I don’t reckon it was as simple as Fyfe carrying the team in an Atlasean feat, be damned to all else.
It was more like they developed on over-reliance on Fyfe as he became a sure fire method to succeed. It’s pretty understandable as to why that reliance develops. But it created a twin problem, where opposition figured stop Fyfe, stop Freo and it was worth putting as a lot of resources into doing that. The team then struggled to come to terms with losing that edge and didn’t step up enough to force the opposition to put their attention elsewhere.
The second thing was that Pav stopped being as productive (ergo less space for the second KPF’s like Taberner), so the goals dried up. This really demonstrates how good we could be if we have a key forward who can kick 4+ goals on a regular basis and then to have the spread of goalkickers on top of that.
To me the ideal scenario, for this season at least, has a couple of key elements. First is to have Bennell, Weller (fulfilling his current potential) and Touchwood (or maybe one of the young guns if they can bring it) in the side. This would give us a unbelievable increase in skill, pace and hug attacking power, as well as freeing up Hill & Fyfe from being the main avenues for this.
The second key element is not as readily available, but to have a medium to tall forward or two step up and kick that 4+ goals on a regular basis. Last year showed that can be done, it’s just having someone in form to do it. Pav may do it, but the time has past for Freo for him to carry that on his shoulders.
The first half of last year showed there is definitely the capacity to score and dominate under the current structures.
