AFL Fremantle v West Coast: The deep dive into Oscar Allen’s form, Dockers’ goalkicking yips
Oscar Allen is either out of form, under an injury cloud, not being used correctly, or all three – with a third-gamer outshining the skipper. Eliza Reilly unpacks it, plus Freo’s massive flaw.
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West Coast has an Oscar Allen sized-problem.
The co-captain’s future is one thing, with plenty of suitors lining up for the free agents signature.
But Allen is either out of form, under an injury cloud, not being used correctly or a combination of all three.
At three-quarter time against Fremantle, the 26-year-old had just one disposal to his name, a kick that he had to work a fair way up the ground to get. He was a non-factor.
Veteran forward Jamie Cripps said Allen’s dirty day was the product of several factors.
“I think it’s getting into training during the week,” he said. “He missed a lot of footy last year and had a slow start to pre-season.
“He’s only going to get better with the more games he plays. It’s a tough position playing full-forward.
“We couldn’t keep it in our front half. We couldn’t get it there and they beat us in the contest as well.
“We’re not going to win many games then we’re getting 30 odd inside 50s. We need to give a greater contest ahead of the ball as well to get it going forward.”
Out of necessity, Allen was moved behind the ball late in the third term when Jeremy McGovern suffered a groin injury. Fellow key defender Harry Edwards had been subbed out (tactical) just moments earlier.
While he has played down back before, Allen was never going to be the answer against the likes of Jye Amiss, Josh Treacy and Patrick Voss, especially when the Dockers were already nursing a comfortable lead.
Could West Coast’s new game plan be unsuited to the skipper?
We know the Eagles want to play quick and there were a few times where Allen got overlooked in transition or the ball was put to his disadvantage.
“I don’t know if we’ve seen enough but I think it’ll make him better,” Cripps said. “I think we made a few mistakes today that cost us and we didn’t get it down to him.
“If we can clean up the fundamentals of our game with our kicking and handballing, we’ll hopefully get it down to him and he’ll kick some bags.”
But by comparison, second-year key forward Archer Reid fought and scrapped through every 50/50 contest and refused to lose, finishing with seven score involvements.
He bravely went back with the flight in the third quarter and brought the ball to ground against Luke Ryan, resulting in Harley Reid’s goal a few moments later. He also won a wrestle with Brennan Cox in the goal square and was rewarded with his first AFL goal.
“He competes really hard,” Cripps said. “He was probably our best player today with how he went about the contest and kicked his first goal. No doubt there will be plenty more to come.
“He inspires everyone. Those sort of actions get the boys up and about. If you’re doing that stuff, you’ll be staying in the team.”
We didn’t see that sort of intensity from Allen.
Jobe Shanahan is knocking on the door and kicked three goals a fortnight ago in the WAFL. While inclusion Jack Williams had some nice moments as well and kicked one goal.
Before West Coast’s game against Brisbane, it’s understood Allen failed to get through main training. He still played and finished with eight touches and a goal.
If he’s not fit, it might be time for a spell. It would allow the Eagles to get valuable experience into a players like Shanahan and Williams should Allen depart at season’s end.
THE GOLDEN GOOSE DOCKERS MUST SLAY
The margin should’ve been much greater but finally Fremantle’s much-maligned mid/forward connection is showing signs of improvement.
After a winless fortnight to start the season, the Dockers notched their first win of the year against cross-town rivals West Coast to the tune of 38-points.
Kick straighter and this game would’ve been a different story – a celebration of a forward line that might just finally be coming of age.
Instead, Fremantle’s inaccuracy will continue to be a talking point even though it wasn’t fatal against a disappointing West Coast outfit that lost Jeremy McGovern to a groin injury just minutes after subbing out Harry Edwards.
A final tally of 15.16 (106) is nothing to sneeze at. It’s Fremantle’s highest score since Round 20 last year, coincidentally also against the Eagles.
But if the Dockers want to be a serious contender this year, they can’t be missing goals from straight in front.
“We’re only human,” young forward Jye Amiss said. “Everyone misses their shots but we pride ourselves on having the opportunity to kick goals and our work rate to get into those positions.
“We’re going to keep working on that. We do our reps during the week. If we don’t kick them then we’ll review that but we’ll keep getting to work during the week.
“There’s always a little bit but we do a lot of work on our mental game and being able to get back on task.”
Fremantle finished round three with 65 inside 50s, the equal second-most on the winners list this weekend. Brisbane topped the table with 67.
But the Dockers’ efficiency inside 50 still has room for improvement. St Kilda went at 35 per cent in round three, kicking 20 goals from 56 inside 50s.
Of the winners, Fremantle came in equal-fourth with 23 per cent efficiency. The Eagles even went better with a hit rate of 27 per cent, converting 10 goals from 37 inside 50s.
Pat Voss had to suffer through three points until finally getting on the board, compounding the pain of last week’s suffering against Sydney.
Andrew Brayshaw missed a set shot from straight in front. Shai Bolton missed an easy one. Jeremy Sharp was also inaccurate from long range.
Convert half of those opportunities and it would’ve been a massacre. At least the connection is seemingly improving and was a step forward from Fremantle’s mindless dump kicks inside 50 against the Swans.
“I think we’re getting there with our ball movement and entries,” Amiss said. “Today we took another step forward.
“It’s something we’ve built over pre-season and it’s going to keep building every week. We felt like today, we took a really big step forward.
“I think a little bit of composure around 50 and trusting ourselves to drive with the ball as well as driving through the contest. Trusting ourselves has been the big one and I think we were able to trust ourselves a bit more today and convert more.
“It’s on us to run our patterns which are starting to come along now. It’s on the kicker as well to trust themselves with ball in hand. That connection we’ve built this pre-season is going to start showing in coming weeks.”
We’re nitpicking in what was ultimately a strong and controlled win but Fremantle won’t be able to get away with it against a better side.
So here are the positives.
Amiss kicked 4.1 after kicking just one goal in the first fortnight of the season.
Murphy Reid (10 score involvements) is already one of Fremantle’s best users inside 50 and if not for Bailey Williams’ outstretched fingers, he would’ve had a goal to his name too.
The Dockers have found one in Isaiah Dudley. He is the cousin of star Melbourne small forward Kysaiah Pickett and nephew of Adelaide and Carlton star forward Eddie Betts and subsequently he was classy on debut with two goals.
But the Western Bulldogs pose a different challenge to the West Coast Eagles.
It’s time for Fremantle’s forward line to show us what it’s got.
CALEB THE GREAT
Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong is on track to become the best derby architect of all time after equalling Paul Hasleby’s record with his fourth Glendinning-Allan medal.
Tagged heavily by Sydney stopper James Jordan last week, Serong finished with 35 disposals, 10 clearances, 498 metres gained and four score involvements to pip teammate Andrew Brayshaw by one vote.
Still only 24, Serong has plenty of time left to go past Hasleby who set the record for the most medals with his fourth back in 2009.
“We love these games,” Serong said post-match. “It’s been a tough few weeks but we’ve stuck together and I loved the performance we put out there today.”
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