Season 2017 - Fremantle

Football Discussion Non Essendon Stuff
1

Fremantle

Coach – Ross Lyon

2016 –
Points For – 16th
Points Against – 14th

Top 5 Best and Fairest

  1. Lachie Neale
  2. Stephen Hill
  3. MIchael Walters
  4. Matthew Pavlich
  5. Lee Spurr

2016 Rising Star Noms

Rnd 11 - Connor Blakely
Rnd 12 - Lachlan Weller

Ins – Shane Kersten, Cam McCarthy, Brad Hill, Joel Hamling, Griffin Logue, Sean Darcy, Brennan Cox, Luke Ryan, Tailin Duman, Luke Strnadica

Outs – Matthew Pavlich, Michael Barlow, Sean Hurley, Tanner Smith, Anthony Morabito, Tendai Mzungu, Matt de Boer, Clancee Pearce, Jack Hannath, Alex Silvani, Chris Mayne

My Prediction

At the end of the trade period I was incredibly bullish about Freo being able to move back up the ladder pretty quickly. They found some talls and some experience on top of the young players they developed during the year. There are two things that make me think it could be another hard year for them. The players they lost are important to them and what the hell is happening down there with discipline. That being said, poor off field discipline doesnt exactly have a direct correlation with on field performance. Right Hawthorn… wink wink.

There is potential in their forward line and this is probably as good as it has looked potentially in a while. McCarthy joins an improved Taberner with Kersten coming from Geelong as well. They have genuine marking targets which is something Fremantle supporters havent seen for a while. They have quality smalls as well with Walters, Ballantyne and Langdon. Throw in Fyfe spending time down there as well as Bennell if he is ever fit and you have a decent set up.

The midfield looks solid as well. Neale is close to the best ball winner in the league, they wont lack outside run with the Hill boys taking a wing each and Fyfe (when fit) is as good a game breaker as we have seen since Hird graced the field. Mundy looks to have lost a yard and not sure he carried the captaincy well last year. Weller looked like a player in bursts last year and suspect this will be the year he really establishes himself. Still missing real support in the heat but will break even more often than not.

No team cares more about the health of their rucks than Fremantle. Sandilands is old, he is also the player most important in deciding how many games the Dockers will win next year. They need him on the field. They have back up in Clarke and Griffin but so far they havent really shown as much as Freo would have hoped.

The backline is a very much a work in progress. They have some young KP players with Hamling joining them as well as Collins and Pearce developing nicely. They also still have Zac Dawson on their list along with Michael Johnson who I am sure was on their list when they first came into the competition. They are clearly in a transition period back there and hopefully for their long term progression we see more of the younger players this year.

We know the coach, we know him and his game style well. I suspect last years poor result was a case of Lyon managing outcomes (not tanking) and ensuring he started the development of his list once it became apparent that things were going his way. They arent a 4 win team, they are better than that especially with the home ground advantage. I dont think they are a top eight team but they will challenge at times during the year. Will eventually finish somewhere between 10th and 12th

2

8 wins, by my reckoning.
That’s after extensive research reading the above.

3

They’ll be a poor mans Geelong next year
Win a few games on the back of Fyfe, Neale and Sandliands but otherwise struggle

4

Should win enough games at Subi + sneak a few interstate to make the bottom half of the eight.

5

LOL Ross Lyon.

6

Who are their small running defenders?

7

Ibbotson Collins Johnson
Sherridan Hamling suttcliffe

Hill mundy hill
Sandilands fyfe Neale

Bennell Kirsten Pearce
Ballantyne mccarthy Walters

Blakey Weller tabenar suban

Good looking midfield, that’s about it. mccarthy 's firm will be interesting to assess. Kirsten is nothing more than handy imo and will struggle if asked to shoulder to great a load.

Have enough size and pace through the middle to cause sides trouble if they get their stoppage game going.

8

Not sure that is the way Lyon sets up but Spurr and Sheridan are probably it. Could imagine one of the Hills being used that way

9

If Lyon’s picking the team, Dawson’s in there.

10
Not sure that is the way Lyon sets up but Spurr and Sheridan are probably it. Could imagine one of the Hills being used that way

Crozier

11

Still stand firmly by my prediction that Bennell will never play a game for them.

And not to cover my ■■■ too much, but if he does, it will be tokenistic and he won’t have a career here.

12
Still stand firmly by my prediction that Bennell will never play a game for them.

And not to cover my ■■■ too much, but if he does, it will be tokenistic and he won’t have a career here.

What’s the latest on him? Still injured?

13
Still stand firmly by my prediction that Bennell will never play a game for them.

And not to cover my ■■■ too much, but if he does, it will be tokenistic and he won’t have a career here.

What’s the latest on him? Still injured?

Last I heard he was in Germany getting treatment from the goat blood guy

14

photo bloodgoat.jpg

15

If fyfe plays the majority of the year they will probably end up around 10th. If he struggles with injury they will be bottom 4. They look pretty bare for key talls up front. And any backline with dawson in it will never win anything

16

The similarities between Lyon’s tenure at StK and Freo are pretty striking:

  1. Take over established team
  2. Top up with fringe players, extract blood from stone
  3. Three years of top 4 finishes but no premierships
  4. Stone runs out of blood, tumble down the ladder

Stroke of genius on Lyon’s part to ink a 5-year deal before the 2016 had season started. He won’t see it out once Fyfe walks and the rebuild all becomes too hard, though.

17

Such a tough and interesting team to nail down, I suspect a fair bit will rest with injuries to key players through the year.

Backline - 7 : You’d think the backline was never going to be premiership worthy until names like Dawson & Silvagni were purged, both solid contributors but they need to look elsewhere from the ‘players fighting above their weight’ class range. Silvagni being gone is a good step for both him and club, and other players will be looking to fill the Dawson breach who can get the job done without fanfare. Micheal Johnson is a name that could certainly improve them immediately, he struggled big time with back injuries last year as he has most of his career, and his off-season hasn’t got off to the best of starts, that being said if he gets on the park he’s a vital contributor down back for them and they need him on the park if their backline is to hold. Hamling is a good recruit, a strong reliable back who’s probably made the most of his premiership credentials to earn himself a better deal than what he’s probably worth. Collins is another who will be looking to form a partnership with Hamling, he had time on some big forwards last year and did OK but he’ll be looking for a step up this year. Its natural improvement from guys like him that could send the side up the ladder. Alex Pearce was one of the success stories for them last year, looking composed down back in bad situations for them before a leg injury ruined his year before it got going in the second half of the year. Sheridan is becoming a good tagging option but needs time, he took a few scalps such as Sloane but needs to do better with the ball and stop padding his stats. Lee Spur too can play a range of roles be it in stopping roles or being a playmaker, definitely not externally rated elsewhere in the AFL world but certainly by Fremantle and they need him to have a good year and is a Lyon favourite. Ibbotson had a shocking year for his standards, was in the 40 man AA squad in 2015 and struggled to piece together consistent form in 2016 and is someone they need back to their best and quick. Sutcliffe is another who needs to stop padding his stats and make himself useful, had a good previous 2 years but had a poor 2016 and struggled regularly for impact, Crozier stepped up in his place after being Mr Sub. I think the backline isn’t as bad as some think and will be better than last year, remember this is still basically the backline that carried them to a top of the ladder finish.

Midfield - 7 : With Fyfe back it’s a whole new ball game, even half fit he still was leading the Brownlow. He’s going to give Lachie Neale a much needed break, and together both of them are a very good first two midfield options, it’s more the rest of the midfield that needs to step up. I think Blakely is someone that will have a good year this year, he showed signs with a rising star and reminds me of another Priddis and Fremantle would be wise to put games to him quickly an not be too worried with finals. Lachie Weller very much had a development year last year and looks the goods, with more midfield time he should become apart of their first string midfield for years to come. Brad Hill was an interesting inclusion, joins Stephen Hill who was like a yo-yo throughout and perhaps both can start playing consistent classy games although Brad doesn’t fulfill any real needs on the outside so perhaps moving Brad Hill to the half back line might be a better option. Mundy is starting to show signs of age, still racks it up but will be 32 soon and might be resigned to a side role as opposed to his usual starring role, I’m feeling Weller is about to take the main role. Danyle Pearce continues to play his role but surely they can’t have both Hill’s and Pearce in the same midfield. Otherwise Darcy Tucker showed really good signs in the last few games but few other youngsters stepped up when they needed to, perhaps Griffin Logue the bolter for pick 8 who can play anywhere might get an opportunity.

Rucks - 5 : Sandilands is still the man, and I’d dare say finals rest on his bulgy shoulders because Griffin is about as average as they get and Clarke hasn’t done anything much despite showing talent, he’s like a poor mans Ryder.

Forwardline - 5.5: With Pav gone they still lack a key forward which is what makes McCarthy’s inclusion vital for the team, after a year out with “personal” issues he was finally traded. He’has a ton of talent kicking nearly 40 goals in just his second season and so Fremantle will look to him to match Pav’s goal total from last year. Taberner finally started paying back some of the faith but still needs a lot of work, working himself into good form by mid year and then dropping off again late and being dropped. If he can get some support from McCarthy and Kersten, who started to kick some handy goals at Geelong then they’ll have a competent forwadline. Kersten like Taberner found some nice form with some bags of 3 mid year and like Taberner got dropped late, they need each to fire if they’re to challenge the better teams. Harley Bennell has Freo fans salivating but he still can’t get on the park and again has injured himself in the off season, talented yes, but talent doesn’t mean much if you can’t get on the park. i feel Shane Yarran is actually a blow because he was in good form and kicking goals for them in a poor team last year so they need Ballantyne to give something as he was shocking last year. Walters is pure class and Langdon ended the year fantastically so the smalls aren’t an issue, it’s having someone tall that can mark which will be problem. Apeness is a tall that could have an impact but he looks too raw to have too much of an impact. Kicking goals will be a big issue for them in 2017, Fyfe will probably spend time up forward but they’ll be robbing the midfield.

Predicted Finish: 8th-9th - I’m taking a punt and thinking they’ll be right on the mark for finals. I don’t think they’re anywhere near a bottom 4 side and they basically put the cue in the rack after Round 3. If injuries give them a good crack with Bennell, Sandilands, Johnson and a few others I have them making finals which might surprise a few, but they have too much talent. Their backline looks good enough, midfield with Fyfe, Neale, Mundy and a few talented kids will give them a run on and they just need their forwardline to kick enough goals.

18

Good review, though I think S Hill is more likely to end up on half back than B Hill

19

While I despise every other club, some of the summaries provided in these threads are extremely well detailed and informative, so kudos on that

20

I’m actually liking what Lyon has done.

You can lock both Hills on the wing, and they are both very hard matchups and can be incredibly damaging.

Some of the younger mids developed last year, With one last crack at the Sandilands Fyfe combo supported by Neale, Mundy, Weller and Tucker it’s a decent midfield.

Forward line is a complete revamp. Apeness showed signs as a forward and will be a good target up their whilst also being a resting ruck. McCarthey is a gun and will be supported by Kersten who was serviceable for the cats at times. Pearce is a solid small forward.

Backline is bolstered by hamling and the return of Johnson.

Their biggest issue appear to be flanks and depth. A few injuries could really hurt, a good run could see then surprise.

I’m going with 9th for Freo.