Fremantle’s patient approach to the silly season may leave a few holes unplugged as the end to the 2014 AFL Trade Period looms without a single deal done.
It seems that every side has been mentioned in one way or another this trade period except for the Dockers.
Would Ross Lyon want it any other way? Of course not.
The only real news to come out of Fremantle was Irish Category B rookie Sean Hurley earning a spot on the rookie list after training with the club from 2013.
Since an early rumour regarding the Dockers’ chase of North Melbourne key forward Aaron Black was put to bed, the 2013 grand finalists have been far quieter than any of their competitors.
As is becoming a trend for the AFL’s underachievers, the list issues that appear minor now have been either patched over to little effect or swept under the carpet in another dismal offseason.
Ageing defensive duo Luke McPharlin and Michael Johnson managed just 13 and 18 games respectively this year, with question marks surrounding the impact they can have next year.
Attempts to ease pressure on Captain and key forward Matthew Pavlich by recruiting Colin Sylvia from Melbourne and Scott Gumbleton from the Bombers failed miserably, while Danyle Pearce has under-delivered in finals since joining in 2011.
Brought to the club as an x-factor, Pearce was wasteful in the 2013 Grand Final and far below average in the semi-final loss to Port Adelaide this season.
Showing interest in Aaron Black suggests that Fremantle are aware of their need for a power forward to take over the reigns as Pavlich spends less time in the goal-square.
Aaron Sandilands and Zac Clarke both spent time in that role this year, but couldn’t have quite the same impact as a genuine forward and both are far more valuable in the ruck.
Matt Taberner showed promise throughout the year but still needs work if he is going to be considered the first choice.
Signing a top-dollar full forward may make the difference between Fremantle going around again next year or ‘doing a St. Kilda’ and falling out of relevance.
The Dockers already have one of the competition’s highest-rated small forward combinations in Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne.
Throwing in a big body to target in the goal square would potentially give Ballantyne and Walters greater opportunities should the ball go to ground.
There is reason to argue that Fremantle missed the boat on signing Buddy Franklin last year. Despite seeming set to join the Swans as early as 2012, a loaded contract may have been enough to lure the Perth-born superstar back home.
How does a forward line featuring Pavlich, Ballantyne, Walters, Chris Mayne and Buddy Franklin sound? Throw in Nathan Fyfe for good measure and you are looking at an outfit set to contend for years after Pavlich’s retirement.
But would Buddy have fit the Lyon defensive mould?
Averaging three tackles per game this year, the most of any power forward, there is no immediate reason to say why not.
But Buddy is a Swan for life. So who else is on the market?
GWS Giant Jon Patton may have been the answer if not for the tragic injury problems that have again put his career on hold, and teammate Tom Boyd has nominated the Bulldogs as his preferred home.
Are Freo making a mistake by not playing hard-ball, not chasing players in the style of the Hawthorns and Sydneys of the AFL?
Maybe, but by no means are Fremantle out of the Premiership race.
The Dockers played at their brilliant best when they defeated the Hawks at Paterson’s Stadium in Round 21, so there is an argument to make that Freo’s problem is not their list, but their inconsistency.
When all players perform to their peaks, as was the case in the Round 21 game and the majority of the 2013 season, the Dockers are a genuine Premiership threat.
Ross Lyon continues to show tremendous faith in this list for good reason. His game-plan relies on team effort rather than individual performance, which explains the cautious approach to the trade scene.
There is time left to grab a bargain should the Dockers make a play and hijack one of the ‘sure thing’ deals that appears all but done.
With a few days to go in the trade period and big names still yet to sign for new homes (Mitch Clark, Ryan Griffen, Tom Boyd, Travis Varcoe), Fremantle could yet make the trade that breaks their Premiership duck.
Macca
Guest
"What’s the smiley for slapping yourself on the forehead?" What are you takling about Dalgety? Whatever you reckon Don, as long as your are happy living in delusional goo luck to you.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
What's the smiley for slapping yourself on the forehead?
Don Freo
Guest
Macca, you think like Cameron Schwab (which involves very little thinking). The trading you are describing is REGRESSIVE not AGgressive. C'mon, Dal, you can do better than this. If selecting football talent comes down to Venn diagrams, the mathematicians have won. Footy is simpler than that. Freo has stars...let's keep 'em. Notice Zac Clarke, too, played the finals with broken ribs, a punctured lung and a crook knee. How good will he be when he returns to peak fitness? (Another good reason not to enter trading...to keep Griffin). Freo's form against Hawthorn just before the finals was the truest indication of where they are at...and even then we were undermanned. Very bright next few years ahead!
Macca
Guest
Trading agressively does not make a trade good or bad - so yes ther would be good aggressive trades and bad aggressive trades - the difference is that you take ownership of the trade by being aggreessive, you back your recruiters. Geelong may be damned in a few years time for making the trades they did but they won't die wondering and in the case of the trade that sparked this whole palava at the very least they will be in the camp that is able to say "why did we take Tambling instead of Franklin" rather than the camp that says "what if we had a pick just that bit higher, we could have got Franklin" - they were agressive and took control of their own fate, as much as is possible.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
So if we then looked at trades in a ven diagram, you should have good trades and bad trades in totally separate circles, not intersecting at all. The "aggressive trades" category is less pure and that circle would intersect both the good trades and bad trades circle, do you agree?
Macca
Guest
Aggressive:- behaving or done in a determined and forceful way. "we needed more growth to pursue our aggressive acquisition strategy" synonyms: assertive, forceful, competitive, insistent, vigorous, energetic, dynamic, driving, bold, audacious, enterprising, go-ahead, zealous, Active:-. participating or engaged in a particular sphere or activity. synonyms: hard-working, busy, industrious, diligent, tireless, contributing, enterprising, influential; While they certainly were "active" I meant "aggressive".
Macca
Guest
Dalgety before I get to your proposal let me just say this, many on here doubt the wisdom of Geelongs trade, many believe Geelong have taken a big risk, if that isn't aggressive what is? On your trade offering Clarke and a 1st round pick would not be aggressive, offering Neale and a first round pick would be aggressive, offering both players would be aggressive, offering both players and a pick would be over paying.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
You're making a fair bit of sense there Axle and the question of quality vs cost, which is at the heart of whether Freo used any strategy at all in the trade period just gone. I think also Macca your use of the aggressive trade tag also is a question worth pondering. But let's walk through it step by step, with simple short one point answers so we can get somewhere: I'm glad you think the Walker trade I proposed wasn't a bad one, but do you think it qualifies as an aggressive trade (say bundled up with either the first or second round draft pick if that makes you happy)?
Axle an the Guru
Guest
Macca there was sweet FA Freo need out of that bunch of rejects. Anyone that was any good Freo have the equivalent of or better. You would struggle to make a side that could beat St Kilda out of the rabble that was up for grabs,Freo do have a good outfit so why would they want to weaken it with some of that Sh:t. The quality of player floating around might help Carlton but Freo are a lot stronger and don't need those type of players.
Don Freo
Guest
I think you mean 'active' not 'aggressive'.
Don Freo
Guest
It's because they don't do the AFL media paint by numbers stuff. They are creative, efficient and don't bow to formulaic small minded expectation. They may well be the only club that doesn't conform to Caroline Wilson, Patrick Smith, Mike Sheahan and Damien Barrett's versions of how things should happen. Those writers tell AFL fans what to think. People don't get why and try to get Freo back on track. Freo just continues to smile and dance to the beat of a purple drum. That intrigues people. What? Fresh thinking?
Macca
Guest
Or we could all do what Freo does and skip the thing altogether - or take the Essendon approach and be obstinate.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Ok if that trade meets the criteria for "aggressive" then we better rename it "Aggressive Trade Week" rather than just plain old "Trade Week" as that trade is pretty much less aggressive than any other trade during the past fortnight.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Macca you ever wonder why you are the only person who has to do this to refresh the comments? Are you sure you've properly tried the refresh button on your browser? Which browser are you using? IE? Safari? Firefox? Opera? Other?
Macca
Guest
Dalgety - I really can't see why you can't understand, the swap of draft picks was aggressive AND Geelong's whole strategy was aggresssive. Those 2 things can both be true. And I am not saying any trade is better than no trade but Geelong have managed to address their need ot get a tall forward to help out Hawkins AND the have done so whilst also getting themselves into the top 10 in the draft order - they did so by being aggressive - I am not sure how much simpler I can make it for you.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Macca you went from trumpeting that pick swap as aggressive trading, then you went to claiming it was the whole strategy Geelong took to the trade period that you were talking about after being called on doing more than nothing = aggressive and now you are back to it just being about the single trade after being called on backing away from that claim. But it still too early too call on the benefit of Clark and Stanley. This is the whole point, are you saying making ANY trade is better than making no trade, no matter what those trades are?
JoshC
Guest
I agree Donfreo there is always so many comments about Freo - why is that? They are not a love or hate club like Collingwood, they don't polarise people like Essendon of recent times, heck they're not even close to being the biggest club in WA. I think it is spawned from seeing the over top reactions of their supporters with perennial chips on their shoulders. Take you for example, your cricket posts show a heap of knowledge and are insightful however whenever you comment on your beloved purple haze, you carry on like a pork chop and make the most outlandish calls, I have to admit some are very funny. My personal favourite was when you recently said "Fremanatle has been the best preforming team for the last 2 years" hahaha gold. I live in Perth so know more about freo than I want to and am from the view point that their premiership window is closing quickly. It has to be next year. Oh and it was very nice see Port Adelaide (my club) knock them out of the finals at their home ground.... what a win that was!!!!!
Axle an the Guru
Guest
Hahahahaha :-()
Don Freo
Guest
Cameron, as you can see, you have only got Macca to agree with you here...and a bit of sympathy from Peter...but nevertheless, congratulations are in order. I meant to commend your century but I notice you have rocketed past 150 already. It seems any article about Freo will engage record contributions. Everyone has an opinion on Freo but very few seem to know much about Freo. Then Freo fans have to gently sit back re-informing some rather unusual misperceptions. You should try an article about Carlton. You'll get 30 comments, 29 of which will come from Macca in response to my one bait.
Axle an the Guru
Guest
Well time will tell Macca but I certainly Connor see Clark or Stanley influencing game to the point Varcoe or Christensen did not only that Geelong have left Taylor Hunt in limbo haven't they? What good are Clark and Stanley? Stanley is a reject from the wooden spoon side so that tells you everything there and if Geelong play Clark who done nothing at Melb or Brisbane,over Walker or Kirsten then they need their heads read.