Freo was set up to fail - what else can you ascribe to the AFL's recruiting strategy that aimed for us to win zero games in our first year?
We were set up to do nothing other than try and weaken the dominant AFL state's team - The Toilet.
So they probably took a copy of the Richmond how-to-ru(i)n-a-footy-club manual - swapped the cover for a Fremantle one and away they sent us.
We got a politically-connected career public servant and a former Liberal pollie with less footy nous than my dog - installed as our inaugural CEO & President tweedle dumb & tweedle dumber 'team'.
Sorry for the nostalgics on here but that went right through to the initial coaching appointment. It was clear to anyone familiar with the Wet Toast story that until you bring in a experienced VFL coach who knows how to play and win in Victoria (and the MCG, in particular) the best list in he country will not challenge for and win Premierships.
Ron Alexander & John Todd were both successful WAFL coaches - which would have translated well into the VFL in the games were being played at Fremantle Oval, Bassendean Oval, Shark Park, etc. - but of course, they were playing at sh#tholes like Victoria Park, Morrabin & Windy Hill - but didn't cut it at top level. It was only after they brought in Malthouse that they achieved the ultimate success.
So what did the WA Footy Commission and the AFL do, set us up with another successful WAFL coach?! Add that with the worse draft concessions ever foisted upon an entering AFL/VFL side and we were utter sh#te - on and off the field.
We lost money faster and worse than we lost games of footy. And don't talk to me about 'exciting', 'instinctive' game styles. The water polo inspired tactic of moving the ball across the ground and backwards (until we turn it over) still plagues us to this day!!
We won 47 games out of our first 154 - a deficit we are still trying to make up (only 50 wins away from parity - including finals).
Eventually the dam broke and we got a CEO that actually had footy experience and a President that actually loved the club. Shortly thereafter we got a coach that had considerable AFL ass. coach experience with a successful club and we played finals, won a final, got debt free and started to operate as a bonafide AFL club.
Whether you like it or not - the club has never been as successful as the past 6 years. We have played finals in 5 of the last 8 years, and 4 of the past 6. Some want to attribute this success to Harvey, I'm not buying it.
We have drafted well for a considerable period of time and if not for some rotten luck with injuries to high draft picks (Mora, Pitt & Apeness to name a few) I reckon we would have a flag by now.
My point is we are a successful club from a financial, membership, facilities and administrative perspective. We haven't endured scandals like salary cap breaches, entrenched drug cultures (peptides and others), board battles, coaching roundabouts or a myriad of other nasties.
I do not see that changing with the current executive & board set up and as they say, if it ain't broken, don't fix it.
Maybe we won't win our first flag with Ross the Boss - but he is in charge of a rebuild that not only do our players seem to have bought into - but plenty of others who are seeking to join us.
What a bunch of outside, keyboard warriors ultimately think will not change what's happening within the four walls of the club.
So rather than seek to undo a process that I personally think will lead to the ultimate prize - I'm buying into the dream, speed humps and all.
