Review Positives and Negatives vs Brisbane

Jul 26, 2007
31,927
33,138
Darwin
AFL Club
West Coast
In 2019 JK only had 3 games of 4+ goals in 22 games, but 8 games with 1 goal or less.

He'll flat track a couple teams and coupled with Simpsons unwillingness to drop senior players, will finish the season with a few goals to his name. Though I'd be surprised if he cracks 30 goals.
But I would bet if you replaced JK with Allen or Waterman (and gave them same minutes/role), they'd have a better return for the year. And certainly contribute more to the team than just goals.

JK's 2020 stats:

View attachment 897225

Love JK, but he needs to step aside. Nothing wrong with admitting your body is no longer up to it, we all get old. He's had a wonderful career with many accolades, stepping aside would only add to the admiration a lot of us have for him and what he's done for the Eagles.

What should happen is he comes out of the side and does some more intensive training loads over the next month, maybe lose 3-4kgs and really work on his speed and agility. Get super fit and we bring him back in later in the year when the conditions suit a player like him. Get him absolutely cherry ripe and fit for the back half of the season when we play in dryer conditions and finals.

You don't write off a player the quality of JK after two wet greasy games where our midfield was flogged, he plays the hardest position on the ground.
 
Dec 7, 2000
10,950
6,444
Victoria home of football
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Eagles
What should happen is he comes out of the side and does some more intensive training loads over the next month, maybe lose 3-4kgs and really work on his speed and agility. Get super fit and we bring him back in later in the year when the conditions suit a player like him. Get him absolutely cherry ripe and fit for the back half of the season when we play in dryer conditions and finals.

You don't write off a player the quality of JK after two wet greasy games where our midfield was flogged, he plays the hardest position on the ground.
:think:

JK has an ordinary 2019 with numbers inflated by a couple decent games in a strong side.
Subsequently, JK has 6 months between our failed finals campaign in September and rd 1 in March to regroup, but comes out with a 4 possession 0 goal game against the powerhouse that is the Dees.
Covid hits, he has some 10 weeks to reassess and get himself right. Season restarts and he has a 5 possession 1 goal game against a bunch of kids. But things are on the improve with a 12 possession, 1 goal game vs Brisbane...

Instead of seeing the writing on the wall, your solution is more training?

He's 32yrs old. He aint improving his speed and agility. Fair nuff if he was some unfit amateur, but the guy's a pro athlete in the best shape he can be. There's no improvement to be found.

I hope he proves me wrong. But I also hope him trying to prove his doubters wrong isn't at the expense of the team.
 
Jul 26, 2007
31,927
33,138
Darwin
AFL Club
West Coast
:think:

JK has an ordinary 2019 with numbers inflated by a couple decent games in a strong side.
Subsequently, JK has 6 months between our failed finals campaign in September and rd 1 in March to regroup, but comes out with a 4 possession 0 goal game against the powerhouse that is the Dees.
Covid hits, he has some 10 weeks to reassess and get himself right. Season restarts and he has a 5 possession 1 goal game against a bunch of kids. But things are on the improve with a 12 possession, 1 goal game vs Brisbane...

Instead of seeing the writing on the wall, your solution is more training?

He's 32yrs old. He aint improving his speed and agility. Fair nuff if he was some unfit amateur, but the guy's a pro athlete in the best shape he can be. There's no improvement to be found.

I hope he proves me wrong. But I also hope him trying to prove his doubters wrong isn't at the expense of the team.

No my solution is don't play an older, out of form full forward in wet sloppy conditions when the midfield is getting flogged.

Get him out. Play one less tall and play Oscar where he should be......forward.

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Don't write off JK from two crap wet games.
 

Astro7

Official Halftime Oranges Man
Aug 6, 2017
4,162
5,227
AFL Club
West Coast
I reckon there's nothing you can takeaway from this 4 week hub debacle (apart from a very cold pizza?).
This season is going to be a dog's dinner!
If it staggers on somehow and we make it back to some normality at home (Optus), I'm sure we'll see a fired up Eagles and a surprise return to form for some players, and who knows we might even start to climb the ladder again.

Having said that, given how the new trending style is manic pressure with run+gun waves -you have to wonder what Simmo and coaches have been up to? What did they learn from last season, how did they improve on that at training and with tactics, what did they tweak+tune? Apart from slotting Kelly in..
I suspect when we see them play back at Optus, we'll get a greater insight into their 'new' improvements in ball movement etc (if there are any?).

It's funny how after the post-Kelly trade we were widely touted as having (arguably) the best midfield going..which is fine if you know how to put it all together...Simmo? Needs to be re-tweaked!
Simmo might be nearing the end of his coaching 'goldilocks zone' and might start copping more heat as a coach if he's not careful or more adaptive..

But it's all up in the air, and sort of meaningless, until we get back home and build some form, confidence and momentum....its' hard to muster any enthusiasm for footy at present.
 

Avalor

Brownlow Medallist
Aug 15, 2009
13,131
8,978
Jakarta
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
East Perth, Donnybrook, Chelsea
What should happen is he comes out of the side and does some more intensive training loads over the next month, maybe lose 3-4kgs and really work on his speed and agility. Get super fit and we bring him back in later in the year when the conditions suit a player like him. Get him absolutely cherry ripe and fit for the back half of the season when we play in dryer conditions and finals.

You don't write off a player the quality of JK after two wet greasy games where our midfield was flogged, he plays the hardest position on the ground.

... and finals.

I like your optimism. Unfortunately, that's looking very shaky ATM.
 

javaguice

Premiership Player
Feb 29, 2012
4,208
5,166
AFL Club
West Coast
Lots of love for gaff which I find confusing.

Did the bloke have any damaging possessions?

Can not hit a target to save his life.

Now resorting to the blind kicks down the line to keep his fantasy points up.

Giving me the mega shits.
 
Jul 26, 2007
31,927
33,138
Darwin
AFL Club
West Coast
Lots of love for gaff which I find confusing.

Did the bloke have any damaging possessions?

Can not hit a target to save his life.

Now resorting to the blind kicks down the line to keep his fantasy points up.

Giving me the mega shits.

The across the body hack kick is a clear KPI we aren't playing well.

Need to hit targets not dream team records.
 
The biggest piss off for me in the three games is Nic Nats very limited minutes on the ground.
I have been a big NN fan over the journey, but if what we are seeing now is a true indication of the limited time on ground that he can play then his career is going to come to an abrupt halt.

We have so many structural compromises in the team at the moment it’s not funny.

Kennedy on form should not be playing so that leaves two options IMO.
Oscar at Full forward fulltime and another of the ruckman Vardy / Hickey or Williams play as the second ruck to support minimum minutes NN
Or
Play Williams at FF ( drop JK ) and when needed he can relieve minimum minutes NN and then Oscar / Snake can play FF while NN catches his breath for his next dynamic 6 minutes stint.
Look NN is explosive and impactful when he is on the ground but when he is off the ground his selection compromises team balance something shocking.

We also have the wrong mix in the midfield .... some of the players playing inside roles would be better utilised playing on the outside.
You don’t need all your most talented players on the inside you need you most effective in that role .... Kelly / Shuey on the outside.

Then we have four players being played out of position:

Brander .... ok we can endure one experiment but .... ones the limit.

Petro ..... he is not utilising his pace this year and if that’s taken away from his game he becomes bog average, he needs to get more involved in the game.

The Sneezer only ever plays 8 minutes of contributive football a game .... either put him in a role when he is held accountable for longer in the game or he has no real benefit to the team dynamics.

Redden ...... for crying out aloud just play him in the middle ala 2018.

That coupled with Hurn out of form and Jetta being a touch below par - it all adds up to a frustrating team thats out of sinc and alignment.

Over to you coaches ...... get your structures corrected and the results will come..... balls in your court Simmo.
 
Last edited:

Rowan18

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 20, 2018
7,283
14,699
AFL Club
West Coast
The biggest piss off for me in the three games is Nic Nats very limited minutes on the ground.
I have been a big NN fan over the journey, but if what we are seeing now is a true indication of the limited time on ground that he can play then his career is going to come to an abrupt halt.

We have so many structural compromises in the team at the moment it’s not funny.

Kennedy on form should not be playing so that leaves two options IMO.
Oscar at Full forward fulltime and another of the ruckman Vardy / Hickey or Williams play as the second ruck to support minimum minutes NN
Or
Play Williams at FF ( drop JK ) and when needed he can relieve minimum minutes NN and then Oscar / Snake can play FF while NN catches his breath for his next dynamic 6 minutes stint.
Look NN is explosive and impactful when he is on the ground but when he is off the ground his selection compromises team balance something shocking.

We also have the wrong mix in the midfield .... some of the players playing inside role would be better utilised playing on the outside.
You don’t need all your most talented players on the inside you need you most effective in they role .... Kelly / Shuey on the outside.

Then we have four players being played out of position:

Brander .... ok we can endure one experiment but .... ones the limit.

Petro ..... he is not utilising his pace this year and if that’s taken away from his game he becomes bog average, he needs to get more involved in the game.

The Sneezer only ever plays 8 minutes of contributive football a game .... either put him in a role when he is held accountable for longer in the game or he has no real benefit to the team dynamics.

Redden ...... for crying out aloud just play him in the middle ala 2018.

That coupled with Hurn out of form and Jetta being a touch below par - it all adds up to a frustrating team thats out of sinc and alignment.

Over to you coaches ...... get your structures corrected and the results will come..... balls in your court Simmo.
Very well said. It's not that drastic but a few tough calls need to be made on favourite players to sort us out. I have a feeling Kennedy will make the call himself if it is clear he cant contribute.
 
Nov 13, 2014
4,556
12,545
Melbourne
AFL Club
West Coast
We also have the wrong mix in the midfield .... some of the players playing inside roles would be better utilised playing on the outside.
You don’t need all your most talented players on the inside you need you most effective in that role .... Kelly / Shuey on the outside.
Redden ...... for crying out aloud just play him in the middle ala 2018.
This just seems quite obvious, doesn't it?

But it looks even worse knowing that we've kept Shuey and Yeo in there when they were all banged up and less effective than we've come to expect.
 
Back