Analysis Are we really contenders for the flag?

[Biggie]

Good to see the media applying the blow torch to the team, everything I'm reading this morning is about Mummy's boys and how soft we are, about time.

Excellent.

 

[The Dodger]

Good to see the media applying the blow torch to the team, everything I'm reading this morning is about Mummy's boys and how soft we are, about time.

This group is pretty insular. They have heard it (or been protected from it) before with the same results.

 

[Godfather32]

This group is pretty insular. They have heard it (or been protected from it) before with the same results.

You'd hope that being called out in the national media as soft would stir them up a bit but you're probably right

 

[dajesmac]

One thing that does still kind of irk me is the ridiculous use of the term 'flat track bully' to describe our issues. All three of our losses have come against teams likely to finish in the bottom ten. We've played two sides you could reasonably describe as being in contention, Port and WB, and we've won both - one being away.

It's just a lazy criticism.

 

[Eaglemaniac]

No, but the real question is does the coach have the balls and the say to admit it and make the necessary changes?

After all ive seen so far from him, i doubt it...

 

[The Dodger]

One thing that does still kind of irk me is the ridiculous use of the term 'flat track bully' to describe our issues. All three of our losses have come against teams likely to finish in the bottom ten. We've played two sides you could reasonably describe as being in contention, Port and WB, and we've won both - one being away.

It's just a lazy criticism.

I think its valid to an extent myself maybe not so much this year as I believe we have fought a couple of hard games. I think people get mixed up with what FTB means (perhaps its just my idea of what it should be). They think its purely results based and bashing bad teams and losing to good teams.
IMO its when things aren't going well do you respond or go to water. And on the flip side when things are going well who plays the best games of their lives. This tends to happen in the form of smashing poor teams and losing to good teams but it can manifest itself in any game where things aren't going your way i.e. yesterday.
Crushing a minnow while throwing the ball around and everyone playing their part is just as good as a hard fought win. Crushing an average side on the back of Superstar games from players who don't show any of that kind of form when the heat is on (Lecras last year) is FTB'ing it.
Regardless of the quality you play you should be able to execute basic skills and when the heat is on this group basic chest marks, chip kicks & very gettable shots for goal seem a bridge too far.
Just my take of it that is the way you win and the way you lose not so much the scoreline at the end.

 

[eagles rule]

I love how Simmo got the leaders to stand up and send a message after Hawks smacked us but did anyone tell him it was only a home game..He needs to lay the message out for away games every second week till he gets the players n knowing what is required ..

We don't need motivating at home Simmo it's always been the away games that trouble us ..See Tipon woody from Essendon he shook the shit out of Masten to state his intention and scared the shit out of our defenders ..

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Normally I'd agree, but given the evenness of this season/ other teams' shortcomings, we're every chance

every chance of what? We will be lucky to make the eight.

 

[MWPP]

every chance of what? We will be lucky to make the eight.

We won't miss the 8 (we have 8 home games left, and already have 6 wins on the board)

 

[eaglesnutcase]

No, we are the team that's a cut below the premiership favourites. You only have to look at the Hawthorn and Essendon games to see ethat

Cut below?? We are a slaughterhouse below!!

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Good to see the media applying the blow torch to the team, everything I'm reading this morning is about Mummy's boys and how soft we are, about time.

Yep,and we'll come out and have a blinder at home and alls well with the world again.P.S. i think GWS will beat us.

 

[dajesmac]

I think its valid to an extent myself maybe not so much this year as I believe we have fought a couple of hard games. I think people get mixed up with what FTB means (perhaps its just my idea of what it should be). They think its purely results based and bashing bad teams and losing to good teams.
IMO its when things aren't going well do you respond or go to water. And on the flip side when things are going well who plays the best games of their lives. This tends to happen in the form of smashing poor teams and losing to good teams but it can manifest itself in any game where things aren't going your way i.e. yesterday.
Crushing a minnow while throwing the ball around and everyone playing their part is just as good as a hard fought win. Crushing an average side on the back of Superstar games from players who don't show any of that kind of form when the heat is on (Lecras last year) is FTB'ing it.
Regardless of the quality you play you should be able to execute basic skills and when the heat is on this group basic chest marks, chip kicks & very gettable shots for goal seem a bridge too far.
Just my take of it that is the way you win and the way you lose not so much the scoreline at the end.

Sure, I get what you are saying but I don't think this has applied to us for a while now, and certainly not this season. It's been a little while since we have actually smashed a minnow at home, to be honest most games this season have been a bit of a grind.

LeCras is a frontrunner but that's somewhat down to his position. It's hard for small, medium forwards to play well when the midfield is getting soundly beaten as it often has been in recent years. When the midfield gets on top he is damaging enough to impact the game effectively and consistently. I'm not necessarily defending LeCras' form over recent years - I think he should hang up the boots at the end of the season - I just think it's a point that needs to be made. When our midfield gets on top, our forward line in general is efficient enough to make them pay on the scoreboard thus inflating the margin.

 

[The Dodger]

Sure, I get what you are saying but I don't think this has applied to us for a while now, and certainly not this season. It's been a little while since we have actually smashed a minnow at home, to be honest most games this season have been a bit of a grind.

LeCras is a frontrunner but that's somewhat down to his position. It's hard for small, medium forwards to play well when the midfield is getting soundly beaten as it often has been in recent years. When the midfield gets on top he is damaging enough to impact the game effectively and consistently. I'm not necessarily defending LeCras' form over recent years - I think he should hang up the boots at the end of the season - I just think it's a point that needs to be made. When our midfield gets on top, our forward line in general is efficient enough to make them pay on the scoreboard thus inflating the margin.

True enough. But in Lecras' case its not so much that the ball doesn't get down there or is under pressure so much as simple shots on goal and his propensity to hog it when things are going are good and burn teammates in better positions.

 

[lyall]

Only due to every other team being flawed.

Surely the players must have been burning after seeing the Bulldogs win the flag last year. You let them come into your home and beat you like that? You get embarrassed in the 2015 GF and still no fire or passion. Yesterdays game was a give your pay cheques back game.

Need something to spark them into action and they cant just sit there waiting for NN to come back. Otherwise it will be a repeat of last year Im afraid, make the 8, get bundled out early after another display rivaling yesterdays game and watch some other team with questionable qualities lift the cup

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Only due to every other team being flawed.

Surely the players must have been burning after seeing the Bulldogs win the flag last year. You let them come into your home and beat you like that? You get embarrassed in the 2015 GF and still no fire or passion. Yesterdays game was a give your pay cheques back game.

Need something to spark them into action and they cant just sit there waiting for NN to come back. Otherwise it will be a repeat of last year Im afraid, make the 8, get bundled out early after another display rivaling yesterdays game and watch some other team with questionable qualities lift the cup

Lyall, we will get sparked into action next home game.The culture needs to change at this club.No more Mr Niceguy!!

 

[lyall]

Personally I want a **** you attitude. The sort of attitude that Geelong had in relation to Hawthorn for beating them in a grand final. But nah lets just have no leadership and roll over

 

[Biggie]

Yep,and we'll come out and have a blinder at home and alls well with the world again.P.S. i think GWS will beat us.

Don't think they will

Which is actually quite frustrating

 

[Biggie]

every chance of what? We will be lucky to make the eight.

You are persistent with this POV

We'll make the 8, simply because of our home ground advantage

 

[RookiePick]

Of course we are contenders.

We wave the white one nearly every trip to Melbourne!

 

[eaglesnutcase]

You are persistent with this POV

We'll make the 8, simply because of our home ground advantage

Its hard to be positive either way Biggie.I hate seeing us lose but to not make the eight may be the jolt we need.Being around the mark and topping up with mediocre big bodies just pisses me off.Its taken a llooooonnng time for us to start playing youngsters.A smart club would have dissected our midfield after losing the GF and after losing the following Gf replay surely alarm bells should have been blaring.Inside info at the start of the season said the Eagles were SUPER confident.Looking at our lack of pace and lack of X factor where did this confidence come from??

 

[ChampRevesby]

If we can get over this mental block we have playing on the big stage in Melb then I reckon we can win it.

 

[Ishmael_]

When the midfield gets on top he is damaging enough to impact the game effectively and consistently.When our midfield gets on top, our forward line in general is efficient enough to make them pay on the scoreboard thus inflating the margin.

This is my thinking exactly. We've enjoyed a great forward line and decent backline, but have an average midfield.

So we smash teams with average midfields and lose to teams with good midfields, if that makes us 'FTB' then whatever, but it's lazy analysis. Our midfield just isn't that good and hasn't been for years now.

I think that explains our flat track tag from 2014/15. Our 2015 loss then added a psychological element on top of it and from there it's become 'we're flat trackers because we 'can't' win away', so the media has changed their narrative around us to keep the ftb tag going. It's conflating two issues, but there's really only one - our midfield just isn't that good.

 

[Xsess]

Lucky for us the best team in the competition does not necessarily win the premiership. Form, injuries even certain match up's that line up during finals all play a part. So in my mind yes we are a premiership contender but only if we bank enough wins to reach top four. In the meantime though we need some major surgery and an injection of campaigner.

 

[woosha24]

If we can get over this mental block we have playing on the big stage in Melb then I reckon we can win it.

Big if though.

If im being completely honest this is the softest side that I can remember us ever fielding since inception. At least in the spoon days we had some effort put into most games (if only for Woosha's respect).

These boys cross the Nullabor and leave their nuts at home. What I wouldn't give for Simmo to give 'em a good ol' fashioned Mick Malthouse half-time spray in the middle of the oval.

Contenders? No. Making up the numbers, yes.

 

[kerr87]

Time to Hunt.

What has happened since 2015?

We played with intensity hardness and went all in (bar the grand final)

Its really hard to watch us now. We have the talent to win a flag. We just lack steele. We had it in spades in 2004-2007.

Hurn is a horrible player and captain.
Priddis Mark II IMO.