TOPIC:

anchorman wrote: I am not going to shy away from what happened today, unlike some other followers of some clubs.
That was lamentable, pathetic,awful.I know some will boo hoo the thought , but really that was very un Fremantle like in the Ross Lyon era.
I am not sure how you could describe what we dished up today,garbage seems like a very generous description.
I am afraid the players are, or seem to be afraid of making errors.But the harder they try to eliminate them, the more they make.To me at the moment they boys are not enjoying playing football.There needs to be some change there to make the boys want to play football again.
I guess a couple of things that could be considered high lights , was the inclusion of Brady Grey and Darcy Tucker.Both I thought were far from our worst players.
Grey looks a good size and is not afraid to put his body on the line.He took a couple of great courageous marks during the game.He will benefit from the game today.Tucker I didn't think was as prominent , but did some good things.
With Fyfe more than likely out for several weeks things don't look good.Also we may lose Ballantyne and Johnson as well for a week or so.
The question now for Lyon is, does he recycle the old players again, or does he bite the bullet and play a few more young ones?
Totally up set by what I saw today, but I will stick by the boys and the club regardless.

A/M I would be interested in your opinion as to whether you think there is an attitundinal problem at the Dockers. Just watching some of the body language of the players today they just didn't seem to have any energy or life and they did not seem to be working together. They were completely static when they had the ball. Carlton seemed to have so much space which is indicative that the manic pressure that Freo used to put on their opponents is now non existant

I am wondering if the players are all on the same page with the game plan changes over summer or if there was some dissent over Mundy getting the captaincy instead of Fyfe. Just speculating. Players don't lose their talent overnight and don't forget this time last year they were 5-0.

I think Ross's manic pressure game, has been curtailed to due the number of interchangers now allowed. Players have to stay on longer, and i'd guess that means its harder getting to "every" contest like they used to. Freos style has never been one of slick ball movement, more pressure related turnovers IMHO. Maybe been caught out a little bit with this new rule?

anchorman wrote: Unka, we moved the ball as quickly as any side during the season in the first nine weeks last year.
But all that aside, we have big problems for sure.Our team from here in will or should be made up of some of our recruits from the last couple of seasons.

Dont quite agree there A/man, but thats our opinions. i think Freo needed manic prssure FIRST and foremost, FOLLOWED by ball movement. Once yer main strenght is gone it has repercussions. I think the last 30 matches Freo have played says something about the way the teams was faring personally. The cracks were papered over IMHO, now they have been exposed, as i say especially with the new rules, and game styles. The worrying thing is that Saints Blues Melbourne Dogs have playyed the kids for a little while, Freo will have to come from behind them now i would think. Lyon at the Saints filled the list later on with list cloggers Peake,Polo, etc. Freo have a lot of good honest players, but like Peake etc, they will keep you competative, BUT not to the holy grail.