Cousins back to Perth - Freo in the hotseat

[Memories]

End of thread. This is the only bloke making sense and he's a Weavil.

Memories, you are a hoax and quite possibly an oxygen thief.

One might say agreeing with an eagle supporter means you're one step away from becoming one. We should keep a closer eye on bigger here.

 

[Belnakor]

Making the 8 means nothing, from my point of view Ben would help you make the 8 but then he will be gone in 2yrs and where will you be then. I think you need to give young players jobs in there and let them grow and learn as opposed to continually putting in stop gaps. If you made a prelim this year it would be different.

your never that far off. Geelong case in point. Who knows what would happen if we added a champion like Cousins to the mix.

You can't sit around and go "if we think we can't win a flag at the start of the year then forget it". Football changes quickly, particuarily for a confidence team like Freo.

 

[dominguez]

Making the 8 means nothing

Hard to win a premiership if you don't make the eight. Not saying that Benny would automatically make us contenders, but you've gotta be in it to win it.

 

[dominguez]

You surprise me with this talk because generally I respect what you say.

That's a surprise.





I'm not drooling at the prospect of getting Cousins like others seem to be and I won't be disappointed if we don't draft him because I can't see it happening, but it will make 2009 really interesting if we pick him up.

Best case scenario if drafted by Fremantle is that he plays really good footy for us for a year or two. Worst case scenario is he does a hammy or relapses and we cut him loose and go back to bagging him for being a west coast tosser. Looks win/win really.

Cousins is 30, has serious hamstring/back prolems and has been out of the game for over a year because he is so unprofessional he couldn't hack his drugs.

I love that. One of your problems with him seems to be that he couldn't hack his drugs, I doubt that tolerence to narcotics is high on the priorities of recruiters!!!

Heath black is younger, has less issues and - realistically - as much to offer.
Yopu wouldn't be in a rush to sign him up.

Cousins is dead. As a footballer he is dead.

Blacky was never in Cousins league though.

What I think has hurt Cousins recently is his plans to go to Port Melbourne, Gary Ayres coming out and saying he's open to playing Cousins if his form is good on the track, then Cousins turning around and saying I won't be going to Port Melbourne. He's had the best part of a year to plan his comeback but it looks like he doesn't know if he's Arthur or Martha which is really unprofessional.

Sure he's a w***er, but 2009 certainly won't be boring if we pick him up!

 

[TOA.]

your never that far off. Geelong case in point. Who knows what would happen if we added a champion like Cousins to the mix.

You can't sit around and go "if we think we can't win a flag at the start of the year then forget it". Football changes quickly, particuarily for a confidence team like Freo.

Funny you mention the Cats because they along with the Hawks are the reason why you wont win a premiership in the next 2yrs. They are a class above anything else on offer.

And before someone brings it up, I know you came within a kick of beating them but they were out of form at the time, couldnt play any worse and they still beat you at Subi after being 6 goals behind.

Next year Freo could push to make the 8, Ben might help you fall over the line but he wont make that much of a difference. Alot of people have been going on about our side being exposed because of our loss of star players well the same thing will apply to Ben. He had many star midfielders around him at WC and to ask him to enter a side like Freo, cop the #1 tag and run the midfield at the age of 30 having not played for over a year, let alone considering the fact he has dodgy hamstrings is a massive ask and not worthwhile for either party IMO.

 

[Memories]

Next year Freo could push to make the 8, Ben might help you fall over the line but he wont make that much of a difference. Alot of people have been going on about our side being exposed because of our loss of star players well the same thing will apply to Ben. He had many star midfielders around him at WC and to ask him to enter a side like Freo, cop the #1 tag and run the midfield at the age of 30 having not played for over a year, let alone considering the fact he has dodgy hamstrings is a massive ask and not worthwhile for either party IMO.

You don't know much about Freo at all in my opinion. We have one of the best players, if not the best player in the league. Our top 10 players would rival the top 10 of any top 4 squad. Our only issue is depth beyond that 10, and their inability to perform reliably. This draft period will fix it somewhat. If the stragglers can get themselves up to a decent level with some soul searching combined with the draft period we will easily be a top 4 team.

To think Freo aren't a good chance to be in the GF next year is to be ignorant about where our list is at, and what this draft will bring to us.

 

[Bigger]

I love that. One of your problems with him seems to be that he couldn't hack his drugs, I doubt that tolerence to narcotics is high on the priorities of recruiters!!!

But I'd wager they'd pay attention to his startling lack of professionalism. The dude got seriously lost. So lost his career is over and only lives on as a glimmer in his greedy manager's eye and in the minds of deadset fudgepacking morons like Memories.

Blacky was never in Cousins league though.

True. But they are both broken-down blokes with undeniable problems. That one shone brighter when he was actually worth something is neither here nor there.

Sure he's a w***er, but 2009 certainly won't be boring if we pick him up!

This too is true but frankly I have had enough of the whacky way forward. Just as a novelty, let's try more routine paths to glory.

His drug problems and f*cked-up personality and obvious Weavilness aside - the guy is OLD and HIS HAMSTRINGS DON'T WORK REAL GOOD.

 

[Bigger]

To think Freo aren't a good chance to be in the GF next year is to be ignorant about where our list is at, and what this draft will bring to us.

This list has a decent spine - well, apart from FB. The rest is worthy of where we are at on the ladder right now.

You are deluding yourself if you glance at our list and reckon the top 10 are equal of the top 10 in a top 4 side.

Here's an exercise for you - get Geelong's first 22 and Freo's first 22 and then try and shoehorn as many of the latter as you can into the former.

After Pav who have you got?

I agree that we have a pretty handy spine but if you reckon Ahse and headland will just wander back in to best form and carry us to a flag, you are duller than I imagined. We are about two years away from being where we should be and THEN WE HAVE TO HOPE THE OTHER 15 CLUBS AREN'T.

 

[estibador]

I love that. One of your problems with him seems to be that he couldn't hack his drugs, I doubt that tolerence to narcotics is high on the priorities of recruiters!!!

That reminds me of one of my favourite movie quotes - in Any Given Sunday when that quarterback is hooked up to a morph drip.

"Is this even working? Jesus, tell em I'm a football player, they need to pump up the goddamn volume!"

Anyway... that's not relevant to anything. Carry on...

 

[TOA.]

You don't know much about Freo at all in my opinion. We have one of the best players, if not the best player in the league. Our top 10 players would rival the top 10 of any top 4 squad. Our only issue is depth beyond that 10, and their inability to perform reliably. This draft period will fix it somewhat. If the stragglers can get themselves up to a decent level with some soul searching combined with the draft period we will easily be a top 4 team.

To think Freo aren't a good chance to be in the GF next year is to be ignorant about where our list is at, and what this draft will bring to us.

I think you'd be surprised how much I know about Freo. I have been to nearly every Freo home game for the past 3-4yrs, I have 4 close friends who are very knowledgeable about footy and are Freo supporters and we talk about Freo the whole time.

I have been following the draft very strongly for the past 4yrs, I know what it will bring and it wont bring someone who will walk into Freo's side and make you a considerably better side. Those types are rare, Judd is the only one that jumps to me as a bloke who slotted in and had a genuine impact of games of footy from day 1.

Freo's top 10 players a solid but not special. Would love to know your top 10 players because the guys I'm thinking of are Pav, Hayden, Palmer, McPharlin, Sandi, Haze and after that I struggle to differentiate. If you think that matches up with the Hawks or Cats top 10 then you are delusional.

 

[estibador]

Everyone keeps mentioning Cousins' dodgy hamstrings but hasn't he only ever had the one hamstring tear? The one against Port in the finals last year?

The way everyone goes on about it you'd think he was Nathan Buckley.

 

[TOA.]

Hasn't Cousins only ever had the one hamstring tear? The one against Port in the finals last year?

The way everyone talks about his dodgy hamstrings you'd think he was Nathan Buckley.

Pretty sure its about 3, all inside 18months.

He tore it the week he was due to come back, the port game and another time I cant remember off the top of my year.

 

[Chops_a_must]

Everyone keeps mentioning Cousins' dodgy hamstrings but hasn't he only ever had the one hamstring tear? The one against Port in the finals last year?

The way everyone goes on about it you'd think he was Nathan Buckley.

I reckon it is largely crap.

I remember in 06 he missed 4 matches with "tight hamstrings" yet was doing full sessions at training, running and kicking perfectly at top speed.

More like a media friendly way of giving him team punishment when he played up I reckon.

 

[anti.]

I reckon it is largely crap.

I remember in 06 he missed 4 matches with "tight hamstrings" yet was doing full sessions at training, running and kicking perfectly at top speed.

More like a media friendly way of giving him team punishment when he played up I reckon.

nah, in 2006 he missed a match due to overall soreness. he'd been smashed quite a few times, mostly in the round 10 geelong game and hawthorn where franklin polaxed him. he played the next week against sydney, had little influence and limited time on ground. we rested him for 1 game then brought him back against adelaide and he had 38 touches and pretty much killed it for the rest of the year.

hope this clears up some things. he did also miss games earlier in that season after round 2 due to a hand injury.

he never had hamstring problems in 06.

 

[dominguez]

Funny you mention the Cats because they along with the Hawks are the reason why you wont win a premiership in the next 2yrs. They are a class above anything else on offer.

Clubs can fall away quickly though. Even when Voss and Lynch retired the Lions still had Lappin, Black, Power, Brown, Bradshaw, etc but have struggled since. Then even with everything going wrong last year the eagles still looked a contender going into September and most people thought you'd be in the mix this year but you have crashed like the hindenburg.

 

[poshman]

You don't know much about Freo at all in my opinion. We have one of the best players, if not the best player in the league. Our top 10 players would rival the top 10 of any top 4 squad. Our only issue is depth beyond that 10, and their inability to perform reliably. This draft period will fix it somewhat. If the stragglers can get themselves up to a decent level with some soul searching combined with the draft period we will easily be a top 4 team.

To think Freo aren't a good chance to be in the GF next year is to be ignorant about where our list is at, and what this draft will bring to us.

mate i love ou team as well, but to suggest we are a good chance to make the grand final next year is a tad optimistic..... we fall away big time after our top 6-8, the rest are inconsistent or consistently inconsistent.

 

[Memories]

I think you'd be surprised how much I know about Freo. I have been to nearly every Freo home game for the past 3-4yrs, I have 4 close friends who are very knowledgeable about footy and are Freo supporters and we talk about Freo the whole time.

Wow what a qualification, if they are as "unintelligent" as you appear to be then not sure why you are using them as qualifications

I have been following the draft very strongly for the past 4yrs, I know what it will bring and it wont bring someone who will walk into Freo's side and make you a considerably better side. Those types are rare, Judd is the only one that jumps to me as a bloke who slotted in and had a genuine impact of games of footy from day 1.

We don't need a Judd esque player, we just need a midfielder or 2 that will deliver consistently, say Rich and Cousins. Palmer esque mids are somewhat rare, but when you have a top 3 pick it's a pretty good chance you'll get one - at least in this draft. Combined with Hase and Headland coming back, our midfield looks rather strong, though Hase's best won't be until the latter part of the year.

Freo's top 10 players a solid but not special. Would love to know your top 10 players because the guys I'm thinking of are Pav, Hayden, Palmer, McPharlin, Sandi, Haze and after that I struggle to differentiate. If you think that matches up with the Hawks or Cats top 10 then you are delusional.

Geelong top 8 - Ablett, Bartel, Chapman, Ling, Ottens, Selwood, Scarlett, Milburn
Freo top 8 - Pavlich, Hayden, McPharlin, Hase, Sandilands, Palmer, Bell, Headland

Fairly equal really. The difference comes beyond those top 8 in Geelongs team, you have a lot of very good players beyond it to about #20, Freo starts struggling when you get past #12.

So if we add another 4-5 players to this "good" list, whether through off field improvements in exisitng players, drafting or trading we can have a crack at the geelongs and hawthorns most definitely. Since our top 8 besides Bell are all in their peak playing ages we won't see much drop off, and most likely will see improvement in a lot of them.

The MAJOR factor in Freo improving is all about fixing the middle, since we have quality KPPs. Geelong has no KPPs better than Pavlich and Pharlap. No team in the competition has a better RUCKMAN (irt hitouts, which is their main role) than Sandilands. Once we get the middle right with the current group of KPPs we will be set.

 

[Memories]

mate i love ou team as well, but to suggest we are a good chance to make the grand final next year is a tad optimistic..... we fall away big time after our top 6-8, the rest are inconsistent or consistently inconsistent.

I agree with the latter part of your statement. But still, if we play this off season right 3-4 players will be walking into our best 22 which will have an immediate impact. Then Headland and Hase will also be back. This is added to a team that has pushed all current top 3 teams without them. With pre season improvements in Mayne, Palmer, Ibbo, Sandi, Warnock, Hinkley, Head also very likely.

People don't understand or seem to get, that all our best players besides Bell are in their peak playing zones. That means next year there won't be a drop off, PHYSICALLY at least, in those players. With over 10 improvements to our starting 22 over this year.... to say we can't make the GF provided the DRAFT/TRADE period goes our way is ludicrous.

I'm not making the call fully yet, since it depends on this draft, I will update you all in November about our chances.

 

[The Night Shift]

================== End Thread===============================

 

[panda_power]

hey guys and girls

just wondering what other roumors are floating around, who is leaving and who could be coming to the club.... bit hard to get any info living on the east coast (Newcastle).... only thing ive heard is that there is possibility of trading aaron for a few draft picks, any truth to this or just more crap that is getting thrown up in a rugby league dominate town

cheers

 

[TOA.]

Wow what a qualification, if they are as "unintelligent" as you appear to be then not sure why you are using them as qualifications



We don't need a Judd esque player, we just need a midfielder or 2 that will deliver consistently, say Rich and Cousins. Palmer esque mids are somewhat rare, but when you have a top 3 pick it's a pretty good chance you'll get one - at least in this draft. Combined with Hase and Headland coming back, our midfield looks rather strong, though Hase's best won't be until the latter part of the year.



Geelong top 8 - Ablett, Bartel, Chapman, Ling, Ottens, Selwood, Scarlett, Milburn
Freo top 8 - Pavlich, Hayden, McPharlin, Hase, Sandilands, Palmer, Bell, Headland

Fairly equal really. The difference comes beyond those top 8 in Geelongs team, you have a lot of very good players beyond it to about #20, Freo starts struggling when you get past #12.

So if we add another 4-5 players to this "good" list, whether through off field improvements in exisitng players, drafting or trading we can have a crack at the geelongs and hawthorns most definitely. Since our top 8 besides Bell are all in their peak playing ages we won't see much drop off, and most likely will see improvement in a lot of them.

The MAJOR factor in Freo improving is all about fixing the middle, since we have quality KPPs. Geelong has no KPPs better than Pavlich and Pharlap. No team in the competition has a better RUCKMAN (irt hitouts, which is their main role) than Sandilands. Once we get the middle right with the current group of KPPs we will be set.

Ah Memories you are certainly one of a kind. I enjoy banter with you because you are just like one of my mates, I initially thought you might have been him at one stage. I have the same arguments with him. And for the record, his dad is deeply associated with Freo, he knows many players. He knows his footy and knows Freo inside out, so when I say I talk to my 'friends' rest assured they are not some mug Freo supporter.

As for calling me unintelligent, well you are welcome to your opinion but I'd like to think its not the case. I could list out academic achievements but would mean nothing on the net and I'd look like a douche.

 

[freocuz]

hey guys and girls

just wondering what other roumors are floating around, who is leaving and who could be coming to the club.... bit hard to get any info living on the east coast (Newcastle).... only thing ive heard is that there is possibility of trading aaron for a few draft picks, any truth to this or just more crap that is getting thrown up in a rugby league dominate town

cheers

I can only assume that this is a p155-take. Unless someone has picks 1, 2 & 3 to give us, or we have an Aaron on our list who doesn't spring to mind readily.

 

[Memories]

Ah Memories you are certainly one of a kind. I enjoy banter with you because you are just like one of my mates, I initially thought you might have been him at one stage. I have the same arguments with him. And for the record, his dad is deeply associated with Freo, he knows many players. He knows his footy and knows Freo inside out, so when I say I talk to my 'friends' rest assured they are not some mug Freo supporter.

If you read my posts you would know I am not an optimist, I am a realist. Some might say that's another word for pessimist but oh well. Anyhow if you followed your advice JUST FURTHER BELOW THIS TEXT, you wouldn't be saying you knew people who knew people would you? Unless you can "proof" it, don't say it?

As for calling me unintelligent, well you are welcome to your opinion but I'd like to think its not the case. I could list out academic achievements but would mean nothing on the net and I'd look like a douche.

People who are less ignorant than others in certain areas (read: educated in a discipline) certainly aren't intelligent by default. I know doctors, engineers, computer scientists who are average intelligence yet are in those industries and certainly appear to most people to be intelligent. It may fool others but it certainly does not fool me, as such acting like they mean anything shows me you have built a false sense of security. Amusing.

 

[TOA.]

I dont want to get into a personal fight, I was trying to lighten the mood if anything. We can argue all day over people I know or how smart I am, in the end it means nothing. What we do have is FREO supporters agreeing with me ahead of you which says oh so much more. Just out of interest, what makes me unintelligent in your eyes? Just provide me with some quotes of what I've said, if you could be so kind. I'm curious. You keep telling me I'm so stupid it cant be hard to find them.

 

[Memories]

I dont want to get into a personal fight, I was trying to lighten the mood if anything. We can argue all day over people I know or how smart I am, in the end it means nothing. What we do have is FREO supporters agreeing with me ahead of you which says oh so much more. Just out of interest, what makes me unintelligent in your eyes? Just provide me with some quotes of what I've said, if you could be so kind. I'm curious. You keep telling me I'm so stupid it cant be hard to find them.

Does it? You act like what most people here say actually has any substance behind it. If anything I would trust an opposing teams opinions if they were educated on Freo since a lot here are too emotional to process certain things. There are a few freo supporters here worth listening to, but again, until you know who they are it's a bit silly.