2 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

I think they didn’t show their hand of the game plane entirely, i would be concerned on our defending, leaking 16 goals which is what we built our premiership on 

That's just how teams defend practice matches.

Windsor is still some way off learning to defend.

I still don't see Howes as a defender.

Adams did some nice things and made some errors.

Bowey had a stinker (defensively and offensively) - I hope he was just blowing the cobwebs out.

I hope Petty's ok as we could have swung him forward today. He looked a bit sore last week so hopefully just rested.

Not a good game from Chandler.

Quiet games from Langford, Sharp with Lindsay improving as the game went on.

A good game from Max but beaten up.

I like Sparrow as a defensive forward early in the game.

Happy with Billings around the ground game - he's upped the pressure and intent. I'd be singing his praises if he'd kicked even a couple of  goals. A classic 'between the ears' goal (point) kicker.

Welcome back Clarry and Trac!

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Roger Mellie

7 hours ago, VNightCityLegend said:

Nah, not a hot take. My Ethiopian mate even jokingly messaged me saying we sweat more than Ethiopian slaves.

The amount of effort we exert just to take the ball forward 50 meters opposed to Collingwood or a Sydney at their absolute best with skill and precision makes me envious. We always follow up with strong defensive efforts, but we aren't as polished by foot, which is why we often chip the ball 15-20 meters trying to find an opening while the opposition closes the exits.

Watching us over the last 3 years, often grinding out wins even the most horrific of opposition (think that round 11 match last year vs St Kilda where we blew them away in the first QTR with 11 scoring shots to 1 and only winning by 6 goals) has been tough watches. 

 

Spot on about how hard we make it look.

11 hours ago, GS_1905 said:

A back spasm is not a nice injury. It is usually a result of something not quite right in the spine. 

A lot of the time it's caused by tight hammies and glutes. Hopefully a few sessions on the table with the physio will loosen him up

If our opposition has kicked 16 goals, is it damning that 7 of our back men only laid a total of 3 tackles all day? None of Howes, Salem, Lever nor Windsor laid one tackle between them. 

The chipping in defence reminded me of the Neeld times.

It was slow, tentative, lob kicks.  It was a tactic easy to defend/intercept and we showed little confidence using it.

It is one thing to switch and make the opp defend transition quite another to be locked in their f50.  Asking for trouble.

I'm guessing it is to rely less on the 'kick it to Max' tactic that became soooooooooo predictable.   The tactic relies on quick pin point passes but I don't know we have the skills to play that way.

I don't mind 'switch' and change angles tactics but we need to practice it a lot more and get much better at it. 

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Lucifers Hero

3 hours ago, KozzyCan said:

It was nice to see the midfield back in order but jeez the forward line still looks like a dogs breakfast.

I must say I don't understand the Windsor and Langdon moves at all. We don't launch our ball movement off the HBF and that's actually often been the role of the wings, so we move our two best wingers into roles they're totally unsuited for? 

Langdon is a workhorse who kills you with gut running, I don't see what he offers at CBAs. Windsor has awesome burst out of contest and would be better suited to that role of we're going to move him. We've taken away both their best assets for what exactly?

100% agree on Windsor and Langdon 2 of our shining lights last year. Langdon back to his best after a couple of down years and Windsor drawing comparisons to the great Robbie flower running up and down the wings for us. So what do we do ?? Move them into the guts and half back

11 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

We are disgusting the spoon for us I don't care if it was a practice match. We are done for the season I hate this club they do it to me all the time.

Dear Admins, please bring back the facepalm reaction

The difference in the goal accuracy was theirs were mostly within the 40m range (due to their quick transition and our poor defence).  Ours were outside that range imv mainly because we didn't present or look for options. 

I don't know why we persist with taking long range kicks when our set shots accuracy is historically poor.

Is it ball movement strategy that we don't take the ball deep into our f50 or do players overestimate their ability?

 

We kicked ourselves out of a Prelim and maybe a premiership in 2023.  I don't think I can take another year of those score lines, especially in the first quarter when better accuracy should give us the momentum to win the game.

And it is so deflating at the ground to hear so many groans - it doesn't help the 'make some noise campaign'.

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Lucifers Hero

12 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

The chipping in defence reminded me of the Neeld times.

It was slow, tentative, lob kicks.  It was a tactic easy to defend/intercept and we showed little confidence using with it

It is one thing to make the opp defend transition quite another to be locked in their f50.  Asking for trouble.

I'm guessing it is to rely less on the 'kick it to Max' tactic that became soooooooooo predictable. 

I don't mind the change but we need to practice it a lot more and get much better at it.

That's how Hawthorn looked early last year, their run and carry turned out ok. Yesterday wasn't great but it showed where we are at. Our Champions are just that and must remain on the field. The rest of our side is young but talented. If we can minimise injuries we'll push hard this year. We've basically recruited Petracca and Oliver.

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Roost it far

5 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

That's how Hawthorn looked early last year, their run and carry turned out ok.

Can't see how that has any bearing on us!

What's more I saw little of the run and carry yesterday or in recent years.  It was Freo who put on a run and carry master class when at least 2-3 times they went from d50 to score a goal without us touching the ball or laying a tackle.

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Lucifers Hero

Bailey Fritsch's work ethic is non-existent. First quarter ball looks like it's going out of bounds so he stops chasing the player, Fremantle player follows it at top speed to the line and gathers the ball, keeps it and handballs to a teammate and Freo move it out of defence. The lack of heat that is put on him every year for his lack of intensity and efforts without the ball is staggering to me. 

1 hour ago, lucifer said:

Bailey Fritsch's work ethic is non-existent. First quarter ball looks like it's going out of bounds so he stops chasing the player, Fremantle player follows it at top speed to the line and gathers the ball, keeps it and handballs to a teammate and Freo move it out of defence. The lack of heat that is put on him every year for his lack of intensity and efforts without the ball is staggering to me. 

What really hurts us is that opp know he doesn't have, nor has ever shown, second efforts or do the 1% so they double team someone else.

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Lucifers Hero

7 minutes ago, lucifer said:

Bailey Fritsch's work ethic is non-existent. First quarter ball looks like it's going out of bounds so he stops chasing the player, Fremantle player follows it at top speed to the line and gathers the ball, keeps it and handballs to a teammate and Freo move it out of defence. The lack of heat that is put on him every year for his lack of intensity and efforts without the ball is staggering to me. 

I think it was the 3rd quarter when he applied no pressure to a player fumbling in our forward pocket. Rather than getting the ball out of bounds Which would of taken him 2 steps and body contact freo ran the length of the ground for a goal. That stuff really annoys me.

I did not see the game but I am reading the report on mfc.com. These are the quick takeways:

- "Trac and Oliver back to their best with 20 clearances between them" 👍

- "Oliver in superb physical condition" 👍

Note: These two above are already much better news than the overall result on the day.

- "Aiden Johnson impressive in forward line, competing hard all day" Yes please 👍

- Clearances 45-27 and contested ball 127-112. It's not everything but it's great to hear the Dees are getting their hard edge back. 

- JVR back spasm injury, hopefully right for Rd 1 👎

 

One for dessert:

- "Justin Longmuir has hosed down rumours of Luke Jackson trade talk saying he's never been happier" 

Just a little sugar sweetener. Don't care if there's nothing to it at all but I do like that they had to field that question and the more the better. 

 

30 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

The difference in the goal accuracy was theirs were mostly within the 40m range (due to their quick transition and our poor defence).  Ours were outside that range imv mainly because we didn't present or look for options. 

I don't know why we persist with taking long range kicks when our set shots accuracy is historically poor.

Is it ball movement strategy that we don't take the ball deep into our f50 or do players overestimate their ability?

 

We kicked ourselves out of a Prelim and maybe a premiership in 2023.  I don't think I can take another year of those score lines, especially in the first quarter when better accuracy should give us the momentum to win the game.

And it is so deflating at the ground to hear so many groans - it doesn't help the 'make some noise campaign'.

Yeah it's the same old story, hey? We generate a bunch of low quality inside 50s which lead to a truckload of [censored] shots at goal. Opposition transition easily and walk it in. Been singing this song for the past three years.

What were the expected scores from yesterday?

18 minutes ago, layzie said:

One for dessert:

- "Justin Longmuir has hosed down rumours of Luke Jackson trade talk saying he's never been happier" 

Just a little sugar sweetener. Don't care if there's nothing to it at all but I do like that they had to field that question and the more the better. 

 

Haha, Jackson's happiness was never at issue with us either.

4 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Haha, Jackson's happiness was never at issue with us either.

He looked like he was on schoolies for 4 years

12 hours ago, Hopeful Demon said:

Trac and Oliver looked great. That was what I really cared about for this practice game.

Yea huge positive from it. 

The usual more i50s I think though. Strange.

But our never say die ethos is back which is great and somthing that saw us be so successful in 21.

Relitlvley happy with the practice match. Now onto the real thing

I didn't see the game but my key takeaways after reading reports from various sources are:

1. Playing defenders who can't defend (eg Lever, Bowey, Howes) and forwards who don't kick goals (eg Chandler, Spargo (when fit), Tholstrup (when fit)) is a recipe for failure. Please don't let this be another season ruined by terrible team selection.

2. Goalkicking is the most important skill in football and we are just plain woeful at it.

3. Having failed to turn over enough players in the draft / trade period, we are now trying to artificially create depth in key roles by stuffing around with things that weren't broken (eg playing Langdon and Windsor out of position). The Bowey as a defender experiment should have ended two years ago as well.

Obviously it is fantastic to see Oliver and Petracca looking fit and playing well, but we are still overly reliant on those two and Gawn. 

It was like we were playing no defence football. Just freewheeling no system stuff. It was only error by Freo forwards or chaos ball movement that occasionally got us out of defence. As for inaccuracy, the sea breeze is strong in Mandurah with no ground protection. The ball was moving all over the place. The ground advantage was big for Freo.

 

 

Haven't read all the responses here but they are far more negative than they should be in my opinion.  It is a pre-season game.  We are not the finished product.  I remember getting smashed in 2021 by the Dogs in the pre-season and thinking we are miles off it.  We know how relevant that was ultimately!

A few reasons why I'm buyoed by yesterday:

 

• Fremantle are a good side for us to have played.  Their defence is one of the best in the league, they are very good at clearance and can open you up on turnover.  They also have some very dangerous forwards.  They arguably have the best list in the AFL (though their gamestyle / performance over a season doesn't live up to that).  It is a critical year for them and so they would have taken this match seriously.
• The conditions were very hot which definitely favoured the dockers over us.
• We were close but not quite at full strength - Pickett (until last Q), Petty, McVee, JVR (injured early).  They're pretty hand players.  
• Yes we won clearance, inside 50 and kicked a lot more points (and lost the match) but it felt a bit different.  There was definitely a real effort from some to lower the eyes (eg Trac to Clarry) rather than bombing.  Still a lot of work to do but this is something we will be working at all year if we're to reach our potential not something that can be fixed over night.
• I liked the different combinations in the middle which meant that at times Clarry, Viney and Trac all started forward which gave a different feel.  Having Langdon (and Pickett) in the centre square made us look less vulnerable to opposition sets where they have have smaller, quicker players in there.
• Johnson competed really well - I think he could play the role that Goody was wanting Petty to play last year as in compete in the air, get the ball to ground, fight and scrap and snag a goal or two if ones for the taking but more about competing and fighting.  His give to Fritsch for a goal when on the ground in a pack to me shows he could be very valuable (even without being a big goal kicker)
• Clarry kicking goals (even set shots) was fantastic.  If he can kick 20 to 30 this year, he will probably win the Brownlow.
• There's a lot to tidy up but a lot to like.  Langford and Lindsay weren't as prominent but they seem like hard workers - it gives them a good sense of the next level they need to get to which I'm sure they will rise to it.

We had more scoring shots than a team that should be finishing top 4 in our first proper outing (in tough conditions in the west).  There's a lot to like and of course a lot of 'learnings'.  Bring on round 1