View Full Version : 2004: Who must step up to stay @ the Eagles?
Which players must step up in 2004 to stay on the list for 2005 and beyond? In the last few years we have mostly delisted old and injured players but come next years delistings, I can see alot of young or mid-age players that could be in the firing line. Considering we don’t have any veterans to replace Jako or Banfield should they retire, we must delist at least 3 from our current group.
Kane Munro: Fatty Munro has silky skills but lacks a physical presence and has been easily out-muscled at times. Hasn’t done much since the 2002 elimination final, his only one real good game. Unfortunately for him, he does his best work in the forward pocket and may need an injury to a key player to get a gig. Still got a feeling he may come good but time will tell.
Jeremy Humm: Has shown glimpses of a great player but just can’t really put it all together at once. Has had injury problems and lacks height which may count against him.
Josh Wooden: Josh has been around for a while now. Was a revelation in his first season but hasn’t really developed as some may have hoped. Is in that expendable flanker category and could be delisted. Your typical average AFL player who adds depth.
Trent Carroll: At this stage in his career he should be playing 22 weeks of the year. If he cannot then he never will and he must be delisted to give a younger player a go.
Callum Chambers: With the emergence of quality players like Judd and Kerr, he has dropped out of favour quickly. Is in the expendable wingman category and with players like Nicoski coming through he must have a very good season IMO.
Zac Beeck: Although he was elevated, he has been around for a while and must prove his worth quickly.
Damien Adkins: Must do something, anything, to give himself a chance to stay on the list.
Quinten Lynch: If he doesn’t play a game in 2004 he is as good as gone.
Black Thunder
5 Nov 2003, 13:34
Agreed with everyone on that list.
Although I don't agree with this, Michael Collica will need to have a big year as well. He turns 27 next year and if he isn't consistntly in our starting 22 (barring injuries) than he really doesn't offer to much to us.
Although I think he should be a permenant member of our starting 22, it doesn't seem that the coaching staff think so.
The other in that category is Chad Morrison, who'll be 26 next year....
Streaker
5 Nov 2003, 14:17
Zac Beeck could be added to the Travis Gaspar category. His first 2 seasons on the Rookie list were injury prone years and this year he has showed some of the promise the Eagles beleived he had. Andy Lovell has big wraps on the kid .
West Coast Football Manager Steve Woodhouse said "He has represented his State and his form for East Perth has been really good in what has been really his first full season for several years"
"In previous years, we had liked what we had seen of Zac, we just hadn't seen enough of him and we were keen to give him a chance for him to show his ability"
2001 was the beginning of a terrible couple of years for Zac when he started to succumb to tendonitis in his knee.
Many operations later and countless rehab sessions over two seasons, Zac was primed to put in for a big 2003 to repay the faith the Eagles had showed in him.
Zac was selected in the 2003 State Team to lead the Ruck Department against the SANFL.
Hopefully he can have a good pre-season and stay uninjured.
Streaker
5 Nov 2003, 14:30
Damien Adkins needs to reinvent himself as a backman in the Wirrpunda mould. We need to start using a different go to man when we are running out of the backline. Too often we see our big men get the ball and handpass it off to Wirra to run out of defence.
Wirrpunda
Height 173cm
Weight: 77kg
Adkins
Height 179cm
Weight: 75kg
Adkins is a bit taller and weighs a little less but if he added a bit of beef would certainly add to our rebound capacity. His speed is one of his greatest assets and he has a good football brain. If he could move onto a back pocket or flank it would free up Wirrpunda who could then move forward or on the ball.
materamagic
5 Nov 2003, 15:09
Munro should not be in the team IMHO.
*Callum Chambers should not even be talked about getting the chop, give him a half a chance and he is a great impact player, can't see why he was not at least a regular on the bench.
Collica - running out of time and injuries have been frequent, need youth and height in the backline
Adkins - I'd keep for another season and trade if not servicable enough
Wooden - he is a prooven player but with our abundance of midfielders he could be a good trade with the likes of Collica and maybe Adkins.
Delist Munners
;)
The Goods
5 Nov 2003, 15:09
Agree with the original list.
Humm and Lynch didn't get much game time this year, so will just hope they can get on the park.
The problem now with Lynch is the Eagles will want to play Paul Johnson and Mark Seaby, to ensure they develop.
If Gasper, MacDougall, Gardiner, Cox and Jako are getting a game it really only leaves room for one or two more really big guys. And that leaves players like Lynch and Beeck with little prospect of getting a game.
I believe a few other players are on notice to perform, such as
Jones and Collica.
Maybe they should all get into pub brawls and then train the house down Andrew Embley style.
Gaspers the man for me. He's got the goods he jusr has to stay fit. I'm hoping for a big 2004 from him.
Voice of Reason
5 Nov 2003, 19:08
Originally posted by The Goods
I believe a few other players are on notice to perform, such as
Jones
You have got to be joking.
I'd agree with every other name mentioned and add ...................
Drew Banfield and Kasey Green. Though of course you're only as good as your last game and everyone should take it one week at a time......
materamagic
5 Nov 2003, 21:06
Originally posted by Voice of Reason
You have got to be joking.
I'd agree with every other name mentioned and add ...................
Drew Banfield and Kasey Green. Though of course you're only as good as your last game and everyone should take it one week at a time......
Banfield is still a key to the side for experience and still has good years in him and Rowan Jones is fine, a few of his other teammates need to lift their games, munro, hint hint nudge nudge or get out skinny no good waste of a talent
Originally posted by The Goods
I believe a few other players are on notice to perform, such as
Jones
IMO you've got it all wrong with Jones. Played perhaps his best season for us this year and is a vital player in our team. Whether it be tagging the opposition's best midfielder, playing on a wing, or taking grabs on a half forward flank. He is easily in our best 22.
Humm
Munro
Lynch - he should be in our 22???
Collica - see Lynch
Wooden - loves thin ice, being skating on it for years. I like him though.
Adkins
Chambers
They could all play there last game for the club in the coming season, if they get a game.
Jones is an interesting one. With the emergence of Judd, Kerr, Fletch and Embers as guaranteed starting midfielders, Jones saw the writing on the wall and turned himself into a handy forward option.
Having said that, he has a fairly fundamental weakness in that role- great mark, very smart when it comes to finding space and good defensively, but he's pretty average when kicking a set shot, and absolutely abysmal when taking a snapshot on the run. If he wants to be a fixture in our starting 22, he has to learn to kick- currently, talented as he is, he's a liability whenever he gets the ball in front of goals.
Currently against teams with smaller forward lines, I think that a move of Jones to the HBF and Hunter into the forward line would be a good idea.
As for fringe players I'd like to see do well and save their skin next year- Munro, Adkins and Lynch.
All have a lot of potential, all need a good year to stay on the list.
There's been a lot said about Gaspar but we haven't seen much yet.
Show me the money.
The Goods
6 Nov 2003, 13:59
Originally posted by jod23
IMO you've got it all wrong with Jones. Played perhaps his best season for us this year and is a vital player in our team. Whether it be tagging the opposition's best midfielder, playing on a wing, or taking grabs on a half forward flank. He is easily in our best 22.
I added Jones to the list as he is an exceptional mark and knows how to get the ball. IMO he could follow the lead of Embley. I guess you are harder on the players you know have natural talent.
He is in our best 22, but he could be far more consistent.
For mine he is one of those frustrating players, who will take a spectacular grab, and then proceed to kick the ball out of bounds.
Black Thunder
6 Nov 2003, 14:11
Originally posted by Exeter
There's been a lot said about Gaspar but we haven't seen much yet.
Show me the money.
Gaspar will get at least 2004 and 2005 to shake off his injuries.
He's too talented to dump just cause we can't get him on the park just yet.
But if by 2005, he's still only able to get on the park for 5 games a year, than questions will be asked for sure....
Originally posted by Black Thunder
Gaspar will get at least 2004 and 2005 to shake off his injuries.
He's too talented to dump just cause we can't get him on the park just yet.
But if by 2005, he's still only able to get on the park for 5 games a year, than questions will be asked for sure....
What is the assessment of Gaspar's talent based on?
For someone who's played so few games there's some big wraps on him and I'm interested to know how it is justified.
I simply haven't seen enough of Gaspar play to decide whether he's the messiah that some people claim him to be.
I'm not dismissing him, I just haven't seen a credible, objective assessment of him as a player - if someone knows of such an assessment I'd love to see it.
Black Thunder
6 Nov 2003, 14:38
Gaspar provides something which we clearly lack - a target in the forward half of the ground.
McDougall has come along well, and if McDougall turns out ot be a quality CHF, than Gaspar is versatile enough to move into defence as a CHB.
Gaspar has great hands, takes plenty of marks, but he kicks like a drunk at times.
But we are definetaly a better side when he is on the park.
I respect your opinion BT - but there's the rub - most of what I've read about Gaspar is only opinion.
In my experience most footy fans (of any team) tend to overrate the quality and depth of their squad and I don't believe that Eagles fans are any different.
Lynch also has good hands, takes plety of marks and can kick the bejesus out of a footy - is he up for AFL? I don't know but I hope so - he has plenty of raw talent, but there are plenty of players with talent who've never made it.
We have quite a few untried and inexperienced players, many of whom look to have potential but who knows? It seems to me a lot of people are pinning a lot on Gaspar coming good and being a quality kpp - I sincerely hope they're right.
For mine, Gaspar's just one in the potential mix (like Doogs, Lynch, Johnson, Staker, Hansen, Seaby and Selwood) and I remain to be convinced about his AFL credentials.
This of, course, is only my opinion and has no more or less validity than anyone else's.
daddy_4_eyes
6 Nov 2003, 16:37
Originally posted by Exeter
I respect your opinion BT - but there's the rub - most of what I've read about Gaspar is only opinion.
I don't think its an opinion that he might be good, or an assessment of potential. When the guy is on the footy park he looks comfortable, and definately not out of place playing at AFL level. He provides a contest, takes marks, and makes his presence felt. Considering the guy hasn't had a pre-season since he arrived at the eagles, and hasn't played a full season of footy as far as I know, the guy has come along very very well.
He's probably in the same boat as Wirra in terms of injuries. For a long time looked like he was gonna be a wasted talent, but in the last 3 yrs hasn't missed much footy.
no1bankteller
6 Nov 2003, 20:30
Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
I don't think its an opinion that he might be good, or an assessment of potential. When the guy is on the footy park he looks comfortable, and definately not out of place playing at AFL level. He provides a contest, takes marks, and makes his presence felt. Considering the guy hasn't had a pre-season since he arrived at the eagles, and hasn't played a full season of footy as far as I know, the guy has come along very very well.
He's probably in the same boat as Wirra in terms of injuries. For a long time looked like he was gonna be a wasted talent, but in the last 3 yrs hasn't missed much footy.
There are two major differences between Wirra and Gasper. Wirra was a lot younger ie he joined Eagles as a 16 year old and after first year whilst he may have been injured a lot he still played at least more then ten games. Plus his skills are sublime.
Gasper looks ok...I too am still not convinced that he has what it takes...he has never really performed for a whole game only for a quarter here or there. I also wonder what he is like below his knees...
Personally I think that he needs to be played at CHB.
He has potential but its time now to display what he has or be shipped out IMO...
GoEagles
7 Nov 2003, 18:54
Would it be safe to say that the reason Kane Munro remains on the Eagles list and Phil Read was delisted wasn't based on football talent but on their salary?
Streaker
7 Nov 2003, 22:44
Originally posted by GoEagles
Would it be safe to say that the reason Kane Munro remains on the Eagles list and Phil Read was delisted wasn't based on football talent but on their salary?
I think Munro has the talent but hasn't got the frame just yet. Reminds you of a young Dean Kemp. If he puts on a bit of beef over the summer we could see him emerge as a player.
no1bankteller
7 Nov 2003, 22:53
Originally posted by West Coast Stre
I think Munro has the talent but hasn't got the frame just yet. Reminds you of a young Dean Kemp. If he puts on a bit of beef over the summer we could see him emerge as a player.
Man I hope he is eating plenty of chicken...