Give Ross Lyon any team and will make them into contenders. He was unlucky not to win a flag. His game plan was sound up the middle of last season. However he is too loyal to players past their use by date and has no clue how to maintain continuity of development. Eventually the well dries up.

On 4/28/2016 at 2:09 PM, america de cali said:

Give Ross Lyon any team and will make them into contenders. He was unlucky not to win a flag. His game plan was sound up the middle of last season. However he is too loyal to players past their use by date and has no clue how to maintain continuity of development. Eventually the well dries up.

Will be very interesting to see how he goes re-building a team.

Wait, there are two WA teams, right?

2 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Wait, there are two WA teams, right?

Yeah and the other one has a forward half full of goal kickers.

I remember Hawthorn fans stressing about Buddy leaving them back in 2013 and what went and happened? He did leave and they won another two flags without him (maybe more). I'm sure the fans miss him but his departure had no detriment to their overall success. I want Jessie to stay but we can experience future success whether he wants to be a part of it or not. For what it's worth has only kicked 10% of our goals this year., and we've kicked a shitload of them.

3 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Wait, there are two WA teams, right?

The other one's not doing too badly in the key position forward department...

Just now, Sylvia Saint said:

I remember Hawthorn fans stressing about Buddy leaving them back in 2013 and what went and happened? He did leave and they won another two flags without him (maybe more). I'm sure the fans miss him but his departure had no detriment to their overall success. I want Jessie to stay but we can experience future success whether he wants to be a part of it or not. For what it's worth has only kicked 10% of our goals this year., and we've kicked a shitload of them.

That is a good sign IMO.

It is hard to shut down 8 people a game but easier to shut down one.

Just now, old dee said:

That is a good sign IMO.

It is hard to shut down 8 people a game but easier to shut down one.

Exactly OD.  While Jesse's form appears to be ordinary at present, the attention he attracts from key backs, frees up our crumbers.

 

 

34 minutes ago, Peter Griffen said:

Will be very interesting to see how he goes re-building a team.

He stated a couple of days ago that you've got to get your talent from the draft. He's been burnt by FA and traded in injury prone players.

I reckon his view on McCarthy has changed to one of thinking he's a bit of a pillock by staying in WA and training with east Freo and clearly burning his bridge to GWS. Turning his attention to Hogan is illogical imo because you'll have a jet CHF surrounded by a group of L platers.

He's there until 2020 so we'll see how it pans out.

Edited April 28, 20168 yr by McQueen

As other posters have said Hogan would be mad to go to team just starting it's rebuild: the pressure on him would be ridiculous.

Hope like mad he stays but if he does leave we'll no doubt get another top 3 draft pick + whatever else we can squeeze out of the deal.

Edited April 28, 20168 yr by sisso

7 minutes ago, iv'a worn smith said:

Exactly OD.  While Jesse's form appears to be ordinary at present, the attention he attracts from key backs, frees up our crumbers.

 

 

While he did get any goals last week he could have had two and I thought he played ok while a bit further up the field.

And as you say the opposition cannot leave him unattended because if they  do he will kick a bag.

Fremantle are in serious trouble. Question marks over the future of Fyfe and Bennell's career, Sandilands, Mundy, Pavlich, Johnson, and most likely Barlow and Ballantyne would all be retired by the end of Jesse's contract here. It sounds more and more as though Neale is leaving. Michael Walters (while a great little player) is injury prone. Fremantle are going to spend some long hard years down the bottom of the ladder. At this time MFC will be a top 4 side. Jesse would have to be very homesick to leave, which in that case, he wouldn't have played his best footy here anyway. I expect the club to want an answer this year.

19 minutes ago, McQueen said:

Yeah and the other one has a forward half full of goal kickers.

 

18 minutes ago, Choke said:

The other one's not doing too badly in the key position forward department...

So they have currency for an upgrade. 

Leaving his contract talks until the end of the year could prove costly IMO. Of course in time, things can change and if we're say - 7 and 4 - at half way for example (only an example!), I'd be doing my best to re-sign an extension/new contract for Hogan before the end of season. ie. After the QB game. Because with Freo - whilst they can still turn things around - they would be right now behind the scenes planning and moving heaven and earth to nail something positive down, based on their direction. Hogan would be a huge coup - as big as them signing Ross Lyon whilst he was at St.Kilda. 

More than likely, they've already spoken to him. As they've done with McCarthy and Hooker.

All our club can do is keep winning, keep the momentum up and encourage the players to stick together (sign for less if need be). Sign new sponsors, break records, voodoo's, and climb the ladder. And prove that the new environment is worth sticking around for greater things to come.

Lyon doesn't want to commit to the word re-build, which is why he is highlighting the word "transition" - because the word "re-build" causes a collective sigh and a re-think - even those on the Eastern Sea Board that are always watching.

Hulk is already the best one-on-one forward in the game and he now draws a second and third defender to every contest, opening things up for our other forwards.

I love how he is now getting on his bike and getting more ball higher up the ground, further opening doors for others.

Absolutely crucial member of our side.

6 hours ago, nutbean said:

if Hogan is 10% as excited as Demonlanders are about how we are travelling why would you want to leave ?

Money.

7 minutes ago, WAClark said:

Hulk is already the best one-on-one forward in the game and he now draws a second and third defender to every contest, opening things up for our other forwards.

I love how he is now getting on his bike and getting more ball higher up the ground, further opening doors for others.

Absolutely crucial member of our side.

Can't agree with that. His one-on-one play this year has gone backwards compared to last. Someone must have got into his ear after round 2, and he's been more effective by playing as a true CHF. Haven't noticed him drawing a 2nd or 3rd defender since playing as a CHF, but his benefit to the team has been far better.

8 minutes ago, WAClark said:

Hulk is already the best one-on-one forward in the game and he now draws a second and third defender to every contest, opening things up for our other forwards.

I love how he is now getting on his bike and getting more ball higher up the ground, further opening doors for others.

Absolutely crucial member of our side.

He has a long way to go until he is the best one on one forward in the game.

Still, I'd like him to hang around. Bring back the war chest!

 

5 minutes ago, Dappa Dan said:

Money.

The funny thing, either way he will be earning a lot of money whether it be at Melbourne or another club, yes it may be more elsewhere but enough to pack up and move?

If a club is willing to dedicate a large portion of their salary cap to one player then it will be a massive gamble.

 

Edited April 28, 20168 yr by Clint Bizkit

3 minutes ago, mo64 said:

Can't agree with that. His one-on-one play this year has gone backwards compared to last. Someone must have got into his ear after round 2, and he's been more effective by playing as a true CHF. Haven't noticed him drawing a 2nd or 3rd defender since playing as a CHF, but his benefit to the team has been far better.

I think it might have been round 1, after three quarters he realised he had to get on his bike. Since then Roosy's been starting him in the guts every game. I love that. This whole idea that he got his pants pulled down for 7 out of his first 8 quarters, and then adapted. That's pretty great.

Speaking of adaptation, I think it might have been Thompson on 360, or Bux on classified, who was saying the other day that adaptation is of huge importance in footy these days cos the game changes so quickly. I think it had to do with the idea that Robbo was saying that Essendon are re-signing all their suspended players because they believe they have a great team right now and want to play finals. The panelist's point was that they might have what they think is a great list now, but what about in a year. Or two years. Will it fit current day footy? Because in 12 months time it might be a horrible list. Freo had a great list 12 months ago, now look at it.

I've watched the Toiges game a few times now (it's just football porn really), and the more I watch the more I love Jesse's game. He was having a bad day, so he changed tactic, and ended up making it a better day than most. We all know he'll kick 6,7,8 a few times this year and be riding high, but it's when he's down, and his worst footy is still of that quality. That's when I know we have a baller.

I wonder if it gets to the end of the year and he's refusing to sign up and someone like Neale announces they want to go home and Freo finish bottom 3 whether we would say ok, mate go now. We'll take pick 3 and Neale. Next year they might improve and Neale might be gone. 

4 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

The funny thing, either way he will be earning a lot of money whether it be at Melbourne or another club, yes it may be more elsewhere but enough to pack up and move?

If a club is willing to dedicate a large portion of their salary cap to one player then it will be a massive gamble.

 

Yeah. I hope we're willing to match it is all. I'm really only stirring up. If it's 100k here or there out of a 6 year deal, you'd think he'd go where he can win. It blows my mind that he could sign a 6 year deal with the demons, play in finals a whole lot (fingers crossed), even win a flag at some point potentially... and then he STARTS his best years as a KP forward. Look at Hooker.

47 minutes ago, It's Time said:

I wonder if it gets to the end of the year and he's refusing to sign up and someone like Neale announces they want to go home and Freo finish bottom 3 whether we would say ok, mate go now. We'll take pick 3 and Neale. Next year they might improve and Neale might be gone. 

You don't push a talent like Jesse out the door. 

13 minutes ago, Jesse Christ said:

You don't push a talent like Jesse out the door. 

Couldn't agree with you more. But if by the end of the year he's not going to sign and the indications are he's going to leave, the Club has to work out the best way to mitigate the situation.

1 hour ago, Dappa Dan said:

Speaking of adaptation, I think it might have been Thompson on 360, or Bux on classified, who was saying the other day that adaptation is of huge importance in footy these days cos the game changes so quickly. I think it had to do with the idea that Robbo was saying that Essendon are re-signing all their suspended players because they believe they have a great team right now and want to play finals. The panelist's point was that they might have what they think is a great list now, but what about in a year. Or two years. Will it fit current day footy? Because in 12 months time it might be a horrible list. Freo had a great list 12 months ago, now look at it.

One thing that has helped us is the new low-interchange fast flowing style of play. The rolling maul, seagulls fighting over a chip style played for the last few years ... we just weren't very good at it. Whereas Freo were experts at it.

That rugby maul style was near unwatchable. God, it was the opposite of entertainment. Even leaving out that we weren't winning.

Now it's consigned to the dustbin of history and our players are loving it.