Two years ago, Fyfe and Dangerfield took on each other in one of the all time great head-to-head battles, and the footy world salivated at the prospect of these 2 going hammer and tong for the next decade. Since then, Fyfe has gone on to win the Brownlow before breaking his leg twice, whereas Dangerfield went on to win his Brownlow last year and appears to be going from strength to strength.
Watching the game tonight, and watching Dangerfield going about breaking tackles, explode from contests and dominate/influence contests, it was (to me anyways) a stark reminder of what Fyfe was like a couple of years ago. How it used to take at least 2-3 players to try to bring him down in a tackle. How confident all of us felt whenever there was a one-one-one contest between him against, well, just about anyone, that he would more often than not come away with the footy. And it just saddens me to see that since coming back from his injuries, that Fyfe has lost his explosiveness, that he can't seem to do all the things he used to do (not as often anyways).
I don't want to sound like I'm ragging on our captain, because I think he has been simply wonderful as a leader, and has had quarters or halves that has had a profound influence in the outcome of several of our matches this year. And yes, I'm well aware that he has been out of the game for the better part of a year and the half in rehab for his injuries, and that it could be just a matter time before the explosiveness returns. I do fear that it won't return, and that we have seen the best of Fyfe...whilst I am convinced that he will still be a legend for our club and come closest to filling Pav's shoes as a leader, I fear that the days of him dominating games may be a thing of the past.
Here's hoping that my fears are completely unfounded, and Fyfe will go and prove all the naysayers like myself wrong...
