Freo throw the game this weekend.

[cruiser]

Freo has dropped seven players with supposed soreness. They have as good as thrown the game. They dont deserve a home final. SHAME Freo.

[laughingnome]

Fremantle

B: Dylan Roberton, Antoni Grover, Greg Broughton
HB: Justin Bollenhagen, Luke McPharlin, Jay van Berlo
C: Garrick Ibbotson, Paul Hasleby, Clancee Pearce
HF: Byron Schammer, Steven Dodd, Michael Walters
F: Ryan Murphy, Michael Johnson, Matthew de Boer
Foll: Kepler Bradley, Nick Suban, Paul Duffield
I/C: Clayton Hinkley, Rhys Palmer, Jesse Crichton, Zac Clarke
Emg: Des Headland, Ryan Crowley, Tim Ruffles

Out: Matthew Pavlich (soreness), Adam McPhee (soreness), Roger Hayden (soreness), David Mundy (soreness), Stephen Hill (soreness), Anthony Morabito (soreness), Nathan Fyfe (soreness)

That's their perogative, I guess. The clearly don't rate Carlton this weekend and fancy their chances against them in round 22, which if all goes to plan gives them a home final (5th or 6th) regardless of what Sydney do. That's their assessment, but it will be interesting if both Sydney and Carlton win this weekend who yells at who on the Freo Selection Panel.

[Matt79]

I think it is VERY ordinary and I hope that fall from the finals quickly because of it. Surely you do not flirt with form and (b) they are playing their 2nd or so ever finals series and you would think the players and club would be champing at the bit.

[Lucky Knickers]

They did play the swans and it was a very tough hard game. I hear that they have been playing sore and injured. Their form is not good (so what are the flirting with). Hawks are notoriously "unsociable".
Maybe they think they have a better chance of going deeper in September if they are all fit come finals round 1.

Is an unusual move. If Bomber Thompson or Malthouse was doing it, the reaction from the media would be totally different. "Genius".
Has me wanting it to work out for Freo and them smashing either Pies or Cats!

[Damien]

I think it's pretty evil that a club that has to travel further (with West Coast) than any other club gets a game in Launceston. Next week is so big for them, I really don't blame them, although not the best look.

[ScottH]

Interesting strategy.
Wonder what 3 losses in a row will do for moral?

[Xie Shan]

Don't like their strategy, but it would be pretty awesome if they beat carlton two weeks in a row in Rd 22 and week 1 of the finals to end the blues season!

[laughingnome]

Oddly enough, I think it suits Sydney. Chances are Carlton will get done over by Geelong tomorrow night, which means in round 22 Carlton will travel to Perth, where Freo is a 4-goal better side anyway, to face a team that has rested it's stars before the finals start. Round 22 is, to Freo and Carlton, essentially a Qualifying final where the winner gets the home game. If Carlton lose both games it lets us get a home final unless the world turns upside down.

Geelong did famously rest players during the back half of the year last year, whikle St Kilda continued to play at full strength. It can be done successfully I think, it just depends on the players and fitness staff.

[AnnieH]

Oddly enough, I think it suits Sydney. Chances are Carlton will get done over by Geelong tomorrow night, which means in round 22 Carlton will travel to Perth, where Freo is a 4-goal better side anyway, to face a team that has rested it's stars before the finals start. Round 22 is, to Freo and Carlton, essentially a Qualifying final where the winner gets the home game. If Carlton lose both games it lets us get a home final unless the world turns upside down.

Geelong did famously rest players during the back half of the year last year, whikle St Kilda continued to play at full strength. It can be done successfully I think, it just depends on the players and fitness staff.

It does suit Sydney - if the world doesn't turn upside down.

Good on Harvey ... at least we know they're tanking before they tank.

It's going to be a really tough (and exciting) finals series this year, and to get a chance to rest a few key players - we'd do it if we could as well !!

[Jewels]

If we were in their position I'd like us to do the same thing.
It's all about finals, one win and they get the home ground. Chances are they would have battled to beat the Hawks in Tassie anyway so why not?
Saints did do it last year, also in Tassie.

[dimelb]

If we were in their position I'd like us to do the same thing.
It's all about finals, one win and they get the home ground. Chances are they would have battled to beat the Hawks in Tassie anyway so why not?
Saints did do it last year, also in Tassie.
Yes. And if a couple of games had gone the way they should have, we would be in their position, or higher.

[Rowdy#8]

What if you were a Norths fan ?!? This is the result they'd be pinning their hopes of playing finals on.

They'd be filfthy !

[Jewels]

Yes. And if a couple of games had gone the way they should have, we would be in their position, or higher.

And hopefully doing the exact same thing.


What if you were a Norths fan ?!? This is the result they'd be pinning their hopes of playing finals on.

They'd be filfthy !

Yep, I reckon they would be dirty. I like North and I would LOVE to have seen them in the finals and those Hawthorn "Champions" miss out again, but you've got to give yourself any edge possible leading into finals and that's just what Harvey has done.
It's just unfortunate that North will be the big loser and Hawthorn the big winner out of it.

[Matt79]

What if you were a Norths fan ?!? This is the result they'd be pinning their hopes of playing finals on.

They'd be filfthy !

Good point. Haselby another late out too today. They will be smashed.

[cruiser]

Right now I have almost no respect for Freo.

[Trickster]

Right now I have almost no respect for Freo.

That has to be the most ridiculous 3/4 time score a profesional team can achieve, freo may as well just sit on the bench and have the hawks hold a training session.
On the other hand it's nice to see the tigers hold their own against the faints

[GoSouth33]

I don't have any problem with what Freo have done. I went to Perth last week for the Freo game and I have now experienced first hand what they have to do every second week. It's around a four to four and a half hour flight to Sydney, god only knows how they get to Launceston (I don't think it's direct). Why do they have to go to York Park to play (well, I know why) but the AFL should let them play in Melbourne and minimise their travel time (or let them charter direct flights). It is dangerous to flirt with form and this could all go very badly for them but, they have to win one of their last two games and clearly they want that to be their home game. It should be a cracker and I hope they smash the Blues which might do us a big favour if the results go as expected.

[Lucky Knickers]

What if you were a Norths fan ?!? This is the result they'd be pinning their hopes of playing finals on.

They'd be filfthy !
I'd be spewing that we lost a couple of close ones and left it so late and in the hands of others to decide our fate in the finals!
On the positive side, I'd be pretty happy with the season and team our new coach is developing.

[ScottH]

They did North a favour, saved them from a finals thrashing in front of 1287 fans.

[AnnieH]

They did North a favour, saved them from a finals thrashing in front of 1287 fans.

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Shinboners.