Toast ONE Gamers for WCE

[HawkerHurricane]

We belong to a very proud club
After being voted in by the VFL in 1986, the WA Football Commission would have to pay $4 million up front and had just 160 days to assemble a team and establish its infrastructure.
In the inaugural season of 1987, we finished with a Win/Loss record of 11/11, we played finals in 1988, made the Grand Final in 1991, and by the end of 1994 had 2 Premierships, adding to that tally again in 2006

We have had 234 great men represent our club, winning 4 Norm Smiths & 3 Brownlows. Men that are now regarded as some of the greatest to have ever played the game.
We know all this, but what about the 13 men that made the cut, proudly wore the jumper, and were never recalled? They will always remember the day they played for the West Coast Eagles, but do any of us?.. which is the reason I am creating this thread. I would like to encourage anyone who knows them to share a story about their big day, how they got there, or where they are now..
So here they are.. (and whether they won or lost on their big day)

1987 - #9 Glenn O'Loughlin (L), #34 Sean King (W and kicked 2 goals!!), #37 Paul Mifka (W)
1988 - #11 Kevin Caton (W & kicked a snagga)
1989 - #32 Shane Cable (W)
1991 - #31 Ian Dargie (W), #42 Corey Young (W & kicked a goal)
2000 - #34 Scott Bennett (L)
2003 - #42 Paul Johnson (W)
2004 - #43 Zach Beek (L)
2011 - #44 Gerrick Weedon (L)
2012 - #19 Ryan Neates (L)
2015 - #28 Tom Lamb (got himself a goal but L)

thanks for your service fellas





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[mattyc75]

Mifka was a great player back in the day.a wafl legend

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[HawkerHurricane]

Mifka was a great player back in the day.a wafl legend

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I've begun digging a bit deeper myself, and this is on Sean Kings wiki page...
King was an inaugural squad member of the West Coast Eagles but only made one appearance. It came in the final round of the season, against St Kilda at Subiaco, with King contributing two goals and 21 disposals to the win. Just like his West Perth teammate Paul Mifka who shared a debut with him that day, King wasn't picked again.

 

[W.C. Fry]

Paul Johnson, it was a derby and he managed to get 1 handball! I know many players on the list never get a game, but from actual players he must be the worst eagle ever? Surely the rest at least got a kick?

 

[Seadog]

Mifka was a great player back in the day.a wafl legend

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I seem to recall Mifka and Todd weren't that fond of each other. Todd took some of his WAFL grudges with him to the AFL.

 

[Monocle]

I seem to recall Mifka and Todd weren't that fond of each other. Todd took some of his WAFL grudges with him to the AFL.

As did Alexander, he had the snouts on certain players from WAFL Clubs other than East Fremantle.... ultimately its what cost him his coaching job with WC.

Mifka was everything Todd disliked in a player, lots of talent but the talent was matched by application.
Mifka was a very good WAFL player but I got the impression that it all came to easy for him at that level and he never put it all together in the VFL.

One of Todd's greatest attributes as a coach was getting the best out of average players and getting them to both improve and perform to their max, if you didn't put in 110 % then you were history in a John Todd side.

 

[hudson2006]

Good thread. Hopefully a couple of names are added on March 25th then swiftly removed the following week!

 

[Godfather32]

Whatever happened to Shane Cable, was he just no good? I remember hearing big things about him and then nothing.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Paul Johnson, it was a derby and he managed to get 1 handball! I know many players on the list never get a game, but from actual players he must be the worst eagle ever? Surely the rest at least got a kick?

Also happened to be Ben Cousin's 150th.
I seem to recall his disposal too, it was a flick handball in the forward pocket IIRC.

 

[mattyc75]

I've begun digging a bit deeper myself, and this is on Sean Kings wiki page...
King was an inaugural squad member of the West Coast Eagles but only made one appearance. It came in the final round of the season, against St Kilda at Subiaco, with King contributing two goals and 21 disposals to the win. Just like his West Perth teammate Paul Mifka who shared a debut with him that day, King wasn't picked again.

Seem like pretty good numbers for a debut

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[Beutbrute]

Ian Dargie was a better footballer than he was a poster on this board


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[WCErevival]

I have memories of Paul Johnson playing well in a preseason game and thinking he could be half decent. Then he only played one game. I may be wrong though

 

[matt_bas]

We belong to a very proud club
After being voted in by the VFL in 1986, the WA Football Commission would have to pay $4 million up front and had just 160 days to assemble a team and establish its infrastructure.
In the inaugural season of 1987, we finished with a Win/Loss record of 11/11, we played finals in 1988, made the Grand Final in 1991, and by the end of 1994 had 2 Premierships, adding to that tally again in 2006

We have had 234 great men represent our club, winning 4 Norm Smiths & 3 Brownlows. Men that are now regarded as some of the greatest to have ever played the game.
We know all this, but what about the 13 men that made the cut, proudly wore the jumper, and were never recalled? They will always remember the day they played for the West Coast Eagles, but do any of us?.. which is the reason I am creating this thread. I would like to encourage anyone who knows them to share a story about their big day, how they got there, or where they are now..
So here they are.. (and whether they won or lost on their big day)

1987 - #9 Glenn O'Loughlin (L), #34 Sean King (W and kicked 2 goals!!), #37 Paul Mifka (W)
1988 - #11 Kevin Caton (W & kicked a snagga)
1989 - #32 Shane Cable (W)
1991 - #31 Ian Dargie (W), #42 Corey Young (W & kicked a goal)
2000 - #34 Scott Bennett (L)
2003 - #42 Paul Johnson (W)
2004 - #43 Zach Beek (L)
2011 - #44 Gerrick Weedon (L)
2012 - #19 Ryan Neates (L)
2015 - #28 Tom Lamb (got himself a goal but L)

thanks for your service fellas





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Did Johnson really only get 1 game!?

 

[HawkerHurricane]

Ian Dargie was a better footballer than he was a poster on this board


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I'd be wrapped to think that some of the fellas from the 13 named are actually on here! Congrats on achieving what, for the rest of us, will always remain just a child hood dream. As for you Ian, the '91 & '94 Sandover Medals is a special achievement mate (not bad for a Pom anyway ) - are the pavers around Subi being relocated do you know?

 

[JackOutback]

Mifka was my favourite WAFL player growing up.

 

[HawkerHurricane]

Mifka was my favourite WAFL player growing up.

Growing up in Mt. Barker - Claremont territory - #8 Steve Malaxos was my man. I had just started playing footy as the Tigers came to power at the start of the 80's.. and jeez didn't he go on to lead a distinguished career! Still holds the record at the Eagles for the most possessions in a game - 48!! I am still hoping I get the chance one day to say g'day, shake his hand & get his autograph..

 

[Seadog]

As did Alexander, he had the snouts on certain players from WAFL Clubs other than East Fremantle.... ultimately its what cost him his coaching job with WC.

Mifka was everything Todd disliked in a player, lots of talent but the talent was matched by application.
Mifka was a very good WAFL player but I got the impression that it all came to easy for him at that level and he never put it all together in the VFL.

One of Todd's greatest attributes as a coach was getting the best out of average players and getting them to both improve and perform to their max, if you didn't put in 110 % then you were history in a John Todd side.

I think it was more personal than that with Mifka. Todd shoehorned a group of Swan Districts players into the team and quite frankly very few if any were up to standard. I don't recall Caton for example always giving 110%. His decision not to draft Derek Kickett still pisses me off. He was an angry coach and was basically given a big FU by the players in 89.

 

[Chris_6678]

Im actually surprised we have only had that many 1 game players!

 

[WCE_phil]

Im actually surprised we have only had that many 1 game players!

JoJo and Notte both played two. It would be interesting to see how many players played 2 games for us. I still don't know what happened to Jordan Jones. It just never seemed to come together and he never got an opportunity. I thought he was a much better player than his record suggests.

 

[FKASC]

JoJo and Notte both played two. It would be interesting to see how many players played 2 games for us. I still don't know what happened to Jordan Jones. It just never seemed to come together and he never got an opportunity. I thought he was a much better player than his record suggests.

'Tis a pity we drafted him over Walters

 

[ioppolo]

Paul Johnson carved out a decent career at Melbourne and Hawthorn

 

[Monocle]

He was an angry coach and was basically given a big FU by the players in 89.

You are correct with this statement as a couple of my cohort and guys I played with before they played VFL, who played under JT at the Eagles had told me pretty much the same thing.
I know one infact hung up his boots with some petrol still in his tank because he was just sick and tired of the aggro
” rarrgh rarrgh” that Todd preached .

My friend was a highly decorated player and he just didn’t need the motivational bombs that Todd kept firing off.
Not to him directly but my friend said he witnessed JT getting physically intimidating and threatening towards other players .

JT was an “old school coach “ who never was able to adapt to modern methods of player dialogue, he had a one style ( his style ) fits all players mentality.

Essentially he coach players with fear.

 

[Mick63]

2004 - #43 Zach Beek (L)
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Heard a good story about Zac Beck's debut. Apparently it came about because Gardiner and Cox were both injured, and Beck was taken over to Adelaide. He played a stinker, the team last and both Gardiner and Cox were due back the next week. So instead of being dropped, Beck got on the front foot post-game told the club he injured his ankle in the game and milked 6-7 weeks worth of injury payments out of the club! Classic.

Played against him a few years ago in the SWFL, seemed like a good bloke.

 

[Chris_6678]

Heard a good story about Zac Beck's debut. Apparently it came about because Gardiner and Cox were both injured, and Beck was taken over to Adelaide. He played a stinker, the team last and both Gardiner and Cox were due back the next week. So instead of being dropped, Beck got on the front foot post-game told the club he injured his ankle in the game and milked 6-7 weeks worth of injury payments out of the club! Classic.

Played against him a few years ago in the SWFL, seemed like a good bloke.

I think Adam selwood mentioned it on the podcase once!

 

[wirra44]

Heard a good story about Zac Beck's debut. Apparently it came about because Gardiner and Cox were both injured, and Beck was taken over to Adelaide. He played a stinker, the team last and both Gardiner and Cox were due back the next week. So instead of being dropped, Beck got on the front foot post-game told the club he injured his ankle in the game and milked 6-7 weeks worth of injury payments out of the club! Classic.

Played against him a few years ago in the SWFL, seemed like a good bloke.

If i remember correctly he was on our list for a bloody long time before he got that first game, about 4 or 5 years i think on the rookie list.