Analysis Are we better in 2018 than in 2015?

[ioppolo]

2015 really got going after we beat Richmond at the G.

 

[WCEbrody]

Feels like we're getting a better spread across 25-30 players. Plus i have more confidence of kids/players in the WAFL coming in and actually doing a job.

Cole,Rioli,Ryan,Venables,Waterman etc don't feel like they're being carried at all.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

I feel the game against collingwood is the crux to our season

Win that and we hopefully get our mcg hoodoo of our backs - and get some serious self belief going - its over 20 years since we beat them there - thats the sort of thing that gets a team mentally in the space where they believe they can beat anyone.

Lose and it will be hard.

Had been thinking exactly the same thing Al.

 

[Chris_6678]

North went 9-1 I think in 2016 and nearly went on the verge of missing the 8 by round 23.

Not taking the lid off yet until around Round 15 or so if we are still in a good position.

True but that was on the back of their ageing senior players giving it once last crack and had a similar 22 each week and by mid year they looked tired.

Early days but i feel we have better depth at the moment and it will be interesting to see how we go in the next 3 games with no Shuey. If we win all 3 or even 2 of the next 3 i feel we are a better team than 2015. We still have Venables, Ryan, Jetta & Shuey to come back into the squad plus some depth players in Schofield, Parto, Ah Chee, Vardy ( when he is back from Injury) , Emac ( Ditto) & Karpany who could all play a role if needed. On top of that we have Ainsworth, M Allen ,Brander, Watson and Rotham doing well in the WAFL that they are a chance to debut on top of the other 5 we have given a go.

 

[The Dodger]

Yep more even spread. Not relying on onlyguywhogoesinandgetsit...there is no one guy and with a half decent ruck like the form Lycett is in I would be confident in this team even if we lost NN for the suspension this week. Not saying we win but confident that the team are improving and that the people we have on the park will get the job done.

Our skills are much better and all of our younger players are contributing beyond their years which is a first since 2011.

That 2015 team despite being good were too unbalanced, too reliant on a stagnant game plan and if the opposition got a run on were too slow to put the brakes on it.

 

[Coasters7]

Definitely a better overall squad. The thing I’m loving is that all 40+ of them could potentially come in any given week and play a role (and play it fairly well). Seen it over the last couple of weeks, one soldier goes down and the next one moves to the front of the line and picks up where he left off. Will be interesting without Shuey for a couple of weeks to see who else steps up.

Also loving the fact we don’t roll over when the going gets tough. Freo, Carlton, Port all would have been losses for 2017 Eagles. If we can limit those opposition goal runs to 2 or 3 we will be hard to stop.

Just good that we are playing exciting footy and still getting results. One of only two teams to average 100 points a game, not grinding out 80-60 type games.

 

[Suma Magic]

Based on performance, no way.

We have beaten two terrible teams away.

We've had five home games. We are 1-1 against likely top 8 teams.

If you compare our squiggle position with 2015:

• 2015: 56 attack, 66 defence
• 2018: 55 attack, 47 defence

We won 16.5 games in 2015. Squiggle is projecting 14 wins.

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

Based on performance, no way.

We have beaten two terrible teams away.

We've had five home games. We are 1-1 against likely top 8 teams.

If you compare our squiggle position with 2015:

• 2015: 56 attack, 66 defence
• 2018: 55 attack, 47 defence

We won 16.5 games in 2015. Squiggle is projecting 14 wins.

The squiggle is based on our 2017 performances as well, so that's irrelevant. Let's see where the squiggle has us at the end of this year, then compare.

 

[Suma Magic]

The squiggle is based on our 2017 performances as well, so that's irrelevant. Let's see where the squiggle has us at the end of this year, then compare.

We weren’t great in 2014 though. We ended up worse than 2017, so that strengthens my argument.

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

We weren’t great in 2014 though. We ended up worse than 2017, so that strengthens my argument.

yeah but you're comparing squiggle position at the end of 2015 to round 7 of 2018.

 

[Suma Magic]

yeah but you're comparing squiggle position at the end of 2015 to round 7 of 2018.

I compared to round 7 2015 (sorry I didn't make that clear at all).

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

I compared to round 7 2015 (sorry I didn't make that clear at all).

Fair enough, but how many wins did the squiggle predict we would have for the season in 2015 at that point of the season, I can't see it being 16.5

 

[Suma Magic]

Fair enough, but how many wins did the squiggle predict we would have for the season in 2015 at that point of the season, I can't see it being 16.5

It was 16. https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/race-for-the-flag-in-squiggly-lines.1022679/page-110

 

[frenchconnection]

Based on performance, no way.

We have beaten two terrible teams away.

We've had five home games. We are 1-1 against likely top 8 teams.

If you compare our squiggle position with 2015:

• 2015: 56 attack, 66 defence
• 2018: 55 attack, 47 defence

We won 16.5 games in 2015. Squiggle is projecting 14 wins.

A bit early to say yet I think - probably by the time the bye comes around will give us a better indication as to how we are travelling in the scheme of things. Signs are good and if our good form continues should make the 8 and possibly the top 4 with a bit of luck?

 

[kranky al]

From memory in 2015 we were flattered by an easy draw

The next years draw soon sorted us out

 

[Quinz]

We're not at 2015 levels yet, let's ease up a bit.

We did start that season a bit slower though and then kick into gear, so hopefully we can keep this momentum up.

 

[ioppolo]

In 2015 all our mid tier players had career best years. Hutchings, Sheppard, Wellingham, Hill, Priddis, Cripps & Sinclair all had career best years that year IMO.

 

[WCErevival]

We had an average winning margin of about 50 points in 2015 didnt we? A way to go.

 

[hudson2006]

I made a rough attempt at seeing how difficult each teams opponents have been so far (the first 7 AFL rounds) using the current ladder ranking to distribute points ie. 18 pts for Richmond down to 1 pt for Carlton.

85 Sydney
84 Carlton
81 St Kilda
77 Geelong
72 Fremantle
70 Hawks, Pies, Essendon
68 Lions
67 Melbourne
66 Port
60 Richmond, Suns, Bulldogs
53 North, Adelaide
51 WCE, GWS

When factoring in interstate travel by doubling difficulty points for those games, it looks like this:

118 Sydney
112 Fremantle, Carlton
111 Lions
108 Port
106 Suns
100 Geelong
96 St Kilda
88 Collingwood
81 Bulldogs
77 GWS, Essendon
76 Richmond
73 Hawthorn
71 Adelaide, North
69 Melbourne
57 WCE

Of course this is only a rough and arbitrary way to look at the season so far, but it's clear we have had a very easy run so far. But if we pinch a win against GWS or the Hawks & take care of Richmond in Perth, suddenly we don't look out of place in the top four.

 

[kranky al]

I made a rough attempt at seeing how difficult each teams opponents have been so far (the first 7 AFL rounds) using the current ladder ranking to distribute points ie. 18 pts for Richmond down to 1 pt for Carlton.

85 Sydney
84 Carlton
81 St Kilda
77 Geelong
72 Fremantle
70 Hawks, Pies, Essendon
68 Lions
67 Melbourne
66 Port
60 Richmond, Suns, Bulldogs
53 North, Adelaide
51 WCE, GWS

When factoring in interstate travel by doubling difficulty points for those games, it looks like this:

118 Sydney
112 Fremantle, Carlton
111 Lions
108 Port
106 Suns
100 Geelong
96 St Kilda
88 Collingwood
81 Bulldogs
77 GWS, Essendon
76 Richmond
73 Hawthorn
71 Adelaide, North
69 Melbourne
57 WCE

Of course this is only a rough and arbitrary way to look at the season so far, but it's clear we have had a very easy run so far. But if we pinch a win against GWS or the Hawks & take care of Richmond in Perth, suddenly we don't look out of place in the top four.

Thats actually quite sobering

I just drove five more tech screws into that lid

Aint going nowhere now

 

[wce4premiership]

Im as excited as ever watching us play but it's round 7.

2015 team made a grand final, something very hard to do. Our forward line was phenomenal and every one fell in love with "the web"

 

[frenchconnection]

So just so I know Im reading this right does that mean because we are down the bottom of both lists that we have had the easiest run so far?

 

[dajesmac]

We're not at 2015 levels yet, let's ease up a bit.

We did start that season a bit slower though and then kick into gear, so hopefully we can keep this momentum up.

We started really well in 2015, clearly a notch above what we are now. But I agree with your point - I think this thread might become an embarrassment by the end of the year.

 

[flamingEMBERS]

derrr,

2, 4, 6, 8
92, 94, 06, 18

 

[LordHaart]

There's also a real question about whether the competition (come finals time) will be as formidable as 2015. I don't know that any side is playing like Hawthorn was in 2015.

We've been remarkably resilient given our injuries which is a testament to the game plan, or at least the part of it which has every player contributing to multiple positions.