Mini-list cleanout needed.

[Bacchus]

No way was Sheed better than Duggan yesterday. Duggan won many contests against bigger bodied opponents in the middle helping us get the ball forward, even if he did make the odd mistake whereas Sheed was virtually invisible all day.

I haven't watched a replay, don't know if I will (too painful), but I seem to remember Duggan having a go but being pretty unclean and fumbly, not having the strength, pace or skill to get free too often, and even when he did his kicks weren't spot on. He seems to have regressed to me, has had a number of injuries and lacking confidence. Not quite sure where his position is, he doesn't appear to have the pace for outside (although Masten and Gaff have played a lot of outside games lacking pace) or the strength for inside. I still think he can make it though.

 

[Gizza]

They were 4 seagull goals mate. He had little influence on the game.

If you call getting out the back and sprinting 100m to get on the end of a fast break a seagull I guess... Honestly thought he worked harder than the rest of our forward line combined.

 

[DickDunn]

He's a good field kick, has good vision, has some size (unlike Masten for example). Don't think he was the worst yesterday. Think he was better than Duggan yesterday although I'm still hopeful about Duggan.

Yeah, I'm maybe being a bit harsh on Sheed, although he seemed to play a very outside game yesterday. I'd like to see Redden dropped and Sheed played on-ball

 

[DickDunn]

Duggan seemed to have a lot of one-percenters and pressure acts yesterday. Was definitely fumbly at times but I thought he did some really good things and stood up in the contests

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Darling was a pussy.His lack of intent was alarming.The worst thing that happened at this club was Priddis winning the Brownlow.He is now untouchable yet he is at the root of our problems.He is considered our No 1 mid when he is too slow, his disposal by hand and foot is abysmal, and god forbid anybody kicks it to him in a marking contest.He gives it his heart and soul but he should be fighting Reddan and Hutchings for the fourth mid position, not be a shoe in as first picked.

 

[ChampRevesby]

Darling was a pussy.His lack of intent was alarming.The worst thing that happened at this club was Priddis winning the Brownlow.He is now untouchable yet he is at the root of our problems.He is considered our No 1 mid when he is too slow, his disposal by hand and foot is abysmal, and god forbid anybody kicks it to him in a marking contest.He gives it his heart and soul but he should be fighting Reddan and Hutchings for the fourth mid position, not be a shoe in as first picked.

Priddis was ok the last few seasons when he decided to use his hands more. This year he has been down, way down, we aren't seeing him dominating the contested ball. He is either too old, injured or the game has finally passed him by. If he can not find form before the break then he needs to call time and give someone else a go.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Do Eagles supporters even watch the game or just look at the stat sheet? It was the worst 4 goal performance of the year from any club.

And the call to trade him goes back to 2015. His ordinary performance in finals, squibbing contests, dropping chest marks, flopping around throwing his head back. He's not good enough.

Agree totally.I told my mate whom i watched the game with; "watch Darling he'll kick four today and everybody will say hes back'.Easy goals out the back and very little venom.

 

[Falco]

If you call getting out the back and sprinting 100m to get on the end of a fast break a seagull I guess... Honestly thought he worked harder than the rest of our forward line combined.

Fair point, but in those cases he's working to get an easy goal IMO. Perhaps we're not giving him the opportunity to win contested ball and/or mark in the fwd 50 because we're too Kennedy centric.

 

[West123]

Saying Darling is a HFF and shouldn't be expected to fill the CHF role then complaining when he kicks goals out the back seems like an oxymoron.

 

[ChampRevesby]

Agree totally.I told my mate whom i watched the game with; "watch Darling he'll kick four today and everybody will say hes back'.Easy goals out the back and very little venom.

I find it hard to defend Darling anymore when he flops around like a dying salmon and decides that defensive acts are no longer important. He used to be a defensive beast and it saddens me greatly.

 

[Gizza]

Fair point, but in those cases he's working to get an easy goal IMO. Perhaps we're not giving him the opportunity to win contested ball and/or mark in the fwd 50 because we're too Kennedy centric.

What's wrong with working hard to get an easy goal? I find it weird that people are complaining that he worked his arse off to get back and provide a target over the top for our mids to kick to on the few occasions we did get a good break.

I'm not saying he had a fantastic game (he managed to be at the bottom of the ranking points despite getting 4 goals, so clearly he didn't do much else), but in a game where none of our other forwards did jack s**t and our midfield got slaughtered at least he provided something. His game probably would've been seen quite different had he kicked that set shot in the 3rd, but I guess that kinda does sum him up. So close yet so far.

 

[Barney44]

The problem with trading Darling is we only have Lamb to replace him. If you don't like the way Darling gives up in contests or gets cheap goals in the goal square then you won't like Lamb. You'll be pining for Darling after 20 minutes.

 

[ioppolo]

Priddis - retire
Butler - retire
Lecras - retire
Emac - retire
Masten - depth to EP
Redden - depth to EP
Schoey - depth to EP

Mutimer - Midfield
Watson - Wing and HB
Rioli - Forward pocket
Cole - HB mid rotation
Venables - Midfield

Giles back to EP for Naita or Lycett
Vardy to CHF
Darling to HFF
Shuey to get the C

B: Nelson Barrass Hurn
HB: Wellingham Gov Yeo
C: Gaff Sheed Mutimer
HF: Darling Vardy Hill
F: Cripps Kennedy Rioli
R: Naita/Lycett, Shuey(C) Mitchell
I: Venables, Cole, Watson, Sheppard

It is a massive red flag that so many of us want to see a Cat B rookie in the side. Lewis Jetta has so many of the tools we need but just refuses to use them.

Harsh on Schoey. I'd keep him in.

 

[ChampRevesby]

The problem with trading Darling is we only have Lamb to replace him. If you don't like the way Darling gives up in contests or gets cheap goals in the goal square then you won't like Lamb. You'll be pining for Darling after 20 minutes.

Darling every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Lamb is a joke.

 

[Eagleboy68]

Why did we take lamb and will Venables work out better than SPP?

 

[RookiePick]

Harsh on Schoey. I'd keep him in.

Schoey is pretty much the only old timer with any fire in his belly so I'll give him that. I just think Barrass and Gov will be the first picked KPD and Schoey will be injury/team balance dependant on making the 22.

 

[nameless]

Darling is the very least of our issues.

Sure there are high expectations for him which might not be met.

But he's doing a hell of a lot more work and playing better than 80% of the team.

Stood up in several matches this year when Kennedy was struggling and we were getting beaten.

He was the only one to do anything against Saints when we were getting smashed in first half.

Only forward to do anything yesterday.

Yeah his goals were easy, but that's not all he did, often provided a contest and provided a 2nd effort.
A few times he dropped his head both literally and figuratively, but he wasn't the only one.

Using Darling as a scapegoat is a massive cop-out, he can certainly get better, but he's in our top 10 performers this year (which is a pretty low standard anyway).

 

[ioppolo]

Hill must be on thin ice. I like Hillydardz and have defended him since he came here but I have nothing to defend anymore.

 

[avishka5]

In my very bias opinion, hill and lecca are bigger issues than darling. Darlings can produce in moments of need but hill and lecca never do.

Hill is the biggest skier I have layed eyes on. Looks a gun when teams is flying but becomes Richard rambling when we aren't. Soon as Rioli is good, he needs to go.

 

[eagles rule]

The problem with trading Darling is we only have Lamb to replace him. If you don't like the way Darling gives up in contests or gets cheap goals in the goal square then you won't like Lamb. You'll be pining for Darling after 20 minutes.

Darling got 6 seasons of Afl on Lamb so I'd be prepared to forgive Lamb a little if he *s up or doesn't present hard enough ..

 

[avishka5]

Darling got 6 seasons of Afl on Lamb so I'd be prepared to forgive Lamb a little if he ****s up or doesn't present hard enough ..

Darling at this stage of his career was a work a million times harder and held his spot. JD still works hard but when you are lacking confidence and are bit out of touch you do look shite. Lamb on the other hand wants it served on a plater and doesn't deserve to be any where near our b22. Also don't underestimate darlings ability to create space for jk and also step up on occassions when jk doesn't. Lamb will let jk have half the opportunity backline on him.

 

[Eaglemaniac]

What's wrong with working hard to get an easy goal? I find it weird that people are complaining that he worked his arse off to get back and provide a target over the top for our mids to kick to on the few occasions we did get a good break.

I'm not saying he had a fantastic game (he managed to be at the bottom of the ranking points despite getting 4 goals, so clearly he didn't do much else), but in a game where none of our other forwards did jack s**t and our midfield got slaughtered at least he provided something. His game probably would've been seen quite different had he kicked that set shot in the 3rd, but I guess that kinda does sum him up. So close yet so far.

But he didnt work hard, thats why people are mentioning him. The times he got the goals over the back was because he stood still while his opponent ran forward, then when it turned over he was by himself. When he led to the ball to take marks he was soft. He took one decent contested mark from memory and the rest of the time he flopped around and fell over while the Hawks players kept their feet and walked away with the footy out of our backline. He wasnt the worst but he was a long way from good.

 

[eagles rule]

Just show me Lamb at Afl level for a few games and well see , play him against a young defence if there is too much doubt but play him ..Can't hurt too much ..

 

[frenchconnection]

Why did we take lamb and will Venables work out better than SPP?

Too early to say. Venables is coming back from injury so all we can do is give him time. It will all come out in the wash so we just need to be patient as far as Veggie is concerned.

 

[kranky al]

I hope you are right!

I'll put that coke on ice for you.

Dont *ing say that

Not on theeagles board - it will be a hun article tomorrow.

West coast supporters pushing coke and ice