Almost all over Red Rover for another season of disappointment for Freo supporters. Ooslumdragon is quite pleased about that, she says oos changes into something approaching compatable when footy's finished, and Ooslummutt also looks forward to a bruise-less summer.

As far as value for money goes, to say the side underperformed is an understatement, but we did get to see some great games this season, which, granted, we lost, but I don't subscribe to the line that "if" we'd won some of the close ones we'd be in the eight. Good teams win the close ones. We didn't. What I would subscribe to is that, in the words of the world's greatest treasurer who spawned a lousy musical, this was the year we had to have.

In retrospect both the club and it's supporters were ahead of themselves inasfar as where the club was really at after the end of last season. Our list wasn't as far forward as we'd thought. We weren't alone in that, most of the "experts" were tipping us as Premiership fancies, and so off we sailed into dejavu..another season of anticipation in March tempered by reality in May.

But after all due consideration I have let the kero and matches lie in wait for another year. It isn't all doom and gloom.

Harvey reckons that when the Dockers history is written Chapter One will be Shaun McManus. Chapter Two could well be the new start of Fremantle in 2009. We will have the biggest transition player wise in the club's history. The focus has already been set firmly on youth, and even in this year of false hope the results have been immediate and exciting. Palmer, Ibbotson, and Mayne have been the biggest collective of young talent at the one time in our history, and they will be undoubtedly joined next year by O'Brien, Foster, Hinkley, and whoever we pick up in the draft.

Crowley and Schammer have definitely progressed and will join blokes like Grover, Hasleby, Hayden, Johnson, and McPharlin who can now be regarded as bona fide stars of the competition. Then we come to Pavlich and Sandilands, who surely are now the elite players this club has been searching for since day 1.

With regard to Warnock, if he is trying to fast track his career and get into the elite moneywise without paying his dues, then short term gain could end in long term pain. Prima donnas shouldn't be part of our plans and Melbourne and Robbo wouldn't be a bad fit in that case.

As someone who follows the WAFL, may I suggest to those who do the drafting that there are a few ready made younguns running around including Anthony of Easts, Ballantine of Peel, Richardson of the Tiges and Cockie of Suby who would mix and match quite well.

This is the transition we had to have.

Shall I throw the kero out?

Following a not so stellar performance at Beijing, Cycling Australia have admitted they took the wrong path after Athens, choosing to "repeat instead of rebuild".

I reckon we did the same thing in 2007. Hindsight is 20/20 and admitting mistakes and correcting them for next time is good management.

Not a good season results wise by any stretch. Kero and matches for burning WCE effigies at the Cockburn tip, otherwise keep the kero for your heater.

Plenty of new talent, development of the team and a coach that is up to the job.

Go Dockers 2009!

lousy musical???? take that back. I just saw it for the second time on the television last night and the cleverness of the lyrics (and the charisma of the guy playing keating) are hard to beat...

Yep Oos I agree with all that, particularly the part about the treasurer.

I honestly think list wise we are in the best shape we have ever been and supporters have cause for great optimism in 2009.

It's not often I disagree with Oos. And this is not one of those times.

I hope I just said I agree with him because I do.

1 thing does bug me about our backline though. Oos mentions Grover as star of the comp. I'm not so sure. He is playing the role of the one previously known as Shane Parker and I think he is getting pantsed more often than he should. It aint his fault because he so regularly punches out of his weight as Parks used to do. I certainly can't fault his endeavour but trying hard isn't the only measure, you have to be able to do the job as well.

I think we'll make a big step forward when we get a big backman to help out. Lukey Mac can do it but having him able to rotate to either end is a real plus. Dodd has the makings of one of those guys, he's certainly more advanced than Glass was at the same stage of his career. Once we get another big fella down back it will release Grover to play the role currently played by Thornton. That will be an upgrade in almost every aspect.

I don't think we have any of that type developing and we shouldn't trade for 1 but we still need 1.

In the words of Kent Brockman, that's my 2 cents.

Hold the kero.

The good thing about this season is that it's taught the tin lids how bloody hard it is to follow our team sometimes.

They've flown the flag well.

Oh, apologies for double posting, but Dodd's not big.

Nor does Dodd have the skills of Glass. He's a trier and he hasn't really progressed in strength or skill in the last two years. Still worth having but another who is often mismatched because we don't have a big backman.

Glass wasn't a big backman for years, either... until he got big.

You know?


I missed the game when Dodd played, or started, in the middle... so I wouldn't mind a run down of how he went individually in that game and then we'd know about his skills, I guess... although they've always seemed good enough to me.

He's tall, can read the play and knows how to shut a man down. I reckon he'll be a great backman in about 15 - 20 kilo's time.

Dodd's not tall either.

Dodd.....189cm 88 kg 75 games
Glass....192cm 95 kg 164games
Wakelin..192cm 92 kg 250games
Scarlett.192cm 95 kg 201games
Grover...188cm 97 kg 146games


and just for fun
Bradley 198cm 103kg 56games

But Bradley is a goal kicker not a Full Back or a back anywhere. Maybe a big full back is not necessary anyway if the rest of the team is up to standard.

Didn't realise I hadn't flicked my stillettoes off when I walked past him.

Ok if we are going to go out on a limb and have some fun how about

Campbell...194cm 92kg 8 games.

Actually I think I will take that thought back he's a bit of a skinny runt for a big guy isn't he, even I weigh more than that
and I'm only.......oh never mind, it was just a thought.

So Glass is supposedly acknowledged as a handy backman and
Glass is 192cm 95kg 164 games...How about I raise you 34 games.

Tarrant 192cm 95kg 198 games...Is it possible to teach and old dog new tricks.
(Or in Campbell's case a new dog old tricks)

Yes I have been drinking but we do need a big defender and I find the alcohol helps me to think outside the square.

Ok think I will be out of here, before I embarrass myself and fall of my chair.

Insomnia...


the illuminating point here, I think, is our perception of our own players. We tend to magnify the extremes of our own players' performance because we have an emotional involvement in that performance. An emotional involvement that carries us a little further than, say, a hearty applauding of a defender who finds the boundary line every time he kicks the thing, or a shrill
"c'mon number 18"
when the fancy takes us.

Dodd and Grover go alright. The fullback's job, when playing on a leading type forward, has become a lot harder after the 'hands in the back' rule. Perhaps we forget that? Also, again, the trap is to focus on one player's performance and criticise that when there are a chain of actions that lead to his and we forget to examine that.

If it's ok to make allowances for Pav when he struggles in the forward line due to the midfield getting smashed and not delivering decent ball, then it's only reasonable to look at what the defender is trying to mop up when it comes steaming into his player at pace and precision because the midfield got smashed.

In that respect, I reckon the two players mentioned go alright and I've breathed more than one sigh of relief when squinting down into the shadows to see that it's Grover who's got away from his man and is propelling us forward with the sort of run and drive that other fullback types get lauded for.

Just as an aside... who's playing the spare man role these days?

Guy, you're right about the number of times Groves has propelled us forward. He is fantastic at it and that is my point. By developing somone larger to take on the role he currently plays, we'll have him more able to do what he does so well. I too have loved that from him, what I haven't enjoyed so much is the times in a game when his man breaks us open.

As you rightly point out, other factors contribute to a backman's performance and these need to be considered. but going all right is not the standard we should accept anywhere. In order to get the best out of AG and Doddy, we need another guy back there to play the big role.

As far as Dodd goes, that 15kg's is all that separates him from Glass, that and another couple of seasons. I too think he'll be better than alright once he has those tools, hence the initial comparison to the now fragile AA fullback.

Who's the spare man, Dolph?

Bradley would be about 204 if he had a neck.

Don't know mate. Do we even play a spare man anymore?

I hate the spare man and am prepared to lobby the Board to outlaw the practise for all future FFC teams.

I think if we had a guy who could lock down the way Glass was able too for a while and the way Scarlett & Rutten and are able too, we wouldn't need 1 would we?

If we do have a spare man in te future, I say stick him in the middle.