View Full Version : Season is over
daddy_4_eyes
24 Aug 2002, 23:24
Everything was looking so promising after 15rounds. We looked like a top6 side, maybe even giving the top4 a scare, Cuzz was hot favourite for the brownlow, and the guys were cruising. Now we may finish the season with 5 straight losses and in 11th spot. :(
Time to start planning for season 2003. The off-season will be a long one.
bunsen burner
24 Aug 2002, 23:31
You're a bit late. I was resigned to the fact that our season was over when we lost the Melbourne and Bulldogs games. It was always going to be a tough ask from then on.
Very optimistic for the future though.
daddy_4_eyes
24 Aug 2002, 23:34
Originally posted by bunsen burner
Very optimistic for the future though.
I suppose our unexpected rise into the top8 this year had me over-optimistic for the immediate future (this season). But yeah, I started having my doubts when we lost to freo (several posts on here can prove this, not that i'm about to dig them up)
bunsen burner
25 Aug 2002, 00:05
Although we are mathematically still in it, I think most of us thought those matches (& Freo) were the ones that mattered. Brisbane and Port are class above us.
Goldenblue
25 Aug 2002, 00:53
Originally posted by bunsen burner
Brisbane and Port are class above us.
That they are and also a class above everyone else bar maybe Adelaide. Collingwoods form is not too great to suggest they belong with the top 3.
I believe we were out of the race when we lost to the Dees. I knew we would lose to the Power as well as the next game against the Kangaroos. I even suggested they shall not win another game this year.
Though, we have improved and have an abundance of talent in our midfield, I think we do need some quality key position players.
Glass and Carroll were ok tonight, but are still are a couple of steps from being the players they have shown promise to be.
I personally think that we need a decent full forward and a decent centre half foward. We are constantly breaking down that end of the spine and have no one who can hold a contested mark or kick straight. I know there are a lot of fans here of Wilson and Lynch, but Wilson seems to be on a fine line with his age and fitness / form. Lynch has looked the goods in his first couple of games, but has since done nothing at all. Jackovich still has a couple of seasons, but we need a replacement for Macca and soon. I think he will retire this season.
Our spine is the problem in my opinion. Yes, we have players who have shown promise, but need to start fulfilling that promise. There are many gaps in the structure of the side with key position players and once we have a solid core of those players, then our brilliant midfield could feed them an endless supply of the ball.
Keep ur hopes up, if you beat us next week and the likes of Geelong, Melbourne and maybe the Bombers lose, you are in with a chance.
McDougall kicked 5 goals up to half time today.
Don't know how many he got after that, I fell asleep...
Mr Eagle
25 Aug 2002, 01:37
Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
The off-season will be a long one. It shouldn't be! Anything above 12th is a huge improvement on what was being widely predicted as West Coast's spoon season. Even Dennis the Knowledgeable had us pencilled in for 16th.
Let us not mourn the finals, let us instead celebrate the great turnaround from last season!
daddy_4_eyes
25 Aug 2002, 01:39
Originally posted by Visro
McDougall kicked 5 goals up to half time today.
Don't know how many he got after that, I fell asleep...
Hi finished with 5 for the day. Interestingly, Seaby kicked 4 for West Perth. Quite surprising as he was said to be too skinny to play in the WAFL this year, and probably another 2 years from AFL footy.
If he comes along as expected (eagles picked him over Armstrong in the draft, despite almost guaranteeing Armstrong they would pick him up at #22), we could have ourselves an abundance of quality tall forwards in McDougall, Seaby and Gaspar.
The season is far from over. Sure its gonna be tough but we can still make the 8. If we do great, if we dont then not to worry, we have had a great season and next year will be even better!
The season however is out of our hands. Hawthorn and Geelong play next friday night. Melbourne play StKilda on Saturday. If both Geelong and Melbourne win then the result of our game on Sunday will not matter.
However with Melbourne slightly in front of us on percentage and Geelong slightly behind us....it they lose and we win, we could see ourselves in the 8.
I think next week could be our second away win. If results fall our way. We will walk on to Manuka Oval with our back against the wall, a win almost guaranteeing us a finals spot. Plus with the injuries the Roo's have and them safe in the knowlegde they have already qualified for finals football. Well we could just see a win.
I know its all if's and but's but we can still make it and until we cant make it then i wont look back on this loss and that loss which ruined our season, or look forward to next year. Right now were still very much alive!
bunsen burner
25 Aug 2002, 11:48
Lynch must be dropped. The kid doesn't know how play yet. Most times that we went forward we were kicking to a contest with either Matera or Sampi. We at least need someone to make a contest and make busy the opposition's key backman.
Bring on McDougall.
We had no forward structure for a very important game and had lost our no2 ruckman and no2 on baller before the game. That robbed us of having Gardy at times at CHF.
We had Wilson kicking 4 and being one of EP best, McDougall 5, Seaby 4 and Haynes 3 (again one of Subi's best).
In spite of this we picked Sampi and Lynch who had little impact and despite their promise for the future should only have been playing once finals footy was ruled out. This was a game for hard men. I can only believe that Woosha has decided that giving these guys experience is a better investment than making the finals and getting booted first round by the bombers.
Lynch was servicable when Wilson was injured but is he really suited to be his replacement??
For some reason he reminds me of Spinks and we all know what happened to him....
Sampi did ok last night and i hope that in the next year or two he proves his #4 selection in the draft was worthwhile
Port1978
25 Aug 2002, 18:58
I thought you guys didn't really play all that badly, it's just that Port were too good. :) You had a pretty good 3rd quarter...looked like you guys were gonna fight back....I think you've got a chance of beating the Roos next week, but I don't think that will get you into the finals cos of the other matches. One thing I will say about you WC supporters is that in general you're not completely feral like the Frockers supporters I had the pleasure of sitting near at the Port v Frockers match. :)
steve_rat
25 Aug 2002, 19:08
why did judd start on the bench??
steve rat
Thrawn666
25 Aug 2002, 19:46
Originally posted by steve_rat
why did judd start on the bench??
steve rat
Judd has recently been assuming the role Chambers had earlier on in the season, coming off the bench to make an immediate impact on the game. Seems to have worked well for him, as his form has picked up a bit more since theyve started doing it.
carneagles
25 Aug 2002, 22:33
Originally posted by port1978
One thing I will say about you WC supporters is that in general you're not completely feral like the Frockers supporters I had the pleasure of sitting near at the Port v Frockers match. :) We have opposable thumbs, for a start.
Ah well, winners are grinners. Good luck for the finals.
PS: Sampi kicking out from goal - WTF??
Thrawn666
25 Aug 2002, 23:04
Originally posted by carneagles
WTF??[/i]
He was doing that well after the game was said and done. Part of the learning process I guess, he also spent time down back, maybe theyre trying to fashion him into the small defender we're looking for in the mould of Pickett or Wirrpunda early in his career. If he's going to spend time down back it wont hurt him to take the kicking out duties. Also thought he was one of our better players last night too.
eagleskickass
26 Aug 2002, 00:54
Lynch is not a forward, i never thought he was and i still do not
he is a BACKMEN through and through, throw him back there for a few games, he'll show us all thats where he should be played~!
Lynch is not a forward, i never thought he was and i still do not
he is a BACKMEN through and through, throw him back there for a few games, he'll show us all thats where he should be played~!
I actually agree. Before his call up to the Eagles, i noticed in the WAFL lineups every Saturday that he sometimes gets named at chb.
Fair enough Lynch has had a couple of bad games but the conditions really didnt suit his game on Sunday. Besides, we didnt expect anything from him this year and he has been great for us up forward this year. He is still a kid so i think some of you are being a bit harsh on him.
I think it was Frodes who said Sampi had little impact? I thought he was pretty good and will probably hold his position for the clash against the Roos.