessimistic.

Turns out that you were amazingly prescient! Not since Brad Johnson predicting we wouldn't reach finals in 2016, have I seen such a impressive 'against the grain' prediction that turned out to be true. Can I suggest you change your avatar to Nostradamus?

Will be really interested to hear your crystal ball predictions for season 2024 following our trade period & draft.

I'll complete a review post trade period, the glaring issue remains - it's our midfield. It's good to see Nat is being thrown back into the middle next year, hopefully he stays fit - we need another extractor to feed our smaller bodied mids. Hurt us so often this year.

 

[Freomaniac]

Not trying to be Negative.

I am not convinced Justin Longmuir

Justin Longmuir

Age

43

Ht

196cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.4

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

4.5

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.4

3star

G

1.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

7.0

2star

K

3.6

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

0.6

3star

can coach us to a flag.

I do see some finals success if things go his way.

I see him more like Brad Scott in his coaching era at North. A solid 8-10 year stint. Not a contender but enjoing the finals wins. Brad Scott at North melbourne from 2010-19 got North to finals in 2012 and 2014-6.

I see a similar thing with Longmuir. We made finals in 2022. I see us making finals in 2024-6.

 

[Vintage]

Good point. If you look at the list profiles of us v Collingwood (for example) from the weekend, they had 13 players to our 6 with over 100 games experience, and overall were over 2 years older and average games played of 128 vs 80.

PATIENCE IS NEEDED

we have a really promising list, with Fyfe and Walters the only real oldies departing in the next 2-4 years. The younger fringe players will develop in a mix of time between wafl and afl until they’re really ready. We should expect a bit of regression this year, but should see a good 4 or more years of pushing for a flag after that. Even next year the next gen forwards are too young, even the smaller blokes don’t hit their peak until 25-30.

if you don’t believe me go to footywire and check out melbournes best players, or Collingwood‘s, or Geelongs, or…

You can put me in the I told you so group too.

im expecting improvement in 2024, but not premiership contention just yet. Maybe 2025.

 

[Big Animal]

You can put me in the I told you so group too.

im expecting improvement in 2024, but not premiership contention just yet. Maybe 2025.

yes, you're correct. It is 2025.

 

[MadMundy]

2025 seems to be the year we really try and bring home a flag, I'm expecting us to get back into finals contention next year though, no excuses not to make it happen.

 

[Freomaniac]

People are expecting a flag in 2025.... good luck with that. Thats like the hawks of 2004-08..

Would be nice though.

Not making finals in 2023, that sets us back a year.

Im am not arrogant or deluded. This would take a fair bit of effort to do this if freo pulls this off. A grand final by 2026 is possible. Have to make finals in 2024-5 1st off, even if its elim final losses in 2024-5.

There has been sides that made 2 or 3 elim finals before a grand final. Eagles in 2002-4 made 3 elim finals before making grand finals in 2005-6. My honest opinion, they shouldnt of made finals in 2002 with those 11 wins and 11 losses. They should of got top 4 or at worst top 6 and a home final in 2003.

Richmond made 3 elim finals in 2013-15 , missed finals in 2016 and then flag in 2017. They should of beaten Carlton in 2013 elim final and beaten North in 2015 elim final too.

 

[Freomaniac]

I don’t even think we’ll stagnate to be honest. Once you’re in top 4 territory anything can happen.

Im sure anything can happen.. I am gonna sound negative saying this.

Its either a curse or we are unlucky. We made prelim finals in 2006 and 2015 and lost both. next season we missed out on finals.

yeah we won a prelim in 2013...

 

[wakojako]

I want bring you all back to my points here. Bolded in Italics accordingly.

Until the club recognises Andy is a net loss at centre square stoppages, and immediately around the ball, we'll go nowhere.

Andy yanked himself an MVP on the back of the grunt work of Mundy & Brodie - he feeds off receiving the ball, and blowing up his opposition on the spread and with his tank.

We are trying to force a square peg into a round hole. It hasn't worked, it won't work and it needs to change.

That is entirely on Longmuir as coach and to a lesser extend, Andy as a player.

We are continually being mauled at stoppage, and when we do win the clearance, Andy & Caleb seek to exit laterally.

Gives opposition sides time to set up behind the ball, makes us kick over fingernails - dirty ball and does not help our young forwards.

We need to exit into clear grass, out the front of stoppages, so our mids can hit up the developing forwards.

Thankfully, some of you are starting to come around. It was bloody obvious at the beginning of the year. This is why switching a midfield bull with JOM was a terrible idea as it puts more burden on our undersized midfielders to do all the grunt work.

 

[Big Animal]

Big Animal is telling you we will have a flag in 2025.... good likelihood of that. Thats like the hawks of 2004-08, except our reign will be better.

Will be very nice.

Not making finals in 2023, that sets us back a year. But needed to sort the team and get games into our kids for the premiership push.

I am generally not arrogant and deluded but even I know this took a fair bit of effort to do this for freo to pull it off. A grand final by 2026 is also possible and likely. Have to make finals in 2024-5 1st off, even if its elim final wins in 2024-5 before our 2025 GF win.

There has been sides that made 2 or 3 elim finals before a grand final. Seems like an unnecessary delay compared to what we are about to do. Eagles in 2002-4 made 3 elim finals before making grand finals in 2005-6 because they were waiting on an easy draw. My honest opinion, they shouldnt of made finals in 2002 with those 11 wins and 11 losses but the easy draw gave them a free kick. They should of got top 4 or at worst top 6 and a home final in 2003.

Richmond made 3 elim finals in 2013-15 , missed finals in 2016 and then flag in 2017. They should of beaten Carlton in 2013 elim final and beaten North in 2015 elim final too. Our reign will be more impressive.

EFA

 

[Freomaniac]

EFA

So.... you are happy seeing the dockers mens side win a flag in 2026? I dont mind.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Im sure anything can happen.. I am gonna sound negative saying this.

Its either a curse or we are unlucky. We made prelim finals in 2006 and 2015 and lost both. next season we missed out on finals.

yeah we won a prelim in 2013...

Well, I wasn’t wrong. We didn’t stagnate…

 

[Freomaniac]

Well, I wasn’t wrong. We didn’t stagnate…

Don't get me wrong... It was a drop. But it's not a bad or horrible drop compared to going top in 2015 to 0-10 and 4-18 and 16th in 2016.

I posted this before. 10 wins, 13 losses and 14th wasn't the worst thing in the world....

Again... Carlton got 5th, Freo got 14th.

It was a 3 and a half win gap between 5th and 14th.

We lost narrowly in home games vs North, tigers, Brisbane and port. Win all 4 we actually get 14 wins and 9 losses.

That's 5th and a home final.

I won't be surprised if we bolt up the ladder and win a final next season

 

[DQ 4EVER]

With the trade period done and dusted it's time to reflect on where the list sits, what we were seeking to achieve and how close we are to the ever elusive maiden premiership.

I am pleased Fremantle's hierarchy identified the need to bolster the inside mid brigade, Brodie was a pleasant surprise in 2022 and will continue to build in 2023. What became more and more glaring as the year rolled on was our over reliance on Mundy to win inside ball and drive field position. Acquiring JOM will alleviate the burden on Serong/Brodie and allow Fyfe the flexibility to roll forward. With Raz and Johnson still needing a few pre-seasons to be AFL ready, when it counts, this was a pleasing acquisition.

The greatest upside of this trade is we no longer need to run Andy Brayshaw from the centre square. He just isn't capable of being a force in there and held us back, on occassion, in the two finals this year. He is much better suited as an outside runner and will be an upgrade on Acres on the wing. This is Andy's best position and will allow him to blow up his opponent, hold his width and deliver the ball inside 50.

Jackson, will improve our dynamicism from the centre-square, he is capable of roving his own tap and pushing through traffic. Too often we exited laterally, slowly and allowed opposition defenses to roll with our ball movement. Hopefully Jaeger can burst from stoppage as well. The removal of Brayshaw from the starting CB team will show up the more JOM/FYFE, Serong, Brodie with Jackson and Darcy find their groove. Corbett might be a nice guy, but he's largely irrelevant and cover - whole lot of meh on his acquisition, hopefully he proves me wrong, though, I am never wrong.

One of the unfortunate realities of a high attrition rate is the requirement to re-train running patterns, stoppage set ups and internal chemistry. We have shipped out/retired 4 genuine starters, 2 consistent rotational players, and will now inject a two starters.

Amiss is the key to our progression, he along with the emergence of another key forward (my great hope for Jackson) will decide if we mount the summit, but it will not be in 23.

The type of synergy that is necessary intra team is not concocted over-night, one may pre-season will not be enough. This group will need to gel and bond, on field and off.

For me, whilst we may have lost our leading goal-kicker campaigner lord, a top 10 B&F player, an AA calibre winger and fuzzy haired swing man, I've never been more bullish on the state of our list, whilst cautiously aware that synergy takes time to create.

We are almost there.

wow!
didn't pick it at the time, but what a prescient post.
i hope Freo employ you.

 

[King Huskii]

wow!
didn't pick it at the time, but what a prescient post.
i hope Freo employ you.

He is always right

 

[Freomaniac]

He is always right

really? Ask the poster when fremantle mens side finally gets the flag. what year?

 

[s_wd6]

Don't get me wrong... It was a drop. But it's not a bad or horrible drop compared to going top in 2015 to 0-10 and 4-18 and 16th in 2016.

I posted this before. 10 wins, 13 losses and 14th wasn't the worst thing in the world....

Again... Carlton got 5th, Freo got 14th.

It was a 3 and a half win gap between 5th and 14th.

We lost narrowly in home games vs North, tigers, Brisbane and port. Win all 4 we actually get 14 wins and 9 losses.

That's 5th and a home final.

I won't be surprised if we bolt up the ladder and win a final next season

That's a big difference to last year. We did not lose close games last year. Seemed to finish of games strongly. The Port game I'd put as 50/50 but those other three would would have 100% won those last year. Wonder how much of it has to do with lost leaderhsip and maturity.

 

[Madas]

With the trade period done and dusted it's time to reflect on where the list sits, what we were seeking to achieve and how close we are to the ever elusive maiden premiership.

I am pleased Fremantle's hierarchy identified the need to bolster the inside mid brigade, Brodie was a pleasant surprise in 2022 and will continue to build in 2023. What became more and more glaring as the year rolled on was our over reliance on Mundy to win inside ball and drive field position. Acquiring JOM will alleviate the burden on Serong/Brodie and allow Fyfe the flexibility to roll forward. With Raz and Johnson still needing a few pre-seasons to be AFL ready, when it counts, this was a pleasing acquisition.

The greatest upside of this trade is we no longer need to run Andy Brayshaw from the centre square. He just isn't capable of being a force in there and held us back, on occassion, in the two finals this year. He is much better suited as an outside runner and will be an upgrade on Acres on the wing. This is Andy's best position and will allow him to blow up his opponent, hold his width and deliver the ball inside 50.

Jackson, will improve our dynamicism from the centre-square, he is capable of roving his own tap and pushing through traffic. Too often we exited laterally, slowly and allowed opposition defenses to roll with our ball movement. Hopefully Jaeger can burst from stoppage as well. The removal of Brayshaw from the starting CB team will show up the more JOM/FYFE, Serong, Brodie with Jackson and Darcy find their groove. Corbett might be a nice guy, but he's largely irrelevant and cover - whole lot of meh on his acquisition, hopefully he proves me wrong, though, I am never wrong.

One of the unfortunate realities of a high attrition rate is the requirement to re-train running patterns, stoppage set ups and internal chemistry. We have shipped out/retired 4 genuine starters, 2 consistent rotational players, and will now inject a two starters.

Amiss is the key to our progression, he along with the emergence of another key forward (my great hope for Jackson) will decide if we mount the summit, but it will not be in 23.

The type of synergy that is necessary intra team is not concocted over-night, one may pre-season will not be enough. This group will need to gel and bond, on field and off.

For me, whilst we may have lost our leading goal-kicker campaigner lord, a top 10 B&F player, an AA calibre winger and fuzzy haired swing man, I've never been more bullish on the state of our list, whilst cautiously aware that synergy takes time to create.

We are almost there.

really? Ask the poster when fremantle mens side finally gets the flag. what year?

Yeh go on FDH16
Call it !

 

[Freomaniac]

That's a big difference to last year. We did not lose close games last year. Seemed to finish of games strongly. The Port game I'd put as 50/50 but those other three would would have 100% won those last year. Wonder how much of it has to do with lost leaderhsip and maturity.

I can only think of one game the dockers lost narrowly in 2022. Round 2 vs the saints at home.

Come to think of it... that was a blessing in Disguise as we got the kick up the bum we needed. We won the next 6 after that round 2 loss. We then had a solid run of form after the bye.

For some reason, the round 2 loss to North didnt trigger a 6 game winning streak and a strong 2nd half afer the bye.

 

[s_wd6]

I can only think of one game the dockers lost narrowly in 2022. Round 2 vs the saints at home.

Come to think of it... that was a blessing in Disguise as we got the kick up the bum we needed. We won the next 6 after that round 2 loss. We then had a solid run of form after the bye.

For some reason, the round 2 loss to North didnt trigger a 6 game winning streak and a strong 2nd half afer the bye.

Even that game didn’t feel like a close game to me bc saints dominated everywhere but couldn’t kick straight iirc.