Strategy Changes Round 2 Fremantle vs. Sydney

[Vintage]

In an interesting quirk, with our three changes we have become both younger and more experienced than last weeks team.

Just looked - this team is very young and inexperienced.

10 players under 50 games - only Richmond has more with 13 (crazy!), Sydney have 5. Collingwood only had 1!

0 players over 200 games, Sydney have 4. Every other team has at least 1. And for good measure we only have 2 with over 150 games.

Bloody frustrating - this still isn’t a team that is likely to contend, feels like it’s already been forever. I really thought we were top 6 material this year but I’m not so sure now.

 

[malpaso]

Just looked - this team is very young and inexperienced.

10 players under 50 games - only Richmond has more with 13 (crazy!), Sydney have 5. Collingwood only had 1!

0 players over 200 games, Sydney have 4. Every other team has at least 1. And for good measure we only have 2 with over 150 games.

Bloody frustrating - this still isn’t a team that is likely to contend, feels like it’s already been forever. I really thought we were top 6 material this year but I’m not so sure now.

Agreed.
I look at Adelaide today and they go and get Neal-Bullen, Peatling and Cumming. Ready to go, hardened players.

We get Bolton which is great but we don't add any ready to go, hard edge to our team which IMO is a real problem on our list.

I would rather have traded Erasmus this past off-season.

 

[s_wd6]

Agreed.
I look at Adelaide today and they go and get Neal-Bullen, Peatling and Cumming. Ready to go, hardened players.

We get Bolton which is great but we don't add any ready to go, hard edge to our team which IMO is a real problem on our list.

I would rather have traded Erasmus this past off-season.

Who do you suggest just we add? It’s all well and good talking but unless you give examples of players in similar situations that we failed to poach then it’s all just talk.

We had interest in Cummings. He didn’t have interest in us. As can be said for a lot of those ready to go B grade players that teams pick up for cheap to help them improve. Unless they’re from WA they don’t even give us a second look.

 

[Hamann188]

Who do you suggest just we add? It’s all well and good talking but unless you give examples of players in similar situations that we failed to poach then it’s all just talk.

We had interest in Cummings. He didn’t have interest in us. As can be said for a lot of those ready to go B grade players that teams pick up for cheap to help them improve. Unless they’re from WA they don’t even give us a second look.

Yeah it's the eternal plight isn't. Trying to lure those guys over.

Be better of just developing our own, home-grown, solid B-grade talent from the draft.

Now if only we had 1 or 2 of those sorts of players on our list..... oh wait!

 

[wakojako]

Who do you suggest just we add? It’s all well and good talking but unless you give examples of players in similar situations that we failed to poach then it’s all just talk.

We had interest in Cummings. He didn’t have interest in us. As can be said for a lot of those ready to go B grade players that teams pick up for cheap to help them improve. Unless they’re from WA they don’t even give us a second look.

There is merrit to the 'lack of expertise argument' but I think it's a cop out. Look at the teams that sit around us on the 'average age and experience' ladder (source AFL website). Still think coaching and consequently the game plan is what is holding us back.

Hawks
Average age: 24.4 (10th oldest)
Average games: 71.7 (seventh most experienced)
Most games: Luke Breust (300)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Fremantle
Average age: 24.3 (11th oldest)
Average games: 66.4 (15th most experienced)
Most games: Nat Fyfe (240)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Port Adelaide
Average age: 24.2 (12th oldest)
Average games: 69.5 (10th most experienced)
Most games: Travis Boak (371)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Giants
Average age: 24 (13th oldest)
Average games: 67.7 (12th most experienced)
Most games: Callan Ward (315)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 24

 

[s_wd6]

There is merrit to the 'lack of expertise argument' but I think it's a cop out. Look at the teams that sit around us on the 'average age and experience' ladder (source AFL website). Still think coaching and consequently the game plan is what is holding us back.

Hawks
Average age: 24.4 (10th oldest)
Average games: 71.7 (seventh most experienced)
Most games: Luke Breust (300)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Fremantle
Average age: 24.3 (11th oldest)
Average games: 66.4 (15th most experienced)
Most games: Nat Fyfe (240)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Port Adelaide
Average age: 24.2 (12th oldest)
Average games: 69.5 (10th most experienced)
Most games: Travis Boak (371)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Giants
Average age: 24 (13th oldest)
Average games: 67.7 (12th most experienced)
Most games: Callan Ward (315)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 24

It’s all well and good to look at list profile but what matters more is the lineup going into every game. None of those other teams around us are going into games with only 2 players who have played 150+, and 10 under 50 games.

Coaching is definitely an issue but so is our lack of experienced depth. It’s why we were so much better in 2022. We were never playing games where the average experience of the list was sitting at around 75 games.

 

[Righteo]

8 defenders is excessive unless we are playing chapman as a mid.

Draper is getting exposure but the combo of Ryan, Draper, Pearce and Cox is slow as treacle. Both foot speed and ball movement.

For the sake of balance we should only be playing one of Draper/Chapman, but they're both talented youngsters so i get that it's a hard call to make. This is likely why Chapman was sub last week.

Unless we can find a way to play Chapman in the middle I would personally go with Draper.

 

[s_wd6]

For the sake of balance we should only be playing one of Draper/Chapman, but they're both talented youngsters so i get that it's a hard call to make. This is likely why Chapman was sub last week.

Unless we can find a way to play Chapman in the middle I would personally go with Draper.

There are a handful of our defenders who could/should be dropped based on form. We don’t want to offend anyone so we insist on playing them all.

Good teams don’t do that. They choose their best players and then those that miss out fight for their spot and it puts pressure on everyone to keep theirs. As long as players are still gifted games we’ll continue coasting.

 

[malpaso]

Who do you suggest just we add? It’s all well and good talking but unless you give examples of players in similar situations that we failed to poach then it’s all just talk.

We had interest in Cummings. He didn’t have interest in us. As can be said for a lot of those ready to go B grade players that teams pick up for cheap to help them improve. Unless they’re from WA they don’t even give us a second look.

It's more that I don't think we are trying to get those types of players.

 

[malpaso]

For the sake of balance we should only be playing one of Draper/Chapman, but they're both talented youngsters so i get that it's a hard call to make. This is likely why Chapman was sub last week.

Unless we can find a way to play Chapman in the middle I would personally go with Draper.

I'd actually drop Ryan to play Chapman and Draper.

 

[s_wd6]

It's more that I don't think we are trying to get those types of players.

We are trying. Just no one’s biting. Like I said we were trying to get Cumming. Richards too from Collingwood. We went after a few guys in 2023 but all went to Victorian teams.

Only way you convince these guys to move across the country is 1) offering crazy money or 2) offering opportunity where no other team would. Doesn’t mean we’re not trying.

 

[s_wd6]

I'd actually drop Ryan to play Chapman and Draper.

Agreed

 

[King Tenz]

There is merrit to the 'lack of expertise argument' but I think it's a cop out. Look at the teams that sit around us on the 'average age and experience' ladder (source AFL website). Still think coaching and consequently the game plan is what is holding us back.

Hawks
Average age: 24.4 (10th oldest)
Average games: 71.7 (seventh most experienced)
Most games: Luke Breust (300)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Fremantle
Average age: 24.3 (11th oldest)
Average games: 66.4 (15th most experienced)
Most games: Nat Fyfe (240)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Port Adelaide
Average age: 24.2 (12th oldest)
Average games: 69.5 (10th most experienced)
Most games: Travis Boak (371)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Giants
Average age: 24 (13th oldest)
Average games: 67.7 (12th most experienced)
Most games: Callan Ward (315)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 24

yeah but this is the averages of the overall list.

only thing that really matters is the average age/games of the 23 players selected each week.

 

[wakojako]

yeah but this is the averages of the overall list.

only thing that really matters is the average age/games of the 23 players selected each week.

Do you know where I can find this info?

 

[s_wd6]

Do you know where I can find this info?

Footywire team lineups (on desktop mode)

 

[s_wd6]

How are we favourites going into this

 

[ROGS]

I'd actually drop Ryan to play Chapman and Draper.

Ryan was very poor last week,appears slow and not fit

 

[Randomizor]

If Amiss has another poor game, what do we do with him?

 

[The Lobbster]

If Amiss has another poor game, what do we do with him?

Nothing until Darcy gets back. Until Darcy gets back the only tall we can bring in is Reidy.

It’s also worth noting that Amiss only touched the ball two times less than Treacy. And he didn’t give away the five frees Josh did. So it was a pretty dirty for the forwards.

Whilst Treacy was definitely better (crushed Amiss on score involvements) we’re shouldn’t be anywhere close to panicking about Amiss. Had a great first full season, an above average second and now after one bad game we’ve got a problem? Seems like a big overreaction after a loss

 

[King Huskii]

If Amiss has another poor game, what do we do with him?

Nothing

Have you seen the kicking to him last week? If you can't kick properly to the forwards how are they expected to kick goals?

 

[MadMundy]

I don't see Amiss ever getting dropped even with form by Longmuir.

 

[Vintage]

There is merrit to the 'lack of expertise argument' but I think it's a cop out. Look at the teams that sit around us on the 'average age and experience' ladder (source AFL website). Still think coaching and consequently the game plan is what is holding us back.

Hawks
Average age: 24.4 (10th oldest)
Average games: 71.7 (seventh most experienced)
Most games: Luke Breust (300)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Fremantle
Average age: 24.3 (11th oldest)
Average games: 66.4 (15th most experienced)
Most games: Nat Fyfe (240)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Port Adelaide
Average age: 24.2 (12th oldest)
Average games: 69.5 (10th most experienced)
Most games: Travis Boak (371)
Players with 100-plus games: 13
Players with less than 50 games: 22

Giants
Average age: 24 (13th oldest)
Average games: 67.7 (12th most experienced)
Most games: Callan Ward (315)
Players with 100-plus games: 12
Players with less than 50 games: 24

Whole of list stats are worthless. What matters is the team that plays each week.

 

[dominguez]

That was one game in 2025, the only game he started and he wasn’t the worst. His 3 other games he was the sub.

The only way he is going to pick up the pace of AFL is to get a block of full games. Even guns struggle sometimes first game back, just look at our whole team last week.

It depends where you're at.

The likes of Cerra and Brayshaw were picked every week because we were rebuilding. If this season goes pear shaped then by all means play Erasmus for an extended period. But a week ago most of us had high aspirations for this year so the best side should be picked each week.

You can't expect every young bloke to kick 4 goals in a quarter but what was noticeable was that when Murphy Reid was around the ball how composed he was. You can't teach that and Erasmus doesn't have it.

 

[kp junior]

Booo to you Dom, hope he proves you wrong today. 20 touches and 10 tackles


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Righteo]

For the sake of balance we should only be playing one of Draper/Chapman, but they're both talented youngsters so i get that it's a hard call to make. This is likely why Chapman was sub last week.

Unless we can find a way to play Chapman in the middle I would personally go with Draper.

Draper sub. Disappointing if not predictable. Is he just going to rotate them as sub each week until we get an injury in the backline that'll allow us to play both there?