Death Riding Fremantle 2023 - Feathered Cap Edition

[binman 43,762]

Great minds.

[Demon17 5,203]

1 hour ago, binman said:

Prior to the start of last season I predicted freo as the bolter, and possible top 4 chance. They looked rhe goods too before falling away.

Part of my confidence was based on a sense Longmuire was following goody's template in terms of development and game plan (with some tweaks eg switch and outside run) - and he also has a similar temperament and approach

I still think they are on the right track. They should make the 8 - they have an ok draw, and have a pretty easy opening 6 or so games, which gives them a chance of banking critical early wins.

But one divergence from the goody template is the recruitment or Jackson.

The golden rule is you draft for premierships - and only add star recruits to address a specific gap in order to go to the next level. Lynch to tbe tigers is a good example.

Our equivalent is Lever and May. We were no chance of winning a flag without sorting our defence, which meant their recruitment made perfect sense and would have ruffled zero feathers within the team - and only minor ruffling with fans. 

What rarely happens however, is a team building towards being a genuine contender adding a really high priced recruit part way through the development phase who doesn't fill a a specific, and obvious gap that needs to be filled to win a flag. 

Doing so risks team cohesion as a new superstar salary impacts every other player on the list come contract negotiation time. And also plays havoc with tbe overall balancing of the salary cap.

Recruiting a star also raises fan expectations - and if they are not met pressure builds.

I wonder if Jackson is just such a recruit. I really don't see him being a massive game changer for them this season. Don't get me wrong, I think he will be a star. And may end up being a big factor in a premiership win. 

But freo aren't desperate for a ruck. To win a flag tbey need at least one elite big forward and at least one big bodied mid. 

Jackson's contract is going to make it hard to trade any such players. And if freo lose early games, his teammates and freo fans might start questioning the decision to put so many eggs in the Jackson basket.

And if that happens angst can infect the club and Jackson risks becoming the loci of that angst. Which heaps note pressure on him.

And grumbles about how much he is being paid and his performance start feeding in creating a mutant version of tbe virtuos cycle - the dreaded angst cycle.

Jackson is now in the ultimate footy fiah bowl. If the wheels start wobbling the pressure on him will be immense.

Bring it round one sainters.

 

Fantastic post Biman and great coomet on Freo developing,, and esp the second half Jackson observations.

But....My thought on a Freo slide is less thought out and based mainly on the old story of the Aust cricket team.  If a new player comes in - who do you drop?

If Freo stays in, I can't envision any of Cats, Dees Lions, Pies, Swans, Tiges  slipping out. 

 

[BDA 22,880]

Longmuir needs to change up their game plan. He followed our template last year but as we know by the end of last season teams had it worked out. Will be interesting to see how they will change it up. He’s a smart coach so I reckon he’ll adapt his approach.

A loss to St Kilda round 1, Lyon will be eager to get one over on them. Some injuries, loss of confidence. Seasons can turn peear-shaped quite easily with a bit of bad luck. Hoping Freo don’t have the rub of the green at all this year.

Do we have any practitioner of the dark voodoo arts on DL. Some witchcraft maybe. We should investigate a collective hex of some description for the dockers.

[george_on_the_outer 7,698]

2 hours ago, binman said:

Prior to the start of last season I predicted freo as the bolter, and possible top 4 chance. They looked rhe goods too before falling away.

Part of my confidence was based on a sense Longmuire was following goody's template in terms of development and game plan (with some tweaks eg switch and outside run) - and he also has a similar temperament and approach

I still think they are on the right track. They should make the 8 - they have an ok draw, and have a pretty easy opening 6 or so games, which gives them a chance of banking critical early wins.

But one divergence from the goody template is the recruitment or Jackson.

The golden rule is you draft for premierships - and only add star recruits to address a specific gap in order to go to the next level. Lynch to tbe tigers is a good example.

Our equivalent is Lever and May. We were no chance of winning a flag without sorting our defence, which meant their recruitment made perfect sense and would have ruffled zero feathers within the team - and only minor ruffling with fans. 

What rarely happens however, is a team building towards being a genuine contender adding a really high priced recruit part way through the development phase who doesn't fill a a specific, and obvious gap that needs to be filled to win a flag. 

Doing so risks team cohesion as a new superstar salary impacts every other player on the list come contract negotiation time. And also plays havoc with tbe overall balancing of the salary cap.

Recruiting a star also raises fan expectations - and if they are not met pressure builds.

I wonder if Jackson is just such a recruit. I really don't see him being a massive game changer for them this season. Don't get me wrong, I think he will be a star. And may end up being a big factor in a premiership win. 

But freo aren't desperate for a ruck. To win a flag tbey need at least one elite big forward and at least one big bodied mid. 

Jackson's contract is going to make it hard to trade any such players. And if freo lose early games, his teammates and freo fans might start questioning the decision to put so many eggs in the Jackson basket.

And if that happens angst can infect the club and Jackson risks becoming the loci of that angst. Which heaps note pressure on him.

And grumbles about how much he is being paid and his performance start feeding in creating a mutant version of tbe virtuos cycle - the dreaded angst cycle.

Jackson is now in the ultimate footy fiah bowl. If the wheels start wobbling the pressure on him will be immense.

Bring it round one sainters.

 

With you all the way with this one @binman!

Freo has some serious young talent, which needed to be complemented to get them to the next stage.  Have they done that or have they just been star struck by the prospect of the young talented Jackson? 

What does he add when they have a lot of negatives from their trade period?  While they have an excellent ruck in Darcy, they gave away Meek, a 24 year old 203cm ruckman, and Lobb another 207cm ruck, who was their leading goalkicker(36) for the season. So is Jackson an upgrade on what these two already offered?

They lost Mundy to retirement, who despite his age, was a genuine contributor in the middle.  Will O'Meara be an upgrade on him?  Not by a lot, at the very best. Fyfe was unable to get on the park last year with multiple hamstrings and a shoulder injury.  That's what happens too often over 30...Tabener their other main forward also turns 30 this year, after playing only 5 games.

To get to the big dance you need your absolute best on the park.  You need to inject talent which will fill the gaps and push you to the next level.  The danger for Freo is that they may have achieved neither.

Edited January 24, 2023 by george_on_the_outer

[Neil Crompton 5,619]

I think there is too much wishful thinking about Freo declining this year. Unfortunately, I think they will be around top 4-6, which will spoil our draft hand a bit. I think anything below 6 will be a bonus for our draft chances.  

And worse, I also think Jacko will have a pretty good year. 

[Redleg 41,432]

Maybe using the term "Death riding" in the Title should be changed.

I am not woke, but it's a pretty heavy and poor word choice imo.

I am sure there are plenty of alternative words like " failure" or "wooden spoon" or just "poor year" or whatever.

The Eagles have just lost a player's mother in an accident and their are killings everywhere, so maybe I am being overly sensitive, but surely another word could be used.

[dazzledavey36 55,347]

2 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

With you all the way with this one @binman!

Freo has some serious young talent, which needed to be complemented to get them to the next stage.  Have they done that or have they just been star struck by the prospect of the young talented Jackson? 

What does he add when they have a lot of negatives from their trade period?  While they have an excellent ruck in Darcy, they gave away Meek, a 24 year old 203cm ruckman, and Lobb another 207cm ruck, who was their leading goalkicker(36) for the season. So is Jackson an upgrade on what these two already offered?

They lost Mundy to retirement, who despite his age, was a genuine contributor in the middle.  Will O'Meara be an upgrade on him?  Not by a lot, at the very best. Fyfe was unable to get on the park last year with multiple hamstrings and a shoulder injury.  That's what happens too often over 30...Tabener their other main forward also turns 30 this year, after playing only 5 games.

To get to the big dance you need your absolute best on the park.  You need to inject talent which will fill the gaps and push you to the next level.  The danger for Freo is that they may have achieved neither.

O'Meara doesn't really improve them.

He's knees are absolutely cooked. He adds a big body and experience but that's where it stops.

[rjay 25,088]

3 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Tabener their other main forward also turns 30 this year, after playing only 5 games.

I didn't realise he was that old...the perennial young developing tall forward.

[Deebauched 1,220]

Virtually impossible to predict where Freo end up this year.  Same with Collingwood and Richmond.

Might be a very even year if North and Eagles pull their socks up.

[rpfc 28,779]

5 hours ago, Redleg said:

Maybe using the term "Death riding" in the Title should be changed.

I am not woke, but it's a pretty heavy and poor word choice imo.

I am sure there are plenty of alternative words like " failure" or "wooden spoon" or just "poor year" or whatever.

The Eagles have just lost a player's mother in an accident and their are killings everywhere, so maybe I am being overly sensitive, but surely another word could be used.

Well, I am woke and I was one of the first Death Riders…

I think it’s fine.

And I can come up with worse too…

[adonski 12,429]

Fingers crossed the Feathered Cap doesn't promote animal cruelty 

[MoeSyzlak 669]

6 hours ago, rjay said:

I didn't realise he was that old...the perennial young developing tall forward.

If there’s one bloke I am absolutely sick of the commentators frothing about its Taberner.

He’s played ten seasons. Kicked over 30 goals one season (2021), and apart from 7 goals against the very average Bombers last year he has kicked more than 4 goals in a game once in 116 games as a permanent deep forward  

 

 

[Its Time for Another 4,287]

On 1/12/2023 at 7:55 PM, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I can see Jackson kicking off his Freo debut with a 2022 esque performance of 8 possessions/1 mark/0 goals against St Kilda prompting a 40 page discussion on the Freo Bigfooty forum on whether they over paid.

You could be right. Of course the traditional Lyon gameplan involves camping 18 players in the backline. 

21 hours ago, BDA said:

A loss to St Kilda round 1, Lyon will be eager to get one over on them. Some injuries, loss of confidence. Seasons can turn peear-shaped quite easily with a bit of bad luck. Hoping Freo don’t have the rub of the green at all this year.

Wouldn't be counting on the Saints round 1, they are going to be cruelled with injuries the first part of the season and will probably struggle to recover. 

[BDA 22,880]

32 minutes ago, Its Time for Another said:

You could be right. Of course the traditional Lyon gameplan involves camping 18 players in the backline. 

Wouldn't be counting on the Saints round 1, they are going to be cruelled with injuries the first part of the season and will probably struggle to recover. 

Injuries aside the Saints are typically useless and undependable. I'm pinning my hopes on the Lyon effect. He'll want to put one over the dockers so he just might coax a performance of his team.

[Its Time for Another 4,287]

55 minutes ago, BDA said:

Injuries aside the Saints are typically useless and undependable. I'm pinning my hopes on the Lyon effect. He'll want to put one over the dockers so he just might coax a performance of his team.

 

[Deebauched 1,220]

Has it been announced how much Jacko is getting paid and length of contract?

[Gator 17,454]

18 minutes ago, Deebauched said:

Has it been announced how much Jacko is getting paid and length of contract?

Don't know dollars.

Contract expires end of 2029.

[AzzKikA 2,371]

Dunno how they will handle a defence like ours with this set up.

Young gun stands out in match sim as Freo's attack takes shape - https://www.afl.com.au/news/873554

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Willmoy1947 4,140]

The door is always open , that's what I always say. Sure that Mr Grundy wouldn't mind finishing his last two years with Jackson getting back to the big smoke for the last three years of his contract.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,878]

On 1/24/2023 at 10:47 AM, Demon17 said:

But....My thought on a Freo slide is less thought out and based mainly on the old story of the Aust cricket team.  If a new player comes in - who do you drop?

If Freo stays in, I can't envision any of Cats, Dees Lions, Pies, Swans, Tiges  slipping out. 

I'd be highly surprised if one of Cats, Drrs, Lions, Pies, Swans, Tigers doesn't slip out. 

Just look at Dog 2021 Vs 2022.  Similarly saw a stat that most teams that get beaten by 40+ points in a GF, don't make top 4 or perform well in finals the following year - referring to the Swans of 2022.

Can't see Collingwood getting a dream run of wins under 1 goal either, so I could easily see them slipping.

Who honestly knows what we will get from the Lions and Tigers this year and I'm not even sure the Cats or ourselves are a shoe in either.

I'm with those that think Freo's player losses outweigh their gains and could easily conceive them going backwards.  How far is the question.  It would be somewhat wishful thinking that they will regress as far as we did in 2019, but I can see a fairly low finish is not beyond the realms of possibility.  However, conversely to who comes out of the top four, I can't see any of North, West Coast or Hawthorn or GWS comming out of the bottom 4.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,878]

On 1/24/2023 at 2:41 PM, Redleg said:

Maybe using the term "Death riding" in the Title should be changed.

I am not woke, but it's a pretty heavy and poor word choice imo.

I am sure there are plenty of alternative words like " failure" or "wooden spoon" or just "poor year" or whatever.

The Eagles have just lost a player's mother in an accident and their are killings everywhere, so maybe I am being overly sensitive, but surely another word could be used.

Kinda know where you are comming from here Red.

What about "Spooning Freo for Dogga Picks"?

[The Jackson FIX 3,210]

Haselby has tipped Hayden Young to be an All Australian this year.

 

firstly, a game hasn’t even been played - not even a practice match - so I’m not sure we should be selecting the All Australian team just yet.

 

secondly, haselby must be close to the worst media voice out there. Nothing meaningful to say about any non-Freo team and only meaningless things to say about Freo

[dazzledavey36 55,347]

1 hour ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Haselby has tipped Hayden Young to be an All Australian this year.

 

firstly, a game hasn’t even been played - not even a practice match - so I’m not sure we should be selecting the All Australian team just yet.

 

secondly, haselby must be close to the worst media voice out there. Nothing meaningful to say about any non-Freo team and only meaningless things to say about Freo

What so people aren't allowed to make pre season predictions??

No different to many on here who predict these kind of things of the back of pre season training reports.

 

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

On 1/25/2023 at 12:06 PM, Deebauched said:

Has it been announced how much Jacko is getting paid and length of contract?

Says here $900,000 for 7 years (2029). It’s a lot to pay a bloke who still won’t be the best ruck in his team or the best forward. Still think he would have been a better match for West Coast where he could have succeeded Nic Nat

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/fremantle-dockers/afl-news-2022-luke-jackson-trade-request-to-fremantle-how-melbourne-and-dockers-can-get-deal-done-brodie-grundy-demons-sean-darcy-contract/news-story/7661437b1dba42a305f9882305c2399b

 

[The Jackson FIX 3,210]

25 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

What so people aren't allowed to make pre season predictions??

No different to many on here who predict these kind of things of the back of pre season training reports.

 

The unashamed Freo bias from a reporter in a paid capacity is what gets under my skin.