Dear West Coast,

[Mickey Rae]

Depress

Come on ...... He's still growing! Reckon he will hit 167cms by next season......

 

[paran]

We were saying this in 2011 too.

The problem has stemmed from having just one flat out success (Shuey) in a very focused three years where we recruited 11 potential midfielders (Masten, Ebert, Selwood, McGinnity, Shuey, Swift, Smith, Cockie, Sheppard, Stevens, Neates).

You would expect more than a 9% success rate for recruiting, developing and retaining an AFL quality midfielder. Sheppard was a success but I'm sure they hoped he would be a midfielder, and Masten I'm not sure we can put in the same category, though he is a handy B grader.

You should probably throw Gaff in as a success... just to fudge it up!

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Can't we just bring back the guys who recruited Judd, Cousins and Kerr and keep the guys who keep bringing us gun KPP's.

Shuey was one of our first high round 1 picks and he has worked out a treat.
It's the pea hearts like Masten and co that have killed us, plus bringing in more pea hearts like Wellers, Jetta and Redden while losing some toughness in Ebert, Selwood and Rosa who weren't retained mostly due to disposal and lack of opportunity.

 

[Biggie]

Wellers is anything but a pea heart

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Wellers is anything but a pea heart

His effort before Simmo fixed him was questionable.

 

[squashface]

Can't we just bring back the guys who recruited Judd, Cousins and Kerr and keep the guys who keep bringing us gun KPP's.

Shuey was one of our first high round 1 picks and he has worked out a treat.
It's the pea hearts like Masten and co that have killed us, plus bringing in more pea hearts like Wellers, Jetta and Redden while losing some toughness in Ebert, Selwood and Rosa who weren't retained mostly due to disposal and lack of opportunity.

Who would you have drafted instead of Masten, keeping in mind that Dangerfield was a massive stretch at pick 10 and Rioli didn't want to come to Perth?

Out of everyone that was around the mark we got the best player possible imo (even with sponsors hat off).

 

[swooshacummings]

Think you are a bit harsh wanting to get rid of Kennedy and Nic Nat as players of their ilk difficult to replace. Where are we going to find a forward of Kennedys quality and a ruck like Nic. The biggest problem is our midfield mix - we have too many of the same type. However also the complete lack of hunger in the side is the biggest problem - makes you wonder if all is happy within the camp as they definitely are not playing for each other. I know you are talking out of frustration, but there's no way a club could get rid of so many players and get replacements of quality in one hit! All we can hope for, for the rest of the season is that the players see the light and realise they have wasted a season (with the fortune also of having so few injuries) and that a miracle may happen and they find some form and start playing like we know they can.

The club is has a corporate/professional bent, I think that hinders unity in the organic sense.. I have despaired many seasons where players will run past one another without the hi fives, push and shove or gently bump an opposition player to protect their mate or even shepherd/block...

The disconnect of pc corporo professional world does not belong at an afl club. The family culture does.

Encourage, protect and unity amongst one another. That is a common theme at the Hawks and it used to be at most clubs.

 

[SpaceClef]

You should probably throw Gaff in as a success... just to fudge it up!

Was specifically referring to the three year period between 2007-2009 when we made an obvious push to rebuild our midfield.

 

[Here2tellyouwhy]

Who would you have drafted instead of Masten, keeping in mind that Dangerfield was a massive stretch at pick 10 and Rioli didn't want to come to Perth?

Out of everyone that was around the mark we got the best player possible imo (even with sponsors hat off).

Whoever I would have taken would no doubt have been worse. But that doesn't mean we couldn't have traded the pick instead.

That same group that brought us Judd, Cousins and Kerr had no problem trading for tough players like Chick and Stenglien.

Drafting a Masten is fine if you maintain the balance of toughness and contested ability in the years following. But obviously that hasn't happened.

 

[kempy]

The club is has a corporate/professional bent, I think that hinders unity in the organic sense.. I have despaired many seasons where players will run past one another without the hi fives, push and shove or gently bump an opposition player to protect their mate or even shepherd/block...

The disconnect of pc corporo professional world does not belong at an afl club. The family culture does.

Encourage, protect and unity amongst one another. That is a common theme at the Hawks and it used to be at most clubs.

Cripps did that at least, on someone 15 feet taller than him, and cops a fine. Looked like he killed Gawn at first

 

[Milenko]

What I was expecting to read:

Dear West Coast,
I wrote you but you still aint calling
I left my cell, my pager, and my home phone at the bottom,
I sent two letters back in autumn, you must not-a got 'em
There probably was a problem at the post office or somethin'

POTY contender!

 

[swooshacummings]

Cripps did that at least, on someone 15 feet taller than him, and cops a fine. Looked like he killed Gawn at first

The umps were probably shocked to see a WC player do it... Hawks do it every game, hence the unsociable tag.

These acts breed unity and can be done in a way that avoids the scrutiny of the unpires, mind you the hawks walk a fine line... I love watching it as a supporter of footy personally

 

[Eaglemaniac]

Cripps did that at least, on someone 15 feet taller than him, and cops a fine. Looked like he killed Gawn at first

Its an absolute joke he got fined for that, what the **** is this league coming to when a bump is given a fine?

 

[Goldfish]

Its an absolute joke he got fined for that, what the **** is this league coming to when a bump is given a fine?

McGovern's fine was worse, that was in play! I think it was just after he dropped a chest mark, then his 'Turbo' tag kicked in and he ran through Kent as he kicked it.

 

[glenorchy_jet]

This year definitely hasn't turned out the way I thought it would.
At times we look lazy, walking from contest to contest, walking when we should be running, not guarding the space as well as last year which result in cheap goals from the opposition, poor turnovers which end up being costly, I could go on and on analysing every part of our game trying to determine what has gone wrong but the thing which I think everyone is also forgetting which is quite obvious is that it is 2016. We may have gone leaps and bounds last year but that doesn't mean that other teams didn't do the same over their pre-season to come into this season.
What I will say as a positive though that IMO, not all hope is lost. Yes they may not be playing as well as we'd like but that same speed and intent which we saw last year is still there. It may not be in every passage of play but there are glimpses in every game where we just move the ball with such speed and precision that it captures the opposition off guard, it is exciting to watch - the only thing we need is consistency.
I have felt it for weeks but I honestly believe we are about to click, I don't know what it is but I feel it is all going to come together just before finals and we will see the Eagles of 2015. Maybe with the addition of Sheed and Nic Nat in the midfield this week might ignite something within and we will just fire, but maybe it is also wishful thinking on what has been a mediocre season so far.

 

[peekaye]

McGovern's fine was worse, that was in play! I think it was just after he dropped a chest mark, then his 'Turbo' tag kicked in and he ran through Kent as he kicked it.

Is is known why Jez is called "Turbo"?

 

[Mickey Rae]

Is is known why Jez is called "Turbo"?

Yes.

 

[paran]

Is is known why Jez is called "Turbo"?

Governor engine mate

 

[Keys]

This thing that you're doing.

This thing that is masquerading at football, or as a football club that was burned by a GF loss and is doing everything that it can to go one better.

It's not working and needs to change. Now, before it's too late.

In 2015 we played fast, fluid, instinctive football. We defended brilliantly with an undersized defence. We exceeded all expectations by making the Grand Final but deserved to be there without question.

On the day we were overawed, too inexperienced to cope with a battle hardened opponent that mercilessly exposed our weaknesses. We weren't ready and got embarrassed. In short, we got taught a lesson.

The type of lesson that drives a team to want to get better, to leave no stone unturned to atone, that motivates a pre-season.

Steps were taken to improve the list - outside run with improved disposal and a bigger body for the inside contest were added. Our 2014 B&F winner was returning after sitting out 2015 with a knee reco.

On paper we were an improved side. We were a legitimate challenger.

The reality has fallen short of expectation by some margin

We beatup on the minnows sure, but away from home we met each challenge against a fellow contender and failed. Usually miserably. Then we shat the bed against our first decent opponent at home and coughed up what should have been a match winning lead.

The draw gifted us some "soft" kills after that loss to restore confidence and build momentum. Despite a last quarter fade out at the home of football (the GF venue and home ground of some) it looked to be working.

Today I sat through the most spineless, inept display of football I've had the displeasure of seeing.

We were beaten in every measurable statistic which confirmed what the eyes were seeing - the other side wanted it more, were prepared to work harder, had better structures. We were outplayed. Completely

After wondering just how it was that we weren't further behind than a goal or so for most of the match, I was amazed that somehow we got over the line and won a game we had no right to be even close in.

We got lucky.

But we won and that's the upside

We've been terrible in comparison to last year but miraculously after 17 rounds we're still balls deep in the race for this years flag. A race that we have no right still being in just like 3/4 time of today's game.

Can we go one better in 2016. Right now I doubt it because the effort, the hunger just doesn't seem to be there.

On field we look timid, frightened almost. Off field we've been conservative afraid to take risks. Our structures look wrong and the pieces of the puzzle aren't falling into place the way they did last year.

From the outside the loss of Pyke to Adelaide looks to have left a massive hole but other than him the coaching staff is the same with the addition of the well credentialed Wardorp from Hawthorn. Surely one assistant can't make that much difference. Maybe he does, but even then it only explains the drop in strategy and not the fall in intent and effort.

Maybe the players just expected it would happen. Assumed the improvement would come but are looking to others to improve and not looking within.

I don't know what the answer is but this years version of the West Coast Eagles is a pale imitation of the side from 2015.

There's 5 rounds left and we are equal 2nd on percentage without playing anywhere near our best. Five rounds left to rediscover our mojo, to find form as a club not just onfield but as an organisation.

Time to fix what's broken

Time to Hunt, goddammit.

Well

Rediscovered our mojo for a couple of weeks

Shat the bed when it really counted

Spend this off season finding a ****ing heart

 

[PS4K]

Is is known why Jez is called "Turbo"?

Doesn't last long in the sack

Also goes by Hurricane

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Well

Rediscovered our mojo for a couple of weeks

Shat the bed when it really counted

Spend this off season finding a ******* heart

Spot on mate, the thing that annoyed Me the most tonight was the complete lack of standing up as a collective. The key deficiencies are still the same as what they have been for 5 years.

 

[Broken_Chairs]

Well

Rediscovered our mojo for a couple of weeks

Shat the bed when it really counted

Spend this off season finding a ******* heart

Would have almost preferred we hadn't played as well as we did in the last 3 weeks.

At least then I would have expected last nights result. Really disappointing to see us revert back to the shit we'd been dishing up all season.

 

[Biggie]

Would have almost preferred we hadn't played as well as we did in the last 3 weeks.

At least then I would have expected last nights result. Really disappointing to see us revert back to the shit we'd been dishing up all season.

Yep, good call.