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Well even for the true believers I don't think anyone saw that performance coming from Freo yesterday myself included though I did change my tip an hour before the game started. That bumped me up to 5 winners lol. I'm sure I'm not alone in a horror weekend for tipsters.

The standout performer has to be Cam McCarthy. It's been a long time coming. That is the Cam McCarthy Fremantle recruited, not the one we've seen the last couple of seasons. I hardly recognized his face, it's been a big transformation in the off-season for him. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out if he can maintain that sort of form when Hogan comes in.

Will opportunities dry up? In a way McCarthy, Taberner and Hogan are similar in that they like to come up the ground to take marks and work back. I think they can be a nightmare for opposing teams if they work together and not get in each other's way. Then where does that leave Brendon Cox? It's an unusual conundrum Fremantle will find themselves in.

The back line was outstanding and is going to be a strength of ours and I perhaps see Cox spending some time through there if and when injuries occur. Fyfe, Mundy, Hill and Walters led the way in the midfield. Hopefully those 4 stay fit through 2019.

Really good win by Freo v a highly rated top 8 contender.The 6-6-6 rule change means Ross has to change his gameplan.And Freo look really dangerous when they hit the scoreboard. The previous gameplan killed the players.

Don't know about highly rated opponent GTR but you can't do much more than smash your opponent. There was a ruthlessness to yesterdays thrashing that I haven't seen for a long time from Fremantle, even in those years around our GF appearance. I think the recent controversies might have actually galvanized the group. I guess for the new players at the club the honeymoon period is over now, got their first goal, everyone gets around them. Now the real work starts.

You're right too about the new rule changes. Cam McCarthy seems to like it and I think players like Mundy, Walters and the Hill bros will thrive on it. Hopefully Stephen Hill will be back out there before too long.

DD wrote: Don't know about highly rated opponent GTR but you can't do much more than smash your opponent. There was a ruthlessness to yesterdays thrashing that I haven't seen for a long time from Fremantle, even in those years around our GF appearance. I think the recent controversies might have actually galvanized the group. I guess for the new players at the club the honeymoon period is over now, got their first goal, everyone gets around them. Now the real work starts.

All the Vic tipsters had North in the top 8.
Anchorman will be over the moon happy.

gtrxuone wrote:

DD wrote: Don't know about highly rated opponent GTR but you can't do much more than smash your opponent. There was a ruthlessness to yesterdays thrashing that I haven't seen for a long time from Fremantle, even in those years around our GF appearance. I think the recent controversies might have actually galvanized the group. I guess for the new players at the club the honeymoon period is over now, got their first goal, everyone gets around them. Now the real work starts.

All the Vic tipsters had North in the top 8.

You said it, I was going to say maybe in the eyes of Victorians in my previous post.

North looked very ordinary yesterday, I didnt see the whole game but from what I saw on TV they seemed to lack system and their skills were poor. I don't think the Dockers should get carried away. If they can beat Gold Coast and St Kilda over the next 2 weeks this would certainly prime them up for the Derby and GWS in Sydney. These will be two games to test how much they have improved. One thing I noticed that the presence of Rory Lobb in the forward line made them far more dangerous and freed up McCarthy to do what he did.

Media are saying Hogan wants to play this week against GC. I'm not sure that's in the best interests of team standards if Jessie just thinks he can waltz straight back in. I think it should be the leadership groups call. Medical first, then leadership group, if that's tick, tick then it's up to Ross.

If rumours are true about Hogan's lifestyle (nothing to do with anxiety) then he is clearly not meeting team standards. He perhaps needs a bit of tough love to win back the respect of his team mates.

Yep a fine way to start the season, that has kept the normal detractors at bay. Many of them will be giving their molars a good, solid grinding over that Fremantle win but rest assured it won't take much of a stumble to get them back in front of the keyboard indulging in their favourite pastime.

The following haven't been cited this week so far. Unholytugboat, Before the Bounce. Funny that.

DD wrote: The following haven't been cited this week so far. Unholytugboat, Before the Bounce. Funny that.

Come on, fairs fair here. Fremantle did something reasonably well so you won't be hearing from them just yet, rest assured whenever a slip up (on field, off field or on a banana skin) occurs, they'll return to the fore with their quick wit intact.