aflfreoswans

Hey it worked for Marnus Labuschagne! And it did look like Alex Pearce was getting reverse swing on the odd kick. Time to Restump Podcast Saturday’s 12 minute loss to the Swans.

We got off to a flyer but we stopped as fast as we started and it was the first quarter curse yet again that destroyed us… or rather it was what we did or didn’t do in it that destroyed us

What if we start internally applying our games in 5ths? Say five 16-minute periods. That way we would avoid first quarters. Has it really come to that type of preposterous thinking? 

After getting 18 disposals, 2 inside 50’s and kicking one goal one before the Swans had a single possession, the game was pretty much over at 16 minutes later, as mental as those sounds.

It was as if centre clearances and spreading from the contest were foreign terms. We largely leveled up the numbers by the end of the night but, like has been the case all year, the damage was done. 

Luke Jackson and Josh Treacy combined admirably in the ruck but there is no substitute for Sean Darcy. That said, he was there for the first quarter last week.

Thank goodness for Luke Ryan. He was exceptional as he nearly always is and the margin would have blown out with out his performance. 

With his 23 touches, 9 contested and 8 ground ball get (second most on the ground behind Caleb Serong) Liam Henry continues to dismiss his critics. He’s made the wing his own and if anyone else wants it they’re going to have to fight to take it off him.

We raised the prospect last week that Alex Pearce may not be the captain that is required, or more so that he doesn’t play in a position to make an influential difference when needed. Is the captaincy question rearing it head again? 

As disappointing as the post-bye season has been, we still believe we’re not far off the pack. It looks like a lack of cohesion and connection and an absence of a bit of grunt and agro in the middle rather than talent. And if that is the case, it is rectifiable with offseason focus.

We’d all love to be chatting about a victory but win lose or draw we soldier on. The monotony is biting us all but we bind together, hunker down and weather the storm like only Freo fans know how. 

So, friends. Romans, countrymen… lend us your ears, pack your mental strength and come along for our interpretation of the current deep purple situation.

What a great story Ethan “Snipper” Stanley is. There is always something to get out of, I’d say a fruitless season… but it’s a season that has gone pear shaped! Time to Restump Podcast Snipper’s debut against the Swans. 

Our finals chances may resemble a flatlining Chaddy Fletcher on the Las Vegas strip but there is still life in the season when you get to see your recruits make their debuts. We’re putting these remaining games of 2023 to good use.

At this point of the year, its not now so much about wins and losses but rather, structure, game style disciplines and the Ronnie Corbetts and Snipper Stanleys. We brought these players into the club for a reason so let’s get them opportunity and see what unfolds.

That said, we’re not dismissing the importance of putting wins on the board as you don’t want to end the season spiralling downwards into a sea of losses. We need to get something solid and beneficial out of these games to build on for 2024.

The Swans are in a similar boat to us. Their drawn game against Geelong a few weeks back has provided them possibly with a fraction of a chance to make it the eight. 

We beat them earlier in the year on their home Milo tin lid of a deck but they’re probably in better form now and they bring pretty much a full-strength list to Optus Saturday night. It will be a big ask for us Freo folk in what will surely be Buddy’s finale in WA.

When the Swans win the marks inside 50 battle, they genuinely win the game. Only once this year have they won the inside 50 mark count and lost the game. So, our undermanned defence is going to need a chop out from the mids. 

Just six games left for us in 2023 so its time for us and the club to make the most of them. 

While opinions on Buddy Franklin vary greatly, the reality is for football fans first, we’ve all been privileged to be part of his era. It’ll be a while, if ever, we get to see another player come close to what he was able to do. Post match, win lose or draw, Buddy Franklin deserves a respectful nod of appreciation and acknowledgement from us Freo folk.

Plenty more to cover so let’s leave the niceties there and start the pluck of the red and white ducks! So, if you’ve nothing better to do, and I find that very hard to believe, bung this 45 minutes in your ears and come along for the conversation. 

After Griff’s game, we need to secure his signature and get him presenting lectures down at Cockburn on adaptability. Time to Restump Podcast our tough to take loss to the Swans. 

Was there a game at Optus on Saturday night or a Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch concert? Marks everywhere! The Swannies racked up 138 marks for the game, largely with our assistance. After quarter time they took 64 more marks than us… over 20 more per quarter. 

The warning signs, or should that be Warner signs, started flashing in the second period and the resulting fears materialised over the second half. 

After quarter time, the mids copped a bath and that didn’t help the defenders. The wingers provided no outlet or run and the Swans walked the ball out of our 50 metre arc effortlessly. 

A young Chad Warner gave us a lesson and who does Errol Gulden think he is kicking goals like that, Disco Nathan?

We can all handle a loss, God knows we’ve had plenty of practise over the last 25 plus years, but it was the uncharacteristic manner in how we lost this one. 

So much on the line, so much to play for and disappointingly we fell down in what we stand for, team defence and offensive pressure. To be comprehensively beaten, yet kick the first two goals of the last quarter to go nine points up… an added effort needed to be raised. There was no such raised effort forthcoming. In fact there was little effort delivered, raised or otherwise.

The shining light was the swingman’s performance. Griffin Logue can hold his head up high as he blanketed Buddy Franklin. Had Griff not slipped on the Optus Stadium ice rink, Buddy would have turned in the duck eggs. 

But again, this is a successful season. Its far from over and we’ve shown enormous growth to date. As we always say, growth isn’t linear. 

The reality is we’re in the embryonic stage of a long period of sustained finals success. Sure, we need some tinkering here there and a bit more up forward, but we’re a solid unit on the up and, top four or otherwise, its highly unlikely we’re not playing finals this year.

So, join us as we put things in perspective, part the problems and pick out the purple positives. They’re few and far between in that game Saturday night but we’re not rolling over just yet. 

Is Budweiser than we think? Freddy said, yes you better beerlieve it. Acres returns and Chappy is back. Time to Restump Podcast what’ll hopefully be our 4th win from 4 games against the Swans at Optus.

Given we’re currently sitting a win clear in third heading towards September, we’ve got Acres and Chappy back in the team, the Disco is back up and about and Switta has recommenced running... are we getting ahead of ourselves if we suggest everything is coming up Millhouse? 

We’re getting as close to having our best twenty-two fit and available as we’re ever likely to get so it does feel like we’re getting a bit falling favorably for us at the moment. 

Currently twelve wins, we probably need at least fifteen to secure a top four finish. With Richmond, Melbourne, Bulldogs, Eagles and Giants to come we need to make Sydney one of those three wins this Saturday night, especially as this is one of our only three remaining home games.

Speaking of the Buddy Swans, they’ve been a little bit erratic this year. They probably haven’t been the steadfast Swans we come to expect but they have a dangerous list and can produce on their day.

However, they were recently beaten by Port Adelaide and Essendon , yet they beat Melbourne, St Kilda and the Dogs so they’ve made it tricky to get a handle on the form.

We have won all three games against Sydney at Optus Stadium, but apart from one of them by 5 goals, the remaining two games we won by 2 points and 1 point respectively.  

Worryingly it does appear rain is forecast for Saturday. We don’t want to have flash-flood-backs back to the Gold Coast and Collingwood games but… its difficult not to have a few little nerves. However, let’s stay positive, they’ll don the flippers and snorkel if need be, if it means getting hold of the four points. 

We wander into the North Melbourne fiasco and Wayne Carey’s nonsensical suggestion that Ross Lyon is the prime candidate. We have a chat about Buddy attempting to use Freo to beef up his contract again. Trav Colyer and Sammy Switkowski get one year extensions and its difficult not to think Rory Lobb is out and Luke Jackson is in next year. 

It could be big day Saturday so get plenty of sleep between now and then so you’re tip top to fight the elements. And the best way to get some deep sleep…. click play on our 45 minutes of docker drivel… we’ve been known to cure insomnia! 

On Todays Restump we go back over Saturday Nights win over the Sydney Swans. It wasn't the prettiest; highest scoring or memorable Fremantle Dockers performance but the boy's did what needed to be done and bought home the four points and bounced back after a difficult loss the week before to Carlton. 

News broke on Sunday of Assistant Coaches Anthony Rock and Michael Prior and High Performance Head Honcho Jason Weber not having contracts renewed for next season. They won't be joining the Hub in Cairns and will leave the club immediately, we give our 2 cents on the matter. Belly and JLo have wasted no time in wielding the axe! 

Lets Start Wearing Purple

On Todays Restump we preview Saturday night's game against the Sydney Swans.

The Dockers will unveil another highly touted youngster in Liam Henry this week and we could not be more excited. We run through the matchup and discuss how we see the game panning out.

We produced our first piece or merchandise for the occassion of Liams debut with proceeds from any sales being donated to Madalah (https://madalah.com.au/)

Links to the products:

Hoodie:
https://therestump.secure-decoration.com/shop/view_product/Liam-Fonzie-Henry-Hoodie?n=13341698

Tee Shirt:
https://therestump.secure-decoration.com/shop/view_product/Liam-Fonzie-Henry-Tee?n=13341643

The Closing Quandary is back so Let's Start Wearing Purple!