Game Day Hawthorn v WCE Friday 30/9 4PM WST @ Skybus Stadium

[Livin1989]

Just finished watching the game delayed.... Alot to unpack. The first quarter was absolutely electric. The handball chains and dash and dare were truly awesome to watch, the fundamentals of our game continue to improve remarkably. Bella Lewis, what a machine she is.

Umpiring was absolutely woeful, but that's not what did us in. As soon as I heard Prior talk about actively changing how we were going to play in the second quarter I started to fuarking boil. That second quarter was quite simply the hardest quarter to watch for me in our entire history. To watch before my eyes the structures change, congesting the ball and losing every single aspect of what made the first quarter work for us was infuriating.

Imagine if we had a decent coach? Imagine what that would do for the promising young talent we have and their development. I've said this time and time again, stop treating the club like a fuarking business and invest in the god damn teams representing it. It's as if developing a winning culture is secondary.... This club is FAILING it's players, and it's supporter base. These women absolutely give it their all week in, week out. Give them a decent ******* coach you stupid campaignerS.

 

[Livin1989]

Also, Jaide Brittons decision making, disposal and hands, all top tier. As KB's sponsor I really do feel for her, she has got the yips big time.... Given the opportunity I'm confident she can turn that around.

 

[Biggie]

who was the one that was the awful key back last week, ill give shilling a pass for wrong person, Edit: it was pointed out im thinking bennett

Ahh yes sir

Bennett.

That’s a target we all agree on

 

[Livin1989]

Ahh yes sir

Bennett.

That’s a target we all agree on

Someone has to assume the whipping girl position since Gibbo is out injured. Sedge had best replace her next week.

 

[Dark Sharks]

Bennett needs to let off some steamtm, in the magoos.

 

[Ochre]

Just finished the game, first quarter was terrific and then we decided to completely change tack for the rest of the game. As soon as Priors contract is up in 2025 he's got to go.

1-2 against the expansion teams. Fair dinkum.

 

[Biggie]

At least we get 1st crack at the WA talent now.

A hybrid tall or a speedster?

 

[Ochre]

Also if West Coast gave the slightest s**t about the women's team, it'd be nice for them to mention to the AFL that 4pm Friday and 9am Saturday are absolutely abysmal time slots for the fans over here.

Not holding my breath.

 

[Livin1989]

Just finished the game, first quarter was terrific and then we decided to completely change tack for the rest of the game. As soon as Priors contract is up in 2025 he's got to go.

1-2 against the expansion teams. Fair dinkum.

He's contracted until 2025?!

 

[AlphaSheep]

Had to miss the last quarter, just caught up now.

The actual players are much better this year, even though there's still nowhere near enough of the really good ones. I'll even give the coaching staff some credit for the big player cleanout in the off season, there's no doubt it's given us a playing list that better suits the gamestyle this year than last year.

But that second quarter coaching decision was just murderously stupid. This team plays well when they're positive, attacking, direct, running hard. Plus, the best way to not concede goals is to get the ball down the other friggin end. Put two players behind the ball into the wind and tell them to kick short and sideways is just asking to get crushed, and that's exactly what happened.

So I think Prior's actually improved as a coach from last year. Then he was awful. Now he's just very bad. Next year he may progress to being just moderately bad. The girls deserve much better.

 

[AlphaSheep]

At least we get 1st crack at the WA talent now.

A hybrid tall or a speedster?

Best thing about picking first would be that we get two of the top three. Because I think there really are only three. Cleaver first, which means the Dockers will obviously go Srhoj, which gives us Henry as well.

 

[UseR2006]

Coach questions umpiring as Eagles fall to Hawks

West Coast’s season seven rollercoaster has taken another turn and the club’s credibility has taken another hit after losing to expansion side Hawthorn, but coach Michael Prior has taken aim at the umpiring.

thewest.com.au

West Coast’s season seven rollercoaster has taken another turn and the club’s credibility has taken another hit after losing to expansion side Hawthorn but coach Michael Prior has taken aim at the umpiring.

The Eagles arrived for Friday night football in Frankston full of intent and kicked the first four goals aided by a strong breeze.

But West Coast kicked just two goals for the remainder of the match, eventually falling three points short.

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It makes West Coast the only established AFLW side to lose to not one, but two expansion clubs, the 6.8 (44) to 6.5 (41) loss a brutal reality check after a fortnight of promise.

Prior questioned the umpiring after a memo was sent to clubs during the week regarding the prevalence of dangerous tackles, West Coast losing the free kick count 21-12.

“There were things we were doing and Hawthorn were doing whether we had the breeze or not,” Prior said.

“We needed to get back in the contest. It’s really difficult when you come in at three-quarter time and it’s 19-6 free kicks against.

“We just needed to get a few more.

“There was a memo sent out during the week about sling tackles and then we don’t pay them so we need to look at that. There’s a number of things we could’ve done better as a team.”

 

[Livin1989]

Coach questions umpiring as Eagles fall to Hawks

West Coast’s season seven rollercoaster has taken another turn and the club’s credibility has taken another hit after losing to expansion side Hawthorn, but coach Michael Prior has taken aim at the umpiring.

thewest.com.au

West Coast’s season seven rollercoaster has taken another turn and the club’s credibility has taken another hit after losing to expansion side Hawthorn but coach Michael Prior has taken aim at the umpiring.

The Eagles arrived for Friday night football in Frankston full of intent and kicked the first four goals aided by a strong breeze.

But West Coast kicked just two goals for the remainder of the match, eventually falling three points short.

undefined

It makes West Coast the only established AFLW side to lose to not one, but two expansion clubs, the 6.8 (44) to 6.5 (41) loss a brutal reality check after a fortnight of promise.

Prior questioned the umpiring after a memo was sent to clubs during the week regarding the prevalence of dangerous tackles, West Coast losing the free kick count 21-12.

“There were things we were doing and Hawthorn were doing whether we had the breeze or not,” Prior said.

“We needed to get back in the contest. It’s really difficult when you come in at three-quarter time and it’s 19-6 free kicks against.

“We just needed to get a few more.

“There was a memo sent out during the week about sling tackles and then we don’t pay them so we need to look at that. There’s a number of things we could’ve done better as a team.”

The umpiring was bad. You were worse, Michael.

 

[RookiePick]

Coach yanked the handbrake and destroyed us in the second quarter.

Truly bizarre approach

 

[Livin1989]

Best thing about picking first would be that we get two of the top three. Because I think there really are only three. Cleaver first, which means the Dockers will obviously go Srhoj, which gives us Henry as well.

After Cleaver and Henry do we just look for defenders?

 

[bUCKET__]

Really, we all know that the game was lost when we dropped Cameron. Demoralising for the team when she was just about to hit some form. Thanks for that too, Prior!

 

[AlphaSheep]

After Cleaver and Henry do we just look for defenders?

Just take the best available, I think. There's not enough choice to get picky. That comes the year after.

 

[Livin1989]

Just take the best available, I think. There's not enough choice to get picky. That comes the year after.

I feel like it's time AFLW let clubs have a bigger list to develop draftees... A longer season wouldn't go astray either.

 

[Kegs15]

After Cleaver and Henry do we just look for defenders?

I still think we need a Gemma Houghton type key forward and a Ballantyne type small. Know they're players that as WC fans we're conditioned to dislike but the dislike comes for a reason.

Houghton had such presence in the Port game - she didn't score a lot herself but she straightened them up, drew defenders to her and worried our backline enough that the more mediocre forwards around her got off the chain. A campaignery small who tackles, harrasses, gets under the skin and kicks annoying goals would have a similar effect. Schmidt Gibson (when fit) and Bartlett have great scoring potential but they still all feel like excellent sidekicks who need someone else to provide the presence and be nasty while they bob up for a couple goals each. Gibson has the fire but maybe not the size.

Am Melbourne based so don't see a lot of the U18s/state level - is Cleaver the sort of tall who could provide that? Know that presence as a tall is hard when you're 18, but small forwards are often good early. For the draft watchers out there are there any aggressive small forwards worth a crack at?

 

[AlphaSheep]

I still think we need a Gemma Houghton type key forward and a Ballantyne type small. Know they're players that as WC fans we're conditioned to dislike but the dislike comes for a reason.

Houghton had such presence in the Port game - she didn't score a lot herself but she straightened them up, drew defenders to her and worried our backline enough that the more mediocre forwards around her got off the chain. A campaignery small who tackles, harrasses, gets under the skin and kicks annoying goals would have a similar effect. Schmidt Gibson (when fit) and Bartlett have great scoring potential but they still all feel like excellent sidekicks who need someone else to provide the presence and be nasty while they bob up for a couple goals each. Gibson has the fire but maybe not the size.

Am Melbourne based so don't see a lot of the U18s/state level - is Cleaver the sort of tall who could provide that? Know that presence as a tall is hard when you're 18, but small forwards are often good early. For the draft watchers out there are there any aggressive small forwards worth a crack at?

Cleaver's a great all-rounder, she can ruck, mark, tackle, is pretty fast without being Houghton-fast, has a wonky-looking kick but it's long and straight on a set shot. All-rounders take longer to develop, I think she'll be great eventually, but it'll take time. I'm not sure she'll ever be a dominant power forward, but she might. Her versatility seems like her biggest strength to me.

Not really anyone in 2024 either that I can see, but in two years time that may have changed. 2025 should be Wolmarans, Fotu and Blizard in any order, who (if they're still playing footy) I'd tip to make Houghton look very ordinary -- same athletecism but taller with way better skills.

As for small forwards, this was always the hope with Shanae Davison, but she's never been healthy long enough to show it. In 2024 I reckon Zippy Fish and Noa McNaughton will probably get played forward for a couple of years in the AFLW, to get used to the pace before moving into the midfield. They could provide something like that. The only player who might be a dedicated small forward is Ella Slocombe (2024), who's kicked a bunch of goals in Rogers Cup and WAFLW seniors. But she's not the kind of high-intensity pest you're talking about, she's more of a clever opportunist. I can't think of anyone else who fits the bill, Courtney Hodder remains the one who got away.

 

[Livin1989]

Cleaver's a great all-rounder, she can ruck, mark, tackle, is pretty fast without being Houghton-fast, has a wonky-looking kick but it's long and straight on a set shot. All-rounders take longer to develop, I think she'll be great eventually, but it'll take time. I'm not sure she'll ever be a dominant power forward, but she might. Her versatility seems like her biggest strength to me.

Not really anyone in 2024 either that I can see, but in two years time that may have changed. 2025 should be Wolmarans, Fotu and Blizard in any order, who (if they're still playing footy) I'd tip to make Houghton look very ordinary -- same athletecism but taller with way better skills.

As for small forwards, this was always the hope with Shanae Davison, but she's never been healthy long enough to show it. In 2024 I reckon Zippy Fish and Noa McNaughton will probably get played forward for a couple of years in the AFLW, to get used to the pace before moving into the midfield. They could provide something like that. The only player who might be a dedicated small forward is Ella Slocombe (2024), who's kicked a bunch of goals in Rogers Cup and WAFLW seniors. But she's not the kind of high-intensity pest you're talking about, she's more of a clever opportunist. I can't think of anyone else who fits the bill, Courtney Hodder remains the one who got away.

Great insight as always mate. I was waiting for you to chime in! I totally forgot about Hodder as a WA talent to try and lure home, not that I think we could given how good Brisbane are right now, but maybe in the future when they start to slide and we are pushing, who knows!

 

[Livin1989]

As for small forwards, this was always the hope with Shanae Davison, but she's never been healthy long enough to show it. In 2024 I reckon Zippy Fish and Noa McNaughton will probably get played forward for a couple of years in the AFLW, to get used to the pace before moving into the midfield. They could provide something like that. The only player who might be a dedicated small forward is Ella Slocombe (2024), who's kicked a bunch of goals in Rogers Cup and WAFLW seniors. But she's not the kind of high-intensity pest you're talking about, she's more of a clever opportunist. I can't think of anyone else who fits the bill, Courtney Hodder remains the one who got away.

Duffy looks to be in career worst fitness and still managed to pop up and kick two very crafty goals against her former side in the purps, albeit in a star studded team...