Game Day Freo vs Indigenous All-Stars - Optus Stadium Feb 15 - Live now.

[greatgatsby]

Yeah it wasn't a serious game. The crowd vibe was so chill, too. Everyone was in a good mood. It was pretty special. Almost 38,000 people. The AFL would be pretty stoked.

Exactly. You don't need to cook this, you just need to set it up. We knew our role in it.

 

[mattis117]

I did not attend the game, and am only giving my opinion of what I saw on TV.
Point one, we will never again this season play a team that runs like that.No AFL team have that capacirty.
To me Allstars had no big positional players and the game was always, for them always going to be about running and spreading.And they did it to perfection.
Point two, Yes Cox is far better than last season. Doing a big pre-season will do that.He along with Ryan are big for us.
Point three, Young is very much a vital cog in our game plan.
Point four,I believe that Draoer will be in the first team of the year.I was super impressed by him last year considering the tough gig he was given.
Point five.I think JL was prepared to just let the game run and take what ever result came our way. And I revert back to the first point about the running game.Not a team would have been able to stop that.We are well and truely on the right track.
Point 6,Ras, well where do we start. Will he, wont he. I am sitting on the fence. He has talent or potential. But need to make that potential into performance.Saw it mentioned somewhere in this post, his lack of awareness. He was certainly caught out a few times in the game.But was it that or his inability to make quick decisions?CAn we afford to play him that many gammes up front, when a quick start is a must!I just don't know. I think there are a few that have more to offer.
Point seven, A Horne- Francis would be very welcome, not just to Fremantle, but to every team in the AFL.Maybe not North though..
We maybe wont have a JHF, but I believe that Bolton will make a massive difference to the way the team play. He adds that something special at vital times of a game.

A few of my own thoughts from the game.Noddy got better as the game wore on. He was prominent early and was very involved for the majority of the game.And was one of the few that seemed to play for most of the game.
Was surprised at the ground Amiss covered early in the game. Was seen down back often. Did he start ona wing or given a free rein! For me, a disappointing game. But very seldom did he gat a chance to become involved by the cluttered forward line.
Treacy only showed out occassionally, But very early days yet.
Sturt and Simpson, when they got the ball looked good, but did not get enough to make an impact on the game.Maybe with Simpson, he needs to start in the middle, but no room for him.

Switta bewcomes a problem if he is concussed once more.His concussion history not good. Reidy, is a long way from being a back up ruck. Played against a complete novice and had no influence.
Could give a bit more, but I don't want to bore everyone.

JL quoted as saying Switta was not diagnosed with concussion.

It looked to me like he got hit in the mouth.

 

[anchor man]

JL quoted as saying Switta was not diagnosed with concussion.

It looked to me like he got hit in the mouth.

He looked hurt, and it was head knock regardless.
But I hope he is ok.

 

[chaosball32]

I definitely believe we were only giving it about 50%. The lack of intensity was obvious, the amount of times the All Stars were in about 15 metres of space with no one around them was absurd. The only time we looked like a proper football team was a 10 minute period in the 2nd quarter, during which we had a super nice handball chain from d50 that resulted in a shot on goal. Then we didn’t see anything like that for the rest of the game.

I’m sorry but I just don’t buy the vanilla gameplan excuse because that vanilla gameplan is exactly what we’ve come to know from Longmuir over the past 5 years. The slow ball movement and general low intensity especially. It hasn’t worked for 5 years and it didn’t work again last night. But it wasn’t just that, it was the poor skills also. Players were missing handballs from 5 metres away, we botched numerous inside 50’s and were missing simple set shots. Was that on purpose too? I’m now expecting to see a completely different style of footy come round 1 because anything resembling last nights performance and we won’t make finals again and JL will be looking for a new job. Losing pre-season games doesn’t matter but I didn’t see much of anything to instill me with any confidence going forward.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Having peeled through the thread, largely feeling similar to everyone here - we were very clearly meant to be the Washington Generals here and let them put on a show. The umps may as well have had striped WWE ref shirts for all they were seriously enforcing the rules.

Longmuir's post-game statements re the ball movement generally matched up to how hesitantly we shifted play when in control, the few times we attacked the corridor I thought we looked good.

• No question that Draper starts for mine - he's definitely put in the work and reads the play incredibly well. Could easily line up with Pearce/Cox/Draper and Ryan/Clark/Walker.
• O'Driscoll should be starting on the wing over O'Meara
• Raz does three or four great things, then irons it out by doing something incredibly stupid. I'm still generally happy to back him in though.
• Brodie is just not good enough for the top flight, goes completely to water at the slightest hint of pressure.
• The new forward structure will be interesting - can very much see Bolton starting deep alongside Jye to give an additional ground level outlet to Switta.

 

[anchor man]

I definitely believe we were only giving it about 50%. The lack of intensity was obvious, the amount of times the All Stars were in about 15 metres of space with no one around them was absurd. The only time we looked like a proper football team was a 10 minute period in the 2nd quarter, during which we had a super nice handball chain from d50 that resulted in a shot on goal. Then we didn’t see anything like that for the rest of the game.

I’m sorry but I just don’t buy the vanilla gameplan excuse because that vanilla gameplan is exactly what we’ve come to know from Longmuir over the past 5 years. The slow ball movement and general low intensity especially. It hasn’t worked for 5 years and it didn’t work again last night. But it wasn’t just that, it was the poor skills also. Players were missing handballs from 5 metres away, we botched numerous inside 50’s and were missing simple set shots. Was that on purpose too? I’m now expecting to see a completely different style of footy come round 1 because anything resembling last nights performance and we won’t make finals again and JL will be looking for a new job. Losing pre-season games doesn’t matter but I didn’t see much of anything to instill me with any confidence going forward.

Only giving 50%!! Then critise the way we played and attacked our game plan!!
As JL said, there was no game plan to be seen last night.He was not giving anything away to the other 17 club coaches and staff.

 

[chaosball32]

Only giving 50%!! Then critise the way we played and attacked our game plan!!
As JL said, there was no game plan to be seen last night.He was not giving anything away to the other 17 club coaches and staff.

My point is we’ve seen that “vanilla” style of footy from JL many times before, in the regular season, and that even if we gave 100% that style of football has proven ineffective time and time again.

I find it hard to believe that was all smoke and mirrors and that we are going to do a complete 180 before round 1.

 

[Raz]

as the old saying goesd. How you practice is how you perform

Bad habits are hard to break .


So whilst not givign away tactics etc is a godo idea. playing a mathc with no strategy just VANILLA sadly can bring in bad habits on match day.

I sometimes wonder if the negatives of playing pre season out weigh the postives.

With no actual preseason competetiion any more there is no REWARD for winning. so it is just a fitness thing, but not practicing the game plan during he match can cause a slow start to real season

WE will know in a months time i guess

 

[Taylor]

I noticed Treacy hit up the half back bursting forward and wondered, what the hell was that, didn't see that before.

Then didn't see it much again after Treacy was told to put it away

 

[Fyfster]

Late to this conversation, So if I repeat something sorry.
I chatted to a friend on Saturday morning who goes for a VIC based club .
He asked how I thought we would go ?
My reply was we are not supposed to win it would spoil the celebration.
Even the medal was only for the best player from the Indigenous side.
The attitude from Freo was have a hit out enjoy yourselves , but whatever you do don’t win.
Sorry we lost by as much as we did.
But the most rigged game ever played in my opinion.

 

[Footskill]

When's the next preseason game so if we lose we can snuff out any hope before the season even began

 

[daiks]

That I don't believe.
We fielded a very scant look alike team from what we will see come round one.Pearce,would habve played for the IAS.
Young injured.
Walters IAS.
Darcy,yes injured but will be back.
And I think there are several others missing.
It was an exhibition game and Fremantle treated it so.Noone was "supposed" to win.

So who were we supposed to play, there’s only so many people on the list lol. Exactly it was an exhibition game. I don’t understand your post.

 

[BREATHLESS_987]

When's the next preseason game so if we lose we can snuff out any hope before the season even began

Keep the losses coming I say - last time I remember us dominating the preseason we went on to meet a fella called Owen once the season started

 

[Dayts]

Yeah, not impressed by his aggression in a Mickey Mouse game. I wonder what the Freo players thought about his performance as a potential future teammate?

Hate playing against him, love him on your side type type I think.

Might have been different if he had taken Andy’s head off.

Flabbergasted he even attempted it

 

[Flour bag punter]

Having peeled through the thread, largely feeling similar to everyone here - we were very clearly meant to be the Washington Generals here and let them put on a show. The umps may as well have had striped WWE ref shirts for all they were seriously enforcing the rules.

Longmuir's post-game statements re the ball movement generally matched up to how hesitantly we shifted play when in control, the few times we attacked the corridor I thought we looked good.

• No question that Draper starts for mine - he's definitely put in the work and reads the play incredibly well. Could easily line up with Pearce/Cox/Draper and Ryan/Clark/Walker.
• O'Driscoll should be starting on the wing over O'Meara
• Raz does three or four great things, then irons it out by doing something incredibly stupid. I'm still generally happy to back him in though.
• Brodie is just not good enough for the top flight, goes completely to water at the slightest hint of pressure.
• The new forward structure will be interesting - can very much see Bolton starting deep alongside Jye to give an additional ground level outlet to Switta.

I thought Brodie was streets ahead of Ras. He is reliable with ball in hand and does not stand with ball in hand waiting to be tackled.
Ras may surpass Brodie given a number of AFL games to build his game . He trains at this level, should be better.

 

[Taylor]

Will Brodie was on the ground for 28%. I think he's behind in ratings

 

[ilikepotatoes]

JL quoted as saying Switta was not diagnosed with concussion.

It looked to me like he got hit in the mouth.

That's just modern AFL speak for we don't want our player to miss games because he wasn't stretchered off.

Since the mandatory rest from concussion was introduced coaches are terrified to use the word concussion in press conferences so they don't rule a player out.

 

[bushchook]

That's just modern AFL speak for we don't want our player to miss games because he wasn't stretchered off.

Since the mandatory rest from concussion was introduced coaches are terrified to use the word concussion in press conferences so they don't rule a player out.

We don't play again for a month, no need to play ducks and drakes. They just left him off as a precaution, we had 30 players anyway.

 

[DocT]

People predicted this and they were right! Have to say I reckon King and Cornes are right:

“What a waste of time”: King and Cornes call out Freo coach over “vanilla” admission

“This nonsense about opposition getting behind the goals vision – what, do you reckon you’re going to sneak up on Geelong?”

www.sen.com.au

 

[Dockeroo]

Yeah I can just see JL in the change rooms pre game to JT and Amiss
“Remember boys if you get a lot of set shots make sure to kick a few behinds”

I agree it was a curious thing to say post game by the head coach. Expect kingy and cornes and co to pick up on that one on SEN during the week.

Haha just heard King and Cornes getting stuck into JL on SEN on this exact topic.
You didn’t need to be Stevie wonder to see this one coming.

Just a needless comment by JL - even if it was true why bother telling the media? Just say nothing and keep it in house. There’s enough pressure on him without inviting more.

 

[Joao]

I hope there's a royal commission into that pre-season game. This sort of thing has to stop!

 

[waldoggy]

All I know is you don’t start a [emoji640]peat in February.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Joao]

All I know is you don’t start a [emoji640]peat in February.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Clearly, because the players are all **** and JL didn't send them out full throttle.

 

[freo1]

People predicted this and they were right! Have to say I reckon King and Cornes are right:

“What a waste of time”: King and Cornes call out Freo coach over “vanilla” admission

“This nonsense about opposition getting behind the goals vision – what, do you reckon you’re going to sneak up on Geelong?”

www.sen.com.au

I whole heartedly agree with King and Cornes here.

I really dont see why we wouldnt just play this game with the structure we want to play in round 1 - sure we could wind back intensity maybe, rotate players more, and even try blokes in different positions a tiny bit to help with Plan B's, but why are we trying to hide our style? After round 1 against Geelong everyone will see what we're doing anyway. Plus we had obvious players missing this game anyway that would make a difference when they come back.

Winning form is good form, you train how you play. Trying to hide some information from Geelong in round 1 is just silly and pointless. He made himself and the club look silly for the sake of being all secretive for our opening game.

I was disappointed we didn't go harder in this game, and more disappointed with JL's comments after.

I just don't see why he's so scared to show the comp what we're building.

This was just classic conservative JL at his best - too scared to just go for it and put all your chips in.

At the very least, if he wanted to play "vanilla", fine, but dont justify yourself and say this to the media. Just gives them fodder!

 

[Footskill]

I whole heartedly agree with King and Cornes here.

I really dont see why we wouldnt just play this game with the structure we want to play in round 1 - sure we could wind back intensity maybe, rotate players more, and even try blokes in different positions a tiny bit to help with Plan B's, but why are we trying to hide our style? After round 1 against Geelong everyone will see what we're doing anyway. Plus we had obvious players missing this game anyway that would make a difference when they come back.

Winning form is good form, you train how you play. Trying to hide some information from Geelong in round 1 is just silly and pointless. He made himself and the club look silly for the sake of being all secretive for our opening game.

I was disappointed we didn't go harder in this game, and more disappointed with JL's comments after.

I just don't see why he's so scared to show the comp what we're building.

This was just classic conservative JL at his best - too scared to just go for it and put all your chips in.

At the very least, if he wanted to play "vanilla", fine, but dont justify yourself and say this to the media. Just gives them fodder!

There's still the preseason hitout 2nd March against demons. We will unleash it then and spank them. Then everyone be talking us up for round 1