Prediction Round 11, 2025: Changes vs Kuwarna

[wce4premiership]

I am disappointed in the team selection this week.

On closer inspection, from a legal standpoint, we aren't actually playing any kids at all.

We should be playing several as a minimum, maybe even 8 if the match ups are right.

 

[06Premiers]

All of the players are their parent's children, so technically the team is 100% kids.

 

[Marlin01]

Of our selected side, how many of our players drafted since the last solar eclipse were born on a waxing moon?

Answer me that Mini.

 

[Mulldogg]

This thread is a difficult read when most people are engaging with someone that everyone should have on ignore…

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Don't mind sharps24 just keep scrolling and scrolling and scrolling instead of reading, quoting a sentence, and getting annoyed haha

 

[Astro7]

I'm just incredibly happy with the changes. Like for like in a (briefly) winning side.
Is there a medication for textual diarrhea?

 

[Boohemian]

Why is every Sharps post a 5 page thesis on utter nonsense?

Bigfooty needs an AI TL/DR function to distill posts to their essence.

 

[WA footy mad]

Kids - Edwards, Maric, Brock, Reid, Hewett, Hutchison, Gross, Long, Dewar, Hough, Ginbey.

11Kids how many more do you want.

 

[bzparkes]

View attachment 2323340
Kids - Edwards, Maric, Brock, Reid, Hewett, Hutchison, Gross, Long, Dewar, Hough, Ginbey.

11Kids how many more do you want.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

I’m barely an adults so anyone younger than me must be a kid.

Therefore, we’re playing 23 kids. And we’re also being coached by a kid.

Great signs for our development.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Why is every Sharps post a 5 page thesis on utter nonsense?

Bigfooty needs an AI TL/DR function to distill posts to their essence.

The discussion on the West Coast Eagles BigFooty forum has centered on frustration with the club’s reluctance to give more consistent game time to younger players, especially those drafted in the past two years. Posters argue that while the team has improved its draft strategy recently, it hasn't adequately followed through by playing those draftees. With the Eagles languishing at the bottom of the ladder, users like sharps24 contend that this is the ideal time to prioritise development over results by playing untested youngsters instead of aging or fringe players who may not be part of the club’s future.

Debate has also emerged around the semantics of who qualifies as a “kid,” with some posters noting that 20-year-olds like Ginbey and Hough are already considered established, while others argue that even limited experience doesn't negate the need to prioritise their development. HoneyBadger35 and others note the inconsistency in arguments that exclude players from the “kids” label based on time on the list or games missed due to injury. Overall, there's a strong sentiment that West Coast's conservative selection strategy is harming long-term growth, especially in comparison to rebuild-heavy teams like Hawthorn, Richmond, and North Melbourne
.

 

[DorothyG]

Don't mind sharps24 just keep scrolling and scrolling and scrolling instead of reading, quoting a sentence, and getting annoyed haha

RSI injury incoming in my thumb

 

[squashface]

Just one more essay bro please bro they will agree with you if you just post one more essay

 

[Cuzz09]

We are playing the kids but we want more new type kids like last year picks Shanahsn, Allan, Malakai mainly just to see how they adapt.

That's what I'd like anyway.

hope they all get a go

 

[DorothyG]

Why are you talking about a 'senior midfield?' It's not all that relevant to the 1st/2nd year players and I don't recall bringing it up. Your just steering the argument into you own frame to avoid conceding a factual point I was making about Harley being the only one currently getting full games. There are less full on positions on the field than starting midfield.

To respond to it though. A round 1 2026 midfield is made up of more than 3 players. So a midfield including Hall, Hewett and Reid would also include Yeo and Graham at minimum. No reason the starting midfield wouldn't be Yeo, Reid, Graham with Hewett and Hall on the bench. And that would be a pretty well balanced midfield actually, a veteran over 30 who's formerly one of the best players in the league. The fittest bloke on the list who's actually probably the weakest link in that mix but at least he's a senior player. Then you'd have a 4th year player and 2 3rd year players. Perfectly fine. Yeah ideally they'd all be on 150 games and around 25 but we simply don't have those players on our list. Btw we have no choice but to make Reid and Hewett part of our starting midfield whether you like it or not. Hall can be swapped out of there for Hough or Ginbey though, then it'd be 2 vets a 5th yr a 4th year and a 3rd [who's Harley ****ign Reid]. But Hall would still need games in his 3rd year in order to become someone who can go through in his 4th forward when we lose Yeo.

I don't even know how we make a midfield without using at least 3 players under 22 because outside of Graham and Yeo we actually have no pure mids. Kelly is moving to half forward, so he's not in the mix. Baker is a half back or half forward or pocket. Who am I forgetting about, Hutchinson? Also wouldn't meet your criteria since you count him as a 2nd year player. So you don't really have a very strong straw man there by pointing to the ages of Hewett, Reid and Hall and saying thats not a senior midfield.

If you look at the drafts of 23/24 only Gross can play midfield and Mini has already said he wants him to come in and play half forward, which I agree with. I'm saying yes, play Gross at half forward. Play Allen at half back. Play Archer Reid forward. Give Harvey J or Davis a run on a wing. Debut Shanahan even. Do all of it, do some of it, whatever. But none of it runs afoul of your "senior midfield" point.

Nor do you help your 20 year olds go on with it when you say “you’ve done two offseasons, you’re plenty ready, go do the heavy lifting for our new teenagers now that you’re established”.

What are you saying here? You think we should of dropped Ruben to WAFL last year? Shouldn't have put games into Hough in 23? It's not even a matter of relying on them we literally couldn't field a side right now if we aren't asking 21/22 year olds to play AFL football, and the fact is we can rely on them- because they are now 50 game players despite being relatively young. We'd be ****ed defensively if these 2 weren't playing like men already.

The point would be if you want players to start winning their positions as 21 year olds [and we do want that, actually] then you need to put games into them as 20 year olds. And you needed to put games into them as 18 year olds and 19 year olds if you want the games as 20 year olds to transition them into winning their positions at 21.

It's not a matter of expecting them to dominate its a matter of there being a process along the way through which they become established. A process of playing AFL games. And It'll take even longer for Archer Ried so yes, we need to give him these games and if he keeps getting them it doesn't have to come with an expectation that he win his position every week. He is beating his opponent more often than not now just to make the discussion more void, and on form alone should of been in the side ahead of Oscar, or at least in that position ahead of Oscar. Waterman was injured for some of this to remember, and Reid is out of the side now so I don't particularly buy into an argument he was being carried just to get games into him, though that would of been fine.

We can agree to disagree on whether it is or isn't important to get games into first and second year players. Can you not just agree that we aren't putting the same volume of games into them as we did in 23 and 24. Because we absolutely are not. 1 game Allan. 2 full games Gross 1 full game Davis. Nothing for Greggo or Shannahan of HJ. 2 games for Hall? Sure it's not nothing but it certainly could be more, and those games wouldn't be wasted.

How many less games would be have won in the first 10 rounds I wonder if each of those guys player an extra 2 games each?

chatGPT summarised the above:

Nothing says "planning for the future" like giving fewer games to your developing kids in a rebuilding year.

There I saved y'all hours of reading the past couple pages

 

[Keys]

Look at it this way, who’s not playing that perhaps should be and who do they replace:

• Archer Reid - has had plenty of opportunity and is probably a bit banged up reflected in declining returns. Could do with a run in the WAFL to work on what he’s learned. Bailey Williams is playing better
• Johnston - WAFL form has been steady as they work out whether to play him half back or wing. Would need to dislodge either Hunt or Hutchinson who both played well against St Kilda
• Allan - perhaps the easiest argument but he’s lacked continuity due to a combination of unfortunately timed illness, suspension and a WAFL bye. Get him some time in the WAFL so he can build a case to displace Cole
• Hall - the travelling emergency so he’s close. Has good WAFL numbers but even at that level his defensive workrate needs improving. Can’t find who he should be playing ahead of in the selected side
• Barnett - barely playing at WAFL standard. Miles off
• Grego - learning the ropes as a midfielder at WAFL level. Developing just fine adjusting to that role. As with Hall there’s no obvious player he should be getting games ahead of
• Bazzo - has missed a lot of footy and is just starting to find form and confidence. Will put pressure on Brock/Edwards soon and isn’t far off
• Jack Williams - unlucky to be out but it’s a choice between him and Bailey right now. Play well and keep the pressure on him to perform
• Shanahan - no harm learning his craft as a FF at WAFL level and is stuck behind Waterman and Allen. Might play in defence this week anyway.
• Rawlinson - not playing well enough
• Champion - is putting some good games together but is undersized for AFL. Long is ahead of him for a small forward spot
• Davis - a bit like Johnston he’s behind Hunt and Hutchinson for a wing spot. Development at WAFL level is just fine for him at the moment
• Livingstone - not AFL level yet

That’s everyone who’s available but not selected.

If anyone wants to mount an argument for why one or more of them should be playing go ahead - but you have to identify who they replace

 

[Marlin01]

I think we need to look at the age issue from two perspectives; list management and weekly selection.

The weekly team selection must be done on a best 22 basis. To do anything else is poison for the club morale and creates in-fighting and resentment.

List management is where we should be having more than one eye on the future. If it were me, any player that won’t be around in 2030 should be offered absolute minimums.

 

[Dark Sharks]

As much as I'd like to be giving our shiny new first rounder a crack, it's not like Allan's form has warranted a game.

Every time he puts in a decent WAFL game he dies the following week.

Then he'll come back and you'd think ok let's try to get him into the AFL if he plays good this week... And he'll have a bit of a shocker instead.

Then they just give him a game anyway and he goes and gets himself suspended...

Then there's the WAFL bye..


Probably time to just settle him in the WAFL for a few weeks. Hopefully as a midfielder and not a dumb lockdown defender.

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

As much as I'd like to be giving our shiny new first rounder a crack, it's not like Allan's form has warranted a game.

Every time he puts in a decent WAFL game he dies the following week.

Then he'll come back and you'd think ok let's try to get him into the AFL if he plays good this week... And he'll have a bit of a shocker instead.

Then they just give him a game anyway and he goes and gets himself suspended...

Then there's the WAFL bye..


Probably time to just settle him in the WAFL for a few weeks. Hopefully as a midfielder and not a dumb lockdown defender.

It's really going to go down when McCarthy comes in as a defender before Allan does.

Start playing Allan as a mid and try and get him in to the team that way.

 

[TheBudgies]

Look at it this way, who’s not playing that perhaps should be and who do they replace:

• Archer Reid - has had plenty of opportunity and is probably a bit banged up reflected in declining returns. Could do with a run in the WAFL to work on what he’s learned. Bailey Williams is playing better
• Johnston - WAFL form has been steady as they work out whether to play him half back or wing. Would need to dislodge either Hunt or Hutchinson who both played well against St Kilda
• Allan - perhaps the easiest argument but he’s lacked continuity due to a combination of unfortunately timed illness, suspension and a WAFL bye. Get him some time in the WAFL so he can build a case to displace Cole
• Hall - the travelling emergency so he’s close. Has good WAFL numbers but even at that level his defensive workrate needs improving. Can’t find who he should be playing ahead of in the selected side
• Barnett - barely playing at WAFL standard. Miles off
• Grego - learning the ropes as a midfielder at WAFL level. Developing just fine adjusting to that role. As with Hall there’s no obvious player he should be getting games ahead of
• Bazzo - has missed a lot of footy and is just starting to find form and confidence. Will put pressure on Brock/Edwards soon and isn’t far off
• Jack Williams - unlucky to be out but it’s a choice between him and Bailey right now. Play well and keep the pressure on him to perform
• Shanahan - no harm learning his craft as a FF at WAFL level and is stuck behind Waterman and Allen. Might play in defence this week anyway.
• Rawlinson - not playing well enough
• Champion - is putting some good games together but is undersized for AFL. Long is ahead of him for a small forward spot
• Davis - a bit like Johnston he’s behind Hunt and Hutchinson for a wing spot. Development at WAFL level is just fine for him at the moment
• Livingstone - not AFL level yet

That’s everyone who’s available but not selected.

If anyone wants to mount an argument for why one or more of them should be playing go ahead - but you have to identify who they replace

This is a pretty fair list. I'd like a Williams-Williams swap.

I want Hall and Allan in the team but this needs evidence they deserve it over Cole and a mid. When Kelly was playing mid that was who I'd have swapped Hall in for but he's playing well as a forward.

I love that Davis got a run. Now needs to beat Hutch or Hunt for a spot both of whom are playing well.

I'd like a game in Shanahan and another couple for Davis if an opportunity arose. Maybe give Allen a rest later in the season? Send Archer to KPD to get him in the team?

 

[ArdentEagle]

I couldn't find the exact video I wanted but I like to think that Sharps (like all of us), can all be right, thanks to quantum mechanics. (I find this kind of thing really fascinating)

Brief ChatGPT explanation here with video link. (I'll keep looking for the video I wanted to show)

Quantum Observers and Divergent Realities


In quantum mechanics, the observer effect suggests that the act of observation can influence the outcome of an event. This means that two observers might witness the same event but perceive different results. This concept challenges our classical understanding of reality and suggests that our perceptions might be more subjective than previously thought.YouTube+2Wikipedia+2YouTube+2


Gabriele Martinelli's video delves into this topic, exploring how quantum physics can influence our understanding of individuality and perception. It's a thought-provoking piece that bridges complex scientific concepts with personal introspection.gabemartinelli.com+2YouTube+2Facebook+2

---

For a deeper dive into the observer effect and its implications, you might also find this video insightful:



This video provides a clear explanation of how observation can impact quantum systems, further emphasizing the idea that reality might be more fluid and observer-dependent than traditionally believed.Class Central+2YouTube+2YouTube+2

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

There's quite a few whispers floating around that Tex will be a late out.

 

[Dark Sharks]

It's really going to go down when McCarthy comes in as a defender before Allan does.

Start playing Allan as a mid and try and get him in to the team that way.

Even though I want him as a mid and think that's where he plays his best footy, I acknowledge it's actually easier getting him into the AFL side as a HBF.

Harley, Hewett, Graham and Hough are all pretty rusted on mids in the AFL side now, with Ryan and Brockman also going through.

Then there's Grego, Hall and Gross already as solid mid WAFL depth.

Meanwhile in the backline there's Tom Cole already on the fringe of the AFL team, whilst Duggan and Baker are concrete. Not much in the way of WAFL depth though. Johnston maybe.

 

[ziad]

Look at it this way, who’s not playing that perhaps should be and who do they replace:

• Archer Reid - has had plenty of opportunity and is probably a bit banged up reflected in declining returns. Could do with a run in the WAFL to work on what he’s learned. Bailey Williams is playing better
• Johnston - WAFL form has been steady as they work out whether to play him half back or wing. Would need to dislodge either Hunt or Hutchinson who both played well against St Kilda
• Allan - perhaps the easiest argument but he’s lacked continuity due to a combination of unfortunately timed illness, suspension and a WAFL bye. Get him some time in the WAFL so he can build a case to displace Cole
• Hall - the travelling emergency so he’s close. Has good WAFL numbers but even at that level his defensive workrate needs improving. Can’t find who he should be playing ahead of in the selected side
• Barnett - barely playing at WAFL standard. Miles off
• Grego - learning the ropes as a midfielder at WAFL level. Developing just fine adjusting to that role. As with Hall there’s no obvious player he should be getting games ahead of
• Bazzo - has missed a lot of footy and is just starting to find form and confidence. Will put pressure on Brock/Edwards soon and isn’t far off
• Jack Williams - unlucky to be out but it’s a choice between him and Bailey right now. Play well and keep the pressure on him to perform
• Shanahan - no harm learning his craft as a FF at WAFL level and is stuck behind Waterman and Allen. Might play in defence this week anyway.
• Rawlinson - not playing well enough
• Champion - is putting some good games together but is undersized for AFL. Long is ahead of him for a small forward spot
• Davis - a bit like Johnston he’s behind Hunt and Hutchinson for a wing spot. Development at WAFL level is just fine for him at the moment
• Livingstone - not AFL level yet

That’s everyone who’s available but not selected.

If anyone wants to mount an argument for why one or more of them should be playing go ahead - but you have to identify who they replace

Thanks, I don't get to see the WAFL. You make eminent sense

 

[darksquare]

Why is every Sharps post a 5 page thesis on utter nonsense?

Bigfooty needs an AI TL/DR function to distill posts to their essence.

BigFooty already has a very similar function that I use often. It distils posts right down to “show ignored content”. Short and to the point.