West Coast - where to now?

[Adz]

Like NM they loaded up for a tilt at a flag but it appears they will miss the 8 completely.

Can't see them dropping or retiring Priddis et al which will mean 2018 we can expect a slower midfield but a dominant ruckman.

I think they're in all sorts of trouble short and long term and I think Simpson is too stubborn to rebuild.

Where are they at and what should their strategy be going forward?

 

[Jase Cutler]

A competitive top 8 side.

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

Ah ha, 'like NM loaded up for a tilt for a flag', sounds more like a crazy Bucks gameplan to me...

 

[Aramis]

Fight as hard as they can for the rest of this season and try and get the right mix of players in to complement the solid core they already have.
Solid group of middle aged players... just need a few more younger gems to really push them through.

 

[Adz]

Fight as hard as they can for the rest of this season and try and get the right mix of players in to complement the solid core they already have.
Solid group of middle aged players... just need a few more younger gems to really push them through.

Name their 22-25 year old stars..

Kennedy - 29
Nit Nat - 27
Priddis - 32
Le Cras - 30

Darling is perhaps their only middle aged star.

 

[JayJ20]

Still a lot to be played out. Melbourne are a quality side.

Should make finals

 

[SterlingArcher]

Name their 22-25 year old stars..

Kennedy - 29
Nit Nat - 27
Priddis - 32
Le Cras - 30

Darling is perhaps their only middle aged star.

Gaff 25 (an icing player), Sheppard 26 (massively underrated), Yeo 23 (leading/up there in the coaches award this year, AA lock), Shuey 27 (on the older side but as with Naitanui can be there for the next push), McGovern 25 (AA last year, another good year this year).

If I'm West Coast, at the end of this year I'm saying so long, thanks for the memories, to Butler (31), Masten (28 - try trade), Hill (28 - try trade), Mitchell (34), Mackenzie (29 - try trade), Priddis (32), LeCras (31) & Redden (26 - try trade). Hurn (30) to relenquish the captaincy and not be clear best 22.

I imagine the bulk of those guys are out of contract? Time for them to go.

Eagles need to target a gun mid to partner Shuey. Maybe could be a late player for Fyfe or Martin if they clear all those players - 7 at least average salaries there? I feel like the Eagles are similar to Adelaide in that the off field management is very conservative. Extremely well-resourced, but too risk adverse

 

[Aramis]

Name their 22-25 year old stars..

Kennedy - 29
Nit Nat - 27
Priddis - 32
Le Cras - 30

Darling is perhaps their only middle aged star.

Elliot Yeo - 23
Andrew Gaff - 25
Jeremy McGovern - 25
Jack Darling - 24
Jamie Cripps - 25 (quality but not star)
Dom Sheed - 22 (quality but not star)

you can build a young brigade around that bunch in the 18-23 range and have a crack in a couple of years easily....... Shuey and Nic Nat will be twilight of their careers but will still be around too.

 

[Topkent]

Like NM they loaded up for a tilt at a flag but it appears they will miss the 8 completely.

Can't see them dropping or retiring Priddis et al which will mean 2018 we can expect a slower midfield but a dominant ruckman.

I think they're in all sorts of trouble short and long term and I think Simpson is too stubborn to rebuild.

Where are they at and what should their strategy be going forward?

Loaded up lol.

They got Mitchell and Petrie for pick a billion and a rookie spot. Trying to be a journalist with sensationalist headlines?

 

[Adz]

Loaded up lol.

They got Mitchell and Petrie for pick a billion and a rookie spot. Trying to be a journalist with sensationalist headlines?

Still loaded up regardless of what was exchange. That's irrelevant.

 

[Topkent]

Still loaded up regardless of what was exchange. That's irrelevant.

They took Petrie as a back up because Natanui and Lycett are out. Took Mitchell because he is a future coach. Your wrong

 

[masai]

I'm getting the vibe that alot of people think that Nicnat will return and turn the Eagles bus in the upward direction.

After a major injury, I feel it takes at least half a season, probably more to get your game back on track. Nic's return will not be an immediate fix.

Just think the Eagles need a shake up, and it appears at present that they are reluctant to do anything radical with list management.

Simpson does not have the final call on players, as coaches like Grumpy Mick, Clarkson & Sheedy would have.

 

[Kram]

Always backed Priddis but he was garbage last night, needs to be dropped.

 

[JackFlash]

They are soft serve ice creams, i'm still ropeable we lost to those feather dusters! Melbourne had some big names out (yes i know Kennedy wasn't playing) and they always looked like they could pinch this game from the gelati tubs...Would love to play them at the MCG in September!

 

[Forward Press]

Loaded up lol.

They got Mitchell and Petrie for pick a billion and a rookie spot. Trying to be a journalist with sensationalist headlines?

He's a well known Eagles troll.

Always backed Priddis but he was garbage last night, needs to be dropped.

Game has moved on past him. Baffling why he was given a one year contract extension.

SterlingArcher has nailed the problems spot on. Good luck communicating that to the board and selection committee though. It's promising recently though that players like Barrass, Cole and Karpany are getting a run - hope they get extended runs for the rest of the year.

 

[Kwality]

Gaff 25 (an icing player), Sheppard 26 (massively underrated), Yeo 23 (leading/up there in the coaches award this year, AA lock), Shuey 27 (on the older side but as with Naitanui can be there for the next push), McGovern 25 (AA last year, another good year this year).

If I'm West Coast, at the end of this year I'm saying so long, thanks for the memories, to Butler (31), Masten (28 - try trade), Hill (28 - try trade), Mitchell (34), Mackenzie (29 - try trade), Priddis (32), LeCras (31) & Redden (26 - try trade). Hurn (30) to relenquish the captaincy and not be clear best 22.

I imagine the bulk of those guys are out of contract? Time for them to go.

Eagles need to target a gun mid to partner Shuey. Maybe could be a late player for Fyfe or Martin if they clear all those players - 7 at least average salaries there? I feel like the Eagles are similar to Adelaide in that the off field management is very conservative. Extremely well-resourced, but too risk adverse

Managing out an ageing list is a problem as the draft is no guarantee of where the kids are in years 3-5.
Lewy Jetta & Jack Redden came via the 2015 draft, so the draft is no silver bullet.
Willie Rioli is a mature age recruit (2016) yet to be fit enough to get a game.
Top choice draftee Dan Venables has managed only 8 games to date in the WAFL.
Scott Lycett is work in progress with 3 games under his belt at East Perth & based on his 2016 season he is being missed.

Big job for the recruiters, no obvious targets on the radar?

 

[Deep]

Name their 22-25 year old stars..

Kennedy - 29
Nit Nat - 27
Priddis - 32
Le Cras - 30

Darling is perhaps their only middle aged star.

Lecras isn't a star.

 

[Kwality]

I'm getting the vibe that alot of people think that Nicnat will return and turn the Eagles bus in the upward direction.

After a major injury, I feel it takes at least half a season, probably more to get your game back on track. Nic's return will not be an immediate fix.

Just think the Eagles need a shake up, and it appears at present that they are reluctant to do anything radical with list management.

Simpson does not have the final call on players, as coaches like Grumpy Mick, Clarkson & Sheedy would have.

Strong personal relationship with Mitchell & Petrie suggests Simmo is anything but sidelined in list management.

Will clock up 100 games as a senior coach in 2018.

 

[Checkered]

Still loaded up regardless of what was exchange. That's irrelevant.

Lol

 

[WilloTree]

Will make finals. Should push top 4- home final. Very good team.

 

[SterlingArcher]

Not that I want to turn this into a tit-for-tat, but if the Eagles loaded up, then surely Adz you'd admit the same for Collingwood?

 

[masai]

Strong personal relationship with Mitchell & Petrie suggests Simmo is anything but sidelined in list management.

Will clock up 100 games as a senior coach in 2018.

Fair points.

Ok if you think Simmo has a major say, is he too stubborn to alter his player useage ?, or is he prevented from putting a bullet through the list and shuffling players back to the WAFL, to give them the message that their position is not safe ?.

Conservatism won't win you a premiership, maybe Simmo needs to play the mean guy card, he seems too nice.

 

[Forward Press]

If I'm West Coast, at the end of this year I'm saying so long, thanks for the memories, to Butler (31), Masten (28 - try trade), Hill (28 - try trade), Mitchell (34), Mackenzie (29 - try trade), Priddis (32), LeCras (31) & Redden (26 - try trade). Hurn (30) to relenquish the captaincy and not be clear best 22.

I imagine the bulk of those guys are out of contract? Time for them to go.

A bulk, but many are on contracts until 2018 and beyond. Priddis just signed an extension to end of 2018.

It's probably nearly identical to my delist/trade list (and I suspect a lot of Eagles board posters too).

Butler - solid depth but there are many younger options now, Jackson Nelson and Tom Cole can take his role
Masten - depth, plying trade in WAFL at the moment
Hill - could be worse, should trade if decent offer comes up, but happy to retain
Mitchell - I'd actually try and convince him to go for one more year, he's been great this year, but we cannot have him and Priddis in the same side
Mackenzie - yep, but doubt his value is that much, solid depth, hasn't been too bad this year
Priddis - argh
LeCras - injured, hopefully returns through WAFL because his form the past month or so has been crap
Redden - see Masten
Hurn - this is an interesting one, we still have a role for him but his kicking standards have dropped off and our captain in waiting just signed a four year contract extension

I'd shop Wellingham around too but I doubt any club would pay much for him.

 

[WilloTree]

Always backed Priddis but he was garbage last night, needs to be dropped.

The stats do not support your view. Matt Priddis 6 11 17 1 0 3 1 9

The 9 tackles is elite. Not his fault the Eagels lost. Silly idea to drop him to East Perth. What would that achieve?

 

[WilloTree]

Baffling why he was given a one year contract extension

Maybe because he's an A grade Brownlow Medalist midfielder? wow - you Eagles really know how to eat your own. It was only 3 points dude. No need to burn the boats yet.