Eagles Best 22 in 2022

[Get_The_Gaff]

The rest of the backline just has to cover him so he can play at his damaging best, like they did with Jetta. His skillset is too different from the rest of our backline to not play him.

Jetta even in his twilight still was quicker than most forwards . Even though he wasn't the greatest defender he could still chase and close down space .

Witherden is slower than a 34 year old hurn . You can't have them both in the same backline

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Do you think Hurn Barrass and Guv can play a different style of defence?

I get worried about wheeling in the old crew and then get disappointed when we don’t change

 

[Obeanie1]

Unavailable Gov, Redden, Sheppard LTI (one of Hurn or JK)

FB: Foley, T Barrass, T Cole
HB: J Rotham, Edwards, L Duggan
C: A Gaff, Yeo, Kelly
HF: Cripps, J Darling, L Ryan
FF: Rioli, J Kennedy, O Allen

R: N Naitanui, Shuey, West

I: B Williams, Sheed, G Clark, SPS

Emg: Waterman, Witherden, O'Neil, Petrucelle

 

[Mikevk123]

Gotta get games into some of the younger players. Hurn and Kennedy are stars but shouldn’t be starting in the best 22. Harry Edwards will pinch hit in the ruck to support NicNat instead of Allen. Foley, Cole and Duggan off the back half. Chesser and Gaff on the wings and Yeo, Sheed and Kelly through the middle. Up forward waterman comes in for Kennedy. Luke Edwards, SPS and Rotham on the wing. Rotham to play through the middle inside and out. He’s quick and a big body.

B J.McGovern T.Barrass T.Cole
HB L.Foley H.Edwards L.Duggan
C A.Gaff E.Yeo C.Chesser
HF J.Waterman J.Darling L.Ryan
F W.Rioli O.Allen J.Cripps
FOLL: N.Naitanui D.Sheed T.Kelly
INTER: L.Shuey, L.Edwards, J.Rotham, SPS

Emergencies
J.Petrucclle, A.Witherdan, J.Kennedy, S.Hurn, B.Williams, J.Jones, G.Clark, X.O’Neil, J.Redden, C.West, C.Jamieson, J.Nelson

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Gotta get games into some of the younger players. Hurn and Kennedy are stars but shouldn’t be starting in the best 22. Harry Edwards will pinch hit in the ruck to support NicNat instead of Allen. Foley, Cole and Duggan off the back half. Chesser and Gaff on the wings and Yeo, Sheed and Kelly through the middle. Up forward waterman comes in for Kennedy. Luke Edwards, SPS and Rotham on the wing. Rotham to play through the middle inside and out. He’s quick and a big body.

B J.McGovern T.Barrass T.Cole
HB L.Foley H.Edwards L.Duggan
C A.Gaff E.Yeo C.Chesser
HF J.Waterman J.Darling L.Ryan
F W.Rioli O.Allen J.Cripps
FOLL: N.Naitanui D.Sheed T.Kelly
INTER: L.Shuey, L.Edwards, J.Rotham, SPS

Emergencies
J.Petrucclle, A.Witherdan, J.Kennedy, S.Hurn, B.Williams, J.Jones, G.Clark, X.O’Neil, J.Redden, C.West, C.Jamieson, J.Nelson

Sheed and Kelly to start at centre bounces - guess tackling is not a priority

 

[WCE_phil]

Gotta get games into some of the younger players. Hurn and Kennedy are stars but shouldn’t be starting in the best 22. Harry Edwards will pinch hit in the ruck to support NicNat instead of Allen. Foley, Cole and Duggan off the back half. Chesser and Gaff on the wings and Yeo, Sheed and Kelly through the middle. Up forward waterman comes in for Kennedy. Luke Edwards, SPS and Rotham on the wing. Rotham to play through the middle inside and out. He’s quick and a big body.

B J.McGovern T.Barrass T.Cole
HB L.Foley H.Edwards L.Duggan
C A.Gaff E.Yeo C.Chesser
HF J.Waterman J.Darling L.Ryan
F W.Rioli O.Allen J.Cripps
FOLL: N.Naitanui D.Sheed T.Kelly
INTER: L.Shuey, L.Edwards, J.Rotham, SPS

Emergencies
J.Petrucclle, A.Witherdan, J.Kennedy, S.Hurn, B.Williams, J.Jones, G.Clark, X.O’Neil, J.Redden, C.West, C.Jamieson, J.Nelson

As a club we try to win matches and finals. So starting the season with an 18 year old wingman/half back who has played 6 junior games in two years aint happening. If anyone outside of the 22 was to surprisingly come in and take the role it would be Winder. Or more likely Winder to HFF and Cripps playing further up the ground.

 

[Mikevk123]

Sheed and Kelly to start at centre bounces - guess tackling is not a priority

Time for those two to pull there fingers out. Tim Kelly reminds me of Dylan Shiel. Kelly’s a good player but he can go to another level. No excuse for Sheed he’s a solid body.

 

[Mikevk123]

As a club we try to win matches and finals. So starting the season with an 18 year old wingman/half back who has played 6 junior games in two years aint happening. If anyone outside of the 22 was to surprisingly come in and take the role it would be Winder. Or more likely Winder to HFF and Cripps playing further up the ground.

yeah fair enough I was just looking from a future point of view. Reckon you guys can float from 5-8 but hard to see a flag tilt.

Game plan needs changing but I’ve gotta be honest all the border crap with ur premier hasn’t helped. Ruined your momentum in both seasons. Probably cost you top four berths as well.

 

[shooshka]

yeah fair enough I was just looking from a future point of view. Reckon you guys can float from 5-8 but hard to see a flag tilt.

Game plan needs changing but I’ve gotta be honest all the border crap with ur premier hasn’t helped. Ruined your momentum in both seasons. Probably cost you top four berths as well.

It's a bit of both really (the border plus the players).

Strangely, after 2018 when we had significant events that were able to galvanise the squad (Gaff brain fart, NN injury, Shep injury), since then we've been unable to handle change as a team.

Willies doping scandal in 2019 (probably fair that it was a distraction, and it was a final)
2020 - hubs etc (probably could have just left it at 2020)
2021 - our record in games with crowds vs without was quite different. And laid bare when, after probably our best win of the season against Richmond, the late withdrawal of the crowd against the dogs seemed to distract us. Obviously from then onwards were the worst team in the league so it is hard to judge whether it was the crowd change or not for that game - but based on history for the past couple of years it clearly didn't help.

100% right around the game plan. It needs significant overhaul. I'd say the 2 things I'm hanging my hope on, that we need for us to jump up the ladder, is quick movement into the forward line, and forward pressure to keep it there (they are often competing priorities though - and hard to marry up). Our forward line is as potent as any (especially if Rioli hits form again). As has been the case since 2018, if we get it in there enough (equal inside 50's) we tend to win. If not, we tend to lose (that is probably the case for most teams - I haven't checked - but it is very evident for WC).

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Time for those two to pull there fingers out. Tim Kelly reminds me of Dylan Shiel. Kelly’s a good player but he can go to another level. No excuse for Sheed he’s a solid body.

Sheed - you watched many of his games?

 

[Chris_6678]

Do you think Hurn Barrass and Guv can play a different style of defence?

I get worried about wheeling in the old crew and then get disappointed when we don’t change

I think Pratt being back as a the backline coach i think he will make it more functional.

He stopped being the Backline coach in 2019 from memory.

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

Round 1 - without Redden available.

FB: S Hurn, T Barrass, T Cole
HB: J Rotham, J McGovern, L Duggan
C: A Gaff, E Yeo, D Sheed
HF: W Rioli, J Darling, J Cripps
FF: L Ryan, J Kennedy, O Allen

R: N Naitanui, T Kelly, S P-S

I: L Shuey, A Witherden, J Petruccelle, XON

- Rotham and Duggan to provide run off half back, really want to see Rotham use his speed off half back and try break the lines.
- Shuey to play a hybrid HFF/Midfield role and SPS takes on more of a permanent role in the midfield (providing he delivers)
- Hoping XON has a break through year otherwise between Clark, Chesser and L Edwards are other options
- Gone for one ruckman, O Allen can provide the chop out.

WAFL side

FB: Top Up, R Bazzo , Top Up
HB: L Foley, H Edwards , J Nelson
C: L Edwards, G Clark, C Chesser
HF: I Winder, J Waterman, B Hough
FF: J Jones, J Williams, C Jamieson

R: B Williams, Z Trew, C West

I: Z Langdon

 

[bh90210fan]

Hate the worst but reckon I’ll be getting a subscription next year to catch the beagles games. Any luck on the injury front and we’ll go alright with that list, especially if we add Strnadica and Dittmar.

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Round 1 - without Redden available.

FB: S Hurn, T Barrass, T Cole
HB: J Rotham, J McGovern, L Duggan
C: A Gaff, E Yeo, D Sheed
HF: W Rioli, J Darling, J Cripps
FF: L Ryan, J Kennedy, O Allen

R: N Naitanui, T Kelly, S P-S

I: L Shuey, A Witherden, J Petruccelle, XON

- Rotham and Duggan to provide run off half back, really want to see Rotham use his speed off half back and try break the lines.
- Shuey to play a hybrid HFF/Midfield role and SPS takes on more of a permanent role in the midfield (providing he delivers)
- Hoping XON has a break through year otherwise between Clark, Chesser and L Edwards are other options
- Gone for one ruckman, O Allen can provide the chop out.

WAFL side

FB: Top Up, R Bazzo , Top Up
HB: L Foley, H Edwards , J Nelson
C: L Edwards, G Clark, C Chesser
HF: I Winder, J Waterman, B Hough
FF: J Jones, J Williams, C Jamieson

R: B Williams, Z Trew, C West

I: Z Langdon

Given we play JK as the key forward, Oscar has to play 2 roles. The second role is either relieving ruck (vomit time) or my preference would be to relieve Gov to ruck to ruck and Allen goes KPD. Having played both KPF and KPD, I used to like the variety and it stopped me getting ahead of myself as the focal point in attack.

We lost too much momentum in the clearances when Oscar rucks and we do not need him getting banged up. The game when Gov did ruck, it actually felt like a better balance.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Based on the WAFL grand final and Clark’s season, I cannot recall an inside mid that West Coast have drafted in the last decade that was more ready to play.

Surely Clark has to be played in R1.

I never want to see any more than 1 of Gaff, Sheed and Kelly in the middle for centre bounces. Add NicNat and we will have at least 3 inside mids to get the ball to our gun forwards.

Chesser has hardly got on the park in the last 2 years and will not have a full preseason so we should temper expectations for anything too soon.

Out of our 18 year olds, I can see Hough getting a game if Cripps say doesn’t want to go into a hub or we get injuries. He actually knows how to play hff.

I hear you but I am willing to bet the starting midfield pending fitness will be exactly the same as its been for the last 4 years. I don't think there is a chance in hell that Clark will play ahead of Sheed, Redden, Shuey, Yeo, Kelly, Gaff etc. Just not our way and aint going to happen.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Hate the worst but reckon I’ll be getting a subscription next year to catch the beagles games. Any luck on the injury front and we’ll go alright with that list, especially if we add Strnadica and Dittmar.

Why don't you go and attend?

 

[bh90210fan]

Why don't you go and attend?

I attend the senior games, that’s enough for me

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

I hear you but I am willing to bet the starting midfield pending fitness will be exactly the same as its been for the last 4 years. I don't think there is a chance in hell that Clark will play ahead of Sheed, Redden, Shuey, Yeo, Kelly, Gaff etc. Just not our way and aint going to happen.

Got a feeling he will play ahead of Redden.

Got another feeling that Gaff will be back on his wing playing the outside mid role. No more inside mid for Gaff.

So our inside and balanced mids ahead of Clark are: Shuey, Yeo, Kelly/Sheed (on a mid/hff job share) and a toss up with SPS and Clark. Given our inept tackling and pisspoor contested football that has been rubbed in the coaches and players face, I expect changes will occur. Maybe it is hope. But there again the senior leaders at the club have spent 3 months apologising for the way we played the last 2 years.

I also expect Knight and Schofield to be given input as to which competitors they want in the midfield. What we did in the past will only lead us to where we have been in the last 2 seasons.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Got a feeling he will play ahead of Redden.

Got another feeling that Gaff will be back on his wing playing the outside mid role. No more inside mid for Gaff.

So our inside and balanced mids ahead of Clark are: Shuey, Yeo, Kelly/Sheed (on a mid/hff job share) and a toss up with SPS and Clark. Given our inept tackling and pisspoor contested football that has been rubbed in the coaches and players face, I expect changes will occur. Maybe it is hope. But there again the senior leaders at the club have spent 3 months apologising for the way we played the last 2 years.

I also expect Knight and Schofield to be given input as to which competitors they want in the midfield. What we did in the past will only lead us to where we have been in the last 2 seasons.

So hope you’re right mate

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

Given we play JK as the key forward, Oscar has to play 2 roles. The second role is either relieving ruck (vomit time) or my preference would be to relieve Gov to ruck to ruck and Allen goes KPD. Having played both KPF and KPD, I used to like the variety and it stopped me getting ahead of myself as the focal point in attack.

We lost too much momentum in the clearances when Oscar rucks and we do not need him getting banged up. The game when Gov did ruck, it actually felt like a better balance.

Yeah, whatever brings better balance. As playing an extra ruck is too tall and we need more run.

 

[Obeanie1]

I hear you but I am willing to bet the starting midfield pending fitness will be exactly the same as its been for the last 4 years. I don't think there is a chance in hell that Clark will play ahead of Sheed, Redden, Shuey, Yeo, Kelly, Gaff etc. Just not our way and aint going to happen.

So why draft him?

The club did say they didn't draft Clark for the short term.

Redden won't be fit round 1.

Gaff and Sheed are very poor defensively.

And Clark can play defense.

I would pick Clark on the bench as a mid but with a break glass in emergency if a defender goes down in a game.

 

[StateOE]

Given we play JK as the key forward, Oscar has to play 2 roles. The second role is either relieving ruck (vomit time) or my preference would be to relieve Gov to ruck to ruck and Allen goes KPD. Having played both KPF and KPD, I used to like the variety and it stopped me getting ahead of myself as the focal point in attack.

We lost too much momentum in the clearances when Oscar rucks and we do not need him getting banged up. The game when Gov did ruck, it actually felt like a better balance.

Didn't Gov ruck for 1 quarter and then was gassed for the rest of the game?
Not really a viable option.

 

[Chris_6678]

For me Sheed needs to have an excellent pre-season and show he has improved his defensive capabilities so for me Clark would be the better option if Redden isn't a 100%. Also please do not bring back Redden in round 1 if he has only had a months pre-season because i am sick of watching players plod along because they are not match fit. He would benefit getting some touch plus would help the young guys in the WAFL.

 

[Obeanie1]

Didn't Gov ruck for 1 quarter and then was gassed for the rest of the game?
Not really a viable option.

Last season whilst struggling with a hip problem and likely not training much carrying the injury.

Playing Allen in the ruck is not viable either.

Gov just needs to drop some kgs and get a decent preseason under his belt. Then it becomes a viable option and one that makes us a better team.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

After seeing people posting the tackling and contested possession numbers of the grand finalists in another thread, it must be noted that both grand finalists played two ruckmen too:

Gawn + Jackson vs Martin + English

And so did we in 2018 (Nic Nat + Lycett then Lycett + Vardy).

Huge year ahead for Williams methinks. I personally don't want Gov or Allen in the ruck.