I know we have only played average sides over the last two weeks, but lets not forget that we were the bottom of the ladder side previous to those two weeks. I believe there have been some fundamental changes with the approach the Freo team has taken post our loss to Hawthorn.
These changes are as follows:
i) Ross was trying to execute a new game plan with his core of old players, we found out that a lot of those players were not suited to the new style
ii) As new players were blooded they needed time to adjust to the pace of AFL and playing as a team at that level
iii) The way the team is structured now gives Freo a balance of skilled youth and enough hard bodies and leaders for those young players to actually play the game, rather than worry about their spot in the team or just keeping their heads above water
iv) Previous to the new team structure Freo were not a go for the kill tear out the innards and eat their heads type of team when finishing off an opponent. We were the nice guys who won politely, took the foot off the accelerator and banked four points
v) That game against Hawthorn was the making of the current team, it was the first time this year we had an opposition team under the pump and made them really work for their win.
vi) I personally think this team has turned a corner and will be very competitive for the rest of the season
vii) The young fellows are only going to get better with each game and come next year with another pre-season under the belt will be ready to go, remember some of these guys we are calling new players have been around for 2, 3 even 4 years
Teams we come up against in the remainder of this season will consider us easy beats based on our early form and the fact we have only beaten Essendon and Brisbane. Those teams are in for a bit of a shock. Our young talls are looking OK and our young mids are looking very OK. We still have Yarran and Mora who are quality players to add to the playing 22 and next year we have Sandi, Fyfe, A Pearce and maybe Jonno (if he doesn't retire) to come back. With Blakely, Mundy, Neale and Sandi in the middle, Fyfe can play forward more or even off a wing. Some more quality talls this draft and a few more development players and we will be sweet.
