Expectations for 2026

[squashface]

Hopefully we only ever have 1 of Dev/Macrae/Schoenberg playing at once. Would mean we have a fit list and performing youngsters.

That’s a good mix to have the other two supporting at WAFL level.

 

[Barrybran]

they're just taking games off our young blokes

This is the point of recruiting Robertson, Macrae and Schoenberg. These guys were brought in to play those 23rd, 24th, 25th spots so the likes of Gross, Allan, etc. can build their games at WAFL level.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

We won one game.

These mature recruits will play plenty of AFL games this year.

 

[Off Tap]

This is the point of recruiting Robertson, Macrae and Schoenberg. These guys were brought in to play those 23rd, 24th, 25th spots so the likes of Gross, Allan, etc. can build their games at WAFL level.

Wouldn't you rather them playing at the elite level instead of the magoos?

I do.

The guys taken in the first couple of rounds since 2022 (Gross included) should all be playing in our B23 team. They obviously have the talent.

About half of the team's spots are up for grabs and they all have the chance to make them their own in 2026.

The sooner we get these guys to 80 games in experience the closer we are to finals.

 

[Forward Press]

Yeah the idea that our mature age recruits were only to strengthen the Beagles is somewhat amusing in the delusion.

They were fringe players and delist material from contending teams - like it or not, those are the calibre of players we can currently attract and afford. And they will get games over the kids - for now - because you cannot play a full team of 18 to 22 year olds unless the goal is to get thumped week in week out. Need them to help shepherd their development.

I would be highly surprised if any one of them don't play at least a handful of games next season, injury permitting obviously.

 

[Forward Press]

I'd rather them teaching the kids in the Beagles and stopping the WAFL drubbings rather than taking games off Gross, Duursma, Hewett, Allan, Davis, Lindsay etc.

Maybe the Beagles won't get drubbings but our AFL side would if we're fielding all of them in 2026. Gross, Duursma, Allan, Davis, Lindsay etc could all turn out to be guns but next year they are almost certain not to be.

 

[Barrybran]

Wouldn't you rather them playing at the elite level instead of the magoos?

I do.

The guys taken in the first couple of rounds since 2022 (Gross included) should all be playing in our B23 team. They obviously have the talent.

About half of the team's spots are up for grabs and they all have the chance to make them their own in 2026.

The sooner we get these guys to 80 games in experience the closer we are to finals.

No. We've seen how that has worked, which is why we've gone down the path we have. Campbell Chesser is a great example of a player who played AFL too early because we had no other choice. Now we have choice and we can develop kids at the appropriate level. Some will play AFL early. Some won't. The goal is to have kids able to hold their own at the level when they get there.

 

[Keys]

None of Robertson, Macrae or Schoenberg are walk up starts for our best 23, although I expect Robertson will be pretty close. But they will all be genuine contenders for game time in the seniors meaning the likes of Allan, Davis, Gross, Duursma, Dewar, Hall and Hutchinson will have to outperform them to earn a spot.

It also means someone like Kelly won’t get games simply because he’s a senior player as we have other mature bodies to come in if he’s out of form

Bear in mind also, that the three SSP signings are all just 23/24 so still have room for improvement, particularly if they earn the right to get more AFL experience

 

[EagleEgo]

My expectation for 2026
Gold Coast SUNS West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles North Melbourne >50% win
Port Adelaide West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Sydney Swans <50% loss
Geelong Cats West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles Fremantle 50% win
St Kilda West Coast Eagles 50% loss
West Coast Eagles Richmond >50% win
Melbourne West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles GWS GIANTS 50% loss
Collingwood West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Essendon >50% win
West Coast Eagles Port Adelaide >50% win
North Melbourne West Coast Eagles 50% win
Carlton West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Adelaide Crows 50% loss
Western Bulldogs West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles Brisbane Lions <50% loss
Fremantle West Coast Eagles 50% loss
Richmond West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Collingwood >50% win
GWS GIANTS West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles Hawthorn 50% loss

Expect 12 wins

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Hough, Ginbey, Macarthy, Starcevich and Baker aren't KP.

The point I was trying to make was that we haven't come close to covering our KP McGovern and Barrass as Edwards and Brock are bog average.

If either of those 2 are playing, then we're in trouble. Hopefully Young will be a step up from those 2 but still with Young as well, we honestly need better players holding down our 2 key backs.

Unless our coach sees both CDT and Reid taking over both of those positions, I don't think we have our future key backs on our list. We're pretty thin down there.

We'd better have a plan in place that we can recruit some elite guys in as it's a long road ahead playing a combination of Edwards, Young and Brock.

HEd is going to be just fine.If he can stay fit we will build our backline around him.Ginbey can play CHB but Young can as well depending on matchups.
Teams don’t play many big lumbering forwards now.Our defence needs to be adaptable. We can cover big small slippery watever.
I do think CDT could play CHB comfortably.He has size but also speed endurance and recovery.
With JW,BW,Shanahan, Archer and Waterman we are spoiled for big men.
Look at Brisbanes forward line.Where are the monsters we need to worry about??

 

[Off Tap]

No. We've seen how that has worked, which is why we've gone down the path we have. Campbell Chesser is a great example of a player who played AFL too early because we had no other choice. Now we have choice and we can develop kids at the appropriate level. Some will play AFL early. Some won't. The goal is to have kids able to hold their own at the level when they get there.

Well of course the kids are going to have to hold their own. I didn't say that they were going to get a free ride.

An injury-prone Chesser playing off the gimp wing is a little bit different to the guys I previously mentioned as those guys have far superior talent or multiple injury-free preseasons behind them.

I'd be interested to hear who you think Dev, McCrae and Schoenburg should be getting games in front of as I don't have any of those 3 in B23.

Gross, Duursma, Hewett, Allan, Davis, Lindsay > Dev, McCrae and Schoenburg

I'd have the 3 new guys in the same standard as, and fighting for games, with Grego, Hall, Fred, Duggan, Cole. These 8 players should be only getting games if we've been hit bad with injuries.

We have a bit of depth now with over a half dozen 1st rounders playing 6 foot or taller running between the arcs.

 

[Off Tap]

Ginbey can play CHB

C'mon mate. I love Ginbey but you don't want him playing full time CHB and HEd running around at FB.

You won't win GF's with them in those positions. You need AA squad quality filling those roles.

Like I said. IMO we currently don't have our future key backs playing for us unless they are going to do something with Reid or CDT. Preferably we will recruit them in to save time on development. Alternatively, we draft them, develop them and have them ready by 2030.

 

[Off Tap]

Look at Brisbanes forward line. Where are the monsters we need to worry about??

Perhaps Brisbane can give us their midfield too so we can afford to play Ginbey and HEd as key backs.

At least they have started with Dev.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

C'mon mate. I love Ginbey but you don't want him playing full time CHB and HEd running around at FB.

You won't win GF's with them in those positions. You need AA squad quality filling those roles.

Like I said. IMO we currently don't have our future key backs playing for us unless they are going to do something with Reid or CDT. Preferably we will recruit them in to save time on development. Alternatively, we draft them, develop them and have them ready by 2030.

Ginbey v Cameron?

 

[BSD]

Care to guess how many games they will each play this year?

Not many I hope because they aren't best 23.

If they are playing, they're just taking games off our young blokes. Means we have had a horror injury list during the year.

Schoenberg has played 16 games in 3 years and his stat's for those games are rated as below average.

McCrae has played 21 over 5 years and has never had more than 10 kicks.

Dev is the standout with 47 games in 6 years with all of his stat's below average bar his tackle count.

I know it has been a lean 5 years and it's great that we are finally attracting other players, but they are the dregs of other teams. Just because they have come to us doesn't mean they should be getting a game.

I'd rather them teaching the kids in the Beagles and stopping the WAFL drubbings rather than taking games off Gross, Duursma, Hewett, Allan, Davis, Lindsay etc.

Did they really come to us ? What is the source of your claim. I thought we went out and drafted them in the main draft and the SSP period.
They definitely will be taking games from Gross, Davis & Allan in 2026.

 

[shooshka]

Gross, Duursma, Hewett, Allan, Davis, Lindsay > Dev, McCrae and Schoenburg

For where we want to be in 2029/30 sure the above is ideal… but for 2026 and our inside mid positions Dev, McCrae and Schoenburg (plus Hall) are streets ahead of the others you have listed (bar Hewett, who is more mid/fwd anyway).

Gross the next most likely, then maybe Allan (probably 2027 onwards considering his interrupted 2025). Duursma, Lindsay, Davis are in different positions (I think Duursma ends up inside mid, but give him a few years, he’ll start heavily outside leaning).

 

[Astro7]

My expectation for 2026
Gold Coast SUNS West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles North Melbourne >50% win
Port Adelaide West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Sydney Swans <50% loss
Geelong Cats West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles Fremantle 50% win
St Kilda West Coast Eagles 50% loss
West Coast Eagles Richmond >50% win
Melbourne West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles GWS GIANTS 50% loss
Collingwood West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Essendon >50% win
West Coast Eagles Port Adelaide >50% win
North Melbourne West Coast Eagles 50% win
Carlton West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Adelaide Crows 50% loss
Western Bulldogs West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles Brisbane Lions <50% loss
Fremantle West Coast Eagles 50% loss
Richmond West Coast Eagles 50% win
West Coast Eagles Collingwood >50% win
GWS GIANTS West Coast Eagles <50% loss
West Coast Eagles Hawthorn 50% loss

Expect 12 wins

That's a lot of optimism right there!

 

[unty11]

I have a sneaking suspicion Young will be one of our best recruits next season.