So many questions in Freo first up win.

Fremantle VS Adelaide

Subiaco Oval

5:10 28th March

By Steven Ingham

As a football – but not Freo – lover, the Dockers polarise me. When they made a prelim a few years ago and my own team’s season finished by about Round 10, I was well and truly on the bandwagon. Their fall from grace after that season was disappointing, and their season last year, well I can’t imagine too many of their fans being satisfied with the glimpses of effort followed up by sustained periods of mediocrity.

Maybe it’s because they are the only interstate team that hasn’t won a flag, maybe it’s because they were brave enough to embrace the colour purple, or maybe it’s because Dean Solomon was one of my favourite players, but I cant help be intrigued by the Dockers.

As I settle into the couch and watch a very intense yet error riddled first quarter (just what was Chris Mayne thinking!) I debate with a friend where Matthew Pavlich is best suited. We resolve with the fact that there is no answer to that and the guy is a freak.

I could get used to watching Sunday Night Footy, this is a great way to finish a weekend – maybe Sunday Nights should be the new slot for the 9th match, kicking off at 7:10 EST, great TV slot.

As the game progresses, there is many questions that come up:

How good is Michael Barlow?

Can they win 12 games to make the 8 with only 1 ruckman?

How could so many clubs pass over Michael Barlow?

Will Adelaide’s early season injuries cost them come later in the year?

Did Essendon actually win in the Adam McPhee for Nothing trade?

Who else is in the VFL that could come straight into the big time?

As with most Round 1 games, they pose plenty of questions that wont be answered until July or August at the earliest. But it is clear that these Dockers are a young, fresh bunch that will play some breathtaking footy at different times of the year. How consistent they will be is something that remains to be seen, especially once they set foot on a plane, something that normally works like kryptonite on Superman for the Purple Haze.

The most encouraging thing for Freo fans would have been the performance of their 3 debutants – Barlow, Morabito & Silvangi who were all very impressive, and the way the Dockers weathered the storm when the Crows came at them late in the third quarter and kicked 4 out of 5 goals to get within striking distance, only to power away 5 goals to none in the last and record a massive 56 point beating on a team, while undermanned (think Porplyzia, Knights, Burton, Maric) was touted by many as the number 1 challenger to the 09 Top 4, and maybe even a Grand Finalist.

More will be clear after the next month, and then the months after, but for now, it’s time to hear that awful song as the Wharfie’s are the night’s big winners.

Fremantle       2.5       9.9       12.11               17.16.118

Adelaide         2.3       4.3       9.4                   9.8.62

Goals:

Fremantle

Headland, Pavlich 3, Barlow, Mayne 2, Ballantyne, Morabito, Ibbotson, Crowley, Mundy, Silvangi, Johnson

Adelaide

Walker 4, Thompson 2, Tippet, Dangerfield, Bock

Best:

Fremantle

Barlow, Duffield, Sandilands, Hill, Suban, Ballantyne, Pavlich

Adelaide

Walker, Edwards, Vince, Thompson, Tippet

Crowd:

30,976

Votes:

3 – Michael Barlow – Freo.

2 – Paul Duffield – Freo.

1 – Aaron Sandilands – Freo.

Comments

  1. Can they win 12 games and make the eight?

    Whaddaya reckon?

    Looking good from here…

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