TimN's View on the Future of the Fremantle Dockers

Stuart Anderson: Recruited from North at the start of the year, he didn't really work out. Only played a couple of games, and looked pretty poor in those. Freo should get whatever they can for him, which may not be much.
Daniel Bandy: Has presumably been injured for the second half of the season, since he hasn't been playing. Didn't really live up to his potential this year. One more year, I guess, as the backup ruckman, since he really doesn't seem able to play anywhere else.
Heath Black: Had a bad run with injury this year, and only played in the final game. Fremantle have signed him up for the next three years though, so I guess he will be staying.
Chris Bond: One of the recruits from the beginning of 1998 who has worked out. Provided the option of a tagger, and performed pretty well at that task. As an added bonus, as one of the older players he will hopefully be able to pass some of those skills on to teh younger Fremantle running brigade (the likes of Walker, Sinclair, Holland, Black, Toia, Callaghan). Definitely a required player for 1999.
Michael Brown: Adds a bit of toughness to what is an otherwise pretty soft team, but its not too clear where he should play. Seems best suited to full-forward, but if Hunter fires, there's no room for both of them. May well blossom under a tougher coach though.
Matthew Burton: Probably the most recognisable Fremantle player. Really had an excellent season in 1998, and is now the clear fist choice ruckman.
Craig Callaghan: Like Michale Brown, he adds some toughness to the squad. Definitely has a future with Fremantle, perhaps as the second tagger behind Chris Bond.
Trent Carroll: Has matured this season to become a key member of the back line. His improvement in form freed O'Reilly to move further forward, and he is also crucial against teams with several tall forwards, where Dale Kickett and Shane Parker are just not adequate to cover the second and third options.
Scott Chisholm: Scotty is a problem. I wouldn't be at all surprised to discover that he doesn't fit in with the new coach's plans. Hasn't had too many moments of brilliance, and has had too many shocking moments.
Michael Clark: Never heard of him!
James Clement: I don't know. Did OK in the forward line, and as a tagger on occasion. Clearly has plenty going for him, but might also suffer from not really having a position that he fills that no one else can fill. Versatility may save him, or may make him more valuable as a trading chip.
Matthew Clucas: Gives Shane Parker a run for his money as the rudest head in the team. He's young, and is being groomed as a player of the future, but I'm not sure that he'd get a game ahead of Toia, Callaghan, Black, or Holland, who he will have to compete with for games.
Tony Delaney: Another one who spent most (all?) the season out due to injuries. Worth another go in 1999.
Gary Dhurrkay: Had a reasonable year this year. Would definitely have a place in a firing forward line. Will probably wind up being like Winston Abraham - someone that Fremantle regrets trading away.
Brad Dodd: Called up off the rookie list early in the season, and has performed pretty well since then. The extra experince that makes him a 22 year old "rookie" has helped him I think.
Brendon Feddema: Another tall forward he hasn't really shown much. And at 23, another of Fremantle's elderly rookies. May be worth trading away, if they can get a few draft picks for him?
Adrain Fletcher: Recruited at the start of the year, and despite missing about 6 games in the middle of the season would still go close to be Fremantle's best player for the year. Has to be retained for next year.
Mark Gale: Marke Gale's story is similar to James Clement's. He can play pretty much anywhere, but doesn't really have a fixed place in the team. Could be an advantage if Sheeds was coachingm but could be a problem if he can't cement a place.
Tony Godden: Had a bad run with injury this year, and didn't really get a chance to show his best. Hopefully when he comes back nexct year he will be fit again.
Greg Harding: Another Jack of all trades. May suffer from there being just one or two too many of them at Fremantle. Could wind up being traded away.
Daniel Hargraves: One of the recruits for 1998 who didn't really work out. Played a few games without really doing too much. Probably on his way back out.
Brodie Holland: Another young recruit who got a few games this year. Definitely showed enough to suggest he is worth sticking with.
Kingsley Hunter: He seems to have all the skills. He's strong and fast, leads well, can take a good mark, and kicks a long way. BUT other times he gets shunted out of contests, drops easy marks and kicks abysmally. I believe he has the potential to be a great full-forward, but not until Fremantle change their game plan a lot. Neesham's departure may be a great opportunity for him.
Cameron Jackson: Never heard of him.
Troy Johnson: Nor him.
Anthony Jones: One of he or Trent Carroll could turn out to be surplus to requirements. Not a bad player, but not one who should obviously be retained either.
Dale Kickett: I shudder to think where Fremantle would be without Dale. Anyone who thinks that Neehsam can't coach needs to take a look at Dale's performances with Fremantle and compare them to his previous four clubs. Hopefully he will stay for ever!
Steven Koops: Looked like he was just beginning to hit form before he injured his knee. I don't know how long the knee will keep him out, but if its going to be too long, he may well miss out next year.
Quenton Leach: I never really understood why the Dockers recruited him, and I hope they will take the chance to get rid of him. He's not really an AFL level player.
Paul Maher: Showed plenty of promise, but only lasted 3 games before his knee gave way. Unless he can be right for the start of 1999, delist him.
Peter Mann: What to do with Mann? If the opportunity arises, it might be worth trading him away. He did seem to do OK at centre half back when Neesham finally tried him there, so perhaps one more year, and we all hope he stays injury free.
Andrew McGovern: Has made some shocking errors, and often seems just too old and too slow to still be playing AFL, but over all I guess you would have to rate him as one of Fremantle's better contributors for this year. Nevertheless, Freo would probably be better off without him next year.
Shaun McManus: The hard-nosed realist would say that two knee reconstructions makes him just too big a risk to keep on the list. I think I do too. Has a lot of potential, and can perhaps be traded for someone slightly less talented, and less injury-prone.
Clem Michael: Has been filling in as a ruckman this year, which a look at his stats would suggest is ridiculous (at 182cm he is virtually a foot shorter than Spider) but which seems to have worked OK. Definitely has plenty of skills.
John Neesham: I know nothing about him, but the surname might be a hint as to why he is on the list. Will probably be retained, unless his WAFL performance has been poor.
Jason Norrish: Has definitely played well at times this year. Not exactly a superstar, but if he plays as well as he has this year, he definitely has a place in teh Dockers team.
Steven O'Reilly: A key senior member of the team. His only problems are a pair of slightly dodgy hamstrings. That and whether he should play at full forward or full back.
Shane Parker: When I started writing these pages, Shane was a borderline player for the Dockers, and it was fun to write about him as if he was a star. He's still not a star, as most Fremantle fans don't recognise him except as "The guy with the rude head", but he is now an important member of the team.
Daniel Parker: At the moment, he's not as good as his brother, its as simple as that. His marking is improving though, so its probably worth sticking with him for one more year.
Jess Sinclair: Until he has his first knee reconstruction, Jess's pace will be important. Definitely a star of the future.
Luke Toia: Luke's knee reconstruction means that he is likely to miss most of next season. Fremantle may well not be able to carry him for that whole season. If he is delisted, it will be witha view to re-enlisting him in 2000.
James Walker: Still very young, and has shown enough in his opportunities for him to be worth sticking with. A Victorian born youngster though, so he may be lured back to Melbourne later.
Clive Waterhouse: Clive promises so much, and so far has delivered so little. His athleticism is brilliant, but his footballing nous is non-existent. Personally, I would stick with him, and see how he responds to a new coach, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was on his way.
Martin Whitelaw: Fremantle's third ruckman, behind Spider and Bandy. One of he and Bandy will have to go, I think. One of the few in the Dockers squad not to play at all during 1998, so must be in some doubt.
Andrew Wills: Played a couple of shocking games during the course of 1998, but those performances were apparently due to him being well less than 100% fit. I'd say Freo is stuck with him, but in an ideal world he should be one of those in and out of the team, as opposed to the key player that he is now.

timnfromoz

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