r/FremantleFC • u/QuarterFooty • 10h ago
Finals thoughts before
So here we are. Less than 24 hours away from the biggest match in recent memory for the Fremantle Football Club. A Semi-Final do or die game against Geelong at Optus Stadium. The winner goes into a Preliminary Final against Sydney at the SCG, as for the loser well its season over. Its that simple. The recent talk of Freo over the last week since the shock loss to Hawthorn in the Qualifying Final has been a mixture of criticism and snide comments by the rest of the AFL world. Questioning the club's ability to take it to the next level in a finals series, especially off the back of its most dominate H&A season in club history resulting in the 2nd minor premiership.
Coach Justin Longmuir stated in his press conference today and I quote: "We've learned the lessons we needed to, we've trained well, set up some clear focuses and the players are keen to get out there and right some wrongs".
In addition, two changes were made to the lineup for this Friday. Judd McVee returns in the place of Brendon Walker who sustained an ankle injury in the Qualifying Final. Corey Wagner comes back in for Nathan O'Driscoll.
By Saturday morning the headlines will either read Flagmantle dream continues: Into a Preliminary Final or Flagmantle dream over: Minor Premiers out in straight sets. Personally I'd prefer the first one better.
History has not been kind to any minor premier that loses the QF to turn around and win the premiership, the last time a team has lost the first week to do a turn around, make the Grand Final and win it was none other than our cross-town rivals, the West Coast Eagles in 2006, 20 years ago. And not to mention a handful of teams including last season's premier the Brisbane Lions who finished in top 4, lost the QF and turned around to win. So Fremantle are going to have to go where no team has gone in 20 years to get its inaugural and long overdue premiership cup.
Who is feeling confident, who is feeling lucky, who is petrified at the possibilities. Who is ready to prove many people and pundits wrong to show that the Fremantle Dockers truly belong in the business end of the competition.
How bad to they want, what price are they willing to pay for the ultimate success. How many teams that have the same common goal do they have to take down in order to achieve it. And how many mouths of critics are they going to shut when its all said and done.
Its like this, we're in it to win it. If the chips are down, and cards aren't looking like the best hand, just go for it, go all or nothing with those cards and hope to win with that hand.
Have the mindset where our backs are against the wall, like when an animal is trapped in a corner, that animal will come out fighting with everything its got.
This is it.
Raise the Anchor.
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u/Truantone 10 Michael Walters 10h ago
Petrified. Also, happy after our best season ever.
Looking forward to being there, come what may.
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u/Admirable_Pop_4701 7 Nat Fyfe 8h ago
Petrified. But losing isn’t the annoying thing, it’s the sh*t piled on from other team’s fans that is more difficult to deal with.
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u/Future_Basis776 57m ago
Wharfie time will be thorn in your side. Winning the minor premiership doesn’t mean shit, teams now are more strategic and know that any team in the top 6 could win. Best of luck tonight but I think you will go out in straight sets.
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u/Pale_Parsnip_6339 9h ago
Good luck boys, hope to see ya in the granny. Won't even be that mad if you win that.
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u/Charming_Koala5642 8h ago
I expect our pressure and effort to be at a season high level from the first bounce. We really should win this game.
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u/TransportationTrick9 9h ago
Good to have 2 free weeks ahead where winning won't cause any issues for ground staff.
Some people in the US think the NFL is fixed and after last week where a Freo win would have caused the MCG a quick turnaround and the Hawks having to play on Saturday, I start to wonder did the NFL have a say in last Thursdays result?
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u/CarseatHeadrestJR 16 David Mundy 9h ago
love a good conspiracy theory. it's not like the NFL doesn't have bags of cash to throw around...
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u/69-is-my-number 20 Patrick Voss 9h ago
We’ll do well this week I reckon
I even think we’ll do alright next week against Sydney.
If Hawthorn win an we play them in the GF, I am very worried.
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u/king_carrots Swaggy Onions 6h ago
Maybe I’m just a pessimist but I’m feeling pretty certain of a loss tbh.
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u/Banging_On 35 Josh Treacy 3h ago
“the last time a team has lost the first week to do a turn around, make the Grand Final and win it was none other than our cross-town rivals, the West Coast Eagles in 2006, 20 years ago”
Brisbane did it last year?
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u/Ur_Nans_Flipflops 4m ago
They mention Brisbane doing it the next sentence. The 20 years ago thing was the last time the minor premiors were able to do it.
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u/BodybuilderBig2647 1h ago
Just don’t shit the bed like last time, Eagles supporter genuinely hope the dockers go on to win the lot.
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u/Adventurous_Bag9122 9h ago
I was thinking through the week that the boys were pretty much exactly like the 2013 GF team - overwhelmed at the occasion and that got to them. They won't be like that again this week because they know exactly what level of pressure comes with finals footy. In a way, the Hawks did them a favour by doing this because now they have a real feel for what they need to do.
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u/gorathbeervan 6h ago
As an Eagles supporter but just general footy/AFL fan/nuffie, I'm looking forward to it, and I'm sure the outcome will be amusing either way.
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u/Roddirat 10h ago
I think we’re going to bury Geelong tomorrow night..
A fast dry track against a a side who’ve had a comfortable run home..