Anything and Everything Fremantle
Archive for June, 2011
Eagles, Dockers reserves plan rejected
013 years
An attempt by West Coast and Fremantle to field reserves teams in the WAFL has failed after the WA Football Commission opted not support the bid.
The WAFC indicated today it will not support the current form of the proposal. The nine WAFL club presidents have also rejected the offer of around $60,000 each to allow the reserves teams to come into the 126-year-old competition.
“While this specific proposal is not being supported, it is pleasing to note that there is a commitment from the WAFL Council of Presidents to ongoing discussions about the possibilities and challenges presented to make WA Football stronger for the future,” WAFC Chairman Frank Cooper said.
Mundy out for 6 to 8
013 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
Scans have cleared star Fremantle midfielder David Mundy of a broken leg, but the reigning club champion could still be sidelined for up to two months with a high ankle sprain.
The injury-hit Fremantle will also be without goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne for two weeks, with the 23-year-old suffering a hamstring strain in Sunday’s 34-point win over Essendon.
Mundy, who landed awkwardly on his right leg in the first quarter of Sunday’s clash, suffered what the club described as a “significant high-ankle sprain”, and will miss between six and eight weeks.
He will not require any surgery and will wear a protective boot for the next two to three weeks, joining key Fremantle players Aaron Sandilands, Adam McPhee, Nick Suban and Anthony Morabito on the club’s lengthy injury list.
Teammate Paul Duffield said replacing the club’s leading clearance player would be a team effort, starting against Melbourne at the MCG this Sunday.
Positive signs for Freo: Paul Duffield
013 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
According to Paul Duffield, Fremantle’s ability to overcome the injury to its reigning club champion and hold off a late Essendon challenge was a positive to come out of Sunday’s important win.
The 26-year-old spent more time in the midfield as a result of Mundy’s injury, finishing with 22 possessions and four clearances, and said replacing the club’s leading clearance player would be a team effort.
“Certainly we had a range of players go through the midfield because of that on the weekend and I thought a lot of our guys contributed really well,” Duffield said.
“He’s our number one ball-winning midfielder, so it’s probably a responsibility that will come to myself and a couple of others to see if we can at least influence that area of the game.”
Coach Mark Harvey said on Sunday night that returning midfielder Michael Barlow would be the obvious choice to replace Mundy against Melbourne at the MCG next Sunday, but he needed to be able to play close to a full game.
Johnson hits back
013 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
Michael Johnson wasn’t the only Fremantle player to bounce back to form in Sunday’s 34-point win over Essendon, but his turnaround was perhaps the most pronounced.
Johnson has been in a slump for much of this season, with coach Mark Harvey recently conceding that his position in the side would have been at risk if the club hadn’t suffered so many injuries.
The 26-year-old has appeared a shadow of the player that finished runner-up in the 2006 club champion award, spending the majority of the season in defence and appearing to lack confidence.
But on Sunday he was sent forward to great effect, finishing his best game for the season with two goals, eight marks and 21 possessions. Maintaining his form is the challenge now.
“It’s been a tough month, but it’s how I get over it and move on,” Johnson said on Sunday night.
Barlow set to replace Mundy
013 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says returning midfielder Michael Barlow is the obvious choice to replace injured star David Mundy after the club champion was taken to hospital for scans to determine if he has a fractured right fibula.
Mundy landed awkwardly on his right leg early in the first quarter and was subbed out of the game immediately, with Fremantle going on to win by 34 points against a lacklustre Essendon at Patersons Stadium.
Barlow is almost certain to return for Fremantle’s trip to the MCG to face Melbourne next Sunday regardless of Mundy’s injury after a best-on-ground 33-possession performance for Peel Thunder in the WAFL on Saturday.
Harvey said Mundy was in a positive frame of mind when he spoke to him at half-time and he was confident the club’s leading clearance player would be back this season.
The coach said Barlow would be assessed this week ahead of a likely return more than 11 months after breaking his left leg.
Fremantle too good
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Fremantle 6.3 9.4 13.6 15.8 (98)
Essendon 1.1 2.6 5.7 9.10 (64)
GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich 3, Johnson 2, Ballantyne 2, Crowley 2, Mzungu 2, Fyfe, Mayne, Griffin, Bradley
Essendon: Ryder 4, Jetta 2, Lovett-Murray, Colyer, Hurley
BEST
Fremantle: Ballantyne, McPharlin, Fyfe, Ibbotson, Pavlich, Johnson
Essendon: Jetta, Watson, Ryder, Howlett, Myers, Hille
INJURIES
Fremantle: David Mundy (knee), Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring)
Essendon: Brent Stanton replaced in selected side by Michael Hibberd, Dustin Fletcher (hamstring)
SUBSTITUTIONS
Fremantle: David Mundy replaced by Clayton Hinkley in the first quarter
Essendon: Dustin Fletcher replaced by Alex Browne at half-time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Dalgleish, Meredith
Official crowd: 35,824 at Patersons Stadium
Hasleby warns Freo to play safe with Barlow
013 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Former Fremantle champion Paul Hasleby has urged the Dockers to take a cautious approach with midfielder Michael Barlow, not rush him in as a substitute for Sunday’s clash with Essendon at Patersons Stadium.
As coach Mark Harvey debated the Barlow issue with fitness coach Jason Weber last night, hinting strongly he wanted the ball magnet to play, Hasleby warned injury was not the only risk in an early return – that Barlow’s confidence could also suffer if rushed back.
He said it was too early to tell if Tendai Mzungu’s quick entry as a substitute three weeks ago had worked. And he believed Garrick Ibbotson’s confidence and form had suffered by being picked straight away after an ankle problem.
“There is always the risk of soft-tissue injury but apart from that, I would rather a player comes in to be absolutely cherry ripe and ready to go, just from a form and confidence point of view,” Hasleby said.
Three inclusions for Bombers clash
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Michael Barlow has been named – but his comeback from a broken leg won’t be complete until Fremantle picks its final 22 on Friday afternoon.
The 23-year-old midfielder was added to a 25-man Freo squad for Sunday’s crucial clash with Essendon at Patersons Stadium.
First-year player Josh Mellington and midfielder Clayton Hinkley were the other additions to the 22 that went down to Hawthorn at the MCG last Sunday.
Freo senior coach Mark Harvey has already indicated that if Barlow plays, it will most likely be as a sub.
Barlow returned to competitive action for Peel Thunder’s WAFL reserves last Saturday and showed he was on track for an AFL return with 15 possessions in a half of footy.
That was his first game since he broke his left leg at Patersons Stadium on Saturday 3 July, 2010.
Harvey said this week’s opponents Essendon, much like his side, had been slowed by injuries after a fast start to the year.
Fremantle air concerns on training ground
013 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
By SportsNewsFirst
A spate of nasty knee injuries at the Fremantle Dockers home ground has triggered alarm bells and promoted action from the AFL and WAFL co-tenants.
Fremantle lost star 2010 first-year midfielder Anthony Morabito to a serious season-ending knee injury at Fremantle Oval in December, as well as exciting new draftee Tendai Mzungu in a NAB Challenge match in early March.
A further five serious knee injuries as well as two shorter term setbacks have been suffered in local ranks, since Mzungu went down with a medial strain prompting fears the ground surface could be contributing to the epidemic.
WAFL Watch: versatile defenders
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To understand the need for versatile defenders at AFL level, you need look no further than Fremantle’s round 11 loss to Hawthorn.
Key defender Antoni Grover found himself with the job of manning small forward Cyril Rioli at different stages, with the star Hawk kicking five goals for the match.
It’s a situation that frequently arises in games as opposition coaches look to expose certain defenders by changing match-ups and rotating smaller midfield players forward.
Versatility has never been more valuable in defenders, and it’s a trait Fremantle is developing in Ben Bucovaz and Dylan Roberton, who both spent time on a variety of opponents in round 12 of the state competition.
“Dylan and Ben are at that height where they need to play on mediums and smalls and you need a number of skill attributes to do that,” assistant coach Simon Lloyd said.
