Where to Freo?

by LES EVERETT

FREMANTLE supporters have been through a bit since 1995. Some like to call themselves long-suffering but they really don't know what long is... ask a Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs or Richmond fan. Even a Geelong supporter.

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Still with only one finals win to hang their hats on fans of the Dockers have reason to feel they've missed out on something - in fact they really can't win a 'yeah-but' argument with anyone.

There have been insipid displays on the road and unexplainable losses at home over the years but the second half effort at the MCG against Melbourne was the worst. In fact it might just about have knocked the stuffing out of many supporters. Some rang talkback radio and let fly but most just didn't want to talk about it. They feel embarrassed. Ashamed. But they're over it by now.

I promised myself years ago I'd never use the word structure when talking about footy but the Dockers did have a structural problem at the MCG last round. Important defenders Antoni Grover and Roger Hayden were out injured and when Luke McPharlin went off with a sore bum in the second half the team was left with a B-grade back line. Brad Dodd was on Russell Robertson, Marcus Drum had Brad Miller and Brock O'Brien was looking after Austin Wonaeamirri. It added up to disaster. However disaster arrived because the team's midfield and forward line problems again raised their ugly heads at a most inexplicable time - when the team was 51 point up and seemingly full of confidence.

When things go wrong the team looks to its magnificent captain Matthew Pavlich. He almost did it against Melbourne but only Dean Solomon and Ryan Crowley stepped in to give him a hand. Others slipped into familiar behaviours. There are some players with poor skills and it doesn't take many to stuff up a team. Some don't seem to understand the level of intensity required in the AFL...how could that be?

Jeff Farmer understands the game better than most but made a monumental error of judgement in the last quarter after kicking a goal to put the team 15 points up. He raised his arms to the sky in a familiar (and, when well-timed, entertaining) gesture. This time he sent a message to his flaky team mates that the crisis was over, they could relax, the game was safe. Within 30 seconds the lead was back to nine points and the Demons could sense an unlikely victory and Fremantle familiar defeat.

Chris Tarrant seemed to play as a loose man in the forward line for much of the first half, kicked three goals and set up a couple more. That was nice for him but in the second half when really required he got the ball just once. He has not redeemed himself. He can, but he hasn't yet.

I was proud of Fremantle's performance against Geelong and thought it could be turning point. It clearly wasn't. However it's also possible that things aren't quite as bad as they look. An argument could be made that had Grover and Hayden not been injured in the third quarter of the game against Geelong then Fremantle would currently be sitting at three wins and four losses, Mark Harvey would be praised for his handling of the media and someone else would have Robert Walls' lazy, unfit players.

Des Headland, Josh Carr, Heath Black and Chris Mayne also missed the Melbourne game and it's hard to imagine the team wouldn't be stronger with Robert Warnock and Aaron Sandilands together in the ruck.

But there's an intangible quality to Fremantle that means it's very possible things could get worse. Sunday's game against the Western Bulldogs might be the start of an exciting comeback or perhaps it might be a signal for Freo fans to start thinking about the Riches (or Naitanuis) of the 2008 AFL national draft.

17 May 2008

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