West Coast - time for a rebuild?

[Cuzz09]

AFL should temporarily take control of the club

LoL no idea

AFL can't magically reverse injuries

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ApplecrossWC]

West coast and their fans ought to be ashamed

 

[crazywildhorse]

Worst I have seen since Fitzroy 1996

Even Carlton's Spoon teams and Melbourne under Bailey and Neeld were not this bad.

I am a bit too young to remember. But they are currently in a very similar territory.



Plus, this is arguably the most supported club in the land with a huge organisation and probably the most resources. Fitzroy was already destroyed in 1996. From what I remember their club house was part of a pub somewhere on Brunswick Street. Most VAFL are better resourced than they were.

 

[BigVic]

The whole board must go

 

[Bunk Moreland]

They might be the least competitive team I’ve ever seen.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

I am a bit too young to remember. But they are currently in a very similar territory.


View attachment 1709103
Plus, this is arguably the most supported club in the land with a huge organisation and probably the most resources. Fitzroy was already destroyed in 1996. From what I remember their club house was part of a pub somewhere on Brunswick Street. Most VAFL are better resourced than they were.

In some ways, which may seem weird, their 2018 flag was bad in that they lucked out with a flag with an aging core of players, and out of stubborn loyalty from Simpson and powers that be at the club at the time, didn't have the courage to tap many of their premiership winning players on the shoulder when it was time.

No pragmatism, just sentimentality.

Carlton was the same after our 1995 flag.

What's worse for them is that they'll still be rebuilding once Tassie enters the National Draft (in 2026 I believe)

 

[Cuzz09]

Still will win a flag before most.



On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[marcus1232]

Shame GWS

 

[Tyberious Funk]

People do realise, that in a side that is already shit, we lost seven players from last week?

We had one solitary tall backman... a 19 year old kid in his second season of AFL, with less than 20 games under his belt.

IIRC, only two West Coast Eagles played in the WAFL this week... and one of those was a Cat B rookie. That's how depleted our list is.

We are shit, there's no doubt about it. But you can't ignore the impact of injuries.

EDIT: Just wanted to add... we had 18 players injured this week. And it's been this way since round 3. Take any side in the competition, and randomly remove 15+ players, almost every week for maybe 10 weeks. Let's see how they go.

 

[marcus1232]

In some ways, which may seem weird, their 2018 flag was bad in that they lucked out with a flag with an aging core of players, and out of stubborn loyalty from Simpson and powers that be at the club at the time, didn't have the courage to tap many of their premiership winning players on the shoulder when it was time.

No pragmatism, just sentimentality.

Carlton was the same after our 1995 flag.

What's worse for them is that they'll still be rebuilding once Tassie enters the National Draft (in 2026 I believe)

As a supporter of a team that has won one in 150 years I would take 2018 for what is happening now

 

[SSSSSS]

WCE are sinking North's chance for another set of PP's by the week.

 

[Cuzz09]

People do realise, that in a side that is already s**t, we lost seven players from last week?

We had one solitary tall backman... a 19 year old kid in his second season of AFL, with less than 20 games under his belt.

IIRC, only two West Coast Eagles played in the WAFL this week... and one of those was a Cat B rookie. That's how depleted our list is.

We are s**t, there's no doubt about it. But you can't ignore the impact of injuries.

Can't argue with idiots.

Don't bother.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[crazywildhorse]

People do realise, that in a side that is already s**t, we lost seven players from last week?

We had one solitary tall backman... a 19 year old kid in his second season of AFL, with less than 20 games under his belt.

IIRC, only two West Coast Eagles played in the WAFL this week... and one of those was a Cat B rookie. That's how depleted our list is.

We are s**t, there's no doubt about it. But you can't ignore the impact of injuries.

EDIT: Just wanted to add... we had 18 players injured this week. And it's been this way since round 3. Take any side in the competition, and randomly remove 15+ players, almost every week for maybe 10 weeks. Let's see how they go.

I actually like your mob. Definitely my second favourite team, so I’m more on “your side” when I consider this. You can complain about the injuries being unfortunate and such, but this is now the second year. Maybe it’s the base of the issues, but it’s been too much for too long. There is mismanagement involved. Nic Nat, for example, has been injured half his career. Great player, nice guy, but to have him on the list is not good management.

 

[Alesana]

Just got a question, where does this current side fit within the worst sides ever? I can't remember a worse side in my day.

 

[MisterMarcus]

WCE have literally had to pull blokes out of retirement just to make up the numbers in their WAFL team, they've been so decimated.

This is almost unprecedented in the number of injuries they've copped.

Easy to say 'sack the coach, boot out half the list', but it's not really anyone's fault they've run into a once-in-a-generation freak injury list.

 

[Cuzz09]

I actually like your mob. Definitely my second favourite team, so I’m more on “your side” when I consider this. You can complain about the injuries being unfortunate and such, but this is now the second year. Maybe it’s the base of the issues, but it’s been too much for too long. There is mismanagement involved. Nic Nat, for example, has been injured half his career. Great player, nice guy, but to have him on the list is not good management.

No one is debating our poor list management but the fact is if we had minimal injuries we'd be competitive.

I still think we'd be bottom 6 side with no injuries.

We aren't fast, skilful or have any real redeeming things.

But experienced guys would have brought 1 or 2 extra wins (maybe)

Anyway I'm hoping this all fast tracks a super rebuild so it's more important than ever to nail the next couple of drafts.

Still be a few years away.



On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Former Decathlete]

Still will win a flag before most.



On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

Exactly what Blues fans were saying in 2002.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

People do realise, that in a side that is already s**t, we lost seven players from last week?

We had one solitary tall backman... a 19 year old kid in his second season of AFL, with less than 20 games under his belt.

IIRC, only two West Coast Eagles played in the WAFL this week... and one of those was a Cat B rookie. That's how depleted our list is.

We are s**t, there's no doubt about it. But you can't ignore the impact of injuries.

EDIT: Just wanted to add... we had 18 players injured this week. And it's been this way since round 3. Take any side in the competition, and randomly remove 15+ players, almost every week for maybe 10 weeks. Let's see how they go.

I genuinely think you’re worse than Essendon were in 2016. We had to bring in state league and retired top-ups before the season.

The thing about West Coast is the 23 players sent out just do not try.

 

[Coolangatta]

WCE have literally had to pull blokes out of retirement just to make up the numbers in their WAFL team, they've been so decimated.

This is almost unprecedented in the number of injuries they've copped.

Easy to say 'sack the coach, boot out half the list', but it's not really anyone's fault they've run into a once-in-a-generation freak injury list.

Yeah but these long injury lists have been happening for a few years now. That just freakish bad luck or is a lot of this preventable?

 

[Cuzz09]

Exactly what Blues fans were saying in 2002.

Plenty of sides haven't won since 02.

we've won 2.

Once we get building again I reckon we'll get going.

But yes it will take longer this time.

18 sides... half is 9... few multiple flag winners... reckon we can win one within 12 years

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Coolangatta]

Which Eagles players need culling from the list? Surely Hurn and Nic Nat should go.

 

[crazywildhorse]

In some ways, which may seem weird, their 2018 flag was bad in that they lucked out with a flag with an aging core of players, and out of stubborn loyalty from Simpson and powers that be at the club at the time, didn't have the courage to tap many of their premiership winning players on the shoulder when it was time.

No pragmatism, just sentimentality.

Carlton was the same after our 1995 flag.

What's worse for them is that they'll still be rebuilding once Tassie enters the National Draft (in 2026 I believe)

They did jag 2018 a little though. I guess it’s the exact opposite of the current situation, everything fell into place.

 

[JackOutback]

I actually like your mob. Definitely my second favourite team, so I’m more on “your side” when I consider this. You can complain about the injuries being unfortunate and such, but this is now the second year. Maybe it’s the base of the issues, but it’s been too much for too long. There is mismanagement involved. Nic Nat, for example, has been injured half his career. Great player, nice guy, but to have him on the list is not good management.

It’s something of a myth that NN was perennially injured. I recall he played something like 150 of a possible 160 games to start his career. Then came the two knee recos, which were very unfortunate. But then he played almost every game in 2020 and 21. He had two long-term injuries in his first 12 years but last year appears to have been the beginning of the end.

I agree with your broader point though. There’s no question that both list and injury management need to be the focus of the off-season.

 

[JackOutback]

Also tired of the myth we ‘jagged’ the flag in 2018. We were the best team of the year, flogged Richmond at home, beat Collingwood three times, twice at the MCG. And it came in the middle of a six-year run in finals.

 

[Cuzz09]

From the outside it feels like NN could've been 10kgs lighter.

No one, other than fans, seems fussed he isn't playing

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app