TOPIC:

I have to say I am a wee bit under whelmed with the build up and start to the AFL season starting tomorrow night.
Maybe it is the fact that the cricket has only just finished.
But Freo look to be in good shape for the beginning of the season. Somany areputting their hands up to be part of the teamin the new season.
Our forward line will be the major concern, though I think with the likes of Fyfe Taberner ,Jackson and Darcy, all spending time up there, they will create a host of opportunities for the smaller forawrds.
I think as well that Treacy will give some grunt up forward.
I watched the Port game, he took some very strong marks.
My smokey for the year is Sam Sturt. He looked good in the two scratchies..
Looks like Son Son will be starting the season at Peel. Maybe, also O'driscoll.

 

Taberner will continue to be an injury concern Anchy as he seems to go down very easily. He reminds me a bit of Buzz Fewster who was built like Tarzan but played like Jane. I hope I'm wrong but if history is anything to go by, he'll be off the park more that he's on it.

BC, Tabs is still our number one target up forward. Surely he will have at least one season without injury, long term injury, before he gets the tap.
He is still our number one focus, but with Fyfe being down there now, will release the pressure.
We need Treat to take the big step this year. Even though only 20, he is the big hard body we need up forward. Younger ones like Erasmus Amiss and Johnson are still a bit away, but will play games this season.
 

Taberner is 30 this year. Has started to put it together more over the last 3 years but the reality is he has averaged 11 games and 16 goals a season over his career. 

He’s capable of kicking a bag but at the same time also dropping a chest mark in the goal square and I think at times he actually gets in the way of our other forward line players. 

That’s why I’m big on having Fyfe, Treacy and Amiss as our three key forwards. Jackson will play in the forward line but with his athletic ability I expect he’ll be used in a variety of roles this season.

If Jackson can get a goal a game or slightly better and we can get 10-15 out of Darcy then this will be huge I think. 

If Amiss plays 20 games I think he can kick 25-30, the same with Treacy. 

Fyfe well he could kick anywhere between 30-60 if playing as a permanent forward and he can stay fit the whole season. 

Schultz, Frederick and Switkowski can all kick 80-90 collectively. 

Brayshaw kicked 12 last year, O’Driscoll 10 and O’Meara 9. If Serong can hit double figures and these four can kick 50-55 between them then this will also help.

Mr AFL wrote:

If Amiss plays 20 games I think he can kick 25-30, the same with Treacy. 


 

You are setting the bar very low. If Amiss plays 20 games he will be kicking 50 -  60. Mathew Johnson is going to be the next David Mundy. Our forward line and mids will kick plenty. Freo express, I’m on it. 

It’s his second season. If he kicks that great, but I’m just being more realistic.

The last person that kicked over 70 goals in a season to win the Coleman was Kennedy in 2015/16 and before that was Franklin in 2011.

BC wrote:

Taberner will continue to be an injury concern Anchy as he seems to go down very easily. He reminds me a bit of Buzz Fewster who was built like Tarzan but played like Jane. I hope I'm wrong but if history is anything to go by, he'll be off the park more that he's on it.

I thought I'd bring this up again as I don't like to say I told you so, but I told you so.

Might have a look on Friday night to see the reception that Rory Lobb gets from Freo players and supporters after he bagged the club when traded. The Dockers players would be better advised to focus on their own game rather than stirring up an ex player. Their performances could not have been less impressive so far this year and a loss to the Bulldogs at home may find them already with too much work to do to make finals, especially as they have not played any of the top shelf sides from last season as yet.

After a few promising seasons the Dockers are back on familiar territory. A complete rabble. They expended more energy last night trying to snot Rory Lobb than actually get the football and the other 21 Bulldogs players made them look silly.

Pearce must think that captaincy involves puffing out his chest and being all macho in front of his players but actually being hard at the ball wins the respect of your team much more readily.
Their game plan looks like something out of the Ross Lyon defence manual but not as good and the players look totally confused and seemingly unable to take the game on.

The 2 wins they have had were against an Eagles team who were threatening them but just ran out of troops and Gold Coast who were dominating them early but ran out of legs in the last quarter. The losses have all been pretty awful, especially the home loss v North Melbourne and the thrashings by Adelaide and the Dogs last night. The forward line problems of previous years have not been solved and the previously solid defence is now looking very shaky as well. 

In the next month things will get harder with games against Brisbane, Geelong, Sydney and Melbourne, with only a home game against Hawthorn that they could consider they would have a good chance of winning. Unless they can turn this around very quickly their season will be done and dusted by the bye round

I copped a spray for having a different opinion on the appointment of Pearce as captain from the man who thinks he's Mr Fremantle but he has really struggled. He made a big statement pre season that he wanted a premiership now. A silly thing to say, if that's not getting ahead of yourself I don't know what is.

Either Brayshaw or Serong should have been made captain, on form it looks like Serong is our best player after a bit of a slow start. I only watched bits and pieces, mostly the second qtr. Tim English was really smart. Darcy has him covered for strength and usually got first touch in the taps but English used his height advantage to affect his taps towards his midfielders.

What does Joel Hamling have to do to get a game? I don't think Pearce is alone I think Ryan and Cox are down on their 2022 form. Meanwhile Griffen Logue is having a strong season at NM. Taberner is out for 3 or 4 months after having back surgery so perhaps he's had excuses.