Preview Identify the biggest factor in whether we can go again in 2019

[random lurker]

You actually said we need to dedut at least 5 or 6. Given that we have had 8 debutants last year with at least 3 of them as full time B22 and 4 of them next in line ( OAllen Waterman Brander and Petro) plus Achee then if we have another 5 or 6 joining them that is half a team. If they leapfrog them then either they have dramatically improved or this years cohorts have drastically dropped off.
Either way, setting a metric if 5 to 6 debutants the year after we debued 8 is overstepping the mark IMO.
Of those that havent yet had a run I reckon only Matty Allen will make it. Who we draft will be interesting and until we know that too early to make comment on.
I agree we need pressure from below, all good teams have a best 30. I think we need to develop players of course, but the 8 that were debued last year are the ones we need to develop plus perhaps 1 or 2 that push their case next year.

Lol I think they didn't mean to debut them all at once! That would be silly. Debut one or 2 here and there replacing other debutantes so they all get a go eventually, keeping the core 18 on the park.
I really hope Brayshaw gets a go and has footy smarts so the lack of speed people go on about isn't a detriment. Really hope Oscar Allen gets a good go at it, and Brander gets a few more games. Hope Rotham shows something good. If our boys can stay on the park and still have the belief and hunger then for sure we can match it with anyone and give ourselves the chance to get a flag for Nic, Gaffy & Shep

 

[Doashuey]

Yeah I get that but for the number of guys ahead of them I imagine we would be seriously hit by injury for an additional 5 or 6 to debut next year.

 

[Godfather32]

Lol I think they didn't mean to debut them all at once! That would be silly. Debut one or 2 here and there replacing other debutantes so they all get a go eventually, keeping the core 18 on the park.
I really hope Brayshaw gets a go and has footy smarts so the lack of speed people go on about isn't a detriment. Really hope Oscar Allen gets a good go at it, and Brander gets a few more games. Hope Rotham shows something good. If our boys can stay on the park and still have the belief and hunger then for sure we can match it with anyone and give ourselves the chance to get a flag for Nic, Gaffy & Shep

It really is though, if you're not quick enough to keep up with your opponent you become a massive liability with the amount of 2-way running in today's game

 

[Forward Press]

It really is though, if you're not quick enough to keep up with your opponent you become a massive liability with the amount of 2-way running in today's game

The side that was 15th in tackles, 16th in disposals, 11th in contested possesions and probably near the bottom in metres run this year did well, though.

 

[La Dolce Vita]

identify areas we can improve
Remaining GF 22 maintaining their desire and work effort
Rest of squad pushing hard for a spot in best 22

 

[ep2018]

Hunger. And whether we can cover the loss of Sam Mitchell.

 

[The Gov]

For me it's standout WAFL performances really putting pressure on the senior team. As well as we did at AFL level this season some of our WAFL performances were a bit underwhelming.

You don't improve/compete again the next year unless important players from last year's GF are missing the team because players underneath them have forced themselves to be picked. Our depth from 25-35 needs to be really solid this season.

 

[wraglesweb]

For me it comes down to how arrogant we really want to be ............

 

[bUCKET__]

Full pre-season for some of our young-uns would be desirable too. Venables, Waterman, Ollen and Mallen could have break-out years if they get their fitness up. None have really had a solid run at it with their fitness.

Reckon we need two of the above - or someone like Waterman or Ah Chee - to have a big year in the forward half. Lecras wasn't all that dominant when he played, but he certainly knows how to lead and gel with others in the forward line. With JK's age catching up too, we'll need a couple of players to step up big time in the forward half to go again.

Not concerned about the midfield. We saw back half of the year that Rioli and Cripps could run through there very effectively, Venners will hopefully spend a little more time there, we have Gaff coming back too. Might be a similar situation where a pure mid like Hutch / Sheed misses out in some games.

 

[Godfather32]

The side that was 15th in tackles, 16th in disposals, 11th in contested possesions and probably near the bottom in metres run this year did well, though.

Fairly obvious why we were 16th in disposals because we were also 1st in kicks, instead of handballing round in circles - seemed to work pretty well.
Two way running wouldn't really show up in tackles, all you have to do is keep up with your opponent enough off the ball to prevent them being a decent option to kick to and you've done your job, then the opponent with the ball is forced to kick to a contest and we have some of the best intercept marking defenders in the game. Unlike like last year when two of our mids couldn't keep up which left open options all over down field. Tackles & contested possession don't mean much in isolation anyway, we had a nice open, kick heavy style of game this year instead of having to constantly force ball ups to allow some of our midfielders to catch up like in years past. Having the ability to throw so many flexible and dynamic mids and forwards through the middle this year was a massive difference to the team, having an entire lineup being defensively accountable also helped imo.

 

[Chris_6678]

For me it's simply using our whole list again.
At the end of this season we had a best 22 apart from the 3 that missed the game.

Next year we cant start the season with a best 22 we need to debut another 5 or 6 players
and give games to boys who debuted last season

We should only settle on best 22 just before finals

Guys like Francis Watson, Matthew Allen, Joshua Rotham and Hamish Brayshaw all need to debut

Then there will be our 2018 draftee's well.

So we will need a best 18 each week and allow our bench to be changed each week depending on form.

I agree with this 100%. This year Simmo got the whole squad involved and we were able to debut a fair few players like it gives extra incentive to play well in the WAFL. If we keep doing this for the next few years we wont struggle to replace our senior players like Jetta, Shep, Hurn, JK , Shuey ect when their time is up.

 

[WCE Wizard]

Midfield spread.

Yeo and Shuey are complete mids, inside outside
Redden is more inside
Gaff is more outside.

Its the others I am concerned about from a strategy point of view. What do we do with Masten, Sheed, Hutchings, Ainsworth, Ah Chee and Brayshaw?

I'm thinking....

C Sheed Redden Gaff
R Shuey Yeo
INT: Hutchings.

Basically from the GF we substitute Masten for Gaff.

If ww get the balance wrong or get spooked and start pushing out forwards to add extra mids Ill be worried.

Also, the Eagles will be the hunted now. Look for teams to exploit Essendons thrashing of WCE by running it through the HBF

Essendon jumped us that day, we got ambushed, we will also tinker and change a few things. But we have to keep improving and keep working.

The biggest worry is getting more game time into Oscar Allen and Brander. JK is not getting any younger

 

[WCE Wizard]

Why do people keep putting Sheed on a wing and Redden in the middle.

Once Gaff came out, it was Redden who moved to the wing and Sheed who started playing more inside.

I see Redden playing a more outside Role an Sheed in the middle you are correct. Gaff to come in is massive

 

[FKASC]

I agree with this 100%. This year Simmo got the whole squad involved and we were able to debut a fair few players like it gives extra incentive to play well in the WAFL.

I agreed with it 200%

I feel like we had developed people in tiny dribs and drabs before. Ended up they would be the token young player that was just making up numbers.

This year there was a lot more faith shown in them and it really boosted the older guys, as well as brought the best out of the kids.

I hope they don’t reward the premiership side with a million gold passes and really force them to stay in the side. It’ll go a long way to keeping the hunger up

 

[JackOutback]

People love to say the no injuries is key but West Coast’s two most successful seasons in recent times were 2015 and 2018, both seasons where we were decimated. Clearly the key to going back-to-back is MOAR INJURIES!

 

[dzussy]

Hunger and complacency.

With Nic, Gaff, Sheppard and also the young guns comi g through we are in a good place to keep the hunger.

Thats it.

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Essendon jumped us that day, we got ambushed, we will also tinker and change a few things. But we have to keep improving and keep working.

The biggest worry is getting more game time into Oscar Allen and Brander. JK is not getting any younger

WC came played a tough Friday night game against Sydney at the SCG so flew back the following morning, and then played Essendon on the Thursday night who were coming off a bye. The bombers were fresh and WC were sore, the players had no run which is no surprise.
The WC hierarchy request that this doesn't happen in the fixture each year and each year we cop that at some stage. Every time I see a fixture for us with a 6 day break after a night game away, I pencil it in as a loss.
WC speed is fine now that Mitchell and Priddis are gone.

 

[frenchconnection]

Hunger. And whether we can cover the loss of Sam Mitchell.

Will be interesting to see if the Hawks midfield comes on with Sam there, like we did this year?

 

[Forward Press]

Will be interesting to see if the Hawks midfield comes on with Sam there, like we did this year?

They have Scully, Smith, Shiels, O'Meara, Mitchell of the Tom variety and Wingard also rotating through there.

Wouldn't require much to make them a top line midfield.

 

[kaiserchief13]

WC came played a tough Friday night game against Sydney at the SCG so flew back the following morning, and then played Essendon on the Thursday night who were coming off a bye. The bombers were fresh and WC were sore, the players had no run which is no surprise.
The WC hierarchy request that this doesn't happen in the fixture each year and each year we cop that at some stage. Every time I see a fixture for us with a 6 day break after a night game away, I pencil it in as a loss.
WC speed is fine now that Mitchell and Priddis are gone.

So WC will lose vs Melbourne at home in 2019?

 

[PremiershipNo4]

So WC will lose vs Melbourne at home in 2019?

Make your own judgement, did they beat us at home in the regular season last year? Are we coming off a six day break after a night game in 2019.
When we played Melbourne in that final in Perth, were we coming off a 6 day break or 14? What were Melbourne coming off?
If you think short breaks after long interstate flights have no effect then good for you.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Make your own judgement, did they beat us at home in the regular season last year? Are we coming off a six day break after a night game in 2019.
When we played Melbourne in that final in Perth, were we coming off a 6 day break or 14? What were Melbourne coming off?
If you think short breaks after long interstate flights have no effect then good for you.

What's the difference between night game and twilight game because there's an away game at Geelong on Sunday and then home game Saturday vs Gold Coast. Are you saying GC will win at Optus in 2019?

 

[ioppolo]

They have Scully, Smith, Shiels, O'Meara, Mitchell of the Tom variety and Wingard also rotating through there.

Wouldn't require much to make them a top line midfield.

I reckon they were lucky to finish 4th but they might actually earn their way to top 4 next season...forward line is a little light on though

 

[KERRPOW]

The midfield needs to go up a notch. Kennedy and darling need to stay on the park, with no decline in kennedy.

Buggest factor is motivation for the guys who won it this year. no doubt Gaff, shep and nic will be pushing hard to win another one.

 

[Dark Sharks]

We need to continue putting our faith in Marsden, possible extend his contract.