West Coast Eagles Long and Short Term Plan

[WCE2000]

West Coast Eagles Long and Short Term Plan

Right now, as of tonight, this is our injury list:

Michael Prior (knee) - season
Phil Read (knee) - season
David Sierawkoski (knee) - season
Zac Beek (knee) - 5 weeks
Rowan Jones (back) - 4 weeks
David Antonowicz (knee) - 2 weeks
Darren Glass (ankle) - 2 weeks
Scott Cummings (foot) - 2 week
Josh Wooden (shoulder) - 2 weeks
Ashley McIntosh (knee) - 2 weeks
Michael Merenda (hamstring) - 2 weeks
Chad Morrison (foot) - 2 weeks
Andrew Donnelly (hamstring) - 2 weeks
Michael Gardiner (ankle) - test
Peter Matera (hamstring) - test


Now, For an in-depth Look at our List with injured players in red:

Back Pockets
Michael Collica (24), Greg Harding (25), Michael Prior (28), Phil Read (22), David Wirrpunda (22)
Fullbacks
Darren Glass (20), Ashley McIntosh (29)
Half Back Flankers
Michael Collica (24), Greg Harding (25), Jeremy Humm (18), Peter Matera (32), Chad Morrison (23), Michael Prior (28), Phil Read (22), Richard Taylor (28)
Half Backs
David Antonowicz (21), Trent Carroll (23), Andrew Donnelly (28), Travis Gaspar (20), Darren Glass (20), Glen Jakovich (28)

Wingmen
David Antonowicz (21), Drew Banfield (27), Michael Braun (23), Callum Chambers (22), Chad Fletcher (22), Kasey Green (22), David Haynes (20), Rowan Jones (22), Daniel Kerr (18), Richard Taylor (28), Andrew Williams (22)
Midfilders
Drew Banfield (27), Michael Braun (23), Ben Cousins (23), Chad Fletcher (22), Kasey Green (22), Rowan Jones (22), Dean Kemp (32), Daniel Kerr (18), Peter Matera (32), Chad Morrison (23), Kane Munro (19), Phil Read (22), David Wirrpunda (22)
Ruck
Zac Beeck (19), Dean Cox (20), Michael Gardiner (22), Andrew MacDougall (18), Ryan Turnbull (30)

Centre Half Forwards
David Antonowicz (21), Andrew Donnelly (28), Andrew Embley (20), Michael Gardiner (22), Andrew McCarrey (19), Andrew MacDougall (18), David Sierakowski (27)
Forward Flankers
Chad Fletcher (22), David Haynes (20), Jeremy Humm (18), Rowan Jones (22), Mark Merenda (26), Kris Miller (21), Andrew Williams (22), Josh Wooden (23)
Full Forwards
Zac Beeck (19), Dean Buszan (21), Scott Cummings (27), Michael Gardiner (22), Adam Hunter (20), Troy Wilson (29)
Forward Pockets
Phil Matera (26), Mark Merenda (26), Kris Miller (21)


Short Term Plan:
We have 31 fit players to choose from for this week, so this should be this weeks team for Hawthorn -
Backs..............Michael Collica.......Travis Gaspar.........David Wirrpunda
Half Backs........Peter Matera.........Andrew MacDougall..Richard Taylor
Centre.............Daniel Kerr............Ben Cousins...........Drew Banfield
Half Forwards....Andrew Williams.....Michael Gardiner.....Dean Kemp
Forwards..........Phil Matera............Troy Wilson.........Jeremy Humm
Rucks..............Dean Cox..............Michael Braun........Chad Fletcher
Interchange......Ryan Turnbull..........Glen Jakovich......Kane Munro.........Andrew Embley
Those in blue have not yet played 20 games. Those in red would be on debut.
un-injured: Dean Buszan, Greg Harding, Callum Chambers, David Haynes, Andrew McCarrey, Kris Miller, Adam Hunter, Trent Carroll, Kasey Green

That side is very inexperienced, especially in the backline, with our CHB and FB on debut, but i don't think we have much of a choice there. If we needed to put a bit of experience back there, Turnbull and Jakovich could take up key posts back there (despite Jako's ordinary form).

If Gardiner failed his fitness test, i would move Jakovich to CHF, and put Kasey Green on the bench. If Matera failed his fitness test, i would play Munro on the HBF, and move Green on to the bench. If both failed their tests, i would then bring Buszan onto the bench as well.

I would leave this side for both Hawthorn and Bulldogs matches, (unless, god forbidding, there are even more injuries). That way we can give youngsters like Gaspar and MacDougall abit of experience and just test their metal.

In Round 10 we have Carlton, and according to the injury list we will have Antonowicz, Glass, Cummings, McIntosh, Merenda, Morrison, Wooden and Donnelly back. Although that is likely to change. But we will have all them back by Round 11, and hopefully we won't have any other major injuries to deal with.

What i would do with the players coming back:
Darren Glass would have to move into the fullback, and whichever has been the better over the next few weeks, Gaspar of MacDougall, would continue at CHB (unless Jako can turn his form around - which looks doubtful ) The other of Gaspar and MacDougall would be on the bench.
If Troy Wilson begins to struggle i would bring Cummings in at FF, otherwise i wouldn't have Scott in the squad of 22 at all. If Wilson is doing a good job up front, there is no other use for Cummings in the squad. If Wilson is struggling, bring Cummings back, and drop Wilson (need to look for youth, not 29 year olds).
Move Ashley McIntosh onto the bench for Andrew Embley. Give the youngsters a go up back, and if they struggle move McIntosh back there.
Mark Merenda would come into the forward pocket, and whichever one of Humm and Munro has been the best over the next few weeks would be rewarded with a spot on the bench.
So, when all our injured players get back, we would be looking at a side, which is made up something like this:
Backs..............Michael Collica.......Darren Glass...........Chad Morrison
Half Backs........Peter Matera.........MacDougall/Gaspar...Richard Taylor
Centre.............Daniel Kerr............Ben Cousins............Drew Banfield
Half Forwards....Chad Fletcher.......Michael Gardiner......Dean Kemp
Forwards..........Phil Matera............Wilson/Cummings....Mark Merenda
Rucks..............Dean Cox..............Michael Braun.........David Wirrpunda
Interchange......Gaspar/MacGouall..Glen Jakovich..........Humm/Munro.........Ashley McIntosh

Now i reckon that side would remain competitive. There is a lot of talent in that list, however we are still waiting for the talent to mature. If we had that side for the last 11 matches, i reckon we would come up around even with 5 or 6 wins. Which would probably see us end the year with 8 or 9 wins, which is not too bad, considering that it is a rebuilding year.

 

[WCE2000]

Long Term Plan:

Now, with the plan for the 2001 season out of the way, we will look at our Long Term Plan

First thing we need to do, is to make an aim, and this is what i have earmarked as the eagles aim:
2002 - still rebuilding, but starting to show signs things are moulind together. Players such as Cox, Kerr, Gaspar and MacDougall are starting to show they have the talent to take the eagles through this decade.
2003 - top 8 this year should be the aim. By this year, Matera, Kemp, McIntosh and Jakovich will have all departed from our list. And Wilson probably has gone. Players from the class of 96 and 97 - Gardiner, Braun, Cousins, Wirrpunda and Morrison will all be around 24 years of age. This seems to be the age the modern footballer hits his peak for the first time. I don't care what you say but when Gardiner, Cousins, Braun, Wirrpunda and Morrison are at their best, the eagles side will be formidable. Add to that youngsters such as MacDougall, Kerr, Cox, Fletcher and Gaspar will start to hit their straps and become dominant players. All the while, we will still rely on the consistency of Collica, Taylor, an ageing Banfield, Merenda, Phil Matera, Munro, Humm, to give us a big boost week-in, week-out.
2004 - this should be the year earmarkes as our first year as a genuine premiership threat. Although 2004 is probably not going to yield a premiership, our even a semi final berth, this would be the year we show the AFL we are serious.
2005 - between 2005 and 2007,i believe will be our best chances to win a premiership. During these years Cousins, Gardiner, Morrison, Wirrpunda, Braun, Fletcher will all still be at their peaks. While the current crop of rookies, would be just before their peak, but still good enough to control a game of football.

We will need to do a bit of recruiting. In 5 years, these players would've retired from AFL football that are currently on our list: Kemp, Matera, Turnbull, McIntosh, Wilson, Donnelly, Jakovich, Merenda, Sierakowski and Cummings will be gone.
Those who may be gone: Prior, Banfield, Phil Matera, Taylor.
So, if we say all of these players are gone, this would be our side, including their age:
Backs............Phil Read (26)..........Darren Glass (24).........Chad Morrison (27)
Half Backs......Michael Collica (28)..Travis Gaspar (24)........??????????
Centre...........Michael Braun (27)...Ben Cousins (27)..........Daniel Kerr (22)
Half Forwards..?????????????..........Andy MacDougall (22)...Jeremy Humm (22)
Forwards........Kane Munro (23)......Michael Gardiner (26)....??????????
Rucks............Dean Cox (24).........Chad Fletcher (26)........David Wirrpunda (26)
Interchange....Kasey Green (26).....Back-up Ruckman.........versatile tall...............midfielder
still in the squad - Rowan Jones (26), Andrew Williams (26), Dean Buszan (25), Kris Miller (25), Andrew Embley (24), David Haynes (24), Adam Hunter (24), Zac Beeck (23), Andrew McCarrey (23)
delisted - Greg Harding, Trent Carroll, Josh Wooden, Callum Chambers, David Antonowicz

That is probably what will happen with the 44 players currently in our squad. If the lists in 2005, are still at 38, it means we still require another 13 players to recruit. Obviously, we'll need 4 small men to fit into that starting 22, and two talls - 1 backup ruckman, and a tall who can play either end of the ground. We could probably do with another couple of reserve talls, who are not in the squad, but are there in case. Like Ryan Turnbull, but only younger. You can basically see how our current crop of players is starting to mold together to form a side which will be similar to that.
And that side that we have up above, is a side that is capable of winning a premiership. Some of the players are so good now, one can only imagine what Cousins and Gardiner etc,. will be capable of in their peak.

We have the talent there right now. We have to wait for it too mature, be patient, be willing to try different things, and we will reap the benefits in 5 to 7 years time. Because i reckon we can climb back to the top.

 

[Visro]

McDougall wont play this week trust me! You haven't really seen the guy WCE2000 but last year at school he was very scrawny and unless he has done a ben cousins over the summer i cant see him being much bulkier. We should maybe only debut in the last 5 games of the season. Gaspar should not be played at FB. He is worth more than that at the moment. CHB for me and Jako knowing his future is on the line at CHF.

Vis

 

[WCE2000]

Unfortunately Vis, i don't think we have much of a choice. Gaspar has got some big raps, but there is no one else who can play at FB.

 

[Frodo]

WCE200,
I thought no-one could be more committed to the Eagles than I. I stand corrected, such depth of thought, care and commitment I bow to. Well Done indeed.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Very well thought out long term plan, but i certainly hope it doesn't take until 2005 before we are premiership contenders. I'll probably have kids by then!!!

But seriously, planning that far ahead is both dangerous and foolish. A club that doesn't strive for success every season becomes a perenial struggler, they end up planning for the future forever. It's also a bit discouraging to see that you have given up hope of us making the finals in 2002 and only aim to make the top 8 in 2003. We should have this year as a rebuilding year, but definately expect to finish in the top 8 next year.

 

[WCE2000]

obviously it would nice to make the finals in 2002, but i don't think our talent would have matured enough by then to be serious finals contendor.

If we do make the finals in 2002, then it will only reassure me that we have more than enough talent to win a premiership in the middle stages of this decade.

planning ahead is just part of the job. Obviously things like injuries, trades etc,. will change the process, but generally, you would be unlucky if one of your key players got a career threatening injury. You would be dead unlucky if two ended their careers from injury.

I think our future is looking quite good, and Ken Judge has done a good job as far as recruiting concerns. But his on-field decicisions are a little strange.

 

[Visro]

I would love to see the Eagles back in the finals in 2002 but it wont happen. By that time Kemp, Matera, Jako and McIntosh will have possibly retired with Banners, Cummings, Sierra and Prior all getting on a bit too. Next year will be another "rebuilding" year.

Vis