- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Fremantle were considered one of the surprises of the 2014 national draft as they loaded up on midfield and small forward talent.
However, perhaps the real surprise of Fremantle’s draft and off-season period was the inability to look at the bigger picture, according to mainstream media.
Fifteen months ago Fremantle fell agonisingly short of a maiden premiership and three months ago were about six good quarters away from another premiership berth.
A lot has been made of a meek second half, second semi-final effort but Fremantle has done the right thing in this off-season by not overcorrecting what was a tough end to a tough season. Being hunted did not treat Fremantle kindly, in 2015 they go back to being the hunters.
Part of the reason that Fremantle’s off-season and draft was considered surprising was because of an unwillingness in the mainstream media to acknowledge what Fremantle have been building and are looking to sustain. To understand Fremantle’s 2014 national draft one has to look at their last two draft performances and couple this with the history of both the club and its coach Ross Lyon.
In regards to the national draft, in 2013 Fremantle selected tall players with its first two picks adding key position prospects Michael Apeness and Alex Pearce to its list. This was complimented by promoting versatile tall Matt Taberner from the rookie list.
In 2012 Tanner Smith and Jack Hannath were tall players that came to the club. That means over the past two years Fremantle has added five versatile and talented big men to its depth. Given that big players take time to develop the performances of Taberner and Hannath at AFL level and Smith and Apeness at WAFL level mean that all four could form a solid ruck and key position core.
Experts keep talking about the need for Fremantle to replace veteran stalwarts Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands but with Smith down back, Apeness in the ruck and Taberner up forward the replacements are already there.
The partnership of Ross Lyon and Fremantle has been a strong one for the past three seasons but in terms of list management the path ahead is perhaps rocky. Lyon has been regarded as a win now coach. Willing to sacrifice a list in the long term to deliver a premiership.
Only Lyon is yet to deliver that premiership. Fremantle want a premiership and they would sacrifice for a premiership. Yet Lyon must know that he can’t leave Fremantle in a precarious position when he leaves given the hit it would give to his reputation. For that reason the draft in 2014 was a little bit of staying a contender while also continuing to think ahead for life post-Lyon.
Instead of looking at Pavlich, Sandilands and McPharlin it appears Fremantle are looking next level at David Mundy, Ryan Crowley and Paul Duffield and their approaching retirements.
With these things considered Fremantle did an outstanding job of picking the best available player at the time of their picks. A lot of teams consider this the best strategy, however it really is only a team that is in Fremantle’s position of production from the existing and talent coming through that the best available pick works.
Lachie Weller was considered a borderline top 10 pick and Fremantle jumped at the chance to get him a pick or two later than expected. Connor Blakely may be looked back on as the steal of this draft and Fremantle were able to acquire him in the middle of the second round.
Blakely’s numbers were bordering on elite at WAFL league level and seems a worthy mix of Mundy and Lachie Neale. He is a luxury that adds to a growingly dominant clearance team at Fremantle.
The two later picks on forward prospects indicate that Fremantle believe a small forward line is the key to the future. They used a four-pronged small attack to differing degrees of effect last year, but appear to be in a position where pace and defensive pressure will be the ongoing benchmarks of their forward group.
As Fremantle have done, big picture is the key. If they can get the right breaks next year they will again contend, and now courtesy of the 2014 draft they are set to keep the big picture bright.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.