Lower your expectations of what Freeman achieves this year

[Jacks Back]

I thought this thread was about Freeman and yet Carlisle keeps getting a guernsey (even if he isn't allowed to wear it yet)

Hopefully Freeman can get those hammies right and not look back!

[To the top]

If you go back on this site you will find my support for Gardiner including particularly the season he could not get on the park - except a couple of VFL matches at the mid point and at the end of the season where he showed IMO why he should have been retained - and he was.

He worked and he worked - and both he and the Club were rewarded by his commitment and skill.

Again, he was a class ruck man (and player) - and you do not lose class.

I also put at the time that St Kilda should have done whatever was required to have him play on for another season post his announcement of his retirement.

The Club knows full well the class of player it has to recruit in its recycling program as it transitions to a future force - including from other Clubs as and when they become available.

In the cases of both Carlisle and Freeman they have attended their due diligence and moved to acquire those players - who both responded by signing Contracts to play with St Kilda.

I follow the journey of my old Club on such a site as this - and the support for players who are recruited from other Clubs is universal including those recruited players being congratulated on making the decision they have made.

They are embraced into the Club by all and sundry.

[Con Gorozidis]

Having a good look at Collingwood's list it seems a logical decision for Freeman to come to us.
We have stronger KPPs than them but they have clearly got a better midfield (at this stage of development).

For instance - who would you drop to give Freeman a game from this is a list of 12 midfielders:

Pendlebury
Treloar
Swan
Sidebottom
Adams
Greenwood
Crisp
Williams
Varcoe
McAffer
Aish
Oxley

[ripplug66]

Having a good look at Collingwood's list it seems a logical decision for Freeman to come to us.
We have stronger KPPs than them but they have clearly got a better midfield (at this stage of development).

For instance - who would you drop to give Freeman a game from this is a list of 13 midfielders:

Pendlebury
Treloar
Swan
Sidebottom
Adams
Greenwood
Crisp
Williams
Varcoe
McAffer
Frost
Aish
Oxley

Probably all the last 6 if he comes on. I don't reckon frost has much to do with the midfield. There are so many midfielders that if you are any good you get your chance. Who knows if he is any good though. Both clubs think he is but that means jack.

[Bluthy]

Having a good look at Collingwood's list it seems a logical decision for Freeman to come to us.
We have stronger KPPs than them but they have clearly got a better midfield (at this stage of development).

For instance - who would you drop to give Freeman a game from this is a list of 13 midfielders:

Pendlebury
Treloar
Swan
Sidebottom
Adams
Greenwood
Crisp
Williams
Varcoe
McAffer
Frost
Aish
Oxley

From the snippets I've seen he's got all the tools to be an elite mid - speed, kicking, decision making so he could have got ahead of most of them I would say even if it took a bit of time. Swanny is getting on a bit. But it shows that after years of not playing a game, the pies basically planned around him - if he got up that was a bonus. But yes the chance to be the big dog in the midfield with us is often a lure - like with Carlisle. Then you have a big, longish contract to give you some guarantee of your finances. I feel like Buckley as FIGJAM rubbed up against Freeman as FIGJAM. Perhaps Buckley didn't spend much time with him because he was injured and Freeman felt ignored. Definitely took some balls for him to request a trade as a second year player when he hadn't played a single game.

Collingwood and Melbourne have stockpiled some quality young midfielders - we've gone for more key positions and also quite a bit of rebounding players and talented small fwds so far. We definitely need to keep working on building our midfield with talent so we will be equal in the midfield with Demons, Pies, GWS, GC etc. But the good thing is that midfielders are always available so I think we've taken a clever approach.

[Con Gorozidis]

Who have collingwood got in kps?


cloke - ?
moore - looks good
white - no good
langdon - looks good
Brown - no good
reid - ?
frost - looks good
marsh - ?

Excuse me for talking about the PIes - but I am just trying to make a comparison with them v us. They are considered a good young side ready to play finals.
If I look at it objectively - we arent far behind. We are clearly ahead on young KPPs (McCartin, Bruce, Roberton, Goddard, Carlisle). But we are probably two players behind them for good young mids at this stage.

[Con Gorozidis]

If we can somehow keep Carlisle out of trouble there is no reason we can't play finals in 2017.

[Con Gorozidis]

Freeman isnt the only top 10 pick not to play at all in his first two seasons.

It happens:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-08/a ... paul-ahern

[Bluthy]

Freeman isnt the only top 10 pick not to play at all in his first two seasons.

It happens:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-08/a ... paul-ahern

It says he played in the NEAFL in his first year so he got some footy under his belt. There is that Geelong player who had I think 3 knee reconstructions and has now got back to playing. He spoke about how incredibly hard mentally it is to keep coming into to the club to do your rehab and see everyone else playing footy and you not. Thats why I reckon the safer option is to play Freeman in the twos for most of this year and just let him feel like a footy player again.

[CURLY]

Having a good look at Collingwood's list it seems a logical decision for Freeman to come to us.
We have stronger KPPs than them but they have clearly got a better midfield (at this stage of development).

For instance - who would you drop to give Freeman a game from this is a list of 12 midfielders:

Pendlebury
Treloar
Swan
Sidebottom
Adams
Greenwood
Crisp
Williams
Varcoe
McAffer
Aish
Oxley

Oxley, McCaffer, Crisp, Greenwood Williams he would play in front of 100% although a few are different types of players. Swan and Varcoe have limited time left also.

[Con Gorozidis]

Having a good look at Collingwood's list it seems a logical decision for Freeman to come to us.
We have stronger KPPs than them but they have clearly got a better midfield (at this stage of development).

For instance - who would you drop to give Freeman a game from this is a list of 12 midfielders:

Pendlebury
Treloar
Swan
Sidebottom
Adams
Greenwood
Crisp
Williams
Varcoe
McAffer
Aish
Oxley

Oxley, McCaffer, Crisp, Greenwood Williams he would play in front of 100% although a few are different types of players. Swan and Varcoe have limited time left also.

Crisp came 3rd in the B & F so I dont think so.
Williams came 7th in the B& F and Greenwood is an established AFL player and 26 so no.
McAffer (who I dont think is that good) is in the leadership group so no.
I have no idea about Oxley.

Swan came 2nd in the b&f and Varcoe is only 27 (10th in b&f) so also no.

So I think you are hard pressed to get Freeman into that side at this stage now Aish and Treloar have arrived.

[Bluthy]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-09/n ... an-freeman

No NAB for Nath. STill 2 weeks from full training at least.

[Con Gorozidis]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-09/n ... an-freeman

No NAB for Nath. STill 2 weeks from full training at least.

Its funny isnt it. I think he was playing regularly in his draft year but the extra training and maybe increased running and/or gym work has set his hammies off once he hit the afl.
There must be a solution. I guess it is a bit of theory/research and trial and error to see what works for him and what doesnt as an individual.I think once we figure how to train him he will be ok. Its not a one size fits all training regime these days. Who knows, maybe a decade ago he simply would have been lost to the game because he couldnt handle the same training regime as everyone else. These days I think the trainers are a bit smarter. Yet to be seen though.

[Jacks Back]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-09/n ... an-freeman

No NAB for Nath. STill 2 weeks from full training at least.

Hmmmm, Nathan Freeman, 2 weeks. I don't like the sound of that.

[magnifisaint]

Citywest certainly has. So join in the chorus and sing it one and all....

[CURLY]

Having a good look at Collingwood's list it seems a logical decision for Freeman to come to us.
We have stronger KPPs than them but they have clearly got a better midfield (at this stage of development).

For instance - who would you drop to give Freeman a game from this is a list of 12 midfielders:

Pendlebury
Treloar
Swan
Sidebottom
Adams
Greenwood
Crisp
Williams
Varcoe
McAffer
Aish
Oxley

Oxley, McCaffer, Crisp, Greenwood Williams he would play in front of 100% although a few are different types of players. Swan and Varcoe have limited time left also.

Crisp came 3rd in the B & F so I dont think so.
Williams came 7th in the B& F and Greenwood is an established AFL player and 26 so no.
McAffer (who I dont think is that good) is in the leadership group so no.
I have no idea about Oxley.

Swan came 2nd in the b&f and Varcoe is only 27 (10th in b&f) so also no.

So I think you are hard pressed to get Freeman into that side at this stage now Aish and Treloar have arrived.

So in your opinion Geary is better going forward than Billings? Freeman if fit would play midfield in that group.