Port v West coast rd 6 - time for West Coast to break the flat-track bully accusation

[Bring-Back-Powell]

As the thread suggests, it's time for West Coast to make a stand next week vs Port at Adelaide Oval.

For a while now, this mob has been dining out on all the lower ranked teams and dominating games when it's on their terms. But when it's time to face the big boys of the Afl, the Eagles have been found wanting. This trend has been continuing this year when they've had easy wins at home against bottom 10 sides at home and beat up on a pathetic Brisbane. But against Freo they were a disgrace and lost an 8 point game to a fellow fringe top 8 side in the Dogs.

It's time for west coast to get a bit of respect in the Afl and get the 4 points against a genuine contender in port.

Are West Coast coming or going in the next 1-3 years?

 

[The Falcon Strike]

We beat the teams below us, we lose to the teams above us - that leaves us pretty much where we belong on the ladder.

The nature of our wins being so large is not because the game "is on our terms" it is merely because when our midfield can draw even in the guts - our talented forwards get enough supply to be effective,

Even Lockett would have been goalless in the 1st qtr against Freo.

 

[Astro_]

Don't know where you are going with this thread. I don't think your thoughts reflect the thinking of the wider AFL community regarding the eagles.

Port are clearly the better team and are expected to easily account for the eagles. Stock standard.

 

[Righteo]

They broke it tonight, even if only on a technicality. I think it was their first win against a top 8 side in two or so years.

They're not going to beat Port though, beating teams like Collingwood, Essendon and Adelaide should be a more realistic goal.

 

[the harry]

Is the OP serious? Port are top 4 stuff, we're 9-12 range maybe. Would be a massive upset for us to get up at AO.

We win big against lower teams because our forward line is actually pretty efficient, we just struggle to get it in there enough against better mid fields.

 

[QPower]

Port will win because they are a better side.

That is not an indictment on the developing Weagles or Simpson. They just are not as advanced.

 

[El_Scorcho]

The nature of our wins being so large is not because the game "is on our terms" it is merely because when our midfield can draw even in the guts - our talented forwards get enough supply to be effective,

Yeah, this is basically the issue with West Coast. Because of their forwards and defenders (even with injuries) are terrific, they don't really grind games out. They get into shootouts. The problem is, they are probably 2 gun mids short of being able to break even in the middle against good teams, which you need to do to win with this style.

So when they break even in the midfield, they look really good. When they get overwhelmed in the midfield, as they will against the top sides almost every time, they get squashed.

 

[BM123]

We beat the teams below us, we lose to the teams above us - that leaves us pretty much where we belong on the ladder.

The nature of our wins being so large is not because the game "is on our terms" it is merely because when our midfield can draw even in the guts - our talented forwards get enough supply to be effective,

Even Lockett would have been goalless in the 1st qtr against Freo.

WC's forward line and back line at full fitness are great.

Reckon WC would make the top 8 easily if they had a decent midfield.

 

[AndysAngels]

They broke it tonight, even if only on a technicality. I think it was their first win against a top 8 side in two or so years.

They're not going to beat Port though, beating teams like Collingwood, Essendon and Adelaide should be a more realistic goal.

Don't think GWS are going to end up a top 8 side this year. We beat Adelaide/Gold Coast/Collingwood when they were in the 8 last year, they just finished outside so it doesn't count unforts.

But yeah I agree with you mostly, while I do think that we are flat-track bullies, losing to port at their home ground doesn't exacerbate this, it just means we might lose to a better team, in front of a hostile, patriarchal away crowd. Not every loss/every win has to be 'defining'.

 

[Suma Magic]

We're not good enough to beat Port.

Maybe we can beat a team a bit below where Port are, but that's it I think.

 

[inbetween]

Appears that we are the yardstick/barometer for teams aspiring to play finals.
Lose to WC, and you'll miss out on finals? I wonder how true that is.

 

[Jcpdragonx]

they are pretty much capped, won't make any significant strides with their current list. need to trade 2-3 of their mids and move on priddis.

 

[WaltzingMatera]

But everyone on TFS tipped the Giants...

 

[Righteo]

they are pretty much capped, won't make any significant strides with their current list. need to trade 2-3 of their mids and move on priddis.

The ones widely acknowledged as among the worst group of midfielders in the comp? What exactly would they get for them and how would that improve their current midfield issues?

Other than Shuey they wouldn't get squat for anyone else. Simpson just needs to lean more on a developmental approach to this year rather than being all about results and play any combination of Shuey/Duggan/Yeo/Sheed/Gaff/Waterman etc whenever possible. They've drafted almost nothing but mids in the first few rounds for 5+ years now, let's see what they can do. Have omitted Selwood deliberately, won a B&F and was good in the years they made finals but hasn't fired a shot since so I'm still a bit undecided on him. I think he is a rich man's Priddis when fully fit but is the only one other than Shuey who might hold any real currency.

Priddis and Masten seem to be sacred cows though so it's a pretty unlikely scenario.

 

[the harry]

they are pretty much capped, won't make any significant strides with their current list. need to trade 2-3 of their mids and move on priddis.

We we won't achieve anything with the current list, but only need to make 3 changes to the list?

 

[ep2018]

We beat the teams below us, we lose to the teams above us - that leaves us pretty much where we belong on the ladder.

The nature of our wins being so large is not because the game "is on our terms" it is merely because when our midfield can draw even in the guts - our talented forwards get enough supply to be effective,

Even Lockett would have been goalless in the 1st qtr against Freo.

Well put. It means if we can find a decent mid or two, and Yeo in the midfield exceeds expectations, we could rise quite considerably.

My fear is that by the time we sort the midfield out, Kennedy, LeCras et al would have retired, leaving our forward line and defence a weakness.

 

[PowerbaII]

Eagles are definitely a chance if they bring their A game. We'll be coming off a big Showdown game and will likely be missing a couple of players (Polec and White) who've been heavily nursed over the past few weeks. Could make for a very interesting contest.

 

[the harry]

Other than Shuey they wouldn't get squat for anyone else. Simpson just needs to lean more on a developmental approach to this year rather than being all about results and play any combination of Shuey/Duggan/Yeo/Sheed/Gaff/Waterman etc whenever possible. They've drafted almost nothing but mids in the first few rounds for 5+ years now, let's see what they can do. Have omitted Selwood deliberately, won a B&F and was good in the years they made finals but hasn't fired a shot since so I'm still a bit undecided on him. I think he is a rich man's Priddis when fully fit but is the only one other than Shuey who might hold any real currency.

Priddis and Masten seem to be sacred cows though so it's a pretty unlikely scenario.

I don't really think Simpson needs to do this more, it's already happening. He came to the club when the decisions on drafting and trading had pretty much already been made and the list we had last year really didn't have much on it to actually develop (Sheed did play 10 games though). In effect, he has had one full pre season with the club (in which we drafted strictly mids/players with on ball potential) and this year we have had four players debut (with Waterman to come), Sheed play every game, Duggan play his first full game tonight, Yeo spending more time in the middle, & less reliance on Priddis.

 

[ep2018]

They broke it tonight, even if only on a technicality. I think it was their first win against a top 8 side in two or so years.

They're not going to beat Port though, beating teams like Collingwood, Essendon and Adelaide should be a more realistic goal.

Adelaide, Gold Coast and Collingwood were in the top 8 when we beat them last year. But we haven't beaten a team who has gone on to play finals that season in two years.

 

[Righteo]

I don't really think Simpson needs to do this more, it's already happening. He came to the club when the decisions on drafting and trading had pretty much already been made and the list we had last year really didn't have much on it to actually develop (Sheed did play 10 games though). In effect, he has had one full pre season with the club (in which we drafted strictly mids/players with on ball potential) and this year we have had four players debut (with Waterman to come), Sheed play every game, Duggan play his first full game tonight, Yeo spending more time in the middle, & less reliance on Priddis.

Lean, not learn, and yeah I agree. I was just thinking that if West Coast string a few wins together and the "f" word starts to get bandied about the temptation to play experienced heads (crabs) over the kids (might not yet be crabs) might prevail. That's probably more a matter of AH's job security though and I'd like to think your board will back him in to mould his own list.

 

[ep2018]

Eagles are definitely a chance if they bring their A game. We'll be coming off a big Showdown game and will likely be missing a couple of players (Polec and White) who've been heavily nursed over the past few weeks. Could make for a very interesting contest.

You wont be winning the flag this year if you lose to us at home next week. Should be one of those 'locked in' wins I'm afraid.

 

[Righteo]

Adelaide, Gold Coast and Collingwood were in the top 8 when we beat them last year. But we haven't beaten a team who has gone on to play finals that season in two years.

Cool, looks like I misunderstood the stat.

 

[Quinz]

Cool, looks like I misunderstood the stat.

We also beat Essendon* in 2013 as well, who won enough to make the finals but the AFL took that top-8 win off us as collateral damage

 

[The Joker]

We we won't achieve anything with the current list, but only need to make 3 changes to the list?

Yeah he was talking about Nat Fyfe, Ollie Wines & Marcus Bontempelli.

 

[Scotland]

Boak, Ebert, Hartlett, Gray, Wines (out - thank *), Wingard, White, Polec, K Cornes. Plus they have a good ruck combo including a guy with a huge leap, which is one of the few advantages in the middle we usually have.

Hmmmm, well I guess we have one more Brownlow medalist than they do.

For those playing at home we have an overall record of 9-17 against Port Adelaide for a win percentage of 34.6, the lowest against any team in our history.