Preview Where do we go from here in 2019?

[Gysberts2Bate]

The irony of this is if Weid had kicked that goal I can guarantee I would not be shutting up about how good it is to have a 21yo KPF that can take a clutch contested mark like that

 

[stEdy]

The irony of this is if Weid had kicked that goal I can guarantee I would not be shutting up about how good it is to have a 21yo KPF that can take a clutch contested mark like that

Footy's weird like that. I've also seen comments about how Weidy is symptomatic of our losing/choking culture, despite being BOG in our first final against Geelong and playing well in our other finals win against Hawthorn. He's normally one of our very best kicks for goal and even kicked a clutch goal against Sydney earlier in the year from around 50m out.

He's been better than TMAC has this year IMO and was unlucky to be dropped/managed. He isn't holding all his marks but jesus he's dangerous in the air and times his leaps pretty well. I like Weidy, leave Weidy alone

 

[TheCount]

It's not even that we are inaccurate compared to our opponents it's completely gane style based. There were some easy misses like Smith, Garlett and Weid and some difficult ones like Hunt and Harmes but it's all to do with game style. We had everyone including the coaches in our forward 50. The shots are under high pressure every week with opponents everywhere.

Meanwhile in defence we gifted Jenkins and Betts half the ground to work with. **** half of Adelaides goals came from our forward 50.

The worst thing about it for me is, it's a carbon copy of early last season, but at some point we fixed the balance, freed up our scoring somewhat, and defended better ... yet this year it's exactly the same, and has yet to improve? I can't figure out why it would revert like that, has there seriously been a conversation between the coaches "I know plan A didn't work last year, but I've just got a feeling ..."

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Footy's weird like that. I've also seen comments about how Weidy is symptomatic of our losing/choking culture, despite being BOG in our first final against Geelong and playing well in our other finals win against Hawthorn. He's normally one of our very best kicks for goal and even kicked a clutch goal against Sydney earlier in the year from around 50m out.

He's been better than TMAC has this year IMO and was unlucky to be dropped/managed. He isn't holding all his marks but jesus he's dangerous in the air and times his leaps pretty well. I like Weidy, leave Weidy alone

Yeah his effort can't be faulted either. Makes more contests around the ground than most other KPFs I've ever seen. Took 4 contested grabs on Saturday etc. Almost guaranteed to get dropped on Thursday though.

 

[stEdy]

Tim Smith retained as he's a "real competitor"

(Actually don't have anything against Smith, he's a great backup and tries hard, but yeah...)

 

[Daemon]

I'd be pretty keen on getting Bolton in as an assistant coach.

 

[demondavey]

Interesting stat I just noticed on talking footy; the average goal kicking percentage in the AFL has dropped from 51% in 2014 to 45% this year. I am pretty sure it was 2014.

Damning.

 

[Crusty Demon]

If you think tanking is the answer you are a complete peanut

Worked for WCE in 2008. Very similar feeling to us this year tbh. They finished 3rd in 2007, got injuries and had bad form in 2008, so put players in for surgeries and played kids. Tanking might not be the exact word for it, but what if we call it player management? Same thing really. WCE were back in the top 4 a couple of seasons later with arguably the most dynamic ruck the game has ever seen.

 

[Topkent]

Worked for WCE in 2008. Very similar feeling to us this year tbh. They finished 3rd in 2007, got injuries and had bad form in 2008, so put players in for surgeries and played kids. Tanking might not be the exact word for it, but what if we call it player management? Same thing really. WCE were back in the top 4 a couple of seasons later with arguably the most dynamic ruck the game has ever seen.

They got Natanui who didn't even play in their premiership so a poor example plus it was 11 years ago. If you think tanking will help us 11 years from now then good luck.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

We don’t have a strong enough winning culture to deliberately tinker with form.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Worked for WCE in 2008. Very similar feeling to us this year tbh. They finished 3rd in 2007, got injuries and had bad form in 2008, so put players in for surgeries and played kids. Tanking might not be the exact word for it, but what if we call it player management? Same thing really. WCE were back in the top 4 a couple of seasons later with arguably the most dynamic ruck the game has ever seen.

The Eagles weren't great after Judd left. Got that pick 3 in 2007 to go with former pick 4 JJK then pick 2 in 2008, pick 6 in 2009 and pick 1>>4 in 2010. Ironically only two of those five weren't injured or suspended for the GF

 

[Cannon82]

The Eagles weren't great after Judd left. Got that pick 3 in 2007 to go with former pick 4 JJK then pick 2 in 2008, pick 6 in 2009 and pick 1>>4 in 2010. Ironically only two of those five weren't injured or suspended for the GF

Wasn't Cox still playing at that point? Weagles already had the most dynamic ruckman in the game. NicNat would have been leaping around spectacularly and occasionally doing useful things during games at the time.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Wasn't Cox still playing at that point? Weagles already had the most dynamic ruckman in the game. NicNat would have been leaping around spectacularly and occasionally doing useful things during games at the time.

Yep, they tanked so they could pick up a perfect replacement for Cox. It sured up an important position on the field for a decade or more and made sure it was covered with a dynamic and unique player.

 

[Topkent]

Yep, they tanked so they could pick up a perfect replacement for Cox. It sured up an important position on the field for a decade or more and made sure it was covered with a dynamic and unique player.

A player who didn't play in their premiership because they found 2 replacement rucks for nothing

 

[Cannon82]

Yep, they tanked so they could pick up a perfect replacement for Cox. It sured up an important position on the field for a decade or more and made sure it was covered with a dynamic and unique player.

He's unique alright, but I don't think he's all that. Throwing high picks at ruckmen seems like a bit of waste.

 

[Crusty Demon]

He's unique alright, but I don't think he's all that. Throwing high picks at ruckmen seems like a bit of waste.

If you think NicNat is no good, then you either know nothing about football or have never watched him play. He's in the top 3 rucks with Grundy and Gawn. People forget how good he is because he's been injured.

 

[Topkent]

If you think NicNat is no good, then you either know nothing about football or have never watched him play. He's in the top 3 rucks with Grundy and Gawn. People forget how good he is because he's been injured.

Your whole argument was that we should tank to get a bloke who didn't even play in WCs premiership.

 

[Crusty Demon]

Your whole argument was that we should tank to get a bloke who didn't even play in WCs premiership.

Do you not think he would've played in their premiership if he wasn't injured?? And my argument was to POSSIBLY consider player management to try landing a top 2 pick in a draft where the top 2 are head and shoulders above any other draftee. We have a huge gap with talent coming through under 21.

 

[Topkent]

Do you not think he would've played in their premiership if he wasn't injured?? And my argument was to POSSIBLY consider player management to try landing a top 2 pick in a draft where the top 2 are head and shoulders above any other draftee. We have a huge gap with talent coming through under 21.

The top pick hasn't been the best player in the draft for 15 years.

I'm so glad we tanked to get Trengove and Scully over Martin.

I can't believe any Melbourne supporter could possibly think trying to lose is a good tactic.

 

[Cannon82]

If you think NicNat is no good, then you either know nothing about football or have never watched him play. He's in the top 3 rucks with Grundy and Gawn. People forget how good he is because he's been injured.

If you think NicNat is good, you clearly know nothing about football or have never watched him play. See, we can both do it. NicNat is a highlight reel player. You can argue about how good he is, how high he can jump, etc but his stats don't compare favourably to the likes of Gawn, Grundy, Mumford, etc. He definitely does some good things but he was hardly missed at all in the WEagles premiership year.

I don't think ruckmen are all that effective. Get all the hit outs in the world and watch the opposition shark them because they're just as tuned in to what the ruck is doing as your own mids. Given that Gawn (pick #35 or so) and Grundy (pick #20 odd) are the best rucks in the game, seems like you're better off spending high picks on the quality key forwards and sure thing midfielders. Saying that, the 2008 AFL draft isn't going to go down as one of the strongest in history and is more likely to be favourably remembered for some of the lower picks that came good (Sidebottom, Beams, Sloane, etc).

 

[Topkent]

If you think NicNat is good, you clearly know nothing about football or have never watched him play. See, we can both do it. NicNat is a highlight reel player. You can argue about how good he is, how high he can jump, etc but his stats don't compare favourably to the likes of Gawn, Grundy, Mumford, etc. He definitely does some good things but he was hardly missed at all in the WEagles premiership year.

I don't think ruckmen are all that effective. Get all the hit outs in the world and watch the opposition shark them because they're just as tuned in to what the ruck is doing as your own mids. Given that Gawn (pick #35 or so) and Grundy (pick #20 odd) are the best rucks in the game, seems like you're better off spending high picks on the quality key forwards and sure thing midfielders. Saying that, the 2008 AFL draft isn't going to go down as one of the strongest in history and is more likely to be favourably remembered for some of the lower picks that came good (Sidebottom, Beams, Sloane, etc).

Thank * we tanked to get that generational talent Jack Watts. We would have been no good with Hurley or Sidebottom

 

[Crusty Demon]

If you think NicNat is good, you clearly know nothing about football or have never watched him play. See, we can both do it. NicNat is a highlight reel player. You can argue about how good he is, how high he can jump, etc but his stats don't compare favourably to the likes of Gawn, Grundy, Mumford, etc. He definitely does some good things but he was hardly missed at all in the WEagles premiership year.

I don't think ruckmen are all that effective. Get all the hit outs in the world and watch the opposition shark them because they're just as tuned in to what the ruck is doing as your own mids. Given that Gawn (pick #35 or so) and Grundy (pick #20 odd) are the best rucks in the game, seems like you're better off spending high picks on the quality key forwards and sure thing midfielders. Saying that, the 2008 AFL draft isn't going to go down as one of the strongest in history and is more likely to be favourably remembered for some of the lower picks that came good (Sidebottom, Beams, Sloane, etc).

Agree to disagree on NicNat. If you don't think Gawn or Grundy aren't effective, then you've got your blinkers on..

 

[Cannon82]

Agree to disagree on NicNat. If you don't think Gawn or Grundy aren't effective, then you've got your blinkers on..

They definitely are, but the reason they're the best is their around-the-ground impact. Even if they're not winning the majority of taps or feeding the mids, they're generally still having an impact on the game. Tap ruckwork in itself is pretty much going the way of the dodo, like forwards who just kick goals instead of being pressure hounds or defenders who can't use the footy. Like I said, NicNat has some spectacular highlights up his sleeve but I don't think he's better than quite a few other rucks going around. A lot of hype for a good but not great player.

 

[gawndog37]

Looks like we will probably have something around pick 5 by the end of the year, would we rather keep the pick or trade it? Either way who should be our draft target/trade target?

The clear top 2 players in the draft being rowell and anderson are both inside mids so not sure how much they would help us anyway given our abundance in that position if we did go into ultra tank mode

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Looks like we will probably have something around pick 5 by the end of the year, would we rather keep the pick or trade it? Either way who should be our draft target/trade target?

The clear top 2 players in the draft being rowell and anderson are both inside mids so not sure how much they would help us anyway given our abundance in that position if we did go into ultra tank mode

Trade for the right player (elite disposal type) otherwise take to the draft. Ideally we'd have traded this year's pick for May and taken last year's pick to the draft and gotten Bailey Smith in, is the exact type we need. GC likely would have thought we'd finish top 6 tho lol