Unofficial Preview Changes & pre match discussion vs West Coast - Round 2, 2026

[kool kangas]

agree. not sure if people realise but after the Perth game on Sunday night and then the long trip back home, it's only 5 days till the * game.

Then we can rest (manage) both Blamires and Konstanty as neither Daniel or Lmac will be managed so we can bring in Wardlaw and Hardeman if there are no injuries.

 

[Sphynx]

No idea why people are mentioning last year like it’s relevant.

I don’t care how shit they were last year, on that basis we lost by over 15 goals only 4 games ago to Geelong last year.

WC were the #1 pressure side league wide last week and you can argue foot off the gas all you like, they still beat GC in a half of footy at Metricon, which won’t be an easy prospect for anyone this year. They also came up against a GC side with a game under their belt, when they were first up. We aren’t a side that generally deals well with pressure either.

They have a better forward line than Port as well imo, Waterman and Shanahan are a better combo than Georgiadis and an empty jumper in Lord.

Murdock had the debut of a lifetime for a small forward and if he repeats that will cause all sorts of problems. He played exactly as we’d want Banch to play at his absolute best.

Reid had his best game in over 12 months as did Yeo. Both would have been the two highest rated players on the ground in our game and they did it against Petracca (in god mode), Miller and Anderson.

And they are adding Kelly and Baker in this week.

Anyone thinking this is a walkover is kidding themselves.

I’ll be happy with a 1 goal win.

 

[the big lebowski]

After the sheer bliss of being at Marvel on Sunday, I’m just not brave enough to watch the WC game live. I can’t face the possibility of watching us lose. I was given two Village Platinum tickets a few weeks ago. I might just put them to use this Sunday evening. My poor heart couldn’t deal with two and a half hours of trepidation.

Omg im Doing the exact same thing

 

[King Corey]

No idea why people are mentioning last year like it’s relevant.

I don’t care how shit they were last year, on that basis we lost by over 15 goals only 4 games ago to Geelong last year.

WC were the #1 pressure side league wide last week and you can argue foot off the gas all you like, they still beat GC in a half of footy at Metricon, which won’t be an easy prospect for anyone this year. They also came up against a GC side with a game under their belt, when they were first up. We aren’t a side that generally deals well with pressure either.

They have a better forward line than Port as well imo, Waterman and Shanahan are a better combo than Georgiadis and an empty jumper in Lord.

Murdock had the debut of a lifetime for a small forward and if he repeats that will cause all sorts of problems. He played exactly as we’d want Banch to play at his absolute best.

Reid had his best game in over 12 months as did Yeo. Both would have been the two highest rated players on the ground in our game and they did it against Petracca (in god mode), Miller and Anderson.

And they are adding Kelly and Baker in this week.

Anyone thinking this is a walkover is kidding themselves.

I’ll be happy with a 1 goal win.

Spot on.

We played supposed "WAFL side" Eagles teams in the last few years and had our hands full.

I want to see us completely disciplined, no party tricks and approach them as the danger they actually are.

A few are getting ahead of themselves on here.

 

[Sphynx]

Spot on.

We played supposed "WAFL side" Eagles teams in the last few years and had iur hands full.

I want to see us completely disciplined, no party tricks and approach them as the danger they actually are.

A few are getting ahead of themselves on here.

I don’t think it’s completely unrealistic that West Coast actually finish above Port with an extra preseason into some of their younger players and healthy years from Waterman, Yeo and Kelly. Duursma was good in his first game and Reid played the best he’s played since year 1, that alone is a decent uplift.

The likes of Reid, Ginbey, Allan and Yep who torched it last year, used it very well last week.

This could be the new rules in play, as we saw similar uplifts ourselves from Simpkin, Parker, LDU, FOS etc

 

[DuckYeah]

You think only top 4-8 teams are capable of smashing this lot? They won just the solitary game last season! Richmond, Melbourne and Carlton all had their respective turns in smashing them last season funnily enough.

dont be surprised and throw the toys out of the cot if we lose

 

[Makeshift Park]

I don’t think it’s completely unrealistic that West Coast actually finish above Port with an extra preseason into some of their younger players and healthy years from Waterman, Yeo and Kelly. Duursma was good in his first game and Reid played the best he’s played since year 1, that alone is a decent uplift.

The likes of Reid, Ginbey, Allan and Yep who torched it last year, used it very well last week.

Its not impossible, but we're talking about the youngest and least experienced team in the competition, by some distance, versus the 9th oldest in port.

The average Eagles player across the entire squad has played in less than 52 senior games. They'll need quite a few things to go their way to rise above the bottom few.

 

[andana]

Aviation fuel supplies are running low. AFL needs to prepare by having all games from now in Victoria.
Arden Street on Sunday.

 

[franjon]

was thinking the same. probably their strongest team for a while.

this is a danger game for us

If we're fairdinkum it shouldn't be.

 

[franjon]

Aviation fuel supplies are running low. AFL needs to prepare by having all games from now in Victoria.
Arden Street on Sunday.

Would be fantastic, except we can't park the car on the river anymore.

 

[Caracas]

I have this strange feeling Xerri is gonna do unspeakable things to Matt Flynn on Sunday.

That’s not a feeling, that’s a hope…

 

[Passmore]

$1.90 at a 12.5 pt line.

Back the Roos, sink some brews.

 

[Ruckle]

So very scared about this game. They will likely throw everything at us as they will be pretty confident of a chance to win. If we get a couple of lucky easy goals early in the 1st quarter we will be even more vulnerable.

Flipside is surely we are in no position to be drinking any bathwater but if it gets hard just dont trust us...

Weirdly, I have far more in advance confidence about the two games following .

 

[hilly]

I'll also be happy with a win of any description but I'm not buying into the whole 'won the 2nd half v Suns' argument.

 

[big_e]

Any news on a open training / captain's run on Saturday at all?

 

[speedy]

I don’t want to hear this tougher game than you think garbage. We will struggle to win 5 again if we can’t beat WC, let alone 8-10+

 

[franjon]

So very scared about this game.

I'm not. We need to hit them hard and be confident. I'm actually getting a bit sick of this supporter "oh well I'm a bit worried" bullshit. All things considering, we actually have a pretty good side, and I would dread if the club were thinking this way.

 

[Chadwiko]

Any news on a open training / captain's run on Saturday at all?

In WA you mean? Or here in Melbourne?

 

[big_e]

In WA you mean? Or here in Melbourne?

In Perth. They have an open session maybe 50% of the time. Just haven't heard anything yet, that's all.

Edit: And yes, I have emailed the club but no response yet.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

The selection committee have done their job. The team picked need to deliver a solid win to back up from last week. This is the smart play for the following reasons.

1. It places pressure on the fringe players (18-23) who have been picked to perform, or you lose your spot. I’m sure we all have opinions on who that 6 are.
2. Wardlaw another week per everyone else on this thread is just plain common sense.
3. Hardemann could be considered stiff(y) , but he should be eyeing a return for next week against * with one of those in the 18-23 to go out or if there is an injury.
4. A level of maturity to not pick the local likes of RHJ and Fisher who are WA based lads for a good WA optic. We did this last year and yes RHJ had an amazing last QTR against Freo. Fisher stunk and could not hit the side of a barn when we needed goals.

For me the 6 lads in the 24-29 bracket are. Wardlaw, Hardemann, Banch, RHJ, George and Whitlock. Goad when recovered and playing well might be in there.

No Fisher, Corr, CCJ……a sign we are on the improve if they don’t play and we keep winning. Very much doubt any of them would tear up the VFL with multiple BOGs to demand inclusion.

 

[Reginald0]

Very pleased with the Winning Team approach sends a very direct message to all the fringe guys to get rewarded for doing a job

We have a lot more strings to the bow if we are running fos and Kerch on mids That being said last week turnovers by Log just sloppy and Stephens disposal at times was just rubbish in Q4
A good side will punish that incompetence

 

[amaz199]

I'll also be happy with a win of any description but I'm not buying into the whole 'won the 2nd half v Suns' argument.

The Suns were in cruise control for the entirety of that second half. The damage was already done. The Eagles also had to travel to QLD in humid conditions then come back.

We should be spanking this Eagles outfit. Absolutely run over them. If we are to make a challenge for the top 10 this is what's required. No conditional efforts, just go for it. Do that, and we're definitely on the right track. But I'll take any winning margin.

 

[Chadwiko]

In Perth. They have an open session maybe 50% of the time. Just haven't heard anything yet, that's all.

Edit: And yes, I have emailed the club but no response yet.

Check in with the WA Supporters Group. They'd be all over it.

Alternatively, old mate scottywiper might know.

But yes I imagine they're doing an Optus Oval captains run at some point. Sat arvo my guess.

 

[big_e]

Check in with the WA Supporters Group. They'd be all over it.

Alternatively, old mate scottywiper might know.

But yes I imagine they're doing an Optus Oval captains run at some point. Sat arvo my guess.

Dockers vs Melbourne starts at 4.30, so unlikely at Optus!

 

[TheKanga]

This brings you confidence View attachment 2556244
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Yes because we couldnt have played any worse and we still won