Autopsy Fremantle 62, Geelong 73

[mattis117]

62 points on a fine day will not win you many games. We were back to our indecisive worst for one of our biggest games of the season.

That indecisiveness was a symptom of other things. We fielded the worst forward line we have all season. Early in the game we tried to go fast - what happened? Voss dropped every single ball kicked to him, Freddie dropped and fumbled the ball, Taberner was a traffic cone. How can the defense be confident to move the ball fast when the forward line is non-competitive? It takes two to tango, the defense can't just make magic happen.

We had two primary problems, everything else was secondary. Problem 1 was our usual strength became a weakness, ruck craft. Jackson has faded from playing too much ruck this year and just cannot reproduce what he was earlier in the season. Problem 2 was WAFL grade key forwards that cannot take contested marks and do not pressure.

I think the criticism of our defense couldn't be more inaccurate - they actually held up reasonably well given all other circumstances. We only conceded 73 points, if we score what we have been scoring lately we win that easily. Our defensive line clearly was not the problem. Ryan and Clark and Co racked up huge numbers because they had no faith in the personnel ahead of them. We were absolutely smashed in the air, the worst I have seen us this season. Earlier this year we had games where we dominated the aerial contests and when you do that you win games easily. I can't even remember a single contested mark that we took down the line.

In general, so much moping going on that is focusing on what could have been instead of what actually happened. Be honest with yourselves. If you said to an opposition coach, take any three players out of Freo's team to give you the best chance of beating them, who would they choose? Pretty confident that they would choose Darcy, Pearce, and Treacy, with only Serong being a smokey with that question.

We're literally missing our three most important players and people are wondering why we've reverted to playing like shit. Like cmon, 1+1=2, it isn't that hard.

 

[Freomaniac]

Hasn’t been awful either apart from that one dogs game, and the last quarter vs Essendon. Sydney were flying, had no injuries, and we were playing Davies and Draper when we beat them. Don’t undersell that win.

Every other game we’ve lost we’ve been in it against in form teams. Geelong and Hawks are flying atm and we were within two goals of both with Darcy and Pearce out.

Again, that’s what makes everything so much worse. We’re not playing awful we’re not in a massive form slump, we just struggle to finish games while missing key players and it’ll cost us a spot in the 8.

I don't think this side is a terrible side. It reminds me of our 2004-5 side. Good but frustrating and inconsistent and unlucky

 

[WhoneedsMcLeod]

Just watched the replay after being at the ground on Saturday.
We were very close to winning this. We are not far off it.
Your bottom six is likely more important than your first six.

That is where we fell down. We have all known for a long time that Banfield is no good. We need to quit him. We also had Tabs out there and he had two or three fall into his arms and then slip out . Young Vossy has the spirit, but needs to hold two of maybe four he dropped. A couple very simple.

Amiss need to HTF up, get more physical, have a presence.

We need a class small forward, no pressure at ground level.

People have bagged Cox, Ryan and Walker, I thought they were great. The last goal where Walkers handball spilled free, have a look af how many Cats players were swarming. There was nothing he could do. Are situations like this where Fyfie (went ok) and Omeara leave us exposed with lack of legs?

Young and Serong are phenominal

We need to get the big soft teddy bear Darcy fit and hard and on the park, or quit him. This play two, miss two is bullshit.

 

[WhoneedsMcLeod]

I don't think this side is a terrible side. It reminds me of our 2004-5 side. Good but frustrating and inconsistent and unlucky

Absolutely support your no chop out marks down the line to relieve pressure comment. Spot on.

 

[Freomaniac]

Players to move off the list at years end
Tabs (why the hell is he still on the list?)
Voss
Fyfe
Walters
O'Meara
Banfield (Was at the ground yesterday and he is hopeless, beaten one on one every time when kicked down the line and we needed a chop out)
Aish

Not overly keen on buying in hugely expensive imports. Bolton has two flags, is the drive and hunger still there?

We need a strong defender, big midfielder with some quality and a classy small forard. Anyone who can take an overhead mark.

Hawthorns rebuild should have Freo management very embarrased.

Tabs is out of contract. End of the road for him sadly. I enjoyed his games from 2016-2022.

Voss needs to be kept.

Fyfe and Walters are contracted until 2025. They will be still on our list in 2025.

O Meara in 2025 will be in his 3rd season of a 4 year deal.

Banfield wont get cut, He is one of Longmuirs favourites.

Aish wont get cut. He is a solid player.


Shai Bolton would help our forward line. But will cost way too much.

I dont think Hawthorns Rebuild should have put freo management very embarrassed. Freos rebuild isnt perfect. Yes It was flawed but unlucky in some areas. Guys like Hogan, McCarthy, Kersten, Crowden, Giro, Duman etc didnt work out.

 

[Freomaniac]

Just watched the replay after being at the ground on Saturday.
We were very close to winning this. We are not far off it.
Your bottom six is likely more important than your first six.

That is where we fell down. We have all known for a long time that Banfield is no good. We need to quit him. We also had Tabs out there and he had two or three fall into his arms and then slip out . Young Vossy has the spirit, but needs to hold two of maybe four he dropped. A couple very simple.

Amiss need to HTF up, get more physical, have a presence.

We need a class small forward, no pressure at ground level.

People have bagged Cox, Ryan and Walker, I thought they were great. The last goal where Walkers handball spilled free, have a look af how many Cats players were swarming. There was nothing he could do. Are situations like this where Fyfie (went ok) and Omeara leave us exposed with lack of legs?

Young and Serong are phenominal

We need to get the big soft teddy bear Darcy fit and hard and on the park, or quit him. This play two, miss two is bullshit.

I agree with this.

Our 2012-15 finals side under Ross Lyon was very limited. But Ross Lyon got the most out of the best 22, especially the worst 6 in our best 22. Ross Lyon found a way to win games even if 5 or 6 blokes in that best 22 was average.

I look at our current squad. A good coach would be versatile and rotate that squad.

 

[Grape Bear]

I’ve been so switched off since this game ended, as I feel that it’s such a sad way to end a year that’s been so full of promise. Injuries at the wrong time to our most important players (Pearce, Treacy, then Darcy) has cooked us. Our relatively good injury list has acted as a double edged sword in that we never got to expose our back up players and harden them up in case they need a call up. It takes time and a good run to adapt to the speed in the seniors.

But.

What has happened to Jackson? Earlier in the season, he was adequate cover in the ruck when Darcy was out, but his consistently has just dropped off considerably. I also hope he works on his marking for next year, his hands are so hard and his timing just seems to be off. Should work with Treacy. Voss needs the same lesson plus goal kicking lessons.

Tabs. Enough said. Appreciate his service and what he’s done with his career from the rookie list… but it’s time.

Are we tiring? Most of our boys are younger, and I wonder whether this is the source of most of our woes these last few weeks. Even if we fell in finals, I don’t think we’ll fire a shot.