Troy Wingate
MARK WILLIAMS: We’ve been working pretty hard on a style of play probably ever since the game we played over in London. We think that style was pretty successful on the weekend. We’ve been looking to refine what we do. We certainly have put a lot of speed into our team. Last time we played Fremantle we had a lot of players out and we thought by putting a speed element in would be important for us. So that really impressed me. Then, the amount of fitness the players showed. The belief they showed to come back from 34 points down is one thing but the ability to be able to run out the game is another. To do that with Motlop off just after quarter time, which limits your rotations and time on the bench, was a great effort.---How did you rate Toby Thurstans game against freo and have you been happy with his transition to the backline?
Brendon Mackay
MARK WILLIAMS: I thought he was our best defender. I thought he played really well and he’s coming along quite nicely. We’re getting some good consistency out of him and I know he is enjoying the challenge of playing in the backline.---Did Shaun Burgoyne have a niggle, his stats weren’t up to his usual standard?
Pam Morgan
MARK WILLIAMS: Pam, I’ve got a feeling you might be into your fantasy AFL! I know all about that Dream Team stuff – my son does it and he had Shaun in there as well so he wasn’t completely happy but I think if you get onto David Rodan you’ve got a good bet! Anyway, Shaun was serviceable for us. He wasn’t as dominant as normal but I think when Peter gets back in the team there’ll be a few more worries for the opposition teams so that might open some doors for Shaun.---Great win on Sat, how are you going to fit Peter, Tredrea and Josh into the side, also will we see Brad Symes in our team soon? Regards, BJ.
BJ Arthur
MARK WILLIAMS: Well as you say, it’s a winning side so it’s difficult to change. It’s nice to have those sorts of concerns. Over the last few years it has been a pretty bare cupboard to pick from (due to having a lot of injuries) so I’m sure the cream will rise to the top and the best players will get in.---How did the young squad adapt to preparing pre-game for what is one of the longest journeys in AFL, ie travelling to Perth?
Daniel Cardone
MARK WILLIAMS: Well in the wisdom of the fitness people we went over a day earlier and the club allowed us to do that – obviously it cost us a bit more money – but certainly it has been repaid by the result. So we went over on Thursday – a day earlier than we normally would. They got a good training session over there and went out to Subiaco to at least have a look around the oval so some of the mental preparation stuff was a day in advance. It meant they could relax and be a bit cooler when the game started.---Mark, just what did you say to the boys at half time? Any special words to Brogan or White? They were great in the 3rd term.
Paul
MARK WILLIAMS: We looked at a couple of factors. Everyone would have noticed how many goals we had given away from free kicks. We wanted to try to clean that up a little bit because that was making Fremantle look a lot more dominant than they were. We also talked about how our fitness would come through. To believe in yourself, and to be able to find one or two things that you can concentrate on and then be able to turn around and deliver is outstanding. I thought Ebert and Rodan and White were great examples of that in the second half.I just want to add something on Dean Brogan too. I thought his ability to hunt the ball in centre square really caused us to win the game after half time, he played exceptionally well. Last year Ladey won the best and fairest but Broges still had a major role to play in that and on the weekend, Ladey had a role to play for Broges to play well. Both of them tandem together really well and make a very dangerous pair of ruckmen.---Choco you’d have to be happy with the way David Rodan has slotted straight in. Can’t wait to see him against Richmond. How good were the boys on Saturday.
rod hamilton
MARK WILLIAMS: It was really exciting after the game. The emotion after the game was right up there with some of the biggest wins we’ve ever had including the grand final, given the fact we were backs against the wall all day and prior to the game as well. To have three new players playing and just being over there with just a small pocket of people barracking for you, it is really an event that does galvanise the group.David Rodan, he’s come along quite nicely. He’s still got a long way to go. His whole career has been littered by bits and pieces (of good football) so he needs to keep his feet on the ground and keep working towards next week.
