View Full Version : Top 8?
daddy_4_eyes
14 Apr 2002, 23:49
I know i'll get my head bitten off by some, and be ridiculed by others, but I think we should upgrade our 2002 season expectations from 10th place to a top 8 finish. What are my reasons i hear you asking? well...:
*The season seems very even, where about 8 sides seem to be of equal strength. Makes it easier for us if we don't have to compete against 6 "superteams" (Brissie, bombers, port, hawks, blues and sydney).
*Other sides considered a shoe in for the top 8 are looking a bit shaky (Carlton, Collingwood, etc).
*It is possible to make it into the top8 with 10 wins, we have 20 games in which to win 8 of em (I should say 7, Freo are 4pts in the bag).
*We have performed quite well without relying on one individual. Cousins is yet to fire, and our BOG for the 1st 3 round have all been different.
*We seem to be avoiding injuries quite well *knocks on wood* which increases competitiveness and flexibility within the team
*and finally, it seems Subiaco is truly back to giving us home ground advantage. Should account for a few more wins.
Am I over optimistic? Or is my reassessment of my WCE expectations justified?
I reckon we will just miss out being in the top 8 this year, 9 or 10th most likely. It is unbelievable how much Woosh has changed this side. Last year we were so bloody defensive, this year it can go from end to end in about 4 kicks.
I like our forward line structure, simple but effective. If Wilson doesn't fire, he at least gets rid of the opposition and lets others do the work.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the way we are going. I think we can win against Melbourne next week but as the season goes on and we verse the better teams we will drop off a bit. Even if we do just miss the finals, its a bloody huge improvement from last year and finals are a definate possibility next year.
Voice of Reason
14 Apr 2002, 23:58
I reckon we should just take it one game at a time.
Let's be the best we can be. Hard, fast and competitive.
Thrawn666
15 Apr 2002, 01:44
3 games into the season is a bit early to be making predictions.
We'll have a better idea in the coming weeks how well the team is faring and it will be more of a barometer when we play teams like Brisbane and so forth.
dbhattarai
15 Apr 2002, 01:46
Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
*It is possible to make it into the top8 with 10 wins, we have 20 games in which to win 8 of em (I should say 7, Freo are 4pts in the bag).
Don't get too cocky, West Coast have been known to fall away after Round 11 or 12 in recent years.
And if the Dockers are as shocking as you say they are, the 2 games you've won were against were the 'shockers' and the only team which hasn't won a game. May I add also you lost to Collingwood, who are not in the greatest of form.
Bit early to change our predictions...i still think we will miss the finals but only just. If we lose to Melbourne next weekend we will be exactly where we were last season?? Obviously though we are a better team than we were last season and i think if we just beat teams like the Dockers, Bullies, Saints etc we can get enough wins to just miss the finals. Our real test is in the next month, we have the Dees in Melbourne who are in pretty good form. Then Brisbane (there isnt an "IM SCARED" smilie) :) Port, who IMO are still top four certs and a rejuvenated Roos side.
Lets retalk predictions after the coming month.
Deepthroat
15 Apr 2002, 09:57
In all honesty, I had the boys down as potential winners of 11-12 games this year. This did include the first 4 for the season (One accurate kick and we could have been 3/4 of the way to that one).
I had basically taken all games against Port, Brisbane, Essendon, Hawthorn and Carlton out of the equation. Added some losses away from home but basically did not add any wins that one would consider "upsets".
Obviously we are 1 down on my prediction so far but I think what is the deepest problem is disposal turnover along the wings and going into half forward which are hurting us. If we can sure this up, I think we could even manage a few "upset's" as every team is not always 100% on the job.
I think if Woosha can maintain the focus and steely resolve shown so far, then a few minor tinkerings will result in a Top 8 finish and a lot of people with egg on their face.
I think we can be the real mccoy this year and make the eight! Im not sure how long till we get another flag but I know we will play finals this year! I feel it inside of me!
carneagles
15 Apr 2002, 11:36
Gotta say no. The players are running through walls at the moment, but the skills are still getting there. I felt the margin yesterday flattered us, the Bulldogs were much cleaner with the ball but suffered from shlte kicking for goal, injuries and the heat.
Having said that, I'd love it if it happened. But heart yes, head no.
Pessimistic
15 Apr 2002, 11:51
Eagles look as good as most other teams at the moment
GoEagles
15 Apr 2002, 14:55
My expectations before the season started wasn't finals footy - it still isn't since we would have to leap 6 spots (from last year) to make the final 8 this year.
If we are to make the 8, it all starts this week. We have to beat Melbourne, win back-to-back and especially in Melbourne.
daddy_4_eyes
15 Apr 2002, 17:22
Originally posted by dbhattarai
Don't get too cocky, West Coast have been known to fall away after Round 11 or 12 in recent years.
And if the Dockers are as shocking as you say they are, the 2 games you've won were against were the 'shockers' and the only team which hasn't won a game. May I add also you lost to Collingwood, who are not in the greatest of form.
Firstly, we beat freo(apparently better than us) and the Bulldogs(meant to be dangerous with their backs to walls), neither considered easy beats. We lost to collingwood, fair enough, but it was at their homeground and only by a point. If it wasn't for a dubious umpiring decision in the last few mins of the 4th quarter, we would have won it.
Secondly, at this stage it seems Cats, Saints, Blues, Pies and Bullies will have poor seasons. Freo and Roos seem to be equal if not worse than the eagles. Thats 7 teams not all that flash hot and certainly not better than us. There's also Melbourne, Adelaide and Richmond who are believed to be currently over-achieving. I believe only Brisbane, Essendon, Hawthorn, Sydney and Port are above everyone else. So who's to say we won't finish in the 8?
Ohh, and I'm not being cocky. Everyone knows Freo are our bi_tches.
It all comes down to this IMO:
win a few in Melbourne = 7-10
only win home games = 9-12
Can I express my concern once again with our back pockets.
Medhurst kicks three from limited chances.
Brodie Holland kicks eight and Gians'a kicks 2-6, which really should have been at least 4-4. Just because he didn't kick them doesn't mean we should ignore the obvious, we are getting killed by small forward pockets. Melbourne don't really have a small forward, Robertson, Bruce and Green are slightly taller, but still, I'm all for the Hummer getting a game.
rant over
thegur
Hummer or Green must come into the side. Taylor is doing an admirable job but it is not his natural position and he is struggling. That doesnt mean he deserves to be dropped. Just play him in the midfield with Hummer and or Green down back. As for top 8....its possible but i doubt it.
Someone said something important....this weekends game against Melbourne. Its a team around the same level that we are at, its in melbourne and if we win, it will be back to back wins. All things that we need to do this season.
I think they are contenders for the eight.
But the real test will be this weekend, against Melbourne, as others have stated.
If we win against Melbourne, in Victoria I think the Victorians will stand up and take a bit of notice.
Maybe we'll even get a mention on TALKING FOOTY!!
Originally posted by ozzult
Maybe we'll even get a mention on TALKING FOOTY!!
HAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAH Yeah and im the pope...
Originally posted by jod23
HAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAH Yeah and im the pope...
Sorry jod, I forgot.
We would have to win back to back to back premierships for Talking Footy to mention us. Even then it would only be a small clip and Bruce would ask the couch what he reckons.
"CARRO" would just nod and move on the next big story in Victorian footy.
If West Coast do beat Melbourne, the only mention you can expect on Talking Vic Footy will be "What has gone wrong with Melbourne?"
Bruce McAvaney looks seriously ill and is a fawning creep. Caroline Wilson knows NOTHING about the game and is merely a bad gossip.
It bugs me because it could be a really good show.
Originally posted by jod23
HAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAH Yeah and im the pope...
Sorry your holiness, i didn't know you were a West Coast fan? Any chance of performing an exorcism on the Demons??
I too think that Hummer could be the way to go down back- quick, tenacious, courageous- he deserves a run, if nothing else.
Thinking outside the square, small forwards tend to make good small defenders in the same way that full forwards can play back. Phil Matera would kick ass playing deep in defense, if we could spare him, his tackling and tagging work is superb. I'd be interested to see how Merenda and Sampi would adapt to the role also
Thrawn666
16 Apr 2002, 20:41
I think Phil Matera wouldnt be good at all as a backman, he tends to give away a lot of free kicks as a forward and besides which he is far too valuable up there. Id like to see Humm come into the side too, his preaseason form was very good and the team is obviously crying out for a small defender, the guys we have filling that role now are all better suited as midfielders.
Raelene
16 Mar 2003, 17:19
I don't mean to put the 'mocker' on our team, but why am I more worried this year than last. Was it because I could say - "well, after all we have a new coach and the players are getting used to him" and feel justified if we got beaten - or is it just my 'jinx' sydrome coming back?
Or is it just the newspapers talking up Fremantle all the time that make me susceptible to suggestions that our team is not the 'flavour of the month'?
But good luck guys, I still follow you through the good, bad and ugly, even if I do jinx you or perhaps the Eagles would like me to barrack for some other team to get that weight off their back.
I'm sorry, I should have let the supporters know years ago, but I feel better now! :p
Kenny_01
16 Mar 2003, 19:02
Originally posted by Raelene
Or is it just the newspapers talking up Fremantle all the time that make me susceptible to suggestions that our team is not the 'flavour of the month'?
Which newspaper do you read :confused:
Goldenblue
17 Mar 2003, 11:59
Originally posted by Raelene
Or is it just the newspapers talking up Fremantle all the time that make me susceptible to suggestions that our team is not the 'flavour of the month'?
I think that most of the media understand that the Shockers need to be successful to enable WA footy to grow. The Eagles have tasted success, been through the Glory while the Violets are yet to taste it. WA needs Fremantle to be a successful club and after many promises of "making the 8" year after year, its time for it to happen.
Fremantle needs to step out of the shadows of the Eagles and maybe the media are helping to drive that. As much as I dont like Fremantle, I know they are here to stay, but also need to start doing something about playing finals.
If they make the finals it will be good for WA footy. However, I will still be barracking for the other side. ;)
Originally posted by Kenny_01
Which newspaper do you read :confused:
probably the age.
RogerMellie
17 Mar 2003, 13:20
Originally posted by noodle
probably the age.
What? Because they tipped Fremantle to finish above West Coast? A predicted finish of 10th is not the stuff of a 'flavour of the month' team. The majority of the West Australian writers tipping West Coast to finish between 4th and 6th is a bit closer to that.