Gardiner

[crazzzy_grrl]

I was watching channel 10 news tonight and they showed footage of Gardiner back out on the training track. His knee was still in a brace to support it but he was walking laps which i think is a good sign. Might start running soon and then can get back into training. I dont know much about knee injuries but this has to be a good sign

 

[noogie_da_sheep]

yeah it is a good sign that he is back on the track.

 

[94_Eagles]

Cuz out.. Embley a small possibility for this week.

Hansen should play.

Wonder when Nicoski will be back.

 

[crazzzy_grrl]

Originally posted by 94_Eagles
Cuz out.. Embley a small possibility for this week.

Hansen should play.

Wonder when Nicoski will be back.

I think Nicoski will still be a few weeks away. Anyone know how Bones went on the weekend. The only thinkg they said in the paper is that he gave away some free which helped east perth win. Im not sure who would be out of the eagles side this week, but id love to see Bones get another run

 

[coasting]

Originally posted by 94_Eagles
Cuz out.. Embley a small possibility for this week.

Hansen should play.

Wonder when Nicoski will be back.

Embley is no possibility at all while Hansen still has to be selected to play. Will be tough to drop Staker as his versatility has proven useful.

 

[94_Eagles]

Originally posted by coasting
Embley is no possibility at all while Hansen still has to be selected to play. Will be tough to drop Staker as his versatility has proven useful.

Worsfold said himself tonite on the news that if Embley pulls up well after Wednesdays training he's a chance.

 

[Eagles4Ever]

720 ABC radio interviewed Embley on Saturday morning and he said himself that he was pushing for selection this week. Lets hope he gets up, but I would only want to play him if he was 100%.

 

[jourgo]

Folks, I think its time we faced the stark reality that has been looming on the horizon for the past month or so: We're not going to make the final 8. We may end up with enough wins, but a lousy percentage will see us just fall short.

So with that in mind, perhaps a re-think on injured players returning may be in order. I'd be more than happy for the Eagles to announce that Cousins, Embley, Nicoski & Hansen wont play senior footy again this season. I dont' see the point in bringing them back now. Unquestionably better in my mind that they sit out the rest of the season, give themselves as much time as possible to mend and be totally fresh & ready at the start of next year.

I realise this will not be a popular stance here, firstly saying that we wont make the finals & secondly that we should rest the injured for the remainder of the season, but I honestly believe this to be the best course of action. It has the added benefit too, of giving the young blokes more senior time and I think everyone will agree that they're playing good footy - 4 rising star nominations can't be a bad thing!

 

[Ruddiger]

Great to see Gardi on the way back.

Cox has been great this year though, with Gardi back next year, what will happen to Cox ?

 

[crazzzy_grrl]

Originally posted by Ruddiger
Great to see Gardi on the way back.

Cox has been great this year though, with Gardi back next year, what will happen to Cox ?

I think you might find most people believe that Gardi wont ruck anymore and will slip into our forward line leaving Cox as our number 1 ruckman with Seaby as his back-up. Gardi might just do a bit of the ruck work through the forward line

 

[coasting]

Originally posted by jourgo
Folks, I think its time we faced the stark reality that has been looming on the horizon for the past month or so: We're not going to make the final 8. We may end up with enough wins, but a lousy percentage will see us just fall short.

So with that in mind, perhaps a re-think on injured players returning may be in order. I'd be more than happy for the Eagles to announce that Cousins, Embley, Nicoski & Hansen wont play senior footy again this season. I dont' see the point in bringing them back now. Unquestionably better in my mind that they sit out the rest of the season, give themselves as much time as possible to mend and be totally fresh & ready at the start of next year.

I realise this will not be a popular stance here, firstly saying that we wont make the finals & secondly that we should rest the injured for the remainder of the season, but I honestly believe this to be the best course of action. It has the added benefit too, of giving the young blokes more senior time and I think everyone will agree that they're playing good footy - 4 rising star nominations can't be a bad thing!

If we win this week (outside chance IMO depending on Lions injured players) we would be a decent chance to make the finals but if we lose then we are almost no chance and there is no point risking these guys in 'dead rubbers'.

 

[Mead]

Originally posted by coasting
If we win this week (outside chance IMO depending on Lions injured players) we would be a decent chance to make the finals but if we lose then we are almost no chance and there is no point risking these guys in 'dead rubbers'.

In terms of how hopes to make the finals, of course we're still a chance. To throw in the towel with 9 wins and 4 games remaining is a bit premature.

If we win on the weekend, we're a very good chance, if we lose, then we'd need a lot of results to drop our way to get there. But upsets do happen, as this last weekend painfully illustrated. Percentage or not, its been a pretty rare occurence for a team to get to 12 wins and not make the final 8- all we can do is keep winning and hope that things go our way- in terms of the kids we've blooded and the injuries we sustained, 12 wins would make me happy whether or not it got us a finals berth.

 

[94_Eagles]

If we win all 4 remaining games we'll make the 8.

 

[Jabber]

Originally posted by 94_Eagles
If we win all 4 remaining games we'll make the 8.

...and if my aunt had a d1ck she'd be my uncle.

Neither is likely

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by jourgo
Folks, I think its time we faced the stark reality that has been looming on the horizon for the past month or so: We're not going to make the final 8. We may end up with enough wins, but a lousy percentage will see us just fall short.

So with that in mind, perhaps a re-think on injured players returning may be in order. I'd be more than happy for the Eagles to announce that Cousins, Embley, Nicoski & Hansen wont play senior footy again this season. I dont' see the point in bringing them back now. Unquestionably better in my mind that they sit out the rest of the season, give themselves as much time as possible to mend and be totally fresh & ready at the start of next year.

I realise this will not be a popular stance here, firstly saying that we wont make the finals & secondly that we should rest the injured for the remainder of the season, but I honestly believe this to be the best course of action. It has the added benefit too, of giving the young blokes more senior time and I think everyone will agree that they're playing good footy - 4 rising star nominations can't be a bad thing!

I disagree, if they are fit then we should play them. If Cousins and Embley were completely 100% why in gods name wouldnt we play them?

I also believe we are not yet out of the finals race, even if we lose against Brisbane this weekend. Obviously a win against Brisbane would give us a real show but it will be a very tough ask. BUt if we can avoid a hiding like we did against Port and then win our last 3 games at home our percentage will build.

Three solid wins against Carlton, Freo and Melbourne will lift our percentage quite well and depending on other results we may slip into the 8. Finals footy is pretty important as I dont think there is much difference between draft picks after the top 5 or 6...

So finishing 9th will accomplish nothing. But finishing in the 8, even if we are bundled out will give more finals experience to the kids and will also give us some confidence heading into next season.

 

[jourgo]

Originally posted by jod23
I disagree, if they are fit then we should play them. If Cousins and Embley were completely 100% why in gods name wouldnt we play them?

If they were going to be I'd agree. My point is they're not going to be! Cuz had been carrying that hamstring for a month at least before he was sidelined. They don't fix themselves over a couple of weeks. To really get a hamstring sorted out, you want to give it 6 or 7. Same with Embers' knee. I'm we're all aware of how notoriously fickle knees are. There's no way in hell he's going to be 100% in the next few weeks.

Look, I want to see us make the finals as much as the next Eagles fan. But I also want to see us go top 4 next year, and to do that we need our core group to stay fit for the entire season. Best way of achieving that - don't push them while they're on shaky ground.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by jourgo
If they were going to be I'd agree. My point is they're not going to be! Cuz had been carrying that hamstring for a month at least before he was sidelined. They don't fix themselves over a couple of weeks. To really get a hamstring sorted out, you want to give it 6 or 7. Same with Embers' knee. I'm we're all aware of how notoriously fickle knees are. There's no way in hell he's going to be 100% in the next few weeks.

Look, I want to see us make the finals as much as the next Eagles fan. But I also want to see us go top 4 next year, and to do that we need our core group to stay fit for the entire season. Best way of achieving that - don't push them while they're on shaky ground.

Are you the WC club doctor?

Seriously if there fit they will play and does it really matter if they are only 80 or 90%? There is a long lay off in the off season so whatever niggles either Embers or Cuz have, Im sure they will be competely gone come round 1 next year. Even if they play the last 4 rounds or not....

 

[jourgo]

Originally posted by jod23
Are you the WC club doctor?

Seriously if there fit they will play and does it really matter if they are only 80 or 90%? There is a long lay off in the off season so whatever niggles either Embers or Cuz have, Im sure they will be competely gone come round 1 next year. Even if they play the last 4 rounds or not....

OK, clearly we're not going to agree on this. You're entitled to your view, and to an extent I agree - the more finals experience the better. My view however is that playing 80-90% players is inherantly dangerous and given the situation, is not worth in the risk of doing longer term damage. Remember: something else in the body has to take up the slack when certain areas are not at full capacity.