WAFL Rd 22

[Visro]

Weekly WAFL round up. BTW, this was the last weekend of fixtures in the WAFl and the final series starts next weekend. The four finalists are:

Claremont
East Perth
South Fremantle
Subiaco

I am not sure how they will be played but that will obviously come clear eventually. Anyway the wrap up of our boys and Medhurst in the WAFL:

Goals:

Medhurst x 7 (pleeeasseeee be at WC next year)
Hunter x 5
Chambers x 2
Cummings x 1
Munro x 1

BOG:

Turnball
Chambers
Hunter

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Buszan didn't have the best of games for the Royals. Chambers played well. Turnball dominated the ruck. Munro handy in places and will probably be kept on the WC list but really needs to bulk up. Heard the Cummings got injured in his match and its good to see Hunter playing well. McDougall didn't get a mention and really needs to get his arse into gear. Dont know much on Miller, McCarrey and Beeck though.

Vis

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Hey Vis, could you tell me what type of player Medhurst is? I mean, is he a Cummings, Lloyd, Carey, Fido or Heady type player?

 

[Visro]

He's five foot 11 or something, very strong for his size, built quite well and only 19 years of age. Will get drafted, just depends who gets him.

Vis

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Not particularly tall. isn't Hunter a similar type player to him? I would of personally thought the eagles would go for a key position player.

How many goals has he got for the year? Is he better then Polak? Would you rate him a top 6 draft pick?

C'mon Vis, more info. I'm bored stiff here and need something to read!

 

[Voice of Reason]

I have valued information on all this so here goes:

I went to Claremont v West Perth yesterday (as I follow the Falcons). Medhurst was absolutely TOP CLASS. He has balance, pace, accurate kicking for goal, good overhead mark for his size, excellent goal sense. I would definitely draft him. However, I was surprised to read he's 5. 11 - I'd have thought he was a little shorter - anyway to me he is a classic small forward/forward pocket.

Other Eagles and I were debating therefore whether we need him - as the Eagles are already well served with small forwards (Phil Matera and Mark Merenda are the obvious in experienced players). Jury was divided - I say yes. We can't rely on those two staying fit and anyway I believe that a lot of our problems revolve around pace and a forward structure - Medhurst is a damaging player, so short of any character flaws I don't know about, I say yes.

But I want midfielders with decent disposal too. BTW Chris Lewis was fantastic for 15 minutes every quarter then went off for a rest. Class tells.

My spies went to the East Perth v South Fremantle game. The report back was that the older Ferals, sorry Royals, won it for them: Paul Symmons (congratulations on 100 WAFL and 200 senior games), Rod Wheatley, David Swan and Ryan Turnbull. The word was that the younger Eagles players were doing the flashy things but not the team things and basically looked unimpressive and posssibly uninterested. The best of them on the day was surprisingly Munro.

 

[Frodo]

Well I went to Subi from Leederville and my report on the Royals is a bit different VOR.

Firstly, Chambers was absolutely first class. I put him as BOG.
Humm was quiet and seems to have lost form but Munro wa good. He is thin but nothing like as thin as Brett Heady at that age. Buszan played very well apart from his kicking on goal. With Bowling Ball as a mentor perhaps a goal kicking coach is required.

Paul Symmons (congratulations on 100 WAFL and 200 senior games), Rod Wheatley, David Swan did play very well and Ryan Turnbull did a good job but picked up a knee injury in the first half that affected his mobility.

Antonowitz had a good game and as the Royals now don't play next week and Carroll is injured I am hoping he gets a run with the Eagles.

on other matters

Adam Hunter is 189cm which is pretty tall. I think he is an excellent player who has just turned 20 and is a star of the future. To make a comparison. Jako is 192cm

Medhurst is an excellent goalsneak. He would be a greay pickup and well ahead of Polak IMO.

If Freo delist Keren Ugle he would be worth a look too. Undisciplined but a lot of talent, All down to the coach.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Fair enough Frodo - I have to rely on hearsay from my spies, not my own eyes on this one so you're probably right.

...and on "skinny" Munro, I agree that "if you're good enough, you're big enough". Brett Heady's comments about him and Dean Kemp last night emphasised that point - that they may be skinny at the start, but they can develop into great players. Of couse, clubs must show patience to reap the rewards of that development as it can take years.

I've only seen Polak once, but gee he was good that day. I'd have Polak and Medhust, but I'm sure the Dockers have their eye on Polak anyway. Regan Duckworth from my club WP might get a go too - hard at it midfielder. Didn't have a great game yesterday, but has been in and under all year.

 

[WA]

I was also at the Claremont v West Perth game (I'm a Claremont supporter ) and without repeating things I've previously said about him myself, and what others have said in this thread - Medhurst is a gun! At the start of the season I said he'd be drafted by someone, it would appear that he will be, I just hope it's West Coast who get him.

 

[jod23]

Does anybody else think that Lewis retired prematurely? I have seen him play a few times this year for Claremont and i have no doubt he could still play at AFL level. WE could have used him this year.

Thoughts?

 

[tjrra]

Good discussion points;
Medhurst is a good player he seems to have that gift to make something out of nothing, he may be a bit small for FF but in the pocket or flank yes.
Lewis- has played some great games and still appears to have all the class he had but has also played some shockers.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

I reckon Lewis was pushed into retirement. When he announced he was retiring it came as a bit of a surprise as i don't recal hearing anything about it in the media. Nor was there any thought of him retiring at the start of the season.

But at least he went out on a high, still remembered for being a good footballer rather than for sticking around too long.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
I reckon Lewis was pushed into retirement. When he announced he was retiring it came as a bit of a surprise as i don't recal hearing anything about it in the media. Nor was there any thought of him retiring at the start of the season.

But at least he went out on a high, still remembered for being a good footballer rather than for sticking around too long.

Thats where my relationship with Judge went downhill, i think he had a big part in forcing Lewis' hand.

 

[Voice of Reason]

I reckon Chris Lewis retired at the right time. His heart wasn't in it any more and there was only one way to go - down.

At Claremont, it's different - much slower pace, he doesn't have to train during the week, just turn up and play the game on the weekend just about. His natural ability gets him up and he is so good, but even then he gets a rest for 10 minutes every quarter.

I wouldn't underestimate the gap between WAFL and AFL, eg Symmons and TurnbUll look really good at WAFL level, but have struggled to have an impact at the next step up. Obviously that's something we need to consider with Medhurst too.

 

[WA]

VoR

Everytime I get 3/4 through reading a thread, I have my responses all worked out, then I get to yours, whether it be about Wilson, Medhurst or Lewis - you get in before me & say whatever it is I was going to say!

Talking about WAFL, Sheedy was at the Peel/Swans game - wonder if he's looking at anyone or if it was purely because of his friendship with John Todd (& Betty Cuthbert who lives down that way)?

 

[Voice of Reason]

WA

I have no life and spend too much time on the bigfooty boards - that's why you have no chance of getting in first!

 

[Frodo]

Vor,

I think the Eagles made a mistake in delisting Paul Symmons given hindsight. He was always a skinny player who never looked the part but this year with EP he has bulked up and is playing far better than any other season with them. I reckon he would have been an Eagles regular this year.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Symmons is something like 26-27yrs old. At that age he should have been an established player in the squad, not a fringe player. Delisting him was a good move, he was never gonna add experience nor youth. He was basically Wooden only older.

Same goes for Turnball.

 

[WA]

Originally posted by Voice of Reason
WA

I have no life and spend too much time on the bigfooty boards - that's why you have no chance of getting in first!

LOL



I was going to say that I'll have to take a day off work & get my thoughts in early, but then I noticed - you reply at any time - day or night!

 

[Voice of Reason]

It's Turnbull......

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by daddy_4_eyes
Symmons is something like 26-27yrs old. At that age he should have been an established player in the squad, not a fringe player. Delisting him was a good move, he was never gonna add experience nor youth. He was basically Wooden only older.

Same goes for Turnball.

I must agree that he didn't establish himself and I can't think of who we would have dropped to keep him (well Harding comes to mind ) but players do develop at different ages, Bowling Ball is an obvious pointer.

Symmons debuted in 1994 at 18 yo so I guess that makes him 25. In 6 years he played 99 games. Thats a pretty good average of almost 15 games a year. We are often saying that we are missing the 100 game 25 ,26 year olds.

As I say, hindsight is a nice thing to have.

 

[jod23]

Oh man thats cruel...did Symmons really play 99 AFL games. He cant even say he was a 100 game player

 

[Voice of Reason]

Yes he did play 99 AFL games - it's very unfortunate and was not well handled IMHO. Funnily enough, so did Matty Connell, but of course premiership medal (s?) with Adelaide will have softened that blow.

 

[Eagle_Fan]

Lewie- Retired at the right time imo. When a top player can say he no longer has the passiion for the footy, its time to finish. Besides, at least one of our champs wasn't forced into retirement by injury

Symmons- Can't believe we delisted him. Given recent injury runs, the guy is a perfect back up or fill in player. Relatively versatile and always, always gutsy. And 99 games is harsh.

Munro- I heard that he has one leg significantly longer than the other. Is that true??? It's unbelievable if it is.... The radio said 7cm, but that'd make playing footy impossible! (Although you could also say that explains a few things )

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by Eagle_Fan
Munro- I heard that he has one leg significantly longer than the other. Is that true??? It's unbelievable if it is.... The radio said 7cm, but that'd make playing footy impossible! (Although you could also say that explains a few things )

So he can take a high mark and mark a mongrel punt eh ?