Fyfe Discussion Thread

[fasttrack13]

Yep, more time forward for Fyfe to give them the KPF they currently miss (don't have any ready made or developed) and couldn't get in the trade period (McCarthy), and he really is their only option (he is a monster above his head and one on one), meaning what he loses with his ability to win CP and turn games on their head (all the hard stuff he does), must be translated with him kicking a monster haul of goals a game, coupled with 20+ possessions, and I cannot see it happening (yes he is a freak) but I only see a 115-120 average ahead for him

Think with him going forward, it gives Barlow his old role, and allows Bennell to float across half forward

I think Freo want to play Fyfe on ball as much as possible, but with Pav another year older, no KPF signing and Sandi ageing as well, this is their time to strike, and Fyfe is the best fit to compliment their forward line (it will have height, depth and will be dangerous) but won't gift him points like many think it will

Allows his body to rest as well (as stupid as that sounds) as he was battered this year and although Freo supporters may disagree, this is what I see his role being.. will obviously play on ball, but potentially 50/50 or 40/60, not like the 80/20 this year imo

I somewhat disagree...
I can see each of freos midfielders rotating forward and kicking 15+ goals during the season. They've been grooming Walters and Balantyne to play more midfield so I can see them playing 30/70 allowing the likes of Neale, Mundy, Barlow, Hill, Fyfe, Sheridan and now Bennell to rotate forward at a 65/35 or a rate around that.
Barlow, Mundy, Fyfe, Bennell and Mzungu (if he plays) as that 3rd tall KPF with Pav and Tabener
Neale, Sheridan, Hill, Balantyne and Walters been there smalls.
I personally don't think Fyfe will be getting that much of a reduction in midfield time... If they didn't get Bennell he and a few of their mids would be 50/50 fwd midfield but now they've got him it reduces the overall forward time they need from each of their mids as Bennell is a damaging scoreboard player and is tall enough to play tall.

[_wato]

I disagree with what you're saying mate. Sorry but you can't tell me that any of those other mids has the forward impact that Fyfe does when he's down there. I don't see Mundy, Barlow, Bennell or Mzungu having a presence such as a KPF, demanding the second best defender or even plugging a hole at CHF/FF like Fyfe could do? And if Taberner is to be their second tall, then good luck to them. 14 goals from 14 appearances is not going to win you a flag. This is Pavs last year, and Sandi is a running bomb, meaning his time is coming. Their flag tilt runs out after next year in my opinion, simply because they do NOT have a tall or strong enough forwarlline (blokes like Roughy, JRoo, Buddy, Cameron etc). I don't know whether you misunderstood what I said, or not (not trying to sound harsh) but Fyfe has the frame and the body to out position nearly any defender, is a beautiful contested and overhead mark, he demands space and he moves well, can read the play, and Barlow/Mundy/Bennell etc can do those things but aren't big enough, aren't good enough to play that position and will definitely be outplayed by a key defender. I see them being groomed for a half forward flank/pocket to try and kick a few sneaky Joe the goose style goals, or if you're Mundy/Neale, to even literally play 85/15 midfield and bench.

Fremantle will probably go with your idea and play him in their mids but if they're true with where they are heading, they NEED to play Fyfe down forward 50/50 or close enough to that margin. Without him kicking 40+ goals, I don't see them registering a high enough score to be a potential flag threat , and Ross has already made that evident, hence why I stipulate that this move may indeed occur. I could be proven wrong, but Fyfe will not average 124 next year

[crowls]

Great situational analysis wato.   Hope ross is reading the forum.   Agree with the need for Freo to play fyfe at chf whilst they have the bodies to get them to the finals.  Freo problem is scoring enough to win.   Fyfe at CHF will create massive matchup problems for opposition and he would definitely be a 40-50 goal proposition if his time up forward increased. Only time will tell is his contested footy, and tackling etc will make up the points difference.    The other question is how much does he benefit from being a consistent contributer to close wins.   This may also impact his scoring. 


Bennell can be a great fill in for Fyfe on the ball. 

[Grufflez]

^
^
Or Ross the Boss just expects Fyfe to do it all 30 possies + 3 goals a game and works him to death (like NRoo) in pursuit of the only thing that matters to him....proving all the nay sayers wrong about his defensive low scoring brand of footy can get them a big shiny cup.
Like Ross as a person, don't like watching his teams play and kicking 60 points  :P :-X

Thinking this might be the first time we actually see a top mid touted in the preseason as ''spending a lot more time forward this year'', what else can Freo do?

[_wato]

And to emphasise my point a little more, this was Fyfe quoted fresh after his Brownlow win. This has been in the works from September of this year.

Goals. Fremantle just didn't kick enough of them at the back end of the season. It was a big problem.

But Nat Fyfe is the kind of player who solves problems.

Hours before he underwent surgery to repair the fibula fracture which compromised - but somehow didn't prove terminal to - his preliminary final performance, Fyfe was questioned about how he could get better. He had just won the Brownlow Medal with 31 votes in 18 games. Only Haydn Bunton has also polled better than a vote per game over their career. In history.

So where to from here for the champion?

Forward. "I love kicking goals," Fyfe said outside Crown Towers, where he had stayed, but not really slept, on Monday night.

"As a kid I played a lot as a forward. With the marking ability and the goal nous I think it's only natural that I go forward and spend time there.

"With the game developing to 90 rotations and no sub rule, there's going to be more emphasis on players spending more time on the ground. So rather than resting on the pine, guys are going to be resting forward. I think that's something I can exploit."

That's good news for the Dockers, who seem likely to lose their greatest ever forward â€" captain Matthew Pavlich â€" to retirement, and who passed 100 points only once since round eight.

Fyfe kicked 17 goals from 20 games in 2015, but thinks that number can, and must, increase. With David Mundy, Michael Barlow, Lachie Neale and Stephen Hill in the midfield, Fyfe thinks there is enough cover to allow him to move more into attack.

"From here it's all about diversification. Clearly the number one issue I've got is my body.

"The reality is I'm going to need to play more as a forward and kick more goals.

"We've got a midfield developed and it's got plenty of firepower now so that'll be a big focus of mine for next year."

 

[fasttrack13]

I disagree with what you're saying mate. Sorry but you can't tell me that any of those other mids has the forward impact that Fyfe does when he's down there. I don't see Mundy, Barlow, Bennell or Mzungu having a presence such as a KPF, demanding the second best defender or even plugging a hole at CHF/FF like Fyfe could do? And if Taberner is to be their second tall, then good luck to them. 14 goals from 14 appearances is not going to win you a flag. This is Pavs last year, and Sandi is a running bomb, meaning his time is coming. Their flag tilt runs out after next year in my opinion, simply because they do NOT have a tall or strong enough forwarlline (blokes like Roughy, JRoo, Buddy, Cameron etc). I don't know whether you misunderstood what I said, or not (not trying to sound harsh) but Fyfe has the frame and the body to out position nearly any defender, is a beautiful contested and overhead mark, he demands space and he moves well, can read the play, and Barlow/Mundy/Bennell etc can do those things but aren't big enough, aren't good enough to play that position and will definitely be outplayed by a key defender. I see them being groomed for a half forward flank/pocket to try and kick a few sneaky Joe the goose style goals, or if you're Mundy/Neale, to even literally play 85/15 midfield and bench.

Fremantle will probably go with your idea and play him in their mids but if they're true with where they are heading, they NEED to play Fyfe down forward 50/50 or close enough to that margin. Without him kicking 40+ goals, I don't see them registering a high enough score to be a potential flag threat , and Ross has already made that evident, hence why I stipulate that this move may indeed occur. I could be proven wrong, but Fyfe will not average 124 next year

look I hope you're right... I'd love to see Nathan Fyfe (Mid/fwd) in 2017 but the fact they got Bennell just makes me think that Fyfe won't play forward as much as you think. Like you said with Fyfe it would be a waste not to play Bennell up forward and in my opinion he is as good if not a better bet than Fyfe to kick more than 40 goals. He can take a mark on a guy half his height who has his pace and if he's on a monster defender well good luck to them trying to catch him. Plus his agility is at an elite level and his goal sense would be up there with the best in the game right now. In a good team where there would be more opportunities for goals even if it is scrappy in his half he could easily kick 30+ playing majority midfield.

Further more... The way the dockers play it doesn't suit having a kpf in the way you want Fyfe to play... It suits players who are lead up targets and small forwards because the ball is always going to come to ground or there's only enough space for a short lead. The dockers don't move it quick enough often enough for a kpf to really dominate a game. Pav thrived due to the fact he was quicker and more agile than defenders who were as big and as strong as him and all though he took a lot of marks in contests he kicked more from a lead or when the ball was on the ground.
And Fyfe is also better value than Bennell through the midfield...
In addition Balantyne didn't play a lot of the year which is why I believe Barlow played fwd as much as he did


Saying all this whether Fyfe plays 50/50 forward or not I'll be happy either way and I'm not picking him either way.
Mid/fwd in 2017 would make me froff
And he will undoubtably be rested during the year if those shin splints return and they always do!

[Ricochet]

Fyfe will not play as a key possie forward. He is the best bloody midfielder in the comp atm

He will play forward more though, instead of going to bench for a rest, plus a little bit longer go provide another fwd option
But he won't be sitting down there for extended periods of time

and really more goals = more points


Bennell has come in to add another goal kicking mid, he'll add 30 goals easily

Ballantyne is coming off one of his worst years. If he rebounds next year thats another 25-35 goals

Our other kid key fwds (Tabs) will develop further and even though its Pavs last year, he demands respect down there
Clarke carried an injury through the preseason and season this year, so fully fit he also provides another target


But at the end of the day, Fyfe will not play solely as a CHF

[crowls]

Fyfe will not play as a key possie forward. He is the best bloody midfielder in the comp atm

He will play forward more though, instead of going to bench for a rest, plus a little bit longer go provide another fwd option
But he won't be sitting down there for extended periods of time

and really more goals = more points


Bennell has come in to add another goal kicking mid, he'll add 30 goals easily

Ballantyne is coming off one of his worst years. If he rebounds next year thats another 25-35 goals

Our other kid key fwds (Tabs) will develop further and even though its Pavs last year, he demands respect down there
Clarke carried an injury through the preseason and season this year, so fully fit he also provides another target


But at the end of the day, Fyfe will not play solely as a CHF

Love your optimism Rico.   60+ extra golas for Freo in 2016.   
No point getting the ball if you cannot kick a winning score and Freo just cannot get the job done.   Freo need to kick 90-100+ min to beat Hawthorn in a final.

[Ricochet]

Fyfe will not play as a key possie forward. He is the best bloody midfielder in the comp atm

He will play forward more though, instead of going to bench for a rest, plus a little bit longer go provide another fwd option
But he won't be sitting down there for extended periods of time

and really more goals = more points


Bennell has come in to add another goal kicking mid, he'll add 30 goals easily

Ballantyne is coming off one of his worst years. If he rebounds next year thats another 25-35 goals

Our other kid key fwds (Tabs) will develop further and even though its Pavs last year, he demands respect down there
Clarke carried an injury through the preseason and season this year, so fully fit he also provides another target


But at the end of the day, Fyfe will not play solely as a CHF

Love your optimism Rico.   60+ extra golas for Freo in 2016.   
No point getting the ball if you cannot kick a winning score and Freo just cannot get the job done.   Freo need to kick 90-100+ min to beat Hawthorn in a final.

How's 50-60 unreasonable tho?   Ballas kicked 11 goals this year... yep 11. He kicked nearly 50 the year before
And Harley is a proven 30 goal player

[shaker]

Fyfe will not play as a key possie forward. He is the best bloody midfielder in the comp atm

He will play forward more though, instead of going to bench for a rest, plus a little bit longer go provide another fwd option
But he won't be sitting down there for extended periods of time

and really more goals = more points


Bennell has come in to add another goal kicking mid, he'll add 30 goals easily

Ballantyne is coming off one of his worst years. If he rebounds next year thats another 25-35 goals

Our other kid key fwds (Tabs) will develop further and even though its Pavs last year, he demands respect down there
Clarke carried an injury through the preseason and season this year, so fully fit he also provides another target


But at the end of the day, Fyfe will not play solely as a CHF

Agree Rico every year there is talk of a gun mid spending more time forward sure he will go forward but he does already I can't see his role changing a great deal

[The_Captain]

Of course I will pick Fyfe is that not the idea of SC pick the highest scoring players ?

Not when ablett, rocky, pendles, selwood, dangerfield will all average more than him. Get him later for cheaper. will save you 100k.

I will have Gaz and Rocky but that is a bold statement that the other 3 will avg. more than Fyfe do you know something we don't ? I expect Fyfe injury free to continue to improve along with his scores , he is a SC beast  ;)

I cant see his scores improving. maybe maintaining/ slight drop. I also see his body struggling again, all the additional weight hes put on in the last few years are contributing... shin splints etc... Will see. But i wont be starting him and have a feeling his body will let him down at some stage through year.

[_wato]

One, He's not the best midfielder in the comp to start with, Ablett is by far the number one.

Two, Fremantle lack forward height and have some good mids (Mundy, Barlow, Neale, Hill etc), yet will still play Fyfe on ball just as much as previously, meaning one of those will be shoved down forward at times before they rotate. Absolute waste, and completely ludicrous if you ask me. Pav is their only key forward, Taberner averages a goal a game, hardly impressive for a 22 yo, and Clarke, well... I don't even know

What does this all point too? Fremantle not winning a premiership.

Yes it seems stupid to do as I think, but they would be a BETTER team with him as a perma forward and playing up the ground, with a 70/30 fwd/mid role

[The_Captain]

Bennell and walters up foward too now. can get goals from them. Maybe him and Bennell can rotate in and out of mid and fwd... Both big mids who can kick goals.

[Ricochet]

One, He's not the best midfielder in the comp to start with, Ablett is by far the number one.

Two, Fremantle lack forward height and have some good mids (Mundy, Barlow, Neale, Hill etc), yet will still play Fyfe on ball just as much as previously, meaning one of those will be shoved down forward at times before they rotate. Absolute waste, and completely ludicrous if you ask me. Pav is their only key forward, Taberner averages a goal a game, hardly impressive for a 22 yo, and Clarke, well... I don't even know

What does this all point too? Fremantle not winning a premiership.

Yes it seems stupid to do as I think, but they would be a BETTER team with him as a perma forward and playing up the ground, with a 70/30 fwd/mid role

You're only as good as your last brownlow ;) Can't argue he's not the best mid in the comp atm
Yes Ablett is better when fit but we haven't seen him fully fit for a while. Meh, fine, Fyfe is the 2nd best mid in the comp

You do not put the 2nd best mid in the comp in fwd line

He will play forward more but it will be nowhere near 70/30 like you suggest. Hell, it won't even be 50/50

[_wato]

Of course you wouldn't do that if he played for Hawthorn or Sydney or West Coast who have a plethora of KPF's, but the thing is, Freo have nobody apart from Pav that is any good at all

Plus, Freo's midfield is already good enough without needing him in there, just my thoughts

Seems a waste, and will result in Freo just not being good enough, you can cry all you want for your smaller forwards (Ballas, Walters, Bennell etc to kick more goals but they won't be able to do everything, and yes it seems stupid for me to talk all about a KPF but every good team has multiple of them

Hawks - Roughy, Gunston
West Coast - Kennedy, Darling
Sydney - Franklin, Tippett
Adelaide - Tippett, Jenkins, Lynch
NM - Petrie, Waite
Rich - JRoo, Vickery (yes he's pretty good now)

And all of those teams are good

Brisbane - nobody
Carlton - nobody
Essendon - Daniher
Coll - Cloke
Melb - Hogan
GC - Lynch
Giants - Cameron
St Kilda - NRoo

Are all teams who weren't close to making the eight

And then the teams who were able to do well because they had good midfielders and team defence

WB
Freo
Geel
PA