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Preview St Kilda Saints vs. Fremantle Dockers, Round 1 2023
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King Huskii
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Full strength!
Quazar
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I really hope that happens. Would be sweet poetic justice for all those that bagged him out critcising his leadership, calling him weak, difficult etc - calling him narcissistic & always posters that you barely see do anything else on the site/Freo forum - certainly not offering positive insight, thoughts, analysis or opinions, if they even dare have any.
Let it be so, I will enjoy that just as much as any victory. Would make it all the more sweeter
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Completely. Injury. Free.
There’s literally no easy win away from home this season imo.
Fremantle Dockers face forward line selection squeeze despite in 2023 despite below average attack last season
Freo ranked just 12th in the AFL for scoring last season but boast multiple options in attack heading into 2023, writes MARK DUFFIELD.
Mark DuffieldFollow
@MarkDuffield1
3 min read
March 7, 2023 - 6:50PM
Fremantle might not quite have an embarrassment of riches in attack, but they do have an enviable number of options.
The Dockers ranked 12th in scoring in 2022 – their leading goalkicker, Rory Lobb, booted just 36 goals and he has since left the club – while their defence was ranked second.
And yet Fremantle’s biggest selection headache for round one will likely centre on who to squeeze into, and out of, their forward line. So much so that they may opt to give veteran forward Michael Walters more time to round out a preparation interrupted by an Achilles tendon injury rather than playing him against the Saints.
Walters is one of four players likely in Fremantle’s best 22 who didn’t play in the last pre-season hit out against Port Adelaide. Three of the four – Walters, Michael Frederick and ruckman forward Luke Jackson – will be expected to spend at least some time in attack.
Walters is eyeing a round one return to the Fremantle line-up. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images
Walters is considered a special player at Fremantle. He is an All-Australian and a success story, turning his career around after not meeting club standards early. He is the second highest goalkicker in club history with 315, second only to Matthew Pavlich. Only Pavlich (36 goals) has kicked more goals in finals than Walters (25).
Walters looked in danger of dropping out of Fremantle’s best 22 at the halfway point of the 2022 season with just 10 goals in his first 11 matches. But he rattled home with 15 goals in his last eight games, which included a prominent role in the Dockers come from behind elimination final win against the Western Bulldogs when he kicked three.
But the selection squeeze is on.
The attack against Port functioned quite well without the absentees, generating 27 scores for 13.14 (92) and a 31 point win.
Fremantle got the better of Port Adelaide in their interclub hitout. Picture: James Worsfold/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
It has left the Dockers with what football manager Peter Bell concedes is a selection headache ahead of the Saints game, but the sort of headache selectors and coaches are glad to have.
“We are expecting they all should be available. Luke Jackson definitely will. He had the concussion after the game against Adelaide,” Bell said on SEN.
“Michael Frederick (quad) we are very confident will be available and Michael Walters as well. It will just be a matter of what sort of volume we have got into Sonny (Walters) particularly and what is the best course to set him up for a long season.
“That’s the sort of decision that high performance and coaching will make. He has still got a few boxes to tick before we get to that decision but you would think he would need to either get some really strong training into him or some match simulation as well. We will make those decisions when Michael is ready to go.”
Small forwards aren’t the only ones facing pressure.
Nathan Fyfe kicked three goals against Port and Josh Treacy, Sam Sturt, Sam Switkowski and Matt Taberner booted two. Lachie Schultz and Bailey Banfield went goalless but both took shots on goal, in Schultz’s case he kicked 0.4.
Frederick, who hasn’t played for several weeks with a quad strain, was the club’s third highest scorer last year with 28 goals and the Dockers love his speed in attack.
Asked what he thought the structure would look like, Bell acknowledged the selection log jam.
“It is a really tough one. It is going to take up a lot of match committee discussion,” he said. “Fyfey gives us really good flexibility. He is a threat in the air obviously but he is also a threat on the ground. He is not just a tall.
“All of those players have had good pre-seasons and you can throw in Jye Amiss as well who we have high hopes for and Bailey Banfield can play tall if we want him to. There will be some pretty difficult match committee discussions. We don’t really know right now.”
Amiss, 19, kicked four goals in three games last year as a high end draft pick with obvious potential. But at this stage he is behind Treacy in the race to be the third tall in attack.
Amiss is looking to continue the form he finished 2022 with into the new season. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Taberner is injury prone but in recent seasons has been very good when fit. And if they feel they don’t need to rush Walters, it might be because Sam Sturt has had his best pre-season and has figured out his role involves applying great pressure to opponents when the Dockers don’t have the ball.
Bell said it was tempting to put the lightning quick Frederick on a wing in the spot the departed Blake Acres played so well last year but Frederick’s speed and endurance – the attributes that would make him valuable on a wing, also make him a very dangerous forward.
“He gives the opposition a lot to think about,” Bell said. “He is just mastering that role as a half forward. The same attributes that potentially make Michael a good wingman, we really value in his half forward role. I think Fremantle fans will see him potentially do a bit of both this year.
“The players are aware they have got to be in good form when their opportunity comes.”
Snuffaluphagus
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Rewatching the Port game like a crack addicit and it's going to be ****ing tough whoever misses out from that forwardline out of probably Sturt, Banfield and Treacy.
I'll be content as long as the club finds a way to get at least one of Sturt and Treacy into the team, even though I'd like both
- Sturt was even better than I thought where his pressure was fantastic and set up shots on goal in the first half being clean and smart
- Treacy looks a presence and his disposal is an underrated weapon
- Banfield actually played pretty well as well but cant do thing the other two can do when on.
I'll be content as long as the club finds a way to get at least one of Sturt and Treacy into the team, even though I'd like both
freo84
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Sturt played a great game. Deserves a crack at the big time.
Snuffaluphagus
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Problem for him is that so do about 3 others. I can see him being the sub tbh
Taylor
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- #111
My team..
FB: Ryan, Pearce, Walker
HB: Young, Cox, Clark
C: Aish, Brodie, Henry
HF: Frederick, Fyfe, Switkowski
FF: Treacy, Taberner, Jackson
R: Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw
I: O'Meara, Schultz, Chapman, Sturt (O'Driscoll)
I've taken the assumption that when the choice is between the young player, the highly talented player or the older player/stalwart the match committee has sided with the future.
I feel like Treacy might get left out on the assumption that Jackson will run the second ruck role and realistically, Fyfe wasn't putting on the chase pressure like Sturt was and Schultz would.
FB: Ryan, Pearce, Walker
HB: Young, Cox, Clark
C: Aish, Brodie, Henry
HF: Frederick, Fyfe, Switkowski
FF: Treacy, Taberner, Jackson
R: Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw
I: O'Meara, Schultz, Chapman, Sturt (O'Driscoll)
I've taken the assumption that when the choice is between the young player, the highly talented player or the older player/stalwart the match committee has sided with the future.
I feel like Treacy might get left out on the assumption that Jackson will run the second ruck role and realistically, Fyfe wasn't putting on the chase pressure like Sturt was and Schultz would.
Taylor
Community Leader
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- #113
That's a good point, but the data tells me Banfield will get a game on the basis of him spending almost the entire preseason match on the field. Having a player like that on the ground, an extra one, will make our higher rotation impact players better - read: Brodie and O'Meara.
I preferred Sturt over Banfield.
Good team, however various senior coaching members ( and players) have straight out said Hughes is on fire or playing. So picking a team without him is your team for sure but won’t be the team.
Taylor
Community Leader
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- #115
I agree, but there's James Aish signed for three years last season in the spot for Ethan Hughes who goes and plays at half back.
I'm worried that we won't pick Schultz, Sturt and Treacy with any regularity which will mean all three will be somewhere else next season.
Purple Jesus
not jess
Schultz is one of the first picked every week.
Taylor
Community Leader
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- #118
Do you pick him ahead of leadership group member Switkowski? Or Frederick? Both offering far more speed and equal pressure?
Especially with Taberner, Fyfe, Jackson and potentially Treacy forward - do we need the burst speed of Frederick and Switta more than the grunt and workrate of Schultz?
They’re not dropping Schultz. They’ll drop Tabs before dropping him. His spot is at no risk at all.
King Huskii
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He's easily best 22
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I get what you're angling at, but Schultz was still our 2nd best goalscorer behind Lobby Knobby. I feel like every year he's improved and added something important since J-Lo arrived....and every year he's described as grunt/workhorse/blue collar etc which I don't think is entirely fair.
He's actually pretty skilful and does some unique things....he was responsible for a tap to Mundy in the Melbourne at the MCG Round 11 game that was a beautiful bit of improvisation - jumped up and flicked it to Mundy who was bustling through the wing. 2nd only to the Freddy bit of magic that came later. He might not be "flair personified", but he's a very important player that I think is still seriously underrated. If he's fit, he plays. I cannot see a case otherwise, unless he loses form - which anyone can
He keeps it. My b22 involves one of tabs/treacy missing out.
Taylor
Community Leader
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- #124
Taberner, Fyfe, Jackson, Schutlz, Frederick, Switkowski, Treacy, Walters, Sturt, Banfield
If we are leaving out three of that group I agree it probably won't be Schultz, but Treacy and Sturt not being in the side because Walters and Banfield are ahead of them will mean we lose both players for next season.
Fyfe playing as the medium tall is great for the team, but makes it very hard to fit other players in the forward line. Treacy is bigger, provides more pressure but will be picked behind Fyfe. Sturt is faster and provides more pressure but will be picked behind Fyfe.
Both could argue that if Fyfe was a midfielder this season that they would have his spot in the forward line.
... but then we are talking about Will Brodie not getting a game in the middle.
If we are leaving out three of that group I agree it probably won't be Schultz, but Treacy and Sturt not being in the side because Walters and Banfield are ahead of them will mean we lose both players for next season.
Fyfe playing as the medium tall is great for the team, but makes it very hard to fit other players in the forward line. Treacy is bigger, provides more pressure but will be picked behind Fyfe. Sturt is faster and provides more pressure but will be picked behind Fyfe.
Both could argue that if Fyfe was a midfielder this season that they would have his spot in the forward line.
... but then we are talking about Will Brodie not getting a game in the middle.
Taylor
Community Leader
- Moderator
- #125
I think you're on the money, I'm curious which of the two you would pick.
The optimist in me wants Treacy to play, look like Tom Hawkins and Taberner has to earn his spot but the realist in me says Tabs is the better player and best tall forward we have - so he is tattooed onto the team sheet.
