Fremantle great voices concerns on current side (and what he thinks of shorter quarters)

0:00As I mentioned, an absolute champ of the game, 6PR, and as former Dockout will be on the boundary for 3AW tomorrow night, good evening, Hayes. Good day, Jimmy, very jealous at the moment. Normally, would be happy because we've got the big final here, but what's going on in Victoria at the moment? That's exciting. Well done to your state government for getting it over low. You begin a Felf fan, Hayes? I'm not, but I've been caught up in it. I think I'm on the algorithm. I'm just being out and every ticket post is about it, so I'm loving it. Hayes, you normally do have big events over there. Perth is obviously with that magnificent stadium, which is rocking when Friar are flying. Did the moment get a bit big for them? I did, absolutely. Last week, it did last year in the final series as well. So there's a few different ways to look at this, Jimmy, with Friar Manel, is you could look back and say, I haven't handled the pressure. You could also look back and say, well, the last month of footy, they weren't great. I think we're now at the top of the ladder. Other teams are just chipping away, having a good look, studying, reviewing, and then they

1:00implemented really well the Hawks. But the third train of thought is, they're the best team all year. That at off night, it was bit wet. They didn't handle those conditions, and they were bounce back. I'm going to back them to bounce back against your cap. What do you think sides are doing? It's just going to, I think, it was your point too. Your highlight of there. Your opposition goes to work on here once you've been up the top of the ladder for so long. That's the big takeaway. What are they taking away from Friar that is starting them? I think if you look at Taylor, they're doing really well in the year when they won Ford in a row. It was around their handball game. Very good from Stoppage out the front, lean out, go inside their Ford 50 very, very quickly. What they're doing is getting extra numbers up. A lot of those small forwards getting extra numbers up and then isolating a couple of players deep. I think from there being vulnerable, the last month in particular to the smaller forwards that are flying back in. They've got some good key forwards. They miss Brennan Cox a little bit, but just by holding Friar's game in terms of their handball dominance, but they're also coming at Friar now when they win the ball.

2:02I thought Melbourne did some damage when they played for them about a month ago. Melbourne style. Just don't hurt the few things for other clubs. Carlton did it as well. We know Carlton has been very good at hitting up the 45, going off the line, keeping the ball moving. I think their defense has struggled with teams coming hard at them. Carlton Longmeow, I think unfairly gets a lot of criticism because maybe he isn't as cool entertaining in presses. He just goes there to get them done and some people think, oh, how can this bike inspire us? He clearly can inspire his players. They all play for him. Did he and the coaches box just have a bad night as well? We know many of the players had their, you know, one of their lowest games for the year. But some of the matchups and the lack of moves to just try and spark something was a bit glaring. I think when you're chasing like Hawthorne War, they were the team that was the underdog. You know, you're going to do different things. You never look at free mental and make some changes. But I think with free mental, because they're in that holding pattern for about a month. Like they had the top spot sewn up and they're playing some average footy.

3:03But I think they thought, once we get to the final series, we'll be okay. We'll play our way. We won't have to do too much different. But they got a smack in the nose because the pressure came on really hard and they turned the ball over and Jordan Class had great move from their back line. But for you, I do have some plays in their defense that don't use it that well under pressure. And, you know, they're not as skilled as some of the other back lines in the competition. So the pressure was there. It was applied. And from there, and I think everybody in the stadium just thought, how long until they turn it around? Because that's what they've done well all year. And Walsh, Justin, you know, gets a bad wrap for some of that stuff. What he's done all year is so many times they've been down at half time. I think nine times they've been down at half time. He's in, moves the magnets, adjust the style of game, gets it on his terms. And seven of those times they went on to win and they're undefeated here at Optistat in part of that game. So I think he deserves a bit of credit for that. But now he needs to have a look at what you're long to do and you'll be ready for that. Hey, it's very easy to sit back in the armchair and point fingers and go, I would have done this, would have done that.

4:04And I'm glad you highlighted, you know, their ball use coming out of the back line and you know, play some can and some can't. And Hawthorne have that small, the mid size players who hunt as a pack, you know, Ginnivan Watson, McDonald is another one as well. More was fantastic. Jalong have Wilkshire close manner in that forward line as well. Hayden Young. We know how brilliant he is as a midfielder. We know how he can go forward. But he has had a pretty big chunk of his career across halfback. And can start the game really well, you know, the ball use for free. Could that be an option to solve a few issues, just get him to roll back behind the footy and get the ball in his hands? If I was coaching, if you were coaching, I think they would go that way. That's where you start his career. And it was only when they needed some support for Bracer and Sarong probably three years ago. They went, no, you're into the midfield. But I just feel right now, Jimmy, that they've got too many midfielders because they all want their time. You know what it's like. You can't have too many.

5:04Calves are on as an other best year. We saw Bolton and Reed not be to the same level. And it's also meant that Matty Johnson as a run with player hasn't been able to do that effectively because they need to make more time for young and the others to go through there. But I think Justin, he's probably not one to pull the trigger on it because he hasn't used it all year. He's back in his back 50 system. They bring in Judmord V back in from the wilderness. So lost he spot in the team with Brandon Walker going out. I'd love to see it because you know, the bigger killings here on pre-minal in Justin Longville's time has been the speed of ball from the back up. They've made some corrections this year. They're still not overly quick with it and under pressure the other night. They retreated. They had times in the third quarter to go from the box office, which was in the middle of ground. And they went wide instead of going forward. So I would do that, but I just can't see Justin putting that trigger. I think he spent a bit of time this week training in the forward line. Yeah, a lot of there about coach Justin Longville. And I'd do it, Maureen. He backs in his players and backs in what his team looks like.

6:05And always the question was, you know, can you play two rucks? And that was when it was Jackson and Darcy. And we know Luke Jackson has just gone to another level. Now it's Jackson and Mason Cox. And he's unlikely to change having the four big forwards when they're all on the ground. But can you see him trying to utilize Luke Jackson in the front half more against Jolong? Where he actually had a bit of success against the cats last time. Yeah, I do. You keep 28 and we get 28 and keep three goals that game. Yeah, it's probably the best game he's ever played. That was against Bich Edwards. But I'm expecting the cats to be slightly different with Mark Blich's halves. And maybe the Cunning comes back in to play a role there. But I think you'll have that license to really push forward. You know, we talk a lot about Sean Darcy and Mason Cox and who's the right one? It's been Mason Cox all year. And to be fair, Sean Darcy's been ruled out again with another knee injury. So he's not in the mix. But you know, it's just a 40% position that Mason needs to play. Come in, give a little bit of a chop out in the rock. Allow Jackson to go forward where I think towards the end of the season, he was playing more minutes because they were trying to manage the time of Jackson.

7:07But it's all on the line tomorrow night. They need everything they can for their leaders and Luke Jackson is one of those. Does Patty Voss go up and just start wrestling Tom Stewart? Yeah, I think so, but you got him barris last week, to be honest against James Cicile. He was just so brilliant. He's the bill is it read the ball flight and just give a little nods to take those marks. When you got to play a design to stop you and still be able to be that effective. Was a work of art, to be honest and Tom Stewart's in that category. He can do it and he's been doing it for a number of years. Well, they might do something different with it. But I think he just needs to get back to finding the footy and take some pressure off Tracey and Amos. We're both at bad nights as well. Can't imagine Voss Tracey Amos. You throw in Sarong didn't have his best night. Bolton was a little bit quieter. Moe, if you read got a lot of the footy bit, probably didn't use it the way we're accustomed to. So I know you're going to go your dockers by Marcher. Is this going to be coming down to the last couple of minutes? I'm nervous. I remember the last time they played and I reckon Chris Scott left a few move up, moves up his sleeves and he'll try a few things.

8:07I think Marlon will probably go to Bolton or Murphy Reed who have been the key to stop for free mental. But I think at home just seven points the dockers to get the result. Well, we've got you Brisbane. I actually had it at the start of the year. Brisbane Friro Grand Final with Friro finishing on top of the ladder and I had to tell you I had Brisbane maybe going at a three-peat. I thought when I saw Friro lose, oh no, they're going to meet in the prelim. But then Brisbane went and dropped that one against the swans who were magnificent. So they've swapped back to opposite sides of the draw, if you will. Brisbane bounce back against the crows. Yeah, I think they do. The crows were brave, but there was a little motion in that game and this is Brisbane. I know when to turn it on and for them to live out that dream with a three-peat, which only the best teams do, they need to get it done and they will. Hey, well, I've got you. Of course, a topic that's been up for discussion and it's kind of funny. It gets raised by the AFL, but we don't ever have any fans ring in here at three. I mean, I couldn't imagine you have any on six PR. So hey, do you know what would be great for the game if we actually played less time?

9:10Your thoughts on shorter quarters? But I've listened to you before. I totally agree. I've just reduced it and I've never been a real big fan of the review system. I know they're trying to speed that up, but I'm just happy to accept it. For the sake of the game, accept some of them. Make sure you throw the ball up quick out. Now that we have this, you know, the ball, the last disposal rule, last disposal rule, I think that's how to tie them to the game as well because we're now reviewing. I think maybe one of the adjustments they can make on that is if it is sort of a bit of conjecture about whether it's a proper handball or just touch the leg, just throw those ones in. It has to be a proper disposal and then they call the free kick. And again, that will eliminate some time. So yeah, there's been no calls over here on six PR that have ever said anything about shorter quarters. Hey, how would you go? Because you a person who just didn't stop moving your toughest all boots around the footy. If your direct opponent went down for cramp or a sore ankle and the umpire stopped the game to make sure he's right, how would you feel? I might not feel good.

10:10I'll be off and go. There was a lot of things that played their part, but again, they stop it, don't they, for those who are into that. And yeah, they're taking a lot of the fun. And I guess the natural attrition out of some of the games that it is a battle for four quarters and that's part of it. Well, I've got you. I just got to ask about the other team that you, you know, often you shall not mention their name over there. West Coast Eagles, the other side in ten. I fan shared Wellingham's comments pretty direct. How they received over there when he called the Eagles vanilla, lacking swag and they're heading down the path of being the next S and a football club. That's a pretty frank assessment from a, from a premiership player. Well, I think heading down the path of S and I think they've been like, we forget that they've been down the bottom for five years. And it's actually been one of the worst runs. I think in the history of the game, the wins that they've had in the last five years. And look, it started off as poor recruiting towards the back end of Adam Simpson's tenure. I think they lost a bit of standards that they'd set for themselves.

11:13But right now they're not a ruthless football club and you know, they're even making some signings on some plays that I wouldn't at this particular stage. It's not to say don't back in some plays that have been on the list for a while, but make them earn it. You've got the SSB period now where you can get them to come back and have two or three really fight for their spots. But they're not seen looking like they're doing that enough. We know last year, you know, they had the opportunity with Jagger Smith at pick number three. Three men all had Murphy Reed, right at that number two. And they still didn't pick him at number 16. They went for bow, Alan. But that was all part of doing the right thing by the Richmond football club. And it's not going to age well because Jagger Smith is already a far better player than Liam Baker. Will ever be because of what he's brought in only his first real season of AFL. So I think what he's saying is right. I think they've been there on the last five years. They get a chance to improve it, but I'm yet to see them be real ruthless at the draft table. And this management is thinking. We have the sides in for tomorrow night. No change from Jolong.

12:13So I'll be watching the emergency's haze tomorrow night. So which one of them will warm me up? Because no doubt there will be a late change for Jolong. The dockers have brought in McVeigh and Wagner. Wagner is a big in and out is O'Driskel and Walker. Of course, hurt McVeigh straight into the five to take someone like a Sean Manor or one of the, or maybe a Wilk Shire in the Ford lawn. Yeah, I like that move from the cast. I think Wilk Shire has been important for them. And that's the danger that they can possess the four of them working together. So Jolong, if he takes one of those, O'Driskel's been a bit out of form. And he was one that was sort of a deer in the headlight a bit last week when he had the footy. So it's been coming for a while and brought under Justin Longwell for making that change. Because Wagner, particularly all in the season, before he had a slight injury, was a key role player. As always, haze, love chatting to you. And we'll be chatting to you tomorrow night because you'll be on the boundary first for Thread W. Can't wait, Jimmy. Good luck.