Prediction West Coast return to finals

[Del239335]

When do you think West Coast will return to finals? Having not played finals since 2020, what chance do you think they have of playing finals again by 2030?

 

[NetworkNerd]

Brisbane went from wooden spoon to 2nd on the ladder in 2 years so sure.. its possible

 

[RUNVS]

2030 seems like a possibility, would not go earlier than that.

West Coast were lucky in the sense they bottomed out before Tasmania comes in. I would hate to be the team that bottoms out in the next year or two.

 

[PerthBoy86]

This year I think we'll win 3-4 and develop our yoing core, hopefully land some more picks/trades.

2027 should really be about completing the rebuild. 5-6 wins minimum, and far competitive in most matches.

2028 I think we'll hopefully bank 8-9 wins.

2030 should definitely be the aim.

 

[txbyhull]

2030, if not 2029. Depends what mature talent we are able to bring in.

 

[FreoGirl]

2030, if not 2029. Depends what mature talent we are able to bring in.

becoming a retirement destination for ageing players is not 'rebuilding' - it's trying to appease disgruntled fans and is being impatient

 

[txbyhull]

becoming a retirement destination for ageing players is not 'rebuilding' - it's trying to appease disgruntled fans and is being impatient

How is bringing in players in the middle age bracket "becoming a retirement destination for ageing players"?

Obviously we have to bring in a couple of those late 20s early 30s guys over the next few years, but the bulk of any players coming in should be in that 23/24 to 27/28 age bracket, while keeping our first rounders.

 

[Shane Heard]

becoming a retirement destination for ageing players is not 'rebuilding' - it's trying to appease disgruntled fans and is being impatient

That’s a bit harsh.

And a tad ironic considering the amount of older “ recruits “ your club has brought into the purple circle of hope over the long and lonely days gone by.

You need experienced players during a complete rebuild.

Or else you get pulverised…badly.

 

[FreoGirl]

How is bringing in players in the middle age bracket "becoming a retirement destination for ageing players"?

Obviously we have to bring in a couple of those late 20s early 30s guys over the next few years, but the bulk of any players coming in should be in that 23/24 to 27/28 age bracket, while keeping our first rounders.

from media reports, the club has been looking at fringe players who can't get a role in their current clubs - even Robertson was a mediocre player at Brisbane but has been championed as some kind of superstar now that he's at West Coast "we will do much better when we get Devon back"

Realistically, who is going to come? what is West Coast willing to give up? The WAFL team for West Coast keeps getting pumped, so there's not a positive development pool there. I watched Carlton vs Melbourne's VFL teams the other day and the sheer talent coming through was fantastic. Whilst West Coast is trying to improve, so is every other club.

I think the attitude of the club needs to change before it can move forward.

 

[FreoGirl]

That’s a bit harsh.

And a tad ironic considering the amount of older “ recruits “ your club has brought into the purple circle of hope over the long and lonely days gone by.

You need experienced players during a complete rebuild.

Or else you get pulverised…badly.

Fremantle is still one of the youngest clubs. They now have a core of very young players and have had great success with their feeder club (Peel) where these players have been developed. Even Bo Allan is a Peel product.

 

[txbyhull]

from media reports, the club has been looking at fringe players who can't get a role in their current clubs

Some names?

even Robertson was a mediocre player at Brisbane but has been championed as some kind of superstar now that he's at West Coast "we will do much better when we get Devon back"

I always find this very interesting, in 2 different ways.

Bashing an inside midfielder for not being able to crack a midfield, especially recently, consisting of Neale, Dunkley, McCluggage, Washcroft, with spurts from Rayner, Bailey, and Lashcroft, is ridiculous. The number of players in the competition that are not All-Australian quality and are under the age say 25 that would crack that rotation is incredibly slim.

The other way being that I find it interesting when people laugh at "we will do much better with Dev/Graham back" when, relative the strength of the Eagles, structurally speaking they are playing the current Serong + Brayshaw, Atkins + Worpel, Nash, Rowbottom, Rowell, etc role(s). Obviously Dev and Graham are not as good as those guys, but structurally it completely changes the outlook of the side. It is no coincidence that we looked decent in the first month when we had those 2, given we do not have the depth to replace them.

Realistically, who is going to come? what is West Coast willing to give up?

West Coast should be willing to give up anything outside of our first round picks, unless it is for a certified best 5 player in the side. Who is going to come? Preferably 22-26/27 year old players that are either proven at AFL level and have been pushed out of their sides for B or greater talent, or guys on that younger end that come from good systems and can't crack better positions in said side.

A 22 year old guy like Jimmy Tunstill for example at the Lions, is exactly the kind of guy the Eagles need to be after. 5 years at the Lions, only 15 games across that time but 74 VFL games, where he has been nothing short of fantastic.

The WAFL team for West Coast keeps getting pumped, so there's not a positive development pool there.

Yes, I agree that the WAFL team is an issue. Separating to a standalone side is one of the biggest mistakes the club has made. A large credit to a lot of Freo's young development should be given to partnering with Peel.

I watched Carlton vs Melbourne's VFL teams the other day and the sheer talent coming through was fantastic. Whilst West Coast is trying to improve, so is every other club.

I think the attitude of the club needs to change before it can move forward.

THe attitude of? Trying to positive with the youngest list in the competition? I agree that there is rot at the club going up as high as the board, and we need to get rid of the 'jobs for the boys' mentality, definitely. I'd even agree that the club has an air of being in its own bubble right now, but I don't really blame them. The cycle of negativity around the club right now is only going to do worse things for the abundant youth. Its a cycle.

 

[Freomaniac]

This year I think we'll win 3-4 and develop our yoing core, hopefully land some more picks/trades.

2027 should really be about completing the rebuild. 5-6 wins minimum, and far competitive in most matches.

2028 I think we'll hopefully bank 8-9 wins.

2030 should definitely be the aim.

Well going by the consistent 12 year pattern, The eagles should win a flag by 2030.

Eagles won a flag in 1994, then 2006 then 2018.

I wont be shocked if eagles make finals or top 10 by 2028 then finals again in 2029 then flag in 2030

 

[PerthBoy86]

Well going by the consistent 12 year pattern, The eagles should win a flag by 2030.

Eagles won a flag in 1994, then 2006 then 2018.

I wont be shocked if eagles make finals or top 10 by 2028 then finals again in 2029 then flag in 2030

Nah 2030 is too early, but stranger things have happened. I do have a sense Harley will be part of our next premiership, maybe 2032ish if we're lucky.

 

[zigipop]

Eagles have been absolutely BBQ'd by Simmo and hubris for the foreseeable future.
Yeo and Kelly are all but done leaving them with no experienced quality outside of Baker and Waterman who'll both be on their last legs in the next 2-4 years.
That means they need an entire list build from their current status as they've so far only got Ginbey, Shanahan, and Reid who are worth retaining.
With Tassie coming in its decade of pain ahead for the once mighty west coast.

 

[THE_GUN]

Eagles have been absolutely BBQ'd by Simmo and hubris for the foreseeable future.
Yeo and Kelly are all but done leaving them with no experienced quality outside of Baker and Waterman who'll both be on their last legs in the next 2-4 years.
That means they need an entire list build from their current status as they've so far only got Ginbey, Shanahan, and Reid who are worth retaining.
With Tassie coming in its decade of pain ahead for the once mighty west coast.

Yeo , Kelly will play on next year maybe even Cripps if the eagles show him some sympathy

 

[Purple Suit]

Well going by the consistent 12 year pattern, The eagles should win a flag by 2030.

Eagles won a flag in 1994, then 2006 then 2018.

I wont be shocked if eagles make finals or top 10 by 2028 then finals again in 2029 then flag in 2030

You have the pattern wrong. It is multiplied by 6 at the end of every 2 flags

Eg.
1992 -
1994 - 2 year gap
2006 - 12 year gap
2018 - 12 year gap
2090 - 72 year gap
2162 - 72 year gap

If by some miracle they are back playing finals in 2030 due to the top 10, they would have been 9 whole seasons in a row without making it. I thought they never stay down for long?

 

[Corn Cobbers]

A former powerhouse, now a retirement home for expats and feeder club for the eastern states' teams, might be 20 years before they get serious again

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bare in mind finals is 'top 10' I'll say 2029, they aren't too far off the signs are there just need more games into the kids, and need a couple of better experienced guys around Harley and Duursma.

 

[Hamingja]

Once they get to a reasonable level and can reliably beat the teams in the same bracket as them they will jump up quick. AFL will give them a fixture where they play all the bottom 4 twice and then they only need to win a handful of games against also rans with a big home advantage in WA and they are in.

 

[VicBased]

from media reports, the club has been looking at fringe players who can't get a role in their current clubs - even Robertson was a mediocre player at Brisbane but has been championed as some kind of superstar now that he's at West Coast "we will do much better when we get Devon back"

Realistically, who is going to come? what is West Coast willing to give up? The WAFL team for West Coast keeps getting pumped, so there's not a positive development pool there. I watched Carlton vs Melbourne's VFL teams the other day and the sheer talent coming through was fantastic. Whilst West Coast is trying to improve, so is every other club.

I think the attitude of the club needs to change before it can move forward.

Enlighten us,,,what do you see as "Attitude "

 

[RonnieRaven]

That’s a bit harsh.

And a tad ironic considering the amount of older “ recruits “ your club has brought into the purple circle of hope over the long and lonely days gone by.

You need experienced players during a complete rebuild.

Or else you get pulverised…badly.

And we’ve changed that since Ross left.
That tactic we used for a long time brought us zero success and stunted growth of others.

 

[Shane Heard]

And we’ve changed that since Ross left.
That tactic we used for a long time brought us zero success and stunted growth of others.

That’s just fascinating stuff.

I could talk about the Dockhards all day long.

Their history is complex and interesting.

 

[Shane Heard]

Once they get to a reasonable level and can reliably beat the teams in the same bracket as them they will jump up quick. AFL will give them a fixture where they play all the bottom 4 twice and then they only need to win a handful of games against also rans with a big home advantage in WA and they are in.

I concur.

I think it’s been a secret strategy for 35 years by the AFL commission to have North, Doogs, Saints rotate around playing Freo, WC , Syd, Bris, GC and Port Adelaide Magpie pretenders at their home grounds.

Meanwhile focusing the Victorian matches around EFC, GFC, CFC, Pies, HFC and tigs which is the real top rating viewership games when at the G, Maevel or Kadiniarrrr Park.

It’s long held conspiracy I feel.

 

[RCAB]

If they keep all their young stars, 2029.

 

[Grumpyshades]

so funny reading freo experts talk about flags

endless talk doesn't equate with success...classic overcompensation