Over the last four years, Fremantle have probably been the most dominant team in the AFL to not taste premiership glory.
Playing in one semi-final, two preliminaries and one grand final, there is no doubt that Ross Lyon’s coaching style has lifted Fremantle close to the ultimate prize.
When analysing why Fremantle are yet to win a premiership, their lack of forward firepower is often blamed. During this year’s trade period, Cameron McCarthy was a significant target for the club and their fans would no doubt be bitterly disappointed by the fact that he remains at GWS.
His addition to the side would have been valuable, given that their list of experienced forwards is thin, with the ageing Matthew Pavlich, Michael Walters and Hayden Ballentyne doing much of the heavy lifting, despite none of them being out and out star forwards.
However, to say that a lack of a few more power forwards is the sole problem at Fremantle is naïve. It is instead the issues within the Ross Lyon game plan that is costing Fremantle a chance at success.
In 2015, the club ranked 14th for inside 50s in the competition while grand finalists Hawthorn and West Coast ranked first and fifth respectively. Such a low amount of supply makes it very difficult for Fremantle’s forwards to kick a winning score.
Nonetheless, the Fremantle forward line is surprisingly efficient, converting the 14th highest amount of inside 50s into the ninth highest amount of goals. This contributes to the idea that Fremantle’s failings lie not in their personnel, but in their game plan.
Although the idea is that their defence makes up for their offensive struggles, they actually have only the second best defence in the league with Hawthorn – who are also the best attacking side. In short, their defence is good, but not good enough to make up for their clearly lacking offence.
Granted, I’m no expert and I have no idea how to develop and more attacking game style with minimal impact on defensive prowess. However, to move forward and give the Purple Haze hope of seeing their own premiership cup, the Dockers need to get more ball inside 50.
The addition of one or two forward line players will only compliment this change, it will not address the underlying problem.
However, Ross Lyon is a great coach and has in fact already coached a side without these failings. His 2009 St. Kilda side ranked third for inside 50s and third for average goals.
Any Fremantle supporter could argue that their side in 2016 will be just as high quality personnel wise as the St. Kilda side of 2009.
If Lyon can mould the Dockers into a side with more supply, they don’t need anyone else. The only problem is time is not on their side.
Me Too
Guest
Hold on - the saints had just played in three finals series straight, and in two prelims, with a young list brimming with talent, when Ross took over. They went backwards for two years adapting to his gameplan. Many think without that complete change the team would've grown enough to go on and win the flag with their attacking footy. Up until Ross came Saints and Geelong played a similar game, with a similarly aged list, but the Saints were the better team. We'll never know, but to claim the Saints were mediocre is absurd.
Don Freo
Guest
Both Michaels...that is an absolute myth. Footy is perhaps more skilled than it has ever been...and at a crazily frenetic pace.
Don Freo
Guest
Having a bad day, Michael?
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Michael . You are 100% correct . The skill level has dropped off remarkably in the AFL because clubs look for athletes first, footballers second . This current Hawthorn side has won 3 premierships on the trot , yet the mighty Hawks teams of the 80's would flog them by 12 goals without breaking a sweat . The level of skill today is actually consummate to the old VFA or Amatuers league . The vast majority of players today simply would not get a guernsey if they were competing for a list place in the 70s, 80s and 90s .
Michael Huston
Guest
Fremantle have the same problem that all sixteen other teams not named Hawthorn have: They can't play football. Football has gone backwards a fair way in terms of skill. Players miss easy targets, can't kick goals, and drop marks. They're literally the simplest of details that should be a given, yet only one team in the whole competition can tick those things off. And I know first hand because I've watched the Swans decline in skill each year and get worse because of it. Skill is everything. You can have all the players filling every position on the ground on paper, but if they can't do what they're paid to do on the field, they won't come through.
Don Freo
Guest
I think this bottom 5...bottom 6...stuff is cliché more than anything. Nevertheless, Freo's depth of talent amongst those around the periphery of selection is where Freo goes ahead of Hawthorn now. Hawks have about 6 or 7 players that are being carried by the stars. I'm tipping them for 6 - 11 this year.
Tom M
Guest
Whilst i agree with you Don that freo is well and truly still in the hunt, and that a majority of their team is infact young. I still cant see them beating Hawthorn come finals time. Its hawthorn's bottom 5 players in their team that would slaughter Freo's. This was evident in the finals when it was the young or not quite upto AFL standard players that cost you the game. Whilst Hawthorns young talent tore shreds off west coast in the grand final. I still see freo being top 4 for as long as Sandilands hangs around
Balthazar
Guest
Errr, did you read my comment before you started on your rant? 9 weeks was an important point because of what happened in the 10th week. Jonno sustained an injury - and Dalgety would probably also say it was important that Pav's achilles problem also emerged during the game against Adelaide. In the first game between Freo and the Swans, Freo switched off the engine at half time. I'm afraid the Swans never looked like winning either game against Freo last year. By the way, Barlow hasn't played as a midfielder in a long time (except the Port game, when Freo sent over their seconds. He played very well that game). He always plays off the half forward line. He'd be more influential if he was sent into the middle. As for Mundy he is one of the best kicks in the competition, so not sure where you get the poor disposal stuff from.
paulywalnuts
Guest
I believe the word was "juvenidiocy". A much better word than "apprehenaive", I'm sure you'll agree. Just rolls off the tongue.
Don Freo
Guest
Now that is a strange response. You really think admiration for one of footy's all time greats is juvenile?
paulywalnuts
Guest
Really no need for your relentless juvenidiocy Don.
Don Freo
Guest
It's funny reading comments by the Stevic crew. Freo is just beginning to scratch the surface of its last 3 years of development. The next 4 or 5 years will be Freo's best so far. So much young talent and so much youthful, yet experienced, class in the low to mid 20 age bracket. That's about 3/4 of the team. These are exciting times. You'll need to look elsewhere for your consolation, Tim.
Don Freo
Guest
He is fine. He has had many players go past him at Freo but, because he still has his skills and physical prowess, that's a strength. His on field guidance and cameo touches will be a real issues for opposition 3rd and 4th defenders. You needn't feel apprehenaive Pauly.
paulywalnuts
Guest
There's no one player I've seen in my time (with the possible exception of Robert Harvey) that I would have loved to see win a premiership than Pavlich. But he is not the player he was, seems very much on the decline and it's hard to see that being reversed. I hope de doesn't live to regret going another year.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
This was Freo's best chance and they blew it. I have said many times on here that they are a team perfectly suited for H&A where their deficiencies are not exposed. They are very like the fine Footscray team of a decade ago. Come finals time they come up short, mainly for their forward line has only one player you can really trust in Walters against real quality, and the thing going against this fine player is he is a small rather than a power forward. Pavlich used to be a gun, but is now vastly diminished and it will be sad if this vindicated legend is an example of a player who played one year too long. The other key fact of them is they have too many players who are exposed against quality opposition. The bottom 6 of their 22 will always be the reason why they come up short. If you want an example, think of the prelim this year, and three decisive moments involving Ballantine, 2 in the first where he gave away a stupid reverse free resulting in a goal, and failed to handball that would have resulted in a certain goal. In the last Freo have a run on, he has the ball in the open and turns it over to Hodge. In tight finals those gaffs kill you, and there are too many Freo players who are prone to this when the real heat comes on, or when there is no heat at all. And i havent even mentioned the huge anchor around their neck that is Lyon's stodgy game plan :(
dave
Guest
I want pavlich gone.i have watched so many times when the the team has worked their ass off to finally get him a shot and...... If we are winning easy he pings it no worries. The game in the balance and we really need that captains goal he is maybe fifty/fifty. The ones he misses deflates the supporters and i can't imagine how the team feels after working so hard to get him the shot that they see him kick day after day in training only to miss when it really counts. Hodge may miss a few goals but he doesn't miss important ones. Hawks have a heap of these players freo only has one in walters. I think Yarren is a goal kicker,don't know about bennel but at least we have gone from one clutch/pressure goal kicker to maybe two or two and a half. Freo only problem is missing easy goals.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
"Sh4t list", "filter list"...the end result is the same. At the end of the day a concerned prissy grandmother's attitude is the winner.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
"The cabin-in-the-woods-off-the-grid part of me could suspect it’s because of a few choice interactions I’ve had at an “Expert” or two on here that have somehow got me on some sort of higher level filter list." Trust me, it's a sh4t list thing. I've been on it. :)
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
So are you saying Fyfe (who won the Brownlow in basically nine games) isn't quite up to it?
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
The cabin-in-the-woods-off-the-grid part of me could suspect it's because of a few choice interactions I've had at an "Expert" or two on here that have somehow got me on some sort of higher level filter list. Especially when posts with swear words and personal type accusations seem to get straight up. But the SM-ing devil-may-forget-about-me-ing has a care-factor of zero.