Prediction Round 19, 2025: Changes vs Richmond

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

In that case Dewar takes the wing back, and we need a half back to come in. Allan probably comes in to play that hbf spot vacated by Dewar

Means we have to keep Cole and Duggan in our back 7, I dont think we should move Hutch right now unfortunately

I see Bo Allan on a wing myself in the long term so lets put him there now.

Kind of feel the reality of our side right now is we have Cripps/Long/Champion/Owies/Brockman and a situation where really only 2 of these should be playing in the side simply because we dont have any midfielders to put pressure on those HF spots.

For 2026 id like us to be set with Brockman and Champion. I think these are the 2 long term and by Round 1 2026 id like us to have

FF: Champion, Waterman, J.Williams
HF: Brockman, Shanahan, Ryan

 

[stallon]

I see Bo Allan on a wing myself in the long term so lets put him there now.

Id prefer Allan on a wing or in the middle too, but thats probably one for next year, we have maric/Dewar/Hutch all being mainly wingers as it is, and all being best 22. We also lack small/medium defenders, its really just Grego in the WAFL as depth. Hough cant go back as hes needed in the middle with no Graham or Yeo lol.

Kind of feel the reality of our side right now is we have Cripps/Long/Champion/Owies/Brockman and a situation where really only 2 of these should be playing in the side simply because we dont have any midfielders to put pressure on those HF spots.

For 2026 id like us to be set with Brockman and Champion. I think these are the 2 long term and by Round 1 2026 id like us to have

FF: Champion, Waterman, J.Williams
HF: Brockman, Shanahan, Ryan

Yeah next year ideally Ryan, Brockman and Champion are locked in as our main 3 small forwards, maybe a 4th occasionally if we want to be able to use Brockman/Ryan up the ground as theyre pretty good around stoppages, with Champion staying close to home.
If that 4th small/medium forward could be Hutch, with his defensive pressure thatd be great

 

[sharps24]

Drop somebody that can kick a goal for somebdoy who can't hit the side of a barn and hasn't kicked a Afl goal for how
long.Tell him he's dreaming.

Didn't see the game last night but what was wrong with Reids goal kicking action last week?

 

[sharps24]

Bailey is 4 years older, and played twice as many games as Jack.

One has a future, the other peaked two years ago.

Absolutely ridiculous to say that B Williams peaked 2 years ago. He turned 25 this year and have never played in his proper position until about 6 weeks ago. And since then he's kicked arrow straight and had multiple 2 goals games and still offers us plenty in the ruck. Most rucks aren't even getting regular games in this league until they are older than 25. And J Will as much as I actually like him is not starting next season ahead of Jake Waterman at FF, nor Jobe Shanahan at CHF. Nor is he a better 2nd ruck than Williams, and is probably behind Archer Reid in that spot by the end of next preseason. His future at the club is projecting as rolled gold grade a depth, a staple at FF at the beagles until one of those 4 guys gets injured- which is highly likely to lead to him playing 10-15 games most seasons but he would need to do something very drastic to go past anyone. The reality is that it's Jack who's probably peaked. Not peaked in the sense that he won't continue to get better, just peaked in the fact that it'll never be as easy for him to find a spot in the 22 as it has been over the past 3 seasons.

 

[Barrybran]

I see Bo Allan on a wing myself in the long term so lets put him there now.

Kind of feel the reality of our side right now is we have Cripps/Long/Champion/Owies/Brockman and a situation where really only 2 of these should be playing in the side simply because we dont have any midfielders to put pressure on those HF spots.

For 2026 id like us to be set with Brockman and Champion. I think these are the 2 long term and by Round 1 2026 id like us to have

FF: Champion, Waterman, J.Williams
HF: Brockman, Shanahan, Ryan

Id prefer Allan on a wing or in the middle too, but thats probably one for next year, we have maric/Dewar/Hutch all being mainly wingers as it is, and all being best 22. We also lack small/medium defenders, its really just Grego in the WAFL as depth. Hough cant go back as hes needed in the middle with no Graham or Yeo lol.

Yeah next year ideally Ryan, Brockman and Champion are locked in as our main 3 small forwards, maybe a 4th occasionally if we want to be able to use Brockman/Ryan up the ground as theyre pretty good around stoppages, with Champion staying close to home.
If that 4th small/medium forward could be Hutch, with his defensive pressure thatd be great

+1 for trialing Allan on the wing.

I really liked the look of Baker forward tonight. That's how I envisaged us using him when we picked him up. Graham adds a layer of complication as he's ideally in the forward line as well. Depending on what we do at the draft, we might also be looking for a place for Reid/Hewett/Hough/pick 1/2 to fit everyone in. I see a world where Maric/Hutchinson are the ones eventually squeezed out so whoever is best suited to the wing should be tried there now, whether at AFL or WAFL level.

 

[sharps24]

Cripps tries his guts out. Owies and Long both go before he does, which is saying something given Cripps should be the first one out.

Unfortunately so, if you don't count having less kicks, marks, handballs, tackles, and score involvements than Matt Owies Jamie Cripps had a much better game again today. The score board says they both kicked 0.1 to 0.1 but Cripps was trying and clearly Owies just wasn't. Why oh why can't someone just offer us the same as Cripps does, he'd be straight out of the side if anyone came close but unfortunately etc etc.

 

[Barrybran]

Unfortunately so, if you don't count having less kicks, marks, handballs, tackles, and score involvements than Matt Owies Jamie Cripps had a much better game again today. The score board says they both kicked 0.1 to 0.1 but Cripps was trying and clearly Owies just wasn't. Why oh why can't someone just offer us the same as Cripps does, he'd be straight out of the side if anyone came close but unfortunately etc etc.

It's less about Cripps and more about someone else standing up. Owies isn't really it. Kelly is looking like he's not it. Long hasn't really put his hand up. Champion doesn't have the tank yet. We've finally tried Baker there tonight with Ryan and Graham out. The latter two push Champion/Long and Owies out. I hope Mini persists with Baker up there, which might be how Cripps is pushed out.

 

[stallon]

+1 for trialing Allan on the wing.

Depending on who we draft/trade for this year, I think we will see Allan off half back for 2026 as with Ginbey playing as a tall we lack a bit of pace off half back, outside McCarthy obviously.
Hutch, Maric and Dewar are probably better suited to the forward half of the ground than running off half back

I really liked the look of Baker forward tonight. That's how I envisaged us using him when we picked him up. Graham adds a layer of complication as he's ideally in the forward line as well. Depending on what we do at the draft, we might also be looking for a place for Reid/Hewett/Hough/pick 1/2 to fit everyone in. I see a world where Maric/Hutchinson are the ones eventually squeezed out so whoever is best suited to the wing should be tried there now, whether at AFL or WAFL level.

I dont think Maric or Hutch get pushed out properly in 2026, but really depends how Allan and any new guys develop.

I think Maric looks fine on a wing, and Hutch idk what he is lol

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Kelly was best on in the WAFL by a country mile, our mids got a touch up and we have a winnable game.

Very interesting to see what we do there.

I would say he needs to stay in the WAFL at least one more week and prove it again. Does Mini get itchy and bring him back to play in the guts?

In: Ryan, Allan
Out: BWill, Hutch

Cripps or Owies to sub, probably Cripps as he can at least line up on the wing and run a game out if something weird happens early.

 

[Avalor]

My thoughts.
Bo Allan should not have been dropped. Needed a big body in the midfield, especially without Graham.
Graham - you dingdong [can't go calling people poo** ers anymore]. We are in the woke age now.
Bailey - isn't the answer / ruck Archer Reid with a cutout from Jack Williams.
Cripps - great servant of the club. Thanks for the memories. He's done!
Owies - meh! Would prefer Malakai every day of the week.
Long isn't the answer either. We are really low on quality smalls. Bring in the new boy [Isaac Newton]
Dewar must be in the starting 18.
Flynn, not cutting it.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Actually wouldn't mind a cheeky Newton debut, kid looks like he has it and would rise to the level. Good finisher.

Champion and Newton > Owies and Cripps. Who says no?

 

[sharps24]

It's less about Cripps and more about someone else standing up. Owies isn't really it. Kelly is looking like he's not it. Long hasn't really put his hand up. Champion doesn't have the tank yet. We've finally tried Baker there tonight with Ryan and Graham out. The latter two push Champion/Long and Owies out. I hope Mini persists with Baker up there, which might be how Cripps is pushed out.

Cripps was a better player at 27 than Owies is right now but Owies is working harder at the moment that Cripps is, he's just going through first year blue's with his goal kicking. Similar to Brockman last year who everyone hated on every time he kicked it, insisting he was a bust and wanting him delisted. I think Owies is in the 22 in 2026 and will be better when given the trust to play his role. To me Bakers best position is as a forward so I agree there, though his kicking is a worry. Mini is pretty committed to throwing him around though. Long doesn't make it for mine, but he's got a contract for 2026 so the club are exploring his potential. He played well while Cripps and Owies were out and got dropped for no reason to make way for an underdone Cripps, who just should have come back through the WAFL. Champion its good to get games into at the moment but I don't think he's best 22 just yet, just a kid getting a taste right now. Dewar is the one to slot in up there right now imo, he's too good to be out of the 22 but we don't know what to do with him because the forward line is stacked. We are trying him down back but I didn't rate it before he did the hammy and didn't rate it today, he's a forward imo or a goal kicking wing not a half back or small defender.

 

[eaglesfan84]

I think, he has gradually gotten less rubbish over the season. Not a long term prospect for when we will be competing for flags again.

We can’t go back to Bailey.

Maybe we can just play an extra mid instead

 

[Barrybran]

Actually wouldn't mind a cheeky Newton debut, kid looks like he has it and would rise to the level. Good finisher.

Champion and Newton > Owies and Cripps. Who says no?

I think how we finished the game highlights that we were probably a little too young tonight. I'd love to see Champion get another run but, realistically, it should be as the sub.

 

[sharps24]

Btw for the Billiams haters who spent all day calling him soft and pea hearted and what not, I've chucked the replay on as I usually do on a Sunday evening for a bit of background noise. He stated at FF and had steam coming out of his ears in the opening couple minutes, kicked the first goal then in the next contest got in a tussle 2 on 1 and one of the port defenders drove a knee square into the right quad Sam Mitchell style. He pulled up lame from that, was limping and grimacing a bit. Must of gone straight off because JWill was then at FF and kicked his first a little after that. BWill next sighted on the bench then came on to take a bounce when Flynn came off and after contesting the bounce you can see him basically pull up post contest to a walk, I think he might of copped a corkie and just had to play through it. He definitely seemed to be playing within himself, is usually one of our hardest in the contest so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt rather than assuming he's just suddenly gone soft.

 

[DirtySandman]

for the Billiams haters

For many it was the palm down to Horner for that last qtr goal, but my favourite Bailey moment, was on the wing in the last qtr, ball coming in, he managed to wrestle himself away from where the ball was going, and held his opponent into a great position to mark it.

Classic Bailey.

 

[stallon]

Actually wouldn't mind a cheeky Newton debut, kid looks like he has it and would rise to the level. Good finisher.

Champion and Newton > Owies and Cripps. Who says no?

I think Ryan coming in takes one of those spots off Owies/Cripps, then Long is another thats still ahead of Newton, at least for now.

Wouldnt mind it at some stage before the end of the year but hes got a few ahead of him

 

[sharps24]

For many it was the palm down to Horner for that last qtr goal, but my favourite Bailey moment, was on the wing in the last qtr, ball coming in, he managed to wrestle himself away from where the ball was going, and held his opponent into a great position to mark it.

Classic Bailey.

Yeah he's cooked in the 2nd half by the look. Still did some good ruck work. There was a string of play after he went into the ruck in the 2nd qtr when he beat their ruck 3 taps in a row and hit an Eagle on the move each time, including a centre bounce where he's basically jumped over the top of Ports bloke, dragged his nuts over the guys forehead and palmed it straight down Harleys throat. Then Flynn comes back on and lost and bunch. Overall though both Flynn and Williams are tapping to advantage a lot more to my eye now that Harley, Hewlett and Hall are in there and holding their own. Just saw Billiams win a tap to put it perfectly into Brockman path, last minute of the 3rd. He's an improvement on Flynn in there for sure and as a ruck Jack Williams isn't even in the conversation at this point compared to Bailey. Not sure they played Jack in the centre at all in this game?

 

[stallon]

The midfield is just too young, with Ryan coming back in to play fwd why dont we just put Baker back in the guts for the next 3 weeks as a more experienced head? Its gotta be somebody, and id rather keep Kelly out for at least 1 more.
We need an extra in there, we basically had Harley and Hough doing all CBAs they were on the ground for - Harley 88% CBAs and Hough 79%, so we need an extra in there anyway. May have helped a lot to prevent/lessen the fall off late.
Give harley his usual 60-70% CBAs, Hewett 60%, Hough 70%, Hall 50% Ryan 10-20% and Baker the remaining 40%ish.


Just do Cripps -> Ryan

DEF: Edwards Bazzo Ginbey McCarthy Duggan Cole Dewar
MID: Reid Hewett Hough Hall Baker
WING: Hutchinson Maric
RUCK: Flynn BWilliams
FWD: JWilliams Shanahan Brockman Ryan Owies Long
Sub: Champion

Bazzo would only be matching up on some first year Richmond KPF so keep him in for another.
There is no need to go 1 less tall up forward, idk why thats even being suggested tbh.

 

[stallon]

Yeah he's cooked in the 2nd half by the look. Still did some good ruck work. There was a string of play after he went into the ruck in the 2nd qtr when he beat their ruck 3 taps in a row and hit an Eagle on the move each time, including a centre bounce where he's basically jumped over the top of Ports bloke, dragged his nuts over the guys forehead and palmed it straight down Harleys throat. Then Flynn comes back on and lost and bunch. Overall though both Flynn and Williams are tapping to advantage a lot more to my eye now that Harley, Hewlett and Hall are in there and holding their own. Just saw Billiams win a tap to put it perfectly into Brockman path, last minute of the 3rd. He's an improvement on Flynn in there for sure and as a ruck Jack Williams isn't even in the conversation at this point compared to Bailey.

BW winning the ruck a bit than he would have before could be in no small part because hes not rucking the entire game, its a lot easier to keep jumping over blokes when you only do it for 20-25% of the game instead of 80%.

I do like him in this 2nd ruck role anyway, just need a little more output. Doesnt have to be in terms of scoring, just more anything.
Hopefully it was just a light corkie that hampered him as you said before and he wasnt just being invisible

Not sure they played Jack in the centre at all in this game?

JWilliams had 0 CBAs, would be weird if he did tbh when we have BW and Flynn

 

[Rids]

Out: Cripps; In: Ryan (or Champion out if injured/sore)

Not sure I'd make any other changes - very tempted to drop B.Williams for Kelly or Gross to get an extra midfield option but think we need that extra tall target up front.

 

[Cuzz09]

Would be keen for a Newton or Grego debut.

Also Gross

 

[Cuzz09]

Give Chesser a game

 

[DanWCE]

Kelly was best on in the WAFL by a country mile, our mids got a touch up and we have a winnable game.

Very interesting to see what we do there.

I would say he needs to stay in the WAFL at least one more week and prove it again. Does Mini get itchy and bring him back to play in the guts?

In: Ryan, Allan
Out: BWill, Hutch

Cripps or Owies to sub, probably Cripps as he can at least line up on the wing and run a game out if something weird happens early.

I would seriously advocate for TK to back up that game in the WAFL again but Graham going out has really affected the structure and senior representation in the middle. So disappointing. The question then is will Ryan be up for it next weekend and will he take significant midfield minutes.

Tigers have established bodies in the middle. If we can break even there we should stand a chance of getting on top at either end. Big call for Mini to make this week.

 

[Cuzz09]

Actually would love to see Chesser named purely for the delicious melties