What the Fritsch

[Ethan Tremblay 28,363]

A real footballers footballer. His decision making is sublime, I didn’t notice too much of him early on and thought he might be tiring but then he just popped up with a cheeky 14 marks and didn’t stop running. 

[spirit of norm smith 12,899]

Great game today. Adds a lot to our 2018 team

[Constant Mongrel 571]

i wonder in what ways bayley can imrprove in the next few years? will he always be that body type, or will he fill out/put on some bulk? i guess that would affect his current game style.. love him. and i thought he'd just be one of those guys that takes speccies every game. much, much more than that!

[whatwhat say what 18,913]

Natural footballer

He’s just so good watch as a wingman; he’s gone from a third option forward mid-sizer playing as a tall to an absolutely outstanding wingman

[DEE fence 4,450]

Have to agree with the idea of dropping him back as the loose intercept defender while Lever is injured, his marking judgement is sublime. He reminds a little of Rioli, not getting huge possessions, but every one of them damaging. I think he does have the skinny flower bravery thing, looks like he should get smashed off the ball... but doesn't. Left field comment, but he has that balance thing you see in basketballers like a steph curry (obviously not on a par with Steph...yet) when he steps back for a 3pt, just seems to have all the time in the world. 

[Mach5 4,482]

Hunt to a wing, Fritsch to the backline.

Makes the most sense to me. 

[What 18,810]

3 minutes ago, Mach5 said:

Hunt to a wing, Fritsch to the backline.

Makes the most sense to me. 

But whos the 2nd tall backman?

Fritsch can not play as a KPD.

[Wiseblood 24,636]

4 hours ago, SFebey said:

Did he go to the backline to cover Lever? Outstanding back there

I believe Harmes was the one to do that, although with how well he runs the wings Fritsch was able to give some support down there as well.

[Stretch Johnson 2,568]

The penny hasn't dropped outside the club as to how good this kid is.

Hi ability to run out 4 quarters on a wing has been really surprising.

He is our plug and play Bob Murphy.

 

[Dee Dee 1,043]

Looks like a walking cadaver, but sh*t he can play.

[Gorgoroth 12,317]

Been a great get. Has blossomed on the wing.  I'd leave him there and not use him to cover Lever, Structurally I think it would hurt us more moving him back.

[SFebes 4,692]

9 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

I believe Harmes was the one to do that, although with how well he runs the wings Fritsch was able to give some support down there as well.

Just watched replay, I think they both went back, heatmap tells a story also

[Jaded No More 57,806]

Is he too old for rising star?

[Clintosaurus 6,427]

14 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Is he too old for rising star?

Was wondering this. Surely would be close to favourite if eligible. Sadly 27 days too old.

Edited June 2, 2018 by Clintosaurus

[monoccular 16,058]

8 hours ago, Rocky said:

i wonder in what ways bayley can imrprove in the next few years? will he always be that body type, or will he fill out/put on some bulk? i guess that would affect his current game style.. love him. and i thought he'd just be one of those guys that takes speccies every game. much, much more than that!

Maybe though it is a case of don’t fix what is not broken.   Changing body build does not always improve.

[deesrule 104]

24 minutes ago, monoccular said:

Maybe though it is a case of don’t fix what is not broken.   Changing body build does not always improve.

One R Flower had a similar body type and played a similar type of game 

[dimmy 1,114]

5 minutes ago, deesrule said:

One R Flower had a similar body type and played a similar type of game 

I can remember when Robbie Flower came on as 19th Man against Collingwood reserves at Victoria Park and the comments were "look at the shiela !!"  because he was pretty thin and wore those "äthletic glasses ". 5 minutes later he had the ball and showed it to half the Collinwood side as he floated down the ground . The comments then changed to "Kill the shiela ".

Robbie Flower was the reason to go to the footy from then on.

Compared to Flower in his first year Fritsch is fat . However there is a lot about him that reminds me of Flower in that he floats rather than moves and is a lot tougher than his build indicates. A terrific young player.

[Binmans PA 26,037]

15 hours ago, Mach5 said:

Hunt to a wing, Fritsch to the backline.

Makes the most sense to me. 

Agreed, except our current team have excelled recently by lowering their eyes and hitting short targets, but also being able to judge when to pull the trigger on the deeper kick too. 

Along with work rate and confidence, Hunt's kicking is the key thing keeping him out of the 22. Has he improved this area of his game in the 2's?

[DEE fence 4,450]

How did they miss getting drafted...

James McDonald

Aaron Davey,

Robbo,

Mark Jamar, (all Australian)

Darren Jolly. (Obviously being a premiership ruckman says success.)

Bailey Frisch,

Tim Smith, (+someone help)

Who of these, who have played for Melbourne, was the biggest coup outside of the regular draft/from the rookie list? We have had some players that recruiters would have been gnashing their teeth they missed. Bailey would be early 2nd round the way he is playing at the moment.

If Bailey keeps tracking like this he will give Davey a run for his money (IMHO), (he's not there yet, Davey invented the defensive forward) but Bailey, could he match James even?

[whatwhat say what 18,913]

robbo was drafted, dropped off, then rookied, i seem to recall...

junior > flash > russian of those that were 'only' rookie draft selections

[Diamond_Jim 11,744]

Aaron Davey changed football in the sense that he was the original small forward defender. A role that all forwards now aspire to.

Before Aaron, backmen just loped out of the backline looking to give it off. His run down skills changed the time and space dimension on the field forever.

Hard to go past him

[DEE fence 4,450]

7 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Hard to go past him

i don't think i was clear enough about Davey, he has a place in my heart. I just think BF could be special too, not sure of where he will go, excited at the potential.  Didn't realize RR went through a regular draft. I still think we as a club have made good use. Westcoast obviously did well out of Priddis.

[John Crow Batty 8,255]

Let’s hope Bayley is immune to the glowing media curse.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/fritsch-pickings-from-unwanted-to-surprise-packet-20180706-p4zpwt.html

[beelzebub 22,225]

5 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Let’s hope Bayley is immune to the glowing media curse.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/fritsch-pickings-from-unwanted-to-surprise-packet-20180706-p4zpwt.html

Bvgger

why couldn't they have just left him alone ?

[Lucifers Hero 37,006]

4 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Let’s hope Bayley is immune to the glowing media curse.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/fritsch-pickings-from-unwanted-to-surprise-packet-20180706-p4zpwt.html

After enduring all this:

Fritsch’s story is one of courage and perseverance.

Not only was he constantly overlooked by recruiters, but he had to chase his AFL dream while working as an apprentice electrician and while dealing with serious injuries.

After three games for Casey in the VFL in 2015, Fritsch began to suffer from stress fractures in his back and was ruled out for the rest of the season.

While rehabilitating his back, he tore the meniscus in his knee and didn’t play football again until late 2016, where he only featured in the VFL’s development team.

It is most unlikely he will let it go to his head.  He has done it the hard way and doesn't seem the type to drink his own bath water.

All credit to him for sticking with his passion and working very hard to get drafted.  Has proven his worth already.