We are a different team

[Geonet]

I know the doggies have lost three games in a row but they aren't a bad team. So I was prepared for any outcome, including a defeat. We won by 32 points and that shows the KJ nightmares have gone hopefully forever. This victory, in my view proved that the easy beats label of the last couple of years is no longer on. Now we can beat most AFL teams at least in our home ground. Not long ago our players were classified by the so called "experts" as hacks and had beens. "Where is the cattle ?"- they used to ask us when we hired Woosha. "No matter who the coach is you're doomed because you don't have the players" - added the "experts". Now how much more proof do they need that it's not only about players but mainly about coaching ability?

With the same players we can compete with most other teams in equal terms. We know we still have a long way to go and we should not get carried away with these wins but only the blind can deny that the Eagles 2002 and the Eagles of the last two years are completelly different teams despite the fact that the players are basically the same ones.

 

[thegur]

Well, today's game tells us quite a bit about the Eagles IMO. We beat another "mid-range" team, which tells as that we are about the eight mark. Me thinks Woosh will be telling them it all means nothing unless we can put a victory IN Melbourne in the W's next week (goes for every week actually.), especially with the Brisbane game looming.

before we get too carried away, their injuries did not help in the weather conditions. can i say "i said so" about Giansiracusa?? He should have killed us, Brodie Holland style, that was the difference between this week and last (in a very simplistic wrap-up).

But, there appeared to be less direct turnovers than last week and the general skill level seemed to be a bit higher, very encouraging, especially considering the chances of fatigue this week.

Travis was very impressive as a forward, as a ruck, maybe not, but potential CHF material IMO. Think we do need the back up ruck, perhaps Siera next week....Judd was good again, forget the errors, it was his second game, remember, he had to get the ball to make the error in the first place! He had the grapefruits to take the Bulldog defence on for the holding the ball, and the handball turnover, well, it was late, we were leading, i'll forgive.

Jak, well, he was Jak, and thensome.

Gardiner was very good around the ground, a little bit off at the ruck contests.

Kerr had his best game of the season and pre-season IMO despite playing 3/4??

Glass had a hard task and performed very well.

Andrew Williams - the man puzzles me, personally I think he does some terrific things, and along with Embley, are turning into a great set of hfflanks, but too many times I think his disposal lets him down. He does all the good things to get the ball, but then the very last touch, too often just doesn't work out. But once again today, popped up for a few handy goals. But IMO that's the difference between him being just a hff and a really dangerous forward.

Players who didn't turn me on this week ...

Banners - just seems a touch out of the loop.
Jones - skill level seems to be down. He was great last week on Bucks, but when he has to attack, he doesn't seem very damaging.
Hunter and Haynes - inexperienced, still need more time, esepcially Haynes. In: McIntosh and Tuckey/Siera.
Fletcher - was he absent after half-time? on the bench perhaps?

Looking at the game stats has confirmed what I thought during the game, we are VERY even right now, and that's not a bad thing, it's a good thing. Look at the dawgs, West, Johnson and Smith carried them all day, virtaully no rotation, it was bloody how hot? Congrats Woosh on having the grapefruits to rotate our players like he did. Judd, Chambers, kerr and Wirra all saw plenty of pine time, but in the end, who was running out the game better?

Does anyone in the league do a better one hand pick up at full pace then Wirra?

Happy with the four points and our start to the season, let's keep beating these sides and we can see what happens at the business end of the year, roll on Melbourne.

rant over

thegur

 

[tjrra]

Good comments, to me the main difference with the Eagles this year is the work rate is up. The whole team appears to be working extra well as a unit and as long as they don't get to many injuries should have more success.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by Geonet
I know the doggies have lost three games in a row but they aren't a bad team. So I was prepared for any outcome, including a defeat. We won by 32 points and that shows the KJ nightmares have gone hopefully forever. This victory, in my view proved that the easy beats label of the last couple of years is no longer on. Now we can beat most AFL teams at least in our home ground. Not long ago our players were classified by the so called "experts" as hacks and had beens. "Where is the cattle ?"- they used to ask us when we hired Woosha. "No matter who the coach is you're doomed because you don't have the players" - added the "experts". Now how much more proof do they need that it's not only about players but mainly about coaching ability?

With the same players we can compete with most other teams in equal terms. We know we still have a long way to go and we should not get carried away with these wins but only the blind can deny that the Eagles 2002 and the Eagles of the last two years are completelly different teams despite the fact that the players are basically the same ones.

Gotta agree.....look at Port two years ago, one year they were shocking, the next with the same players they were suddenly a top 4 team. Coaching goes a long way, these guys are playing AFL for a reason...there good enough. They just need the right direction in coaching. Whoosha is showing us the right direction and we are following.

 

[Portia]

No offense, but I think West Coast are enjoying the honeymoon of a new coach at the minute. Everyone is happy to have Woosha back, and nothing too difficult has come up....yet.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by Porthos
No offense, but I think West Coast are enjoying the honeymoon of a new coach at the minute. Everyone is happy to have Woosha back, and nothing too difficult has come up....yet.

Well no offence but look up....i think you'll find us in fourth, looking down on you If you have seen a game this season you will see this in no honeymoon. It is a different team with a different attitude. We will win our fair share this season.

 

[Khat]

Originally posted by Porthos
Everyone is happy to have Woosha back

that's the whole point though. So many times last year our team ran onto the field expecting to loose, you could see it on their faces. Now they expect to win, they fight for the ball, they pay attention not just to the ball but to eachother. They play like a team thats very confident in their ability to win games and that is because of Woosha.

After the derby did you all see Woosha talking to the press? i swear to God i have never seen anyone look prouder and i bet when he spoke to the team after the game he told them how well they did. And thats exactly what they need (well, that and some kicking lessons ). Under the reign of Judge the boys lost their confidence and under Woosha they're getting it back

 

[Geonet]

No offense, but I think West Coast are enjoying the honeymoon of a new coach at the minute. Everyone is happy to have Woosha back, and nothing too difficult has come up....yet.

In 1990 a few people said exactly the same when Malthouse got the job and we won a few games at the start of the season. Well the honeymoon lasted until the end of the season and we finished 3rd in the ladder. The next season we made the Grand Final and one year later we were the best team in the land ! Brisbane went thorough the same honeymoon. Wooden spoon in 1998 and with the same players but a new coach finished 4th in 1999. The lesson is: never underestimate any club even if they finished last in the previous season.

The fact is that slowly but steadily some people are now starting to change their views about the Eagles. In the beginning of the season the vast majority of the footy fans tipped us as the wooden spooners. Sam Newman on the first or second Footy Show said that we were up for a long season, meaning that we would win very few games. Last week Eddie Macguire stated what most Eagles fans already knew that we are a better team than most people first thought. At the "aus.sport.aussie-rules" we were considered crap and the first footy tips were all in favour of the opposition, specially in the first game of the season against Freo. Now you can already see people tipping us. The mood is changing not because this is an honeymoon but because we are in fact a competitive team.

 

[Khat]

even Ben Allan tipped us to beat the doggies, methinks the times they are a changin'

 

[Goldenblue]

Originally posted by Khat
even Ben Allan tipped us to beat the doggies, methinks the times they are a changin'

If Anti Eagles - Pro Shockers Ben Allan is tipping us to win, maybe people are taking notice of us......

 

[Portia]

Jod and Geonet, I look forward to bringing up this thread in about 10 weeks. For your information, I've tipped West Coast each game this year, so I do rate them....I just don't reckon its wise to go comparing them to the other situations mentioned in this thread.

It is a honeymoon, and there will be a correction. Whether you make the eight or not will depend on how long it takes for Woosha to deal with it.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Originally posted by Porthos
Jod and Geonet, I look forward to bringing up this thread in about 10 weeks. For your information, I've tipped West Coast each game this year, so I do rate them....I just don't reckon its wise to go comparing them to the other situations mentioned in this thread.

It is a honeymoon, and there will be a correction. Whether you make the eight or not will depend on how long it takes for Woosha to deal with it.

Fair call.

Will the honeymoon lead to a sustained love affair, marriage and a sustainable relationship with occasional presentations of rings/flags?

We hope so.

 

[WA]

Originally posted by Porthos
Jod and Geonet, I look forward to bringing up this thread in about 10 weeks. For your information, I've tipped West Coast each game this year, so I do rate them....I just don't reckon its wise to go comparing them to the other situations mentioned in this thread.

It is a honeymoon, and there will be a correction. Whether you make the eight or not will depend on how long it takes for Woosha to deal with it.

Geez, Porthos - let us bask in the glory for a while will ya?

We're not fools (well most of us anyway ), we know we've got a hard slog ahead of us, but we've done better than most expected so far, so we're happy!

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by Porthos
Jod and Geonet, I look forward to bringing up this thread in about 10 weeks. For your information, I've tipped West Coast each game this year, so I do rate them....I just don't reckon its wise to go comparing them to the other situations mentioned in this thread.

It is a honeymoon, and there will be a correction. Whether you make the eight or not will depend on how long it takes for Woosha to deal with it.

I didnt compare them to other situations but i dont think this is a honeymoon. Were a different team now and i dont think we will fall back into the habits that have plagued us the last 2 years.

Your honeymoon hasnt ended with Port...so why will ours?

 

[Goldenblue]

I dont know if i would go as far as saying it is a honeymoon period for us. Sure we still make mistakes, but the endevour is there, the heart and passion is there and that can be contributed to Woosha. I dont see these qualities fading from the WC as time goes on.

This team is simply applying itself now.......

 

[ozzult]

How much I love the Eagles, it's important not to get ahead of ourselves in round three.

I definitely think they are a much different team this year, and they will perform better than last year, but how much better is where I'm not sure.

I do think they are genuine contenders for the top 8, but I'll be in a better position to elaborate more on that after this week, and the couple after that.

The real test is the next 1-2 months, especially the next 4 matches.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by jod23


I didnt compare them to other situations but i dont think this is a honeymoon. Were a different team now and i dont think we will fall back into the habits that have plagued us the last 2 years.

Your honeymoon hasnt ended with Port...so why will ours?

Mark Williams signed on as coach at the start of 1999, a year in which enthusiasm and a fair game plan let us scrape in and finish seventh over all.

Then we had 2000- eventually got over the adjustment after halfway through the season.

2001 was not the honeymoon.

 

[Macca19]

Originally posted by jod23


I didnt compare them to other situations but i dont think this is a honeymoon. Were a different team now and i dont think we will fall back into the habits that have plagued us the last 2 years.

Your honeymoon hasnt ended with Port...so why will ours?

Our honeymoon did end....about round 4 in 1999. i reckon eagles will go close to the finals this year...they might even make the finals, if they have a good run with injuries.

So far the Eagles have played 3 bottom 8 clubs from last year...2 of which have been bandied around as Spoon possibilities and 1 of which (Collingwood) seems to be badly out of form and missing a few players. THat said...you can only beat who you are scheduled to play. The real test will be against Brisbane in Round 5.
The skill level of the Eagles on the weekend was fairly poor. Cousins turned the ball over with at least 60% of his possesions, Wirrpunda the same...and i cannot recall Jones hitting a target with any of his kicks. The poor skill level was counter acted with a great attack on the ball by the Eagles which won them the game.

Having said all that...the Eagles do look a much improved outfit from last year. The likes of Glass, Gaspar, Haines, Hunter and Judd have what it takes. Chambers and Williams have improved no end since last year. Embley is still pretty much a hack, despite his great game in R1...but if he can improve as much as williams has in the off season, during this year then the Eagles will go close to the finals.

 

[Mead]

Originally posted by Macca19


Our honeymoon did end....about round 4 in 1999. i reckon eagles will go close to the finals this year...they might even make the finals, if they have a good run with injuries.

So far the Eagles have played 3 bottom 8 clubs from last year...2 of which have been bandied around as Spoon possibilities and 1 of which (Collingwood) seems to be badly out of form and missing a few players. THat said...you can only beat who you are scheduled to play. The real test will be against Brisbane in Round 5.
The skill level of the Eagles on the weekend was fairly poor. Cousins turned the ball over with at least 60% of his possesions, Wirrpunda the same...and i cannot recall Jones hitting a target with any of his kicks. The poor skill level was counter acted with a great attack on the ball by the Eagles which won them the game.

Having said all that...the Eagles do look a much improved outfit from last year. The likes of Glass, Gaspar, Haines, Hunter and Judd have what it takes. Chambers and Williams have improved no end since last year. Embley is still pretty much a hack, despite his great game in R1...but if he can improve as much as williams has in the off season, during this year then the Eagles will go close to the finals.

Our skill level is still a bit iffy, but as you say, our attack on the ball has been pretty damn good in recent games- this makes me a lot happier, since the way i see it our skills will get better, but attacking the ball is something which can't be taught

 

[TheRealBuzz]

Macca,

The thing is, that hardly any West Coast supporters saw making the finals as a realistic goal before the start of the season.

After the woeful 'Judge Years', I just wanted to see a side with confidence, spirit and a willingness to fight hard for the entire four quarters of a game.
Under Woosh, this is clearly starting to happen, and if it continues throughout the entire season, then I'll consider the year a success - even if we do lose more games than we win.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by Macca19

So far the Eagles have played 3 bottom 8 clubs from last year...2 of which have been bandied around as Spoon possibilities and 1 of which (Collingwood) seems to be badly out of form and missing a few players. THat said...you can only beat who you are scheduled to play. The real test will be against Brisbane in Round 5.

Yeah but you miss the point Macca...sure we have only beaten 2 bottom 8 sides but NOBODY picked us to beat the Dockers in round 1 and many were predicting that we would be wooden spoon winners come end of the season. The only reason ppl picked us to beat the Bulldogs was because of there bad start to the season.

Nobody but Eagle fans thought we would be 2-1 after 3. Most thought we would be 0-3.

A honeymoon it may be but IMO it wont be. I dont think we will get to the finals but if we keep beating teams that we should like the Saints, Dogs, Dockers, Cats etc then we will win enough to finish around 9th 10th.... a huge improvement and a stepping stone for next season.

 

[Portia]

Gee, is it over already Jod23?

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by Porthos
Gee, is it over already Jod23?

Yeah cos a 6 day break, a trip across the country, losing McIntosh in the first 10 minutes and playing in Melbourne was always gonna be an easy win....

We all knew it would be tough but the boys played it out well. The real test is next week at home against Brisbane. If we cant at least give Brisbane a challenge at home then we will be in trouble. However we still look good, still in the 8 and a 2-2 start is better than a lot thought.

 

[Uncle Tony]

Thud! Reality check, we play Brissie, Port, the Roos, Richmond and the Hawks in the next 5 rounds. We could have the same record as last year after 9 or 10 rounds if we're not careful (all be it that we are definitely playing a better brand of footy). Very good test of character the next month.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by jod23
Yeah cos a 6 day break, a trip across the country, losing McIntosh in the first 10 minutes and playing in Melbourne was always gonna be an easy win....

Well, at least you're not making excuses