eagleskickass
3 Aug 2003, 19:05
Season 2003 doesnt have much left of it so i thought id have a bit of a rant about what i want from it. I dont want this to sound like ive given up on the season, finals are a funny thing and if you make them(and finish in the top 4-5 spots) anything CAN happen. Also the cliche one week at a time IS still relevant HOWEVER in the next while i just want to have a little say about what im hoping to get out of season 2003, regardless of how we do or dont go in the finals basically.
Ok todays game against StKilda highlighted once again our travelling woes, we just cant seem to consistently win away, and until we can do this WCE will not be the force this playing group CAN be. We have 1 away game left, against a side who ALMOST beat us at home and against a side that beat Port Adelaide at Skilled. In all honesty i would be more pleased to see the Eagles win against Geelong at skilled than seeing us beat Freo at Subi in round 22. As much as the derby is ALWAYS a big game beating freo (no disrepect to any freo fans who MAY read this) is not something we have struggled with. Now i know the round 22 clash could be pivotal in seeing where we finish on the ladder but if we are any hope to do ANYTHING this finals series we must be able to win away, so the clash against Geelong is our last chance before finals to get some confidence under our belt travelling.
To beat Geelong we MUST start when the ball is bounced at the start of the game. Too many times this year we let the opposition jump us at the start and so are "behind the 8 ball" as Dennis said during todays game. This is something we need to iron out. While it cannot be done in 1 game not letting Geelong jump us, and infact hopefully us jumping them could go a long way to helping us in our away game/s this finals series.
Put simply the Geelong game may very well be one of if not THE most important game we play this year, before the finals at least. There is so much potential to a) set ourselves right for finals or b) blow any hope we have this finals all in this ONE game, against a lowly side that has however shown it is NOT a pushover at home.
Right moving on. As this year has worn on we have applauded our midfield and we have been downright upset with it, but put simply it is the one area of our team that has stood out. When our midfield is hot we are hot. Unfortunately NO midfield(not even the awesome foursome) is going to be red hot every game and that is why sides NEED good defense and good midfield. I am about to sound very critical but our defense just isnt quite there, it doesnt QUITE have the right mix, the right players. For the rest of 2003 i would like to see us choose 6-8 players we see as our future backline and play them back. Stick them there and leave them be. We may get stung but we need to work out what our best back 6 is, and specifically WHO we are going to play at CHB and WHO we are going to play at FB. IMO i like most am NOT sold on Carroll. He just doesnt have it. He will often be servicable but he will often stuff up, he doesnt have he ability to be awesome ever and we need our future backline to AT LEAST look like they can play a blinder now and then.
I can honestly say when Woosha, McKenna, McIntosh, Jako, Brennan, Hart etc all started their careers at WCE they NEVER made me feel as unsecure as seeing carroll down back. EVERY time he touches the ball i worry not who he will kick it too, but how he will stuff it up. He is an eagle so i feel bad for not supporting him, but some players just DONT have it, and it seems with carroll no amount of experience is going to make up for his lack of ability. Simply in 2003 id like to see Carroll take no further part.
Glass is a tough one. He does occasionally do the downright brilliant but he often gets flogged. Today against Gehrig he looked out of his class, and we all know Gehrig isnt the best in the AFL. A few times his body on body was great and he looked like and experienced defender. On other occasions he was a good 5-6m away, and often it was only through sheer LUCK that he cleared the ball. This is a decision i happily leave to Woosha, but i would like to see someone else trialled at FB. While Glass probably COULD do the job ok for the rest of the year and POSSIBLY in the future i honestly feel there is probably someone on our list, perhaps a hansen, or a Lynch, etc who may be very well able to do it better, and in 2003 id like to see someone else given a shot at FB. I also hope to see McIntosh back, as although he isnt what he used to be he still is servicable, and deserves to finish of his career where he made his name
Now for some positive backline analysis. Hunter and Green i feel have a future in our backline, and seeing Collica play down back also gives me more confidence than when he isnt playing. Given the weight of numbers today the Saints had to kick goals simply cause they were getting the ball forward so easily. With this in mind i felt Green, Hunter, Collica and Staker when he was down there gave a good effort and showed promising signs for the future. The difference between Glass/Carroll and Green/Hunter/Collica/Staker is that the last 4 can all create as well as either shutdown their opponent or at least come out level more often than not. Hunter abd Staker in particular (Hunter throughout the year and Staker today) give us run off the Half Back. Collica 90% of the time while not blowing his opponent away does what is required, and you cant ask for too much more than a 90% drawn even rate from a player like Collica. Now i know i said Carroll and Glass need to do more than draw level but this is because IMO they dont 90% of the time draw level, they only 40-50% of the time do the job and ALSO you cant afford to have too many players only drawing level, i see Collica as the best at doing this and so he gets my spot as the player who just does the job week in week out without doing anything spectacular.
Summarising my backline rant. For 2003 i want to see us play a settled backline. If McDougall is going to play CHB play him CHB. If Staker is going to play there Play him there, put them there and give him 4 games before finals getting used to the position so hopefulyl by finals time he is settled there and able to do the job. I really want Lynch, Hansen or someone given a shot at FB just to see if they can do it better than Glass. Perhaps Glass could be used as trade bait to pick up another young key backman, a new team might work out how to cut out his errors and help both him and the Eagles
Ok now to what i want to see in 2003 for our forward line. This has been the biggest hit and miss part of our season. Some weeks it has worked astoundingly, meaning we have kicked more score than any other side in the AFL. Other weeks its appeared we hadnt played a forward line, like the first half today. Now while a lot of this is attributable to when our midfield is working and when it isnt for the WCE to go forward we need a forward line, a forward structure that will both work when our midfield is firing but one that can also still kick the score when we are being out played, or AT LEAST look like it has some functionability when we are losing the midfield as WILL happen some games. I am still pretty happy seeing Woosha persist with Haynes at FF HOWEVER if he is going to do that we do also need some form of back up plan to use when a) the midfield isnt firing or b) when Haynes isnt firing. A forward line of Matera Haynes Sampi Chick McDougall/Jako Jones for me is not a BAD one, has potential but perhaps for the WCE style of play we need someone else, say a Hansen (i know he hasnt proven himself at AFL level) or Lynch or some other tall in the side who CAN push forward. The perfect thing for this ic Cox too the ruck Gards resting up forward but when Gards is injured we need something else. So for the rest of 2003 id like to see us try and settle our forward line. Week in week out its a different set up, different structure, different players. Id really, again, like to see a few people tried up forward who perhaps havent yet had a shot, or who havent had a game this year. But most of all, like the backline, sus out WHO we want in our KPP spots. This is our biggest weakness and whether we go on to have a good finals campaign or go out in straight sets it is IMPERITIVE we work out what KPP players are playing where, then fit the little dudes in around them.
In Short
- Throw EVERYTHING at Geelong, make this a major focus game. Its not that Adelaide, Melbourne and Freo games arent important, they are important for 2003 but for mine Geelong away is important for our future years. I wouldnt wanna see us win this year then fall by the way side cause we havent got a full team developed ready to go. As much as we are a shot(very VERY small as it may be) we still need to focus on the nest 3-4 years. If we play our cards right we could very well get 1-2 premierships in the next 3-4 years with more experience to our youngesters and a few more additions to the side. For this to happen we NEED to learn to win away and THAT is why the game against Geelong is so important, THAT is why i am not so worried about playing finals footy in Melbourne, it will help us not only this year but for years to come.
- Sus out our backline. We can persist with Glass and Carroll in the hope they wake up or we can try someone else. Gaspar obviously would be helpful if he could just get damn fit but we cant pin everything on him as he may well (unfortunately and touch wood he doesnt) never actually come up fully. I really would like Lynch to be given a go. Hasnt been AMAZING at WAFL level but Carroll hasnt been AMAZING at AFL or WAFL level either. Apart from these 2 i would like to see us settle the backline. Hunter Collica Green Read Wirrapunda fill in the gaps depending on match ups, with read also able to push into the midfield. Backline is seriously our major weakness. When our midfield is firing the forward line functions and even if it doesnt our midfield kicks the goals. If our midfield doesnt function we NEED a backline that can hold up to the test. If we can get a running backline that can help kick start a porr midfield, and this is why i like Hunter, Green, Collica and Wirrapunda down back as they GIVE that run.
- Get a forward structure and stick to it. I think our young forwards just need to know they'll be playing in position x and then they can learn that position, they can stuff up still cause they will learn from it and hopefully not do it again. If the plan is Haynes at FF for the future then stick him there. Hopefully Doogs and Jako will then be that tall option, or even stick a cox or Gards in the pocket if the small forward line isnt working (ie if Sampi and Matera aint functioning together) This gives us an offensive and a counter offensive for when things ARENT working.
To finish this long rant (which i dont know whether it makes sense or not) i will comment on our midfield. I dont think their is much more we can do here. We wont win every week out of the centre, but it does seem we have the ability to win most. One area we do need to fix here is when we are physically pressured in the middle the guys we have playing there need to learn to take it, and dish it back. They need to learn to RISE to this so even in games where we dont WIN the midfield we at least break even, giving our forwards the opportunities to score. This is our strength, when its working then great, when it isnt we need to try and see what we can do to MAKE it work so that we can stay in games.
I am not saying we will win the premiership this season, and i am not saying we wont. I dont expect to as i dont think we quite have the experience or structure to do it, but i do feel Woosha is taking us in the right direction towards one. Once we make finals anything can happen, what we need to do in the next 4 games is give ourselves the best shot we can to stay in the finals as long as we can. If that means first, second, third or fourth round exit, or grand final exit/victory im not so worried as its the nest 2-3 years i feel we should build towards. Give it our best THIS year but with a focus of a prolonged period at the top rather than stop gap measure to get us too high too fast.
rant over until i can think of anything else, please also add anything you wish to see in 2003, or disagree with anything ive said.
Ok todays game against StKilda highlighted once again our travelling woes, we just cant seem to consistently win away, and until we can do this WCE will not be the force this playing group CAN be. We have 1 away game left, against a side who ALMOST beat us at home and against a side that beat Port Adelaide at Skilled. In all honesty i would be more pleased to see the Eagles win against Geelong at skilled than seeing us beat Freo at Subi in round 22. As much as the derby is ALWAYS a big game beating freo (no disrepect to any freo fans who MAY read this) is not something we have struggled with. Now i know the round 22 clash could be pivotal in seeing where we finish on the ladder but if we are any hope to do ANYTHING this finals series we must be able to win away, so the clash against Geelong is our last chance before finals to get some confidence under our belt travelling.
To beat Geelong we MUST start when the ball is bounced at the start of the game. Too many times this year we let the opposition jump us at the start and so are "behind the 8 ball" as Dennis said during todays game. This is something we need to iron out. While it cannot be done in 1 game not letting Geelong jump us, and infact hopefully us jumping them could go a long way to helping us in our away game/s this finals series.
Put simply the Geelong game may very well be one of if not THE most important game we play this year, before the finals at least. There is so much potential to a) set ourselves right for finals or b) blow any hope we have this finals all in this ONE game, against a lowly side that has however shown it is NOT a pushover at home.
Right moving on. As this year has worn on we have applauded our midfield and we have been downright upset with it, but put simply it is the one area of our team that has stood out. When our midfield is hot we are hot. Unfortunately NO midfield(not even the awesome foursome) is going to be red hot every game and that is why sides NEED good defense and good midfield. I am about to sound very critical but our defense just isnt quite there, it doesnt QUITE have the right mix, the right players. For the rest of 2003 i would like to see us choose 6-8 players we see as our future backline and play them back. Stick them there and leave them be. We may get stung but we need to work out what our best back 6 is, and specifically WHO we are going to play at CHB and WHO we are going to play at FB. IMO i like most am NOT sold on Carroll. He just doesnt have it. He will often be servicable but he will often stuff up, he doesnt have he ability to be awesome ever and we need our future backline to AT LEAST look like they can play a blinder now and then.
I can honestly say when Woosha, McKenna, McIntosh, Jako, Brennan, Hart etc all started their careers at WCE they NEVER made me feel as unsecure as seeing carroll down back. EVERY time he touches the ball i worry not who he will kick it too, but how he will stuff it up. He is an eagle so i feel bad for not supporting him, but some players just DONT have it, and it seems with carroll no amount of experience is going to make up for his lack of ability. Simply in 2003 id like to see Carroll take no further part.
Glass is a tough one. He does occasionally do the downright brilliant but he often gets flogged. Today against Gehrig he looked out of his class, and we all know Gehrig isnt the best in the AFL. A few times his body on body was great and he looked like and experienced defender. On other occasions he was a good 5-6m away, and often it was only through sheer LUCK that he cleared the ball. This is a decision i happily leave to Woosha, but i would like to see someone else trialled at FB. While Glass probably COULD do the job ok for the rest of the year and POSSIBLY in the future i honestly feel there is probably someone on our list, perhaps a hansen, or a Lynch, etc who may be very well able to do it better, and in 2003 id like to see someone else given a shot at FB. I also hope to see McIntosh back, as although he isnt what he used to be he still is servicable, and deserves to finish of his career where he made his name
Now for some positive backline analysis. Hunter and Green i feel have a future in our backline, and seeing Collica play down back also gives me more confidence than when he isnt playing. Given the weight of numbers today the Saints had to kick goals simply cause they were getting the ball forward so easily. With this in mind i felt Green, Hunter, Collica and Staker when he was down there gave a good effort and showed promising signs for the future. The difference between Glass/Carroll and Green/Hunter/Collica/Staker is that the last 4 can all create as well as either shutdown their opponent or at least come out level more often than not. Hunter abd Staker in particular (Hunter throughout the year and Staker today) give us run off the Half Back. Collica 90% of the time while not blowing his opponent away does what is required, and you cant ask for too much more than a 90% drawn even rate from a player like Collica. Now i know i said Carroll and Glass need to do more than draw level but this is because IMO they dont 90% of the time draw level, they only 40-50% of the time do the job and ALSO you cant afford to have too many players only drawing level, i see Collica as the best at doing this and so he gets my spot as the player who just does the job week in week out without doing anything spectacular.
Summarising my backline rant. For 2003 i want to see us play a settled backline. If McDougall is going to play CHB play him CHB. If Staker is going to play there Play him there, put them there and give him 4 games before finals getting used to the position so hopefulyl by finals time he is settled there and able to do the job. I really want Lynch, Hansen or someone given a shot at FB just to see if they can do it better than Glass. Perhaps Glass could be used as trade bait to pick up another young key backman, a new team might work out how to cut out his errors and help both him and the Eagles
Ok now to what i want to see in 2003 for our forward line. This has been the biggest hit and miss part of our season. Some weeks it has worked astoundingly, meaning we have kicked more score than any other side in the AFL. Other weeks its appeared we hadnt played a forward line, like the first half today. Now while a lot of this is attributable to when our midfield is working and when it isnt for the WCE to go forward we need a forward line, a forward structure that will both work when our midfield is firing but one that can also still kick the score when we are being out played, or AT LEAST look like it has some functionability when we are losing the midfield as WILL happen some games. I am still pretty happy seeing Woosha persist with Haynes at FF HOWEVER if he is going to do that we do also need some form of back up plan to use when a) the midfield isnt firing or b) when Haynes isnt firing. A forward line of Matera Haynes Sampi Chick McDougall/Jako Jones for me is not a BAD one, has potential but perhaps for the WCE style of play we need someone else, say a Hansen (i know he hasnt proven himself at AFL level) or Lynch or some other tall in the side who CAN push forward. The perfect thing for this ic Cox too the ruck Gards resting up forward but when Gards is injured we need something else. So for the rest of 2003 id like to see us try and settle our forward line. Week in week out its a different set up, different structure, different players. Id really, again, like to see a few people tried up forward who perhaps havent yet had a shot, or who havent had a game this year. But most of all, like the backline, sus out WHO we want in our KPP spots. This is our biggest weakness and whether we go on to have a good finals campaign or go out in straight sets it is IMPERITIVE we work out what KPP players are playing where, then fit the little dudes in around them.
In Short
- Throw EVERYTHING at Geelong, make this a major focus game. Its not that Adelaide, Melbourne and Freo games arent important, they are important for 2003 but for mine Geelong away is important for our future years. I wouldnt wanna see us win this year then fall by the way side cause we havent got a full team developed ready to go. As much as we are a shot(very VERY small as it may be) we still need to focus on the nest 3-4 years. If we play our cards right we could very well get 1-2 premierships in the next 3-4 years with more experience to our youngesters and a few more additions to the side. For this to happen we NEED to learn to win away and THAT is why the game against Geelong is so important, THAT is why i am not so worried about playing finals footy in Melbourne, it will help us not only this year but for years to come.
- Sus out our backline. We can persist with Glass and Carroll in the hope they wake up or we can try someone else. Gaspar obviously would be helpful if he could just get damn fit but we cant pin everything on him as he may well (unfortunately and touch wood he doesnt) never actually come up fully. I really would like Lynch to be given a go. Hasnt been AMAZING at WAFL level but Carroll hasnt been AMAZING at AFL or WAFL level either. Apart from these 2 i would like to see us settle the backline. Hunter Collica Green Read Wirrapunda fill in the gaps depending on match ups, with read also able to push into the midfield. Backline is seriously our major weakness. When our midfield is firing the forward line functions and even if it doesnt our midfield kicks the goals. If our midfield doesnt function we NEED a backline that can hold up to the test. If we can get a running backline that can help kick start a porr midfield, and this is why i like Hunter, Green, Collica and Wirrapunda down back as they GIVE that run.
- Get a forward structure and stick to it. I think our young forwards just need to know they'll be playing in position x and then they can learn that position, they can stuff up still cause they will learn from it and hopefully not do it again. If the plan is Haynes at FF for the future then stick him there. Hopefully Doogs and Jako will then be that tall option, or even stick a cox or Gards in the pocket if the small forward line isnt working (ie if Sampi and Matera aint functioning together) This gives us an offensive and a counter offensive for when things ARENT working.
To finish this long rant (which i dont know whether it makes sense or not) i will comment on our midfield. I dont think their is much more we can do here. We wont win every week out of the centre, but it does seem we have the ability to win most. One area we do need to fix here is when we are physically pressured in the middle the guys we have playing there need to learn to take it, and dish it back. They need to learn to RISE to this so even in games where we dont WIN the midfield we at least break even, giving our forwards the opportunities to score. This is our strength, when its working then great, when it isnt we need to try and see what we can do to MAKE it work so that we can stay in games.
I am not saying we will win the premiership this season, and i am not saying we wont. I dont expect to as i dont think we quite have the experience or structure to do it, but i do feel Woosha is taking us in the right direction towards one. Once we make finals anything can happen, what we need to do in the next 4 games is give ourselves the best shot we can to stay in the finals as long as we can. If that means first, second, third or fourth round exit, or grand final exit/victory im not so worried as its the nest 2-3 years i feel we should build towards. Give it our best THIS year but with a focus of a prolonged period at the top rather than stop gap measure to get us too high too fast.
rant over until i can think of anything else, please also add anything you wish to see in 2003, or disagree with anything ive said.