Autopsy Positives and Negatives vs Adelaide.

[Wettoaster]

Positives

• BBBW
• Trew looked good when he came on, clean hands. I thought Chesser looked ok by hand too.
• Maric has some forward smarts
• Kelly, disposal let him down at times but
• Ginbey accumulating and generally using it well was nice to see.

Negatives

• Gaff, and Darling look cooked
• Sheed, nuff said. Didn't think his 43 posession game last week was all that impressive either, Yeo the clear best that day.
• All the fringe players making up the numbers.

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[Nuke Fremantle]

I always thought Darling would last the longest and be able to compete for another couple years at least. But today shows just how cooked he really is.

You've got even C grade defenders like Nick Murray (who?) dominating him now.

If he retired on the spot I think we'd lose very little, given his output. He's not alone there FYI, add Shuey and Hurn.

The ol "but he's taking a defender away.." makes zero sense considering his direct opponent is often thwarting all the attacks by our team, and he's not even able to compete or provide a target for a dump kick up the wing.

Last time I checked a forward doesn't tag a defender either, you're there to kick goals and be a scoring threat. Something Darling is so far off the pace doing currently. His career numbers this year are bloody grim.

Always defended Darling and gave him props for what he's done in the past (credits) but his game today proves just how cooked he is. Confidence is as shot as Gaffs.

I've generally been a defender of Darling and think he's been overly criticized throughout his career, but I'm starting to see that he benefitted from the presence of Kennedy more than I realized.

If Gaff is thoroughly cooked, Darling is about 5 minutes to go in the oven.

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

 

[ziad]

I've generally been a defender of Darling and think he's been overly criticized throughout his career, but I'm starting to see that he benefitted from the presence of Kennedy more than I realized.

If Gaff is thoroughly cooked, Darling is about 5 minutes to go in the oven.

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

Darling is coming back - he will improve. He was at his best when Kennedy as out. But, he is sereously undersized for the position he is being called on to play. This will be a handicap as defenders are far taller and our delivery is garbage.

 

[TheNewAnchor]

Positives

• We can trade our number 1 pick for GWS’ first two round picks.
• We get a favourable draw next year and hopefully no Friday night games.
• We don’t have to fork out for finals tickets.

Negatives

• Watching Tex towel up a skinny 19 year-old with 15 games under his belt and celebrate like there was no tomorrow.
• The numbskull commentator’s refusal to reflect on the fact we had 24 blokes injured, instead drooling over Adelaide’s exemplary performance.

 

[wce4premiership]

I've generally been a defender of Darling and think he's been overly criticized throughout his career, but I'm starting to see that he benefitted from the presence of Kennedy more than I realized.

If Gaff is thoroughly cooked, Darling is about 5 minutes to go in the oven.

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

Darling's goal average without JK is closer to his average with JK (1.4 gpg without, 1.9 gpg with) than JK's average is without Darling (0.9 gpg without, 2.8 gpg with). - As per article on West Australian from July 2022.

Darling might be playing poorly now (I won't judge him off that game of all games but the season has been lacklustre for him) but that's hardly the truth.

Kicked 53 goals in his second year without JK there at all.

 

[Dark Sharks]

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

I'm guessing that's the one about him not being dropped even if we had a healthy list and other options to choose from?

That's just Simpson being a stupid kent in general. I really don't like that attitude from him, or this club.

Everyone can be dropped. Credits don't matter. You reward form regardless of age and status. That's how you build a good club culture.

It's bullshit attitudes like that which helped get us into this mess in the first place. If he'd have dropped underperforming seniors from 2019-2021 then they wouldn't phone it in like they did to finish season 2021. We got pummelled in Hurns 300th, beaten by the wooden spoon team at home the following week, among a bunch of other depressing games to go from a top 4 position to the worst performing team in the comp after the bye.

We haven't recovered mentally since that point.

 

[bzparkes]

I'm guessing that's the one about him not being dropped even if we had a healthy list and other options to choose from?

That's just Simpson being a stupid kent in general. I really don't like that attitude from him, or this club.

Everyone can be dropped. Credits don't matter. You reward form regardless of age and status. That's how you build a good club culture.

It's bullshit attitudes like that which helped get us into this mess in the first place. If he'd have dropped underperforming seniors from 2019-2021 then they wouldn't phone it in like they did to finish season 2021. We got pummelled in Hurns 300th, beaten by the wooden spoon team at home the following week, among a bunch of other depressing games to go from a top 4 position to the worst performing team in the comp after the bye.

We haven't recovered mentally since that point.

Psst...

 

[Bushhopper]

I always thought Darling would last the longest and be able to compete for another couple years at least. But today shows just how cooked he really is.

You've got even C grade defenders like Nick Murray (who?) dominating him now.

If he retired on the spot I think we'd lose very little, given his output. He's not alone there FYI, add Shuey and Hurn.

The ol "but he's taking a defender away.." makes zero sense considering his direct opponent is often thwarting all the attacks by our team, and he's not even able to compete or provide a target for a dump kick up the wing.

Last time I checked a forward doesn't tag a defender either, you're there to kick goals and be a scoring threat. Something Darling is so far off the pace doing currently. His career numbers this year are bloody grim.

Always defended Darling and gave him props for what he's done in the past (credits) but his game today proves just how cooked he is. Confidence is as shot as Gaffs

I've generally been a defender of Darling and think he's been overly criticized throughout his career, but I'm starting to see that he benefitted from the presence of Kennedy more than I realized.

If Gaff is thoroughly cooked, Darling is about 5 minutes to go in the oven.

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

If Darling was a steak he'd be charcoal....

AND Gaff would be black soot blowing in the wind...

Mind you, Gaff did tackle, and kick a goal in forward 50... THAT I wasn't expecting

 

[Bushhopper]

I'm guessing that's the one about him not being dropped even if we had a healthy list and other options to choose from?

That's just Simpson being a stupid kent in general. I really don't like that attitude from him, or this club.

Everyone can be dropped. Credits don't matter. You reward form regardless of age and status. That's how you build a good club culture.

It's bullshit attitudes like that which helped get us into this mess in the first place. If he'd have dropped underperforming seniors from 2019-2021 then they wouldn't phone it in like they did to finish season 2021. We got pummelled in Hurns 300th, beaten by the wooden spoon team at home the following week, among a bunch of other depressing games to go from a top 4 position to the worst performing team in the comp after the bye.

We haven't recovered mentally since that point.

Absolutely...
That day we got BEATEN up by kangas at our home deck, with J Cripps being mauled I knew...

IT WAS OVER...

And now its free fall off a very very high cliff...

 

[Bushhopper]

Darling's goal average without JK is closer to his average with JK (1.4 gpg without, 1.9 gpg with) than JK's average is without Darling (0.9 gpg without, 2.8 gpg with). - As per article on West Australian from July 2022.

Darling might be playing poorly now (I won't judge him off that game of all games but the season has been lacklustre for him) but that's hardly the truth.

Kicked 53 goals in his second year without JK there at all.

Darling absolutely should not be playing...
Even watermelon was out with illness...
What a stinking awful mess our club is in...

 

[Bushhopper]

In all seriousness...

That game against Adelaide the feeling was apathy... I couldn't have cared less how many points WC got belted by...
I only had eyes for Ginbey and Hough... Really enjoyed both of these lads games and have a very bright future ahead

 

[Rowan18]

Negatives: we have several players in our best available 22 who should not be on any AFL list. We will delist them, and no other club will pick them up. Some of our injured players are in the same boat.

Positives: not everyone out there was terrible, even in the face of a shellacking. We will be better placed at the start of 2024 than I feared we might be.

Bailey Williams is turning into Naitanui 2.0. First hands to the ball, fancy taps to advantage, hunting the ball on the ground. Who would have thought it?
Reuben Ginbey can provide more than just grunt work. Good hands, some decent options by foot, starting to accumulate.
Ryan Maric can football, and knows where the goals are. Bargain!
Zane Trew is worth keeping. A couple of 30-possession games in the WAFL surrounded by amateurs, and he managed to find the footy against the Crows when quite a few of his teammates didn't.

Here's a possible team for Round 1 2024. I've written off Naitanui, Shuey and Hurn. And Gaff.

FB: Witherden Barrass Cole
HB: Duggan McGovern Jones
C: Hunt Kelly Hough
HF: Cripps Darling Reid
FF: Ryan Allen Long
R: Williams Yeo Ginbey
I: Maric Culley (second ruck) Sheed

Clark, L Edwards, Foley, O'Neill, West, Winder, Rotham (and Gaff) can be delisted as soon as their contracts expire.
Petruccelle, Waterman and SPS are fair enough depth.
Bazzo, Burgiel, Trew, Hewett, Chesser and Barnett can build form in the WAFL and demand a place, along with other draftees.
I'm unconvinced by Jamieson, H Edwards or J Williams, but sit them in the WAFL and see if they develop. Talls take longer, etc.

One of Jamieson, Barnett or Waterman probably plays as second ruck, unless we draft someone who leapfrogs them or trade in a large lump like Sweet or Flynn.

I've assumed we draft Harley Reid.

That team could push to mid table and provide enough experience to allow the young kids to develop.

The more you look at it, our absolute priority is getting our fitness right so our young kids and late 20s players can stay on the field. That would mean our WAFL team would have depth and our development can proceed.

 

[Rowan18]

I've generally been a defender of Darling and think he's been overly criticized throughout his career, but I'm starting to see that he benefitted from the presence of Kennedy more than I realized.

If Gaff is thoroughly cooked, Darling is about 5 minutes to go in the oven.

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

Settle down. The guy fractured an ankle in January and pushed himself enough to be back by rnd 2. He then happily took a belting each game to be the long down the line option and take the heat from a good defender in order to let Allen and Waterman off the chain. Then he fractured his arm and came back in 4 weeks. He's in the wars and I'm just glad he's on the field.

Let's see how he goes next year with a clean pre season and hopefully no injuries.

 

[Mulldogg]

Psst...

Has the club ever given a title to what his role is? Other than Nisbett’s mole?

Bloke is an anachronism in a footy sense and yet he still seems to be there in the coaches box year in, year out.

 

[bunkyboy]

Yep, was impressed with this centre clearance and general stoppage work when he came on as a sub.

Amazing when you finally play a midfielder in the midfield rather than high half forward or on the defensive (read Masten role) wing.

I know he’s had a fair few chances but really think there’s something to work with in terms of being a clean, one touch inside player that does the grunt work to get it out to better ball users with his elite handballing skills.

Agree with most of that but he’s slow as treacle. Just not seeing it.

 

[bunkyboy]

I've generally been a defender of Darling and think he's been overly criticized throughout his career, but I'm starting to see that he benefitted from the presence of Kennedy more than I realized.

If Gaff is thoroughly cooked, Darling is about 5 minutes to go in the oven.

I think the cynicism of some of our supporters towards him wasn't helped by the ridiculous comment from Simpson earlier this season.

Yes his forms been disappointing and he has lost some of his burst pace but:

1) Reports were he was having an outstanding pre-season before he was injured a freak training accident where clumsy Jeremy McGovern fell across his legs and injured his ankle or whatever it was. Cue multiple weeks out and in a race to be fit for round 1. Not ideal.

2) He’s a key position forward in a terrible team with low inside 50’s and terrible delivery with minimal help or pressure from his mates up there. Probably not enjoying his footy as much.

Hoping he can build form from here and can help the younger guys in the rebuild cos I tell you what he’s been a brilliant player for us.

 

[bunkyboy]

Unfortunately there are so many in the delist category - in the old, the middle and the younger groups. We have a relatively small number worth keeping - a third maybe half at best. So it’s going to be a bit of a lottery as to who goes. Sheed probably gets saved by so many in the queue ahead of him.

How the hell did Cripps and Cole get two year contract extensions? Both are right on the edge of delist IMO. Would they be on any other list or be worth anything to trade?

I remember reading posts on The Roar after our 2018 flag win from people the had analysed our list (by each players SuperCoach rating or something) and were warning that our list wasn’t great. In fact that it was middling. I found this a bit to my dislike, even insulting as a mad Eagles fan, but as time has gone on and I looked at things objectively and took any emotional bias out of it, I could see they were spot on.

The club has been arrogant/complacent/incompetent about the quality of their list. I’m not sure which one or a combination of all the above. It’s probably been longer, but I argue they have been in denial about the list for four years. It really is a massive, massive cluster * for an elite sporting club that should have consolidated our strength after 2018 but nope they crashed it into a ditch.

Anyone that doesn’t think the tide of public opinion hasn’t turned on them on this, go have a look at their Facebook page - there’s 1000 comments on the post about Natanui being ruled out for the season and there getting torched. There’s another Eagle supporter FB page there too that has a similar amount of negative comments about particularly the dire list management.

I understand the argument that the club has got a plan to allow Simpson to oversee the rebuild and then hand the reins to someone else. That in theory is reasonable. However he’s been in perplexing denial about our list for years. He took way too long to wake up to the fact that we were consistently at the bottom of the ladder for contested ball, ground ball gets and inside 50’s. Had absolutely no plan B if our kick mark/rely on the talls back and forward game didn’t work. (Other coaches quickly worked out how to conquer that didn’t they? Keep it away from McGovern, spoil it to the ground in out forward line and get it on the ground and fast D50 rebound utterly destroyed us). Took Simpson ages to also figure out that fast D50 rebound is a very damaging weapon in modern football but we just didn’t have the guys on the list to do it ourselves.

I also believe they weirdly thought Natanui would be around forever and that in their minds they papered of the weakness I’ve alluded to because he was so dominant in the ruck. It made other round him look a bit better that they actually are. It seemed a bit odd that let Lycett go so early and even more arrogant they they apparently said no to Tim English last year even though he was keen on coming here. The kid has had a stellar year for the Dogs.

Simpson has regularly been out coached on game day. It’s been glaringly obvious that he’s not a good game day coach although to his credit I think he’s really tried to improve in that area. I feel like he’s generally been too soft on the players, especially the senior players. He allows senior players like Natanui, Gaff and Shuey to make the same mistakes game after game, season after season. What’s happened here? Have the coaches, the football manager, the CEO got too close to the players and their families? Have they believed their own hype and been coddled/let off the hook by our local media for too long? Does Nisbett and the board bask in past glories and just go yea, na we are so rich that we don’t give a *? Maybe also Simpson not being from WA has walked on eggshells a bit, not wanted to rock the boat, liked to be liked (human nature in some people) and thus been afraid to make the hard calls?

I reckon that Simpson should be thanked for his work by the club but negotiate a settlement to pay out the rest of his contract for him to go mid season or end of season. There’s just been too much damage inflicted to the confidence of the players, members and supporters for him to go on. Simpson bears the brunt of responsibility for where we are at and has to find it in himself to accept that, do the right thing by the club and move on. A fresh start.

 

[Goroyals22]

Yes his forms been disappointing and he has lost some of his burst pace but:

1) Reports were he was having an outstanding pre-season before he was injured a freak training accident where clumsy Jeremy McGovern fell across his legs and injured his ankle or whatever it was. Cue multiple weeks out and in a race to be fit for round 1. Not ideal.

2) He’s a key position forward in a terrible team with low inside 50’s and terrible delivery with minimal help or pressure from his mates up there. Probably not enjoying his footy as much.

Hoping he can build form from here and can help the younger guys in the rebuild cos I tell you what he’s been a brilliant player for us.

You summed it up in two words.. a “has been”


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[wce4premiership]

Jamie Cripps

15

Jamie Cripps

Age

32

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.9

5star

G

1.3

5star

D

10.3

3star

K

6.3

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.4

3star

G

0.4

3star

D

6.4

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

1.0

1star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

is nowhere near delist.

One of our top 6-10 players the past couple of years.

 

[Dark Sharks]

Settle down. The guy fractured an ankle in January and pushed himself enough to be back by rnd 2. He then happily took a belting each game to be the long down the line option and take the heat from a good defender in order to let Allen and Waterman off the chain. Then he fractured his arm and came back in 4 weeks. He's in the wars and I'm just glad he's on the field.

Let's see how he goes next year with a clean pre season and hopefully no injuries.

With all due respect my guy... Darling rushing himself back underdone, skipping WAFL and running out there just to "take the heat" off Allen and Waterman really doesn't fly with me.

We don't need any hero's playing through injuries. Nobody asked for that. Look at what a world of good that did us last year with hero Gaff being an absolute warrior. We almost won the flag because of his sacrifice.

We need solid contributors and senior players who lead by example. Not gimp efforts, theatrical wrestling and flipping around with half assed chasing attempts when he clearly can't get out of second gear due to his back/ankle/forearm/phallus.

His opponent, just like Ballard, just like other KPD's who have toweled him up this year did as they pleased and it hurt the team having him out there, if anything.

I appreciate the fact he plays a sacrificial role at times, just bringing the ball to ground and creating a contest, but that really doesn't excuse the clear 1v1's he loses regularly in the process.

I like Darling, I'm a fan and also feel our grub fans judge him harshly, however the crows game has made me feel for the first time that it's currently warranted.

What exactly is the excuse? Underdone? Great, put your hand up and let Barnett or Williams have a crack. It's not like we were even a remote chance of winning.

 

[ziad]

Positives

• We can trade our number 1 pick for GWS’ first two round picks.
• We get a favourable draw next year and hopefully no Friday night games.
• We don’t have to fork out for finals tickets.

Negatives

• Watching Tex towel up a skinny 19 year-old with 15 games under his belt and celebrate like there was no tomorrow.
• The numbskull commentator’s refusal to reflect on the fact we had 24 blokes injured, instead drooling over Adelaide’s exemplary performance.

Spot on re Tex - but it is a major milestone for him so why not celebrate. We would have. The commentators may have offered a little more perspective but they are in the entertainment industry. I was thinking during the game how many of Basso's games have been as sub or when rushed back without fitness. He is very raw. Hope is is ok.

 

[ziad]

Another watershed game on reflection. Simmo said in a positive fashion that we got to see the resiliance of our players and we need to see that. I assume he means the fight in the dog and the mental toughness to fight on. A few punched their tickets I suspect, some on the move forward and some on the way out. A telling comment form with a hard edge the so-called soft coach. It reminded my of a comment from Montgomery when he took over the Brit army during WW2 and has critisised for pushing hard in training losing some senior leaders through heat attacks. His comment was - how lucky they were to find out now not durng battle.

The game also identified we must recruit a big strong and capable key back and forward for the next push for a GF as well has real pace and class in the midfield.
Basso needs time and I hope he progresses past his current issues, but I dont think big harry will get there with his lumbering approach. Maric is a great prospect but is he a third tall, his frame doesnt say key position. Jammo is a wild card. Given the BBW progress over six weeks (who saw that coming) we need to test these emerging players more. Scores are a lesser priority.

 

[Bender_]

With all due respect my guy... Darling rushing himself back underdone, skipping WAFL and running out there just to "take the heat" off Allen and Waterman really doesn't fly with me.

We don't need any hero's playing through injuries. Nobody asked for that. Look at what a world of good that did us last year with hero Gaff being an absolute warrior. We almost won the flag because of his sacrifice.

We need solid contributors and senior players who lead by example. Not gimp efforts, theatrical wrestling and flipping around with half assed chasing attempts when he clearly can't get out of second gear due to his back/ankle/forearm/phallus.

His opponent, just like Ballard, just like other KPD's who have toweled him up this year did as they pleased and it hurt the team having him out there, if anything.

I appreciate the fact he plays a sacrificial role at times, just bringing the ball to ground and creating a contest, but that really doesn't excuse the clear 1v1's he loses regularly in the process.

I like Darling, I'm a fan and also feel our grub fans judge him harshly, however the crows game has made me feel for the first time that it's currently warranted.

What exactly is the excuse? Underdone? Great, put your hand up and let Barnett or Williams have a crack. It's not like we were even a remote chance of winning.

Look, he stank it up, but how do you think his selection for this week went honestly?

A: Darling approaching Simpson and begging him to play, doing everything he can to convince him that Barnett and Williams don't deserve a game and all his injuries are healed and not giving him a problem.

B: Simpson approaching Darling and acknowledging that he's likely not 100% fit, but they need him to come back early and play coz the personnel situation is so absolutely dire and Darling being a team player agreeing.

It's a sucky situation to be in but perhaps the angst towards Darling may be misdirected somewhat.

 

[Cuzz09]

TBH Tex should've kicked more than 10 considering he was on 7 at half time.

Thought we did well in the 2nd half to limit the damage.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ziad]

TBH Tex should've kicked more than 10 considering he was on 7 at half time.

Thought we did well in the 2nd half to limit the damage.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

he would have had 8 or so on Barrass