The next 5 weeks

[Methuselah]

apologies for posting a new thread, but the subject matter of the original doggies thread has changed.
IMO the next 5 weeks may not be so bad.
I expect an improved showing against the lions and as the bulldogs demonstrated this week, they are not invincible as the doggies were close to an upset in the final quarter - full credit to them for not giving up. Eagles and freo must have the best chance of beating the lions after a long trip west -always a chance.
Port at football park does look impossible....but at least we are competitive again -that's the important difference this year...skills and teamwork are still lacking, but the spirit and application is there -the rest will come.
A young team should learn to play well together by practice, and the best practice will come against the best sides - so the eagles should improve as the season progresses, if the youngsters can maintain their spirit.
After that, Roos at Subi -I expect a win by 30 points.
Richmond in Melb....we might just pinch this one if their injury woes continue - 50:50 I think.
Then Hawthorn at subi....on their current form we should win comfortably by 40 points plus -their midfield has really gone off the boil.

What is obvious from this year is no-one is doing very well at selections, even the so called "experts" are below 50% - that's the score you should get purely by making guesses!

That means the competition is actually very even, and how one team matches up with their opposition on the day is the critical factor. I picked melbourne to finish last this year on their form in 2001 and the preseason comp. They are the bolters at present and I had forgotten they played in a GF not that long ago.

Perhaps the only team that stands out from the crowd is Brisbane...but lets see what happens next week.

 

[carlyp]

I dont know if we can beat the Lions but i KNOW we can give them a real fright!
I dont think we can get over Port in Adelaide because they are a TOP side and are obviousley very good
Like Methuselah i think we are also a good chance to get over North, the tigers and the Hawks if we can keep away from injuries!
This is definately better than last year!

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Kangaroos should be a definate victory, I mean we are playing them at home! If Hawthorn are playing as bad as they currently are, we should win. I however suspect that they will shoot out of the blocks at any moment now.

Richmond could be tough, who will run with Richo and Ottens? Who will score the goals if Kellaway and Gaspar play on Fido and T-Train respectively? AND ITS AN AWAY GAME! This is the danger game of the 3 i've listed.

I believe we will walk away with a 2-3 record from these 5. I'm hopeful of 3-2. I've heard several people saying that if Brisbane are to lose, it will be against us as they will be over confident and the long trip West won't help. I hope they're right, but personally I'm praying we won't get another 100pt hiding (they've given us a few of those lately).

 

[sabre_ac]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
Kangaroos should be a definate victory, I mean we are playing them at home! If Hawthorn are playing as bad as they currently are, we should win. I however suspect that they will shoot out of the blocks at any moment now.

Richmond could be tough, who will run with Richo and Ottens? Who will score the goals if Kellaway and Gaspar play on Fido and T-Train respectively? AND ITS AN AWAY GAME! This is the danger game of the 3 i've listed.

I believe we will walk away with a 2-3 record from these 5. I'm hopeful of 3-2. I've heard several people saying that if Brisbane are to lose, it will be against us as they will be over confident and the long trip West won't help. I hope they're right, but personally I'm praying we won't get another 100pt hiding (they've given us a few of those lately).

The roos game will be a danger game I would hardly pencil that in for a win.
Pickett,Harvey,Grant and King will rip you apart in the middle and if Rocca fires you could be in for a long day.
That said I am still tipping you guys for hte victory.

Against the tigers at home you wont come close, speically with Richo back.
I cant see who you have to match up on Ottens and you can garrantee that Wilson wont touch the ball with gasper on him.
Hawks game again I would suggest there stars will be back to there best and as there a top 4 side your again in trouble.
Glasses down for the brisbane clash there is no point in your mob even turning up.

 

[Scal]

I reckon you've been pretty harsh there, sabre. The eagles are playing decent footy, as long as their midfield can keep firing, which is where Melbourne won the game on the weekend...

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
Kangaroos should be a definate victory, I mean we are playing them at home! If Hawthorn are playing as bad as they currently are, we should win. I however suspect that they will shoot out of the blocks at any moment now.

Kangas play well here...well, they used to with Carey and the open spaces...I think you will probably win that one but I don't think it's a definite. You should beat Hawthorn...we handed them their only win so far...I don't think they are gonna get better very quickly...

Richmond could be tough, who will run with Richo and Ottens? Who will score the goals if Kellaway and Gaspar play on Fido and T-Train respectively? AND ITS AN AWAY GAME! This is the danger game of the 3 i've listed.

Depends on the talls. With Richo back, yeah, dangerous, but they are a bit shallow on talls and look to have lost Holland, I reckon they will struggle to contain your forward line. Midfield again is the key here.

Brissy, I can't see anyone beating them. Their midfield will cut any team up. To beat them you are going to have to flood flood flood and I don't think the Eagles are a team to do that...not well enough, anyway.

You've got a hard run alright, I don't envy your next few weeks.

 

[iceman]

My view on the next couple of weeks:

Brisbane - if we get within 4 goals we've done well

Port - theyll be too good at home

Kangaroos - we need to contain Pickett and Harvey who slaughtered us last year, not as easy a win as most people think

Richmond - these guys have always played well against us and on Friday night at the MCG i'd personally tip them

Hawthorn - we should do alright, unless they get back to their form of last year


Gonna be a tough couple of weeks....

 

[Mead]

This is really the character testing stretch- Hawthorn we should beat, although form can change quickly. Kangaroos, alas we have noone who can match up on Pickett, the midfield battle is going to be all important. Richmond, whichever team has less injuries, and as for Port and Brisbane- they're both bloody excellent sides, but teams do not go undefeated for the entire season- if we go out there and back ourselves, there's at least a chance of an upset.. Anyway, time shall tell. Here are the results i'd be happiest with- vs Hawthorn- win by 30+
vs Roos- win by 10pts
vs Richmond- lineball, if we get over the line, its great.
vs Brisbane- loss inside 25pts
vs Port- Loss inside 40pts

 

[jod23]

Brisbane will be the toughest of the lot and the next 4 games after this one could hinge on this result. We have home ground advantage, they have to travel a long way and there overconfident. If we pull off an upset then i think we will have enough confidence to maybe even knock off Port in Adelaide....

Ill be happy if we go 2-3 over the next 5. Richmond have lost Holland so that leaves them with very few quality talls. If McIntosh is fit and Jako and Glass are in good form i see no reason why we cant tame Ottens and Richo. Plus we could force them to remove Ottens from the forward line if Gardiner gets on top in the ruck.

North will be tough, Pickett and Harvey are both very dangerous small forwards and i think the time is now to get Green and Humm into the side so they can have a couple of games before the Nth game. Ive had enough of trialing midfielders down back. Hopefully Prior will be back also.

All in all the next month or so will be very tough but we have to remember that there is still games against Geelong, the Saints and Freo to come

 

[Voice of Reason]

My view is that it is absolutely stupid trying to predict games more than one week in advance so I won't do it. The players should always focus on their next opponent, pay them the respect they deserve and the performance and the result will look after itself.

No, I am not Danny Frawley.

 

[Frodo]

Yes, a lot can happen in one week...never mind four.

I think it is gut feeling but it may be subconcious 'hope' but I think we are a good chance for a win on Saturday.

Reasons:

1) It's an aweful travel load for the Lions after playing in Melbourne last week

2) Their unbeaten run is about long enough.....time for it to end.

3) Eagles have taken stick for the first time under Woosha following the Melbourne loss. Expect a rebound that is 'HARD'

4) BB always follows a no goal game with a bag

5) Freo are higher on the ladder that WCE. The guys don't like that.......local pride is at stake.

 

[dbhattarai]

From purely a neutral perspective, this is how i think the next 5 weeks will pan out for the West Coast.

Brisbane - Loss

Tough game, if you get within 5 goals, good solid result.

Port Adelaide - Loss

I think Port will be way too strong at home.

Kangaroos - Win

Kangaroos I feel are over-rated slightly, this is your big chance for a win.

Richmond - Loss

There is no way WC will win this game. Richmond kill WC at the MCG at night, and don't forget, Richmond are a top 4 side.

Hawthorn - Loss

Lineball game really, I just have a gut feeling you guys will lose. It will be a close game though. They are a top 8 side.


All in all, I would expect WC to go 1-4, which isn't all that bad. You could win the next couple of games after that, ending up 5-6, and still some slight hope of making the finals. If you guys go 2-3 or 3-2 over these 5 games, then you really are a good chance to play finals footy.

 

[jod23]

If Richmond play against us like they did against Freo we will win easily. But i like VOR's view on things, lets just concentrate on Brisbane and take it a game at a time.

 

[Goldenblue]

I think we will lose to Brisbane, but if we do get within 5 goals I would be happy with the result. After some of the punishings we got last year, I still think we have improved overall even in defeat.

We do have a chance here to win at least 2 of the 5 games. I feel we could be good against the Hawks on their current form. They have not played well and those who think they are a top four side should forget about last year. Summer makes a difference in a football year.

North, I do believe we have a chance. We capitulated against them last year and with Glen Jakovich in red hot form, I can see a lot of rebounding from the half back line for the WCE. No offence to McCartney, but I think GJ will win this battle.

Port, too hard at home and if they have a foeld day in the middle, we could be in for a bad day.

Richmond are not the team they were last season either, it will be touch and go, but the MCG under lights has never been good for us and I think some of their talls may take the game by the scruff of the neck.....loss here, but a chance....

 

[Captain Random]

Originally posted by Goldenblue
Port, too hard at home and if they have a foeld day in the middle, we could be in for a bad day.

I hope the Port game is a decent one. Last year's game against Port at Subi was one of the worst days of my football life - we were so bad, it was breathtaking. We could show up two hours late (speaking of which, thanks westcoasteagles.com.au for giving us all the game times in EST) and still put in a better showing.

 

[sabre_ac]

Originally posted by jod23
If Richmond play against us like they did against Freo we will win easily. But i like VOR's view on things, lets just concentrate on Brisbane and take it a game at a time.

Of course jod
Nothing like a eagle supporter to take the shine off a dockers win.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by sabre_ac


Of course jod
Nothing like a eagle supporter to take the shine off a dockers win.

I said that because dbhattarai said we would definitely lose to Richmond at the MCG?? Why will we definitely lose when Frematle can beat them by 40 or so points. We accounted for Freo in round 1 so i see no reason why we cant beat Richmond.

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by sabre_ac


Of course jod
Nothing like a eagle supporter to take the shine off a dockers win.

Did Freo get a win?

 

[blockerhall]

"We accounted for Freo in round 1 so I see no reason why we cant beat Richmond."

Lets see... using the same INFALLIBLE LOGIC

Rich d. Melb (Rd3) , Mel d. WCE (Rd 4), by default Rich d. WCE

No wonder my tipping is UTS this year, I'm missing this type of logic.

 

[TheRealBuzz]

Makes perfect sense to me, Blocker.

Also, it's interesting to see that Brisbane only beat the Bulldogs by 16 points on the weekend, while we beat them by 32 points the week before.

Therefore I am predicting a 16 point win this weekend against the Lions.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Originally posted by TheRealBuzz
Makes perfect sense to me, Blocker.

Also, it's interesting to see that Brisbane only beat the Bulldogs by 16 points on the weekend, while we beat them by 32 points the week before.

Therefore I am predicting a 16 point win this weekend against the Lions.

I can't wait to see Geelong play Carlton - after their respective matches against St Kilda it should be a 25 goal thrashing by the Cats. Go phaty!

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Originally posted by blockerhall
"We accounted for Freo in round 1 so I see no reason why we cant beat Richmond."

Lets see... using the same INFALLIBLE LOGIC

Rich d. Melb (Rd3) , Mel d. WCE (Rd 4), by default Rich d. WCE

No wonder my tipping is UTS this year, I'm missing this type of logic.

Thats a nice way of taking what he said out of context. I think what Buzz was trying to say, is that how can a freo supporter write off the eagles against richmond with such certainty if a weak team like freo beat them (and lets not kid ourselves, freo aren't exactly strong [nor are WCE], both teams would have similar expectations for 2002).

 

[blockerhall]

Err... It was Jod, and pretty much in context. Being that dismissive is, well, not clever. On dbhattarai's account, as well, conceded.

Buzz was amusing in his follow-up, as was VoR, highlighting that you just can't draw a line through this stuff. I know I can't, as pointed out by my admission of crap tipping this year.

I agree that you definitely cannot write off the Eagles for that match, however. Despite the fact it has been a tough one on most occasions previously.

 

[GoEagles]

I actually think we can come close to Brisbane on Saturday. Remember how poorly we played last year, crippled with injuries and Ken Judge - we lose by under 4 goals. Brisbane wont have Lynch with them, and they could easily take us for granted as an easybeat. Having said this, we would have to play at our best football to win this game.

I'll stick my neck out and say the Port Adelaide game in Adelaide will be a much tougher task to win, than Brisbane at home.

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by Frodo
Yes, a lot can happen in one week...never mind four.

I think it is gut feeling but it may be subconcious 'hope' but I think we are a good chance for a win on Saturday.

Reasons:

1) It's an aweful travel load for the Lions after playing in Melbourne last week

2) Their unbeaten run is about long enough.....time for it to end.

3) Eagles have taken stick for the first time under Woosha following the Melbourne loss. Expect a rebound that is 'HARD'

4) BB always follows a no goal game with a bag

5) Freo are higher on the ladder that WCE. The guys don't like that.......local pride is at stake.

Gut feeling was correct but I'd rather have my gut feeling than Chris Judd today

ps BB said after the game that Judd would have learned not to get in his way in future. He also called Georgie Grilledfish Mr. Small fish after Georgie said BB would never make a decent FF

I had a chat with Phil Read. He is pretty down. Next year. Next year. He's fed up with it.

I also met Ashley Sampi for the first time. Seems okay guy.

Wirra told us that he had two aboriginal 'totems' the speed of an emu and the ferocity of a greaty white shark and he said his confidence had dropped badly in past two seasons but was coming back now....he praised Woosha and Suma.

 

[Thrawn666]

ps BB said after the game that Judd would have learned not to get in his way in future. He also called Georgie Grilledfish Mr. Small fish after Georgie said BB would never make a decent FF

I had a chat with Phil Read. He is pretty down. Next year. Next year. He's fed up with it.

I also met Ashley Sampi for the first time. Seems okay guy.

Wirra told us that he had two aboriginal 'totems' the speed of an emu and the ferocity of a greaty white shark and he said his confidence had dropped badly in past two seasons but was coming back now....he praised Woosha and Suma.

Im assuming all this was at the post match function?

Nice to get the inside views for a change