Unfortunately it is a reality that some prospective members will see a win this weekend as important so from that POV I agree with the OP. Obviously the majority of supporters who have a more sensible perspective on this game (and our season) are probably already members or will sign up regardless.

We need to win - and WIN we will. Membership will be up for the next few weeks and after Jurrah stars and kicks 6 -we will make him the star of our membership drive.We may even get Rudeboy to join,if Liam starts to star.

So the point of your thread is what exactly?

There's a lot of hysteria on this site as the season approaches. Is Watts better than NN? Why are all our players always injured? We are doomed if we get flogged by Freo in the first NAB cup game.

People, we have recruited a very young, skilled and talented bunch of kids. There's also quite a few who could develop into seriously good captains down the track. Is Watts better than NN? Only time will tell, FFS you can't seriously sit here and tell me than we made a mistake when we haven't even seen Watts string a dozen games together. The FD has got Rivers, Sylvia and Moloney over cronic OP. Grimes seems over serious back problems which involved his running style, which was altered. Garland appears to be doing very well. So what if Freo beat us, it means nothing, absolutely nothing in the context of us winning a Premiership in 3 to 6 years time. Personally I think some of us need to just show some judgement and some patience.

Excellent Post! Agree wholeheartedly.

I am looking forward to the game and want us to win, but winning will be far less important than the performance. If we both play like hacks and we fluke a win, I will be far less impressed than if we perform well and still lose.

This game is critical, but not because of anything mentioned so far in this thread.

It is critical because to develop into a dominant team we need confidence and the only way to get confidence is to win games.

Every time we play a competitive game it is a critical one, make no mistake about that.

Edited February 19, 201015 yr by Allen Jakovich

I don't care if we win. It's a practise match, we're not fielding our best 22 and it's over in Perth. The season proper is sooo much more important. I just hope Scully and Trengove get a few touches and no one gets injured. Even the media don't really give a sh!t about the NAB cup, everyone knows your performance in the NAB has very little correlation with performance in the home and away season.

Oh, and I'd love to go see us play the Bombers at Visy next week. There's a practise match that would be worth winning.

Oh, and I'd love to go see us play the Bombers at Visy next week. There's a practise match that would be worth winning.

I believe that that match will be on Saturday afternoon which is the main reason I want us to win; I play tennis on Saturdays.

For anybody how doesn't believe winning this game is "CRITICAL" is kidding themselves.

1/ Building Winning Culture

2/ Confidence for a young list

3/ Momentum into the real stuff

4/ Marketing

5/ Membership

6/ $$$ for the club.

7/ A chance to see a game plan specifically designed to win games?

8/ Prime time exposure on free to air next week.......etc etc etc

So the point of your thread is what exactly?

As my thread states-I believe it is critical to do well in Fremantle to keep the momentum of sales in membership,I also say that I think it is also important for the confidence of players as Alan Jacovich states in another post.Pressure will heavily be on the talls due to injuries I state furthermore.In my post which you query my point of the thread itself,I say we need to win,and I believe we will.In winning,I also say Jurrah will star kicking six which will help sales momentum of membership.Hoping this helps you understand my thread and my post.Maybe you will not be so rude and read threads and posts without the sarcasm.

Edited February 19, 201015 yr by jayceebee31

Not expecting to win this, we have a terrible interstate record. Just be interested to see how our players perform and who is likely to to improve this season. If we go down by less than 30 points it will a good result IMHO.

Maybe you will not be so rude and read threads and posts without the sarcasm.

Probably not.

In the end this match is no consequence, either for the team or the club. The last 3 years we have set membership records on the back of dismal match day performances. We will set another record this year. The team is set for a much improved year, we have better players than we have had over the last few years and more development in the 2 and 3 year players. Not to mention Sylvia, Grimes, Rivers, Moloney and Davey are all fitter and have all been serious injury free for some time now. The only goal that matters is getting this team into a position to win one or more premierships in 2 + years time. That is our goal everything else is secondary. Once we start winning season proper games on a regular basis (2011 - 2012) then the membership numbers, media exposure, team confidence, winning culture, increased revenue, crowd numbers and respect we want will all follow. This match makes no difference and your suggestion that it is Critical is to say the least premature.

For the record I think we'll win by 5 goals.

Edited February 19, 201015 yr by Roost It

For anybody how doesn't believe winning this game is "CRITICAL" is kidding themselves.

Winning the 2013 Qualifying Final is "critical"

Winning this game is "desirable"

Old, I don't see how you can't see that winning a NAB cup round 1 match against Freo will build a winning culture at the MFC... B)

Old, I don't see how you can't see that winning a NAB cup round 1 match against Freo will build a winning culture at the MFC... B)

just the same way that winning 5 games last season would have developed a winning culture and turned this club around.

WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN>??!?!?

As my thread states-I believe it is critical to do well in Fremantle to keep the momentum of sales in membership,I also say that I think it is also important for the confidence of players as Alan Jacovich states in another post.Pressure will heavily be on the talls due to injuries I state furthermore.In my post which you query my point of the thread itself,I say we need to win,and I believe we will.In winning,I also say Jurrah will star kicking six which will help sales momentum of membership.Hoping this helps you understand my thread and my post.Maybe you will not be so rude and read threads and posts without the sarcasm.

I'm with you all the way....a win is what we, as a club, need.

Winning this game is "desirable"

After seeing the state of Etihad I'm not sure that it really is.

That extra win would've been critical...or is that fatal?

Edited February 19, 201015 yr by 45HG16

No it's not critical, but it sure wouldn't hurt to win.

I just want to see the guys play well as a TEAM, from there if we win great, if not it gives the FD a chance to work out why.

It is only a practice game.

There's a lot of hysteria on this site as the season approaches. Is Watts better than NN? Why are all our players always injured? We are doomed if we get flogged by Freo in the first NAB cup game.

So what if Freo beat us, it means nothing, absolutely nothing in the context of us winning a Premiership in 3 to 6 years time.

It is only the NAB cup, and the 26 man format gives us the chance to play rookies like Strauss and Fitzpatrick who may not be picked for round 1. As an example I think Rohan Bail played most of the pre-season matches last year, then played 2 minutes of senior football.

However this squad possibly contains at least 17 of our best current 22 players. It contains all of our key defenders, and is only missing Bate, Bruce, Jamar, Garland and maybe Wonna as automatic picks in our round one squad (if fit and available). Apart from Davey who may be recovering from an injury, the rest should be fit and ready.

It wouldn't be good if we got hammered like Richmond, but that is very unlikely. I like our defence and they will only get better as they play more matches together. We've got a bit of muscle in midfield and Spencer is tall enough to compete with Sandilands in the ruck.

I'm not expecting miracles and the heat may affect the result, but i'd like to see a competitive outfit that makes fewer turnovers than last year. I want to see good organisation at the kickouts and a stoppage clearance rate better than 50%. Many of the players in this squad will be still playing for us in 3-6 years.

After seeing the state of Etihad I'm not sure that it really is.

Do we have to play at Etihad if we win?

I hope not

Probably not.

In the end this match is no consequence, either for the team or the club. The last 3 years we have set membership records on the back of dismal match day performances. We will set another record this year. The team is set for a much improved year, we have better players than we have had over the last few years and more development in the 2 and 3 year players. Not to mention Sylvia, Grimes, Rivers, Moloney and Davey are all fitter and have all been serious injury free for some time now. The only goal that matters is getting this team into a position to win one or more premierships in 2 + years time. That is our goal everything else is secondary. Once we start winning season proper games on a regular basis (2011 - 2012) then the membership numbers, media exposure, team confidence, winning culture, increased revenue, crowd numbers and respect we want will all follow. This match makes no difference and your suggestion that it is Critical is to say the least premature.

For the record I think we'll win by 5 goals.

You make some pertinant and relevant points however cannot concede that this match is of no consequencesit is if not crucial -very important we play well..Agree with your point re the last 3 years re membership but our goalposts re budget for 2010 sets a new record requirement. I truthfully hope we do as this club is not out of the financial wilderness yet. We still have a long, long way to go as the AGM night stated.Re our development I concur however the confidence that players could get winning on the road would be amazing, especially without many of our best talls and debut of young ones up to 5.Re our winning premierships, we need to start th winning feeling and look at our draw in the first 5 weeks,Hawthorn,Collingwood,Adelaide,Richmond,Brisbane - one win seems certain,the other 4 very ,very unlikely therefore we need to see some result this weekend. I rest my case.

Edited February 19, 201015 yr by jayceebee31

I rest my case.

I'm so glad.

I know I should leave well enough alone, but...

Pray tell jayceebee, what exactly will the consequences of failing to win this match be..?

You know, the ones that make this match 'critical'.

I know I should leave well enough alone, but...

............

Correct Keyser. You should have!

Correct Keyser. You should have!

Yes well said, but you can see why the temptation was too great1