Reconstructing meaning

by LES EVERETT

YOU only had to read The West Australian in the weeks leading up to the NAB Cup game between Fremantle and West Coast to realise it was meaningless. The word was out. The Eagles would be fielding a grossly under-strength team - one headline even suggested the line-up would include lots of chicks.

The game was almost as young as the boys (chicks?) playing for the Eagles when it was clear the predictions were accurate. Fremantle dominated possession and put pressure on their opponents. David Mundy kicked a nine-point goal to put things into motion and when the ball took one of its infrequent trips into the West Coast forward line it was efficiently repelled.

During the third quarter Fremantle supporters discovered with a thud that the game was far from meaningless. Paul Hasleby went down after a contest near the boundary line. We knew it was bad. It had been a while since a Docker did a knee but we have a sixth sense about these things. Shaun McManus taught us and we've twice seen two players go down in the same game. Luke Webster has had three knee reconstructions and McManus two.

We lived in hope that Hasleby would have good (six-week) ligament damage but when the news came on Monday that he would miss the season is was no surprise.

Hasleby had a harrowing end to Fremantle's stellar 2006 season - it ended for him in pain and tears after the qualifying final at Football Park against Adelaide. He was then forced to contemplate his future in 2007. By the end of the season he was no longer an important part of the team. The club didn't chase him with a new contract - the word was that was shopped around during trade week and eventually accepted a substantial pay cut.

Hasleby responded with a big preseason and in the first half on Sunday kicked two goals and looked sharp and fit. You could have bet on him returning to the kind of status he once enjoyed as a player with perhaps an extra ingredient brought about by the reality check he'd been through.

Now instead on being a welcome addition to the Fremantle midfield Hasleby will be an observer and advisor.

Fremantle fans looking for positives from the first round of the NAB Cup would have enjoyed Des Headland's game, the enterprise of Michael Johnson and Mundy in the midfield and the crisp and intense work of draftee Rhys Palmer. The chasing and pressure put on by Matthew Pavlich was impressive but fellow forward Chris Tarrant will be looking to do more in the weeks to come.

West Coast would have liked the efforts of Mark Seaby in the ruck and in attack. The insipid early efforts would not have been appreciated and it was clear the Eagles played with more intensity after quarter time.

21 February 2008

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