Review Freo holds on against the Swans

[oldgoat]

I think we have just seen the grand final preview.
Freo meet Sydney in the GF and won’t it be colourful ? No clash strips there.

Yeah...I have seen this in the tea leaves (AFL predictor) many times!

 

[Purple Suit]

Yes agreed. He did show some learnings during the game. There was a defensive mark he went instead of a spoil. Soon after on the wing he stood his ground backing back into the pack and punched the ball away.

His kick to Jordan Clark was too high and there will be vision replayed for him to learn from regarding defensive positioning. He will take a lot from his experience and put in practice down at Peel.

Cox warmed into his game and whilst I missed some of the early part of the Peel game where he was reportedly shabby he showed a fair bit in the last quarter. If his body pulls up and has hit all his objectives in terms of distance covered etc. then I’d expect him to replace Davies.

If not ready and I know this won’t be popular but Ethan Hughes played very well yesterday.

Hughes is a great WAFL player but the speed of AFL (both decision making & execution) with ball in hand is what he struggles with. I don't think he's getting any quicker either unlike Banners who has improved in that space this year.

 

[wakojako]

I reckon the player who seems to have flown under the radar but had a massive impact is Switta. His effort is uncoachable, his closing speed creates so much pressure on the opposition that he creates opportunities for turnovers. Maybe not immediately, but his pressure makes the opposition disposal sloppy, meaning the receiver is then under pressure, his disposal is pressured and a turnover comes. We don't have anyone else on the list really like him. He's really important to us.

Playing Sturt and Young in the forwardline has taken the leash off Switta and the results are epic. Because we have some big boys in the midfield he also can play a less bruising role which I have noticed can be quite taxing on his small frame. The midfield mix and forward mix is almost perfect right now which allows our players to excel in their positions. The only downside is that I noticed our forward defensive pressure was lacking at times yesterday because Switta wasn't there.

 

[oldgoat]

He took time to adjust to the reaction time required. Played from behind but was caught at times 4-5 steps behind. Difficult to spoil McLean but he was out marked by Hayward and others. Didn’t provide much assistance as third man up. He will learn from this though.

He has been blooded against the best team in the comp.
He is playing because of what he can do and has been doing at WAFL .
He needs to adjust which he is doing very well.
He is remarkable!

 

[oldgoat]

.......
Fyfe was massive in that last quarter. Just a big body who fired out some ridiculously quick handballs and took a couple of strong marks. So good. The last few years it's looked like he's never coming back so to see him out there contributing and not being completely crippled has been a joy. I don't think the most optimistic of us would've thought he'd have played every game so far.

Walyalup. Moorditj.

That's me FUS
I so wanted Fyfe to make a dignified exit, after being one of the greatest players of our game,.
I feared him being forced out in an ugly way.
His current form and contribution to the team are enhancing his historic acheivements.
I never thought he could do that.
I am in awe.
Yokai!

 

[StingBitten]

I reckon the player who seems to have flown under the radar but had a massive impact is Switta. His effort is uncoachable, his closing speed creates so much pressure on the opposition that he creates opportunities for turnovers. Maybe not immediately, but his pressure makes the opposition disposal sloppy, meaning the receiver is then under pressure, his disposal is pressured and a turnover comes. We don't have anyone else on the list really like him. He's really important to us.

Seems to do his best work for us at half-forward, is it Sturt's inclusion that has enabled that?

 

[FreoGirl]

Playing Sturt and Young in the forwardline has taken the leash off Switta and the results are epic. Because we have some big boys in the midfield he also can play a less bruising role which I have noticed can be quite taxing on his small frame. The midfield mix and forward mix is almost perfect right now which allows our players to excel in their positions. The only downside is that I noticed our forward defensive pressure was lacking at times yesterday because Switta wasn't there.

Young's year has been crazy good

 

[FreoGirl]

Hughes is a great WAFL player but the speed of AFL (both decision making & execution) with ball in hand is what he struggles with. I don't think he's getting any quicker either unlike Banners who has improved in that space this year.

It's hard when you can only see Hughes by stats and not a live game to get a real feel for how fast/slow he is, but I can't see who he would replace

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

Playing Sturt and Young in the forwardline has taken the leash off Switta and the results are epic. Because we have some big boys in the midfield he also can play a less bruising role which I have noticed can be quite taxing on his small frame. The midfield mix and forward mix is almost perfect right now which allows our players to excel in their positions. The only downside is that I noticed our forward defensive pressure was lacking at times yesterday because Switta wasn't there.

Switta's has had the best month of his career in my opinion.

 

[Perfect Purple]

I think we have just seen the grand final preview.
Freo meet Sydney in the GF and won’t it be colourful ? No clash strips there.

I’m impressed with your early call Fred and agree wholeheartedly!!

 

[Gekko71]

Okay I've had a chance to watch the game now.

Meh.... It wasn't bad.

The ending felt a bit "soap opera-ish" to me.Like a Bruckheimer film it felt overly dramatic and totally unnecessary, to the point of being aggravating.

Point the blame for this squarely at the main antagonists in green. As bad guys go, they really weren't much chop. It was clear halfway through they were dragging the story's events out to engineer its eventual dramatic ending, but that only made the finale feel contrived.

Can't fault the cast though -- couple of really great cameos in there!

Wouldn't want to watch it every week, that would be annoying. Really hope the producers don't turn it into a serial, it's repeat viewing value lies in it remaining as a one-off.

Three and a half stars.



()

 

[Minz]

Walyalup moorditj. Yokayi!

Lid? What lid?

 

[King Huskii]

I am re watching the game.

Freo have elite hands. The handballs out of congestion and to break lines is close to the best in the AFL. They just need to clean up some of their kicks inside fifty

 

[Van_Dyke]

They just need to clean up some of their kicks inside fifty

Ancient Fremantle proverb

 

[Bigger]

Still looks like a partner at KPMG

“Hockey-playing accountant” written all over him.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

 

[BStaff17]

Interesting our 6 wins at the SCG have come in clumps of 2.

1995-1996
2010-2011
2023-2024

 

[james haish]

Interesting our 6 wins at the SCG have come in clumps of 2.

1995-1996
2010-2011
2023-2024

That 2010-2011 clump showed me we'd be a very good team in time.

 

[Cobbler]

I think there’s been a change in how we come out of the middle too. We use to flip the handballs around a bit. A bit sideways or backwards.

Now it seems we run 2 very distinct moves.

1) Just whoever gets it kicks it. Obvious strategy. Keep it simple.

2) We do this awesome handball back over traffic or even through it to the opposite direction we are moving. It’s bloody elite. It absolutely opens up teams as they’re all ball watching and chasing the extractor, whilst a couple of mids leak out the blind side.

Anyone noticed our clearances are so much cleaner?

I actually think the HTB change has assisted because we’re not trying to bring in the tackler anymore, which was something we 100% were instructed to do previously.

Just me or noticeable?

 

[Stinky Lomax]

 

[Minz]

Interesting our 6 wins at the SCG have come in clumps of 2.

1995-1996
2010-2011
2023-2024

Weird, I remember going to a game at the SCG in 2000 which I swear was a Dockers game and coming away happy. Don't really remember tho; it was a bus trip organised by my local footy club and we were, uh, well refreshed. Very very well refreshed. Actually, it could've been 2001... but that doesn't make sense either

 

[freo84]

Weird, I remember going to a game at the SCG in 2000 which I swear was a Dockers game and coming away happy. Don't really remember tho; it was a bus trip organised by my local footy club and we were, uh, well refreshed. Very very well refreshed. Actually, it could've been 2001... but that doesn't make sense either

Didn't the Swans play out of ANZ stadium there for a bit? I'm pretty we beat them there instead of the SCG in the noughties.

 

[mike91]

Swans board crying victim about umpires, saying we won because of them.

Make no mistake, those spoon fed privileged cola victims are every bit as bad as big vic fan bases.

 

[Purple Jesus]

We were completely cooked the last 3 minutes. Dead on their feat. Did very well, even with a dose of luck, to win that one.

Youngest team, 6 day break and 5+ hours of travel will do that.

 

[FreoGirl]

Still looks like a partner at KPMG

absolutely love this description of him . better than PWC!

 

[oldgoat]

I am re watching the game.

Freo have elite hands. The handballs out of congestion and to break lines is close to the best in the AFL. They just need to clean up some of their kicks inside fifty

Number one for clearances?
We're starting to take for granted the really, really elitely good stuff!
We've got a team that sure can football!
Sorry, thought I was on the positivity thread.
signed
Pollyanna and the Fanbois