Preview Identify the biggest factor in whether we can go again in 2019

[Slash136]

Please do not repeat popular misconceptions such as “ we were really a state team to begin with “.
There have been several excellent threads on the obstacles put in the way of the Eagles when they joined the VFL, please read them or Geoff Christian’s well written book on the Eagles first 10 years.
You may be surprised at how much the early Eagles teams had to overcome just to compete.

Maybe not state team but certainly the only team in the state

 

[Astro7]

Please do not repeat popular misconceptions such as “ we were really a state team to begin with “.
There have been several excellent threads on the obstacles put in the way of the Eagles when they joined the VFL, please read them or Geoff Christian’s well written book on the Eagles first 10 years.
You may be surprised at how much the early Eagles teams had to overcome just to compete.

Please do not ...??? (I'm sorry, who are you again?)
My point was just how much they had to overcome as a fledgling team!
My point was that in a sense they were a state team, in that they were the first and only team from W.A and had the cream of WA footy talent at their disposal and that they represented the aspirations and dreams of a proud footy state. So in a very real sense they were playing for their state, even though they were a W.A. AFL team. The same way the WCE represent W.A and perhaps to a lesser extent , the Dockers.

 

[Brolga]

I sort of get what you are trying to say, but you used the term state team. They did not have the cream of WA talent at their disposal, much of this was excluded from them. They had a much reduced list, no training base and rather then be carrying the hopes and aspirations of a state, they attracted a lot of negativity because of what they did to the WAFL competition.

 

[Candiru]

Is it just a matter of peaking at the right time? Feel like we should win enough H&A games to be close enough.

 

[Quinz]

It’s always about player availability, but the intangibles of effort and desire will be our downfall if we don’t make the GF.

Listening to Barrass talk about the difficulty in mentally coming back from a flag gave a good insight I think into some of our results this season.

Four losses have all been 40 points plus. That says to me that our team is lacking the hard edged desire to fight out every match in the way we did last season. It’s already meant we have almost no chance of catching the top teams on percentage, so we have to win more games to get that top two spot, which is looking unlikely right now.

You can easily imagine games against Hawthorn, Richmond or Melbourne away going a similar way in the back half of the season. Or Collingwood at home, and who knows with Essendon?

By far the most disappointing aspect of the season is the fact we’ve given up in four games already.

 

[Cuzz09]

You can easily imagine games against Hawthorn, Richmond or Melbourne away going a similar way in the back half of the season. Or Collingwood at home, and who knows with Essendon?

Yep agreed.

We are going to need to have a couple of HUGE flat track wins to catch up 4 x 40+ point losses.

We pretty much can only afford to lose 1 or 2 more games to get top 2 spot.

Cant see it at the moment.

Never know. At least a few results helped us.

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Max zero]

It’s always about player availability, but the intangibles of effort and desire will be our downfall if we don’t make the GF.

Listening to Barrass talk about the difficulty in mentally coming back from a flag gave a good insight I think into some of our results this season.

Four losses have all been 40 points plus. That says to me that our team is lacking the hard edged desire to fight out every match in the way we did last season. It’s already meant we have almost no chance of catching the top teams on percentage, so we have to win more games to get that top two spot, which is looking unlikely right now.

You can easily imagine games against Hawthorn, Richmond or Melbourne away going a similar way in the back half of the season. Or Collingwood at home, and who knows with Essendon?

By far the most disappointing aspect of the season is the fact we’ve given up in four games already.

The lack of fight and heart is really noticable.

The hunger just isn't there.

 

[Cuzz09]

The lack of fight and heart is really noticable.

The hunger just isn't there.

It seems to be there in patches.

The losses of Hurn and Especially Yeo hurt us today.

Yeo lifted us v Adelaide and Hurn was a steady head.

I think another agressive mid is needed. A bull. M.Allen

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[CM9000]

It’s always about player availability, but the intangibles of effort and desire will be our downfall if we don’t make the GF.

Listening to Barrass talk about the difficulty in mentally coming back from a flag gave a good insight I think into some of our results this season.

Four losses have all been 40 points plus. That says to me that our team is lacking the hard edged desire to fight out every match in the way we did last season. It’s already meant we have almost no chance of catching the top teams on percentage, so we have to win more games to get that top two spot, which is looking unlikely right now.

You can easily imagine games against Hawthorn, Richmond or Melbourne away going a similar way in the back half of the season. Or Collingwood at home, and who knows with Essendon?

By far the most disappointing aspect of the season is the fact we’ve given up in four games already.

I don't think you can take each loss on face value, though. There are further factors behind those losses that we couldn't exactly control - specifically, a lack of preaseason and the conditions.

The Brisbane game was in severe humidity and we played quite a few youngsters.

The Port game was basically the same as the Essendon game last year, except more wet.

The Geelong game was pretty much the perfect storm - still coming off that preseason with a ground we really, really don't do well at.

And this Sydney one. We did shoot ourselves in the foot at the selection table (Smith instead of Ah Chee), but Yeo (our inside bull, and him out allows them to tag Shuey) and Hurn are massive outs, probably bigger than we realise. That and the ground is pretty awful.

I'd be worried about our effort this year as well, but we've shown in multiple games in 2019 (Collingwood, Adelaide, Melbourne, GWS) that we do have that desire, quite evidently. We would be a lot more worse this year if we didn't want it.

 

[CursoryMercenary]

Our lower middle tier and bottom end are i would say as weak as any of the worst clubs in the comp. Week in and out we see very little from the likes of Petra, Vardy, Cole yet they seem to get a free pass almost every game. At least we will get NN and Barrass back in the next week's which will cover up the cracks.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[hungrytiger]

These changes for a start.

Nic Nat, Brooksby,Yeo, Barrass, Hurn, M Allen/Ahchee

Vardy, Hickey, Smith, Schofield, Rotham, Waterman.

Id be looking at Watson too to play the Wirrpanda small defender role that Cole is as well.

Finding the right ruck combo with Nic Naitanui. Cant expect him to Ruck too much to begin with.
Vardy is useless as a Ruck. Hickey isnt mobile enough either.

Exchanging Waterman who is neither here or there in a defined role. We need a proper Half Fwd Midfielder. Someone who attends centre bounces.. Not one of these stinken Masten role outside softys. Use M Allen or Ahchee or bring Cameron or Venables in and use Rioli on inside a lot more.
Watermans role sucks more than Mastens..Its just not of any use in 666 footy nor was it at the SCG.

 

[Candiru]

Our lower middle tier and bottom end are i would say as weak as any of the worst clubs in the comp.

No.

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

We lack in midfield depth, have to pray our first choice midfield stay fit.

 

[Coasters7]

We lack in midfield depth, have to pray our first choice midfield stay fit.

We don’t even pick the right players to replace the ones we lose. Lose Yeo, you have a choice of MAllen or Ah Chee.. nope, let’s go with another average winger.

 

[FKASC]

We lack in midfield depth, have to pray our first choice midfield stay fit.

Yeah, kinda laughable to read that Mallen and Ah Chee will fix our issues with contested ball, tackling and intent

Recruiters and list managers fault that our ready made midfield depth consists of these two + Josh Smith

 

[greatwhiteshark]

For any team to win a lot needs to go right.

Top 4 for us is a must and preferably top 2.

We must remove the passengers, We have way to many blokes who don’t get the footy often enough and lose one on ones to easily. That can be fixed. Petch and Waterman are not even close to our best 22 in my opinion.

Nic up and about late in the year is vital to our clearances, but either Vardy or Hickey will have to support as when we come up against the good around the ground ruckman Nic can’t go with them and void their influence.

Hunger will be everything, I think or hope it’s there but it looks like the group are not all together sometimes.

Our best is good enough against anyone, our off day though is like a bottom 6 side and that’s a worry.

 

[hungrytiger]

We need a Devon Smith/David Zaharakis kind.
And that probably comes next year when we get Tim Kelly into the midfield and we use Shuey at Half Fwd into his 30s.

 

[frenchconnection]

For any team to win a lot needs to go right.

Top 4 for us is a must and preferably top 2.

We must remove the passengers, We have way to many blokes who don’t get the footy often enough and lose one on ones to easily. That can be fixed. Petch and Waterman are not even close to our best 22 in my opinion.

Nic up and about late in the year is vital to our clearances, but either Vardy or Hickey will have to support as when we come up against the good around the ground ruckman Nic can’t go with them and void their influence.

Hunger will be everything, I think or hope it’s there but it looks like the group are not all together sometimes.

Our best is good enough against anyone, our off day though is like a bottom 6 side and that’s a worry.

Been wondering re Vardy - he was good last year being asked to assist Lycett however this year has been asked to be No 1 ruck on numerous occasions which IMO is not his bag. So on that basis think Hickey should go in as No 1 ruck when Nic first comes back, until Nic is back in full flight. But it will take him awhile due to lack if match fitness.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Been wondering re Vardy - he was good last year being asked to assist Lycett however this year has been asked to be No 1 ruck on numerous occasions which IMO is not his bag. So on that basis think Hickey should go in as No 1 ruck when Nic first comes back, until Nic is back in full flight. But it will take him awhile due to lack if match fitness.

Agree,but Nic will be seriously exposed against someone like Grundy. In hindsight I don’t believe we would of win the flag last year with Nic. That sounds like I am bagging him but I am not, he just could not and has never been able to curb the influence of around the ground ruckman. He is a tap ruckman and that is important to us but he has never been a link in play for our midfield around the ground.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

1. We lack hunger
2. We regularly have half the side with under 10 possessions at half-time, which means guys aren’t pulling their weight.
3. Some players get a free ride, such as Cole, Petruccelle etc. which wouldn’t exactly inspire the guys below to play well.
4. Vardy, besides two games, has been woeful.
5. We haven’t put together one four-quarter effort yet.
6. Unless we finish top four we are no chance.

 

[ziad]

4 forwards who are kids - they are progressing
With barrass out we are on the edge - losing Hurn tipped us over significantly. Yoe was just the final straw in tems of height in defence

We are going ok

 

[BeornJ]

I'll not too worried.

I think we will finish top 4 then its all about form and fitness.

Allen and Petch are doing a lot better than a lot of people think.

Cole is taking on the opps dangerous small forward more often which is freeing up Shep to have his best year yet. Thing is, when you play on the opps best small forward, you are either barely sighted or your opponent is making you look stupid.

Once Barrass and Hurn returns the backline will be solid.

Forwards will find more form if the mids can lift more. This will happen once NN is back.

Question marks are the bench. Vardy Hickey or Allen?

Masten or Waterman?

Hutchings in if he isn't tagging?

 

[JackOutback]

1. We lack hunger
2. We regularly have half the side with under 10 possessions at half-time, which means guys aren’t pulling their weight.
3. Some players get a free ride, such as Cole, Petruccelle etc. which wouldn’t exactly inspire the guys below to play well.
4. Vardy, besides two games, has been woeful.
5. We haven’t put together one four-quarter effort yet.
6. Unless we finish top four we are no chance.

Fortunately we are very well placed to finish top four.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

We will finish fourth or fifth and we will win the flag from there!!!

 

[frenchconnection]

I'll not too worried.

I think we will finish top 4 then its all about form and fitness.

Allen and Petch are doing a lot better than a lot of people think.

Cole is taking on the opps dangerous small forward more often which is freeing up Shep to have his best year yet. Thing is, when you play on the opps best small forward, you are either barely sighted or your opponent is making you look stupid.

Once Barrass and Hurn returns the backline will be solid.

Forwards will find more form if the mids can lift more. This will happen once NN is back.

Question marks are the bench. Vardy Hickey or Allen?

Masten or Waterman?

Hutchings in if he isn't tagging?

Prefer Allen as he is more flexible - can play forward, back or assisting in the ruck and has not been disgraced - and gives it his all.