People complain that we're a one trick pony and then complain when we win easily without using the trick.

It's not same-old same-old in the midfield, Yze is trying some very different mixes which is great to see.  Freo has a strong midfield with two time Brownlow, reigning Rising Star, Cerra and Brayshaw.

It's worth noting that the maligned Goodwin-Mahoney team brought Lever, May and Tomlinson to the club.

TMac  and Spargo were pretty good too, eh?

Lighten up and enjoy a solid win by more than a third of Freo's score going away in the last 20 minutes which we dominated.

Edited March 21, 20214 yr by Pollyanna

Scrappy but I’ll take it. I can see where we will improve. 

Freo could have made us real nervous by taking some chances in the last. But in saying that we missed some real sitter set shots - could have easily won by 45+

Lever awesome. BOG easily. May very good. I like Petty but he will have to wait. Tomlinson was also good. 

Kozzie showed some really good signs. Rivers had some turnovers but also had some really good moments. Jackson that last mark was a wow moment. His body change from year 1 to 2 is quite exceptional. Credit to him. 

Mids struggled with clearances but good to see some different names used through the middle. Jordon, Sparrow, ANB and Kozzie ect. Viney back in soon and Yze will find the right mix. Good to see a mix up here. 

 

12 hours ago, Better days ahead said:

We were smashed in the clearances but won the game. Go figure.

Dominant defence helped with that. Same thing that probably saved a 100 point loss to Footscray in the pre-season game

We got the win, but let's hope we improve from here on in. Post game summary was bang on - it was a scrappy game and if we put in those kinds of performances against top 8 teams we've got no chance. Getting smashed in the midfield is a massive concern too. As is the fact that so many times on the break we broke down via a bad decision or misplaced kick or handball.

Re midfield.  On a player by player basis our midfielders had more of the ball than those from fremantle, yet we were smashed in the clearances.  You can take that as a glass half full or empty.  I see the possibility for massive improvement.  Whilst both sides ran out of legs in the last quarter we were better off because we had more players who could go through there.  Good endurance runners like Langdon,  Picket(surprise), NB, Oliver and some others were very important.

Re crowd. my own experience was to go with friends as a guest (but couldn't)as they are afl members.  The website said guests would only be allowed on low number games, yet they refused guests for our game.   I tried for 10 days to get a 3 game membership.  I get to the last page of the process on line and it just freezes up and then times out.  I requested a call back which didn't come.  I thought no point trying for general admission if the AFL are not allowing guests.  Others must have similar stories.

Quick summary. Lose to Freo last year - bad. Win against Freo this year - also bad 

All agreed the May Lever combo is awesome but I thought It was a good efforr from Tomilison as well.

With Hibberd in the offing and Jetta showing glimpses of his old form it seems we have a great backline. Just dont play Hunt there

With Tmac and Jackson in form with the options of brown and weid in the future there doesnt seem much to worry about up fwd. Especially with Kozzie ans Spargo in form.

That just leaves our midfield which was a tad rusty. Smashed in the clearances. Jordan is a big positive and Trac and Oliver were their reliable selves. Hopefully Viney is back soon and Gus and Harmes improve.

Yesterday was a mixed bag but there were so many positives, it seems most of us are feeling much more confident than the game against the dogs.

26 minutes ago, Nicko said:

Its a nice sight to wake up to on a Sunday morning isnt it..........

....and Collingwood can stay 9th for as long as.

Edited March 21, 20214 yr by Wadda We Sing

Thought out fitness stood up. We seemed to get stronger as the quarters progressed. Did help that freo were a bit banged up. 

4 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

St Kilda will cut us to shreds with their pace and skills on the fast deck of Marvel if we played anything like we did yesterday.

I'm not so sure about that. They're missing Ryder, Marshall, Geary, Hannebery and Crouch all of whom are easily in their best side. If we can nullify King who is missing round 1 due to concussion, I don't see where St Kilda will get their goals? Mason Wood? Membrey? McKerenan? the only real danger men are King, Butler and Higgins. 

1 minute ago, Caligula's cohort said:

I'm not so sure about that. They're missing Ryder, Marshall, Geary, Hannebery and Crouch all of whom are easily in their best side. If we can nullify King who is missing round 1 due to concussion, I don't see where St Kilda will get their goals? Mason Wood? Membrey? McKerenan? the only real danger men are King, Butler and Higgins. 

Membrey often does well against us.

6 minutes ago, Caligula's cohort said:

I'm not so sure about that. They're missing Ryder, Marshall, Geary, Hannebery and Crouch all of whom are easily in their best side. If we can nullify King who is missing round 1 due to concussion, I don't see where St Kilda will get their goals? Mason Wood? Membrey? McKerenan? the only real danger men are King, Butler and Higgins. 

I think they'll get King, Crouch and Jones back

I love our backline and if it can stay together without any injuries we will be hard to beat. May is superb and showing why we got him and Lever the same. Tomlinson is becoming a great defender to. 

So happy with the way Tommy started and I hope yesterday gave him some confidence that he still has it. 

Just happy to get the 4 points. 

A win is a win. You don't want your team playing perfect footy at this time of the year, it can not be sustained for the whole season. Also good coaching in the last quarter. 

2 hours ago, Better days ahead said:

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

Our goal kicking. It’s putrid. I can’t understand how professionals can be so poor in the absolute fundamental requirement of the game, kicking the ball between the big sticks. Fritsch again was very wayward (but not alone). How is this being coached? Is the problem between the ears? Probably worthy of a separate thread.

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

4 set shots from 40m in last 5 minutes, none on an angle, none made the distance, or were even on line. Jackson!! Petracca after siren.

At least Fritsch made the distance.

22 minutes ago, DemonLad5 said:

I think they'll get King, Crouch and Jones back

Crouch is banned for 2 weeks.

Whilst it’s a win the reality is our kicking going into fwd 50 is poor and hasn’t changed for the last 5 seasons, yep first game understand that but we would have lost against a top team. Question is it game plan? Drafting players who can’t hit targets, development, all of the above?

1 hour ago, Nicko said:

Let’s call stumps on the home and away season right now.

 

Gawn is rucking for the opposition teams ... we’re is our elite midfield winning his domination in the ruck???

47 minutes ago, Caligula's cohort said:

I'm not so sure about that. They're missing Ryder, Marshall, Geary, Hannebery and Crouch all of whom are easily in their best side. If we can nullify King who is missing round 1 due to concussion, I don't see where St Kilda will get their goals? Mason Wood? Membrey? McKerenan? the only real danger men are King, Butler and Higgins. 

AND they are playing this arvo up in Sydney in most likely a bog. We have extra day rest with no apparent injuries so I'm confident we can go 2 zip as long as the Mids have got the rust out of them and improve 5%

Yze coming from Hawthorn they never cared about clearances much even when winning flags: could this be a different style of footy we saw for the first time yesterday? 

Just now, sisso said:

Yze coming from Hawthorn they never cared about clearances much even when winning flags: could this be a different style of footy we saw for the first time yesterday? 

They never cared about winning the tap might be more correct.

2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Walters, Lobb and Darcy vs Viney, Brown and Weid. Who else did they have missing from their best 22?

At least Banfield, Sturt, Logue, Hill, Frederick, Crowden would be best 22 I think. Not sure about the other few on the list

That was worth staying up for!