Back2Back?

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Been wondering when this topic would arise?
I don't think we've had a window like this since 91-94,
where the team has the right balance of skill, personnel and coaching.
also the age groups of the team are great for another shot.

B2B is very difficult, but the window is 'now' obviously and it's
not a fantasy projection, the ingredients are all in place, just needs to be executed!
and therein lies the rub, it takes a special kind of special to keep that focus or
maintain the rage for another season after basking in the glory of a win.

The depth is promising and may require some topping up
as mentioned by others.
I don't believe this team has properly gelled or peaked yet.
There is definitely room for improvement and it's this season.
Not too fussed about the ruck, should be covered, one way or another.

I think this team has it and they would know they could be the first to go B2B
and create a unique place for themselves in club and footy history.
But unfortunately, it doesn't matter how professional and determined you are
it also relies on Lady luck, the Footy Gods and the Injury Demons!
Lets' get back to #2 or #1 first and take it from there...
 
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Astro7 said:
Been wondering when this topic would arise?
I don't think we've had a window like this since 91-94,
where the team has the right balance of skill, personnel and coaching.
also the age groups of the team is great for another shot.

B2B is very difficult, but the window is 'now' obviously and it's
not a fantasy projection, the ingredients are all in place, just needs to be executed!
and therein lies the rub, it takes a special kind of special to keep that focus or
maintain the rage for another season after basking in the glory of a win.

The depth is promising and may require some topping up
as mentioned by others.
I don't believe this team has properly gelled or peaked yet.
There is definitely room for improvement and it's this season.
Not too fussed about the ruck, should be covered, one way or another.
I think this team has it and they would know they could be the first to go B2B
and create a unique place for themselves in club and footy history.
But unfortunately, it doesn't matter how professional and determined you are
it also relies on Lady luck, the Footy Gods and the Injury Demons!
Lets' get back to #2 or #1 first and take it from there...
Click to expand...
We climbed a mountain this year.I like the view from up here.Im afraid to go back down.I think it could do irreparable damage to my psyche!
 
eaglesnutcase said:
We climbed a mountain this year.I like the view from up here.Im afraid to go back down.I think it could do irreparable damage to my psyche!
Click to expand...
Agree, it takes so long to climb that mountain, who wants to be back amongst the pack,
struggling to get into the eight?
But that day will probably come, cycles and circles,
unless we've turned the corner as a club and become the new Hawthorn,
astutely shedding+topping up and managing the list and keeping abreast
of coaching/innovations etc..
 

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Astro7 said:
Been wondering when this topic would arise?
I don't think we've had a window like this since 91-94,
where the team has the right balance of skill, personnel and coaching.
also the age groups of the team are great for another shot.

B2B is very difficult, but the window is 'now' obviously and it's
not a fantasy projection, the ingredients are all in place, just needs to be executed!
and therein lies the rub, it takes a special kind of special to keep that focus or
maintain the rage for another season after basking in the glory of a win.

The depth is promising and may require some topping up
as mentioned by others.
I don't believe this team has properly gelled or peaked yet.
There is definitely room for improvement and it's this season.
Not too fussed about the ruck, should be covered, one way or another.

I think this team has it and they would know they could be the first to go B2B
and create a unique place for themselves in club and footy history.
But unfortunately, it doesn't matter how professional and determined you are
it also relies on Lady luck, the Footy Gods and the Injury Demons!
Lets' get back to #2 or #1 first and take it from there...
Click to expand...
I am a bit worried by the ruck situation Astro.We had a specific ploy of targeting the opposition big men in Gawn and Grundy.It takes balls and an an agressive mindset which Lycett certainly brought to the table.You often hear cricketers say that they are going to target the oppositions captain or best player but its rarely stated in footy.We did it and it worked.More sides will try it next year so we need to be in front of the pack.I agree that there is definitely room to improve.Ryan,Rioli and Venners are just beginning.Cole will get much better and its scary that Duggan has played 70 odd games at 21 yrs. Barass is two - three years from his peak.Anyhow,must be off;got elocution lessons;gotta learn how to talk to the wife again!Is it too early for another GF replay??
 
eaglesnutcase said:
I am a bit worried by the ruck situation Astro.We had a specific ploy of targeting the opposition big men in Gawn and Grundy.It takes balls and an an agressive mindset which Lycett certainly brought to the table.You often hear cricketers say that they are going to target the oppositions captain or best player but its rarely stated in footy.We did it and it worked.More sides will try it next year so we need to be in front of the pack.I agree that there is definitely room to improve.Ryan,Rioli and Venners are just beginning.Cole will get much better and its scary that Duggan has played 70 odd games at 21 yrs. Barass is two - three years from his peak.Anyhow,must be off;got elocution lessons;gotta learn how to talk to the wife again!Is it too early for another GF replay??
Click to expand...
Haha ENC, I know the feeling..hanging out later at night to watch footy by myself after all else in bed, only to be sprung by my wife or son with "Oh no, you're not watching footy again...get a life".
There has been a definite glitch in reality (my life),
while I've been temporarily suspended in a football fixation or nirvana...am going cold turkey now.
Alls well that ends well!?

Am a bit casual about the ruck, thinking we've patched together rucks before and survived, even if the new combo is just serviceable, our mids will improve and adapt - I mean Shuey, Yeo, Gaff, Redden, Hutch, Rioli, Sheed (whoever else we implant) suddenly these names are rolled-gold, should do the job? Not too fussed about Sam's exit, time will tell, but we would've extracted a lot of knowledge from him, now a part of our team dna, although will miss his gameday input..next soldier/assistant in, step up to the plate.
Anyway, it is only October....
 
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We go into 2019 with nothing to lose - again.

I think we were on the eighth line of betting or thereabouts at the start of this season, and even with a flag behind us now we're still only third favourites for the 2019 flag (I suspect when pre-season starts even Melbourne will overtake us). No one rated us during the preseason, no one rated us during the home and away season, no one rated us a few minutes into the GF, no one rated us just days after a flag.

Bring it on.
 
Forward Press said:
We go into 2019 with nothing to lose - again.

I think we were on the eighth line of betting or thereabouts at the start of this season, and even with a flag behind us now we're still only third favourites for the 2019 flag (I suspect when pre-season starts even Melbourne will overtake us). No one rated us during the preseason, no one rated us during the home and away season, no one rated us a few minutes into the GF, no one rated us just days after a flag.

Bring it on.
Click to expand...
We must be s**t then.

Why am i so happy?
 
kranky al said:
We must be s**t then.

Why am i so happy?
Click to expand...

Had a look at Sportsbet for 2019 AFL premiers, freaking Melbourne is at $8 (we're at $7), so there is indeed a good chance we will get overtaken when Round 1 kicks off.

We were at $31 during the off-season in 2018 (demondavey's legendary thread on this board has evidence of this). Dogs are currently at $34, which means that pundits think that the Western 'Still in Premiership Hangover' Bulldogs are a similar chance at the flag next year than we were this year.
 
eaglesnutcase said:
Talent? Tick. Coaches adaptability/new challenge/no Mitchell ? Probable tick. Mental strength?...............?
Click to expand...

I don't know how you can possibly have a question mark against the squads mental strength when we just won a grand final away from home in which we were down 5 goals to zip, trailing nearly the whole game, without 2 of our top 4 most important players and 3 of our top 8.
 
Hansmolman said:
I don't know how you can possibly have a question mark against the squads mental strength when we just won a grand final away from home in which we were down 5 goals to zip, trailing nearly the whole game, without 2 of our top 4 most important players and 3 of our top 8.
Click to expand...

Maybe so, but until we win in Tasmania when we are down 6 goals with 30 seconds to go, without 3 of our top 4 most important players and 5 of our top 8 then I still question this squad's mental strength.
 

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Such a hard thing to do, of course we're a chance but the players have to be hungry for success still. They need to push for Gaff, Shep and Naitanui.

It's such a hard thing to accomplish, especially from WA but I'd love to see it happen once in our history. If JK is fit, Darling maintains his form and we get some more support from the lower level players like we did this year we're a good chance.

Our game style can beat any game style, but at the same time hunger or lack of can ruin everything.
 
I think that now with the premiership monkey off our backs we will be even better next season. Going back the last few season since 2015 one of our weaknesses has been the ability to handle mental pressure in big games. It was pressure built over 3 seasons and with what we just achieved this season I think now finally the side will play with confidence and the mental strength to show our true potential without fear of disappointment.

Darling for example will be so much better from it. It’s time to shine. We will be bloody hard to stop now.
 
Huge ask. Can you guys do it? Yep. Will you? I don't think so. You guys played a brilliant Grand Final and faced crazy adversity to triumph. Loss of key players, 5 goals down in the 1st quarter { which revisited even more demons from 2015 } and overcome bad kicking in the last. You also obviously beat the Pies at around 16 or so at the G, but on the big stage, the ground was still somewhat of a concern. Monumental effort. Key players missing aside, you still only just won { deserved } right at the end due to a clutch kick. Point being is Grand Finals are so hard to win and we could easily be sitting here talking about being runners up. Of course the season re-sets and we go again and yeah with the players you got coming back, no question the Eagles can do it. But another year later, the odds are always against you and it does come down to luck. Once again bloody good effort that you won because luck was against you with several key injuries. Timing and luck are a huge thing though as the Tigers looked set to go b2b for a good half a season and one bad game, it was allover.

My pick would be no. I think like many as well after tasting Grand Final victory that hunger might be lacking just a tad which can also be a huge factor.
 
Seadog said:
After this years unexpected triumph it feels like next year is a free hit, hope for the best enjoy the season and if it doesn't pan out there's always the dvd of 2018 Premiers.
Click to expand...
Agree with this 100 percent. The Eagles victory in 2018 is like a 3peat. It was just so unexpected and such a HUGE triumph, WCE can do * all for a while now and get a free pass.

You guys won against insurmountable odds. I think it's the best premiership victory I've ever witnessed.
 
^Here's the thing, I don' think it was unexpected!?^
and it could've just as easily been a win by 5 goals?
Arrogance aside, that 'dog with a bone' persistence against adversity,
was on show later last season and there for most of this season,
it was no fluke or wonderful accident...I read it as pure intent and desire!
Having said that, it's not easy to go B2B.
but i think this team can do it, which doesn't mean they will.
 
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