What's wrong with WHE?

[Somebody]

Just wondeirng if anyone who has been to a few games has any insight on why WHE has been so ineffective? He's a good mark and has pace.
Surely he should be an effective leading forward.
Clearly can't rely on him taking those contested screamers these days.
What have his leading patterns been like? Has he been working hard constantly leading? When he does provide a leading option, is anyone kicking it to him? IF they don't does he get discouraged and stop leading?? IT doesn't matter if no-one kicks it to you, you have to keep leading tirelessly. Because that splits oppo defense and creates space and opportunities for others.
What about defensive side of his game?
This is not an accusation because I haven't been to games, but jsut wondering if maybe he's been playing like a show pony who wants to be on highlight reel and doesn't want to put the unglamorous unnoticed hard work in?

 

[Thatsmyname]

He might just be the type of player that needs the best around him to fire, if too much of the grunt work falls on him he's out of his element

 

[Hairydawg]

Just wondeirng if anyone who has been to a few games has any insight on why WHE has been so ineffective? He's a good mark and has pace.
Surely he should be an effective leading forward.
Clearly can't rely on him taking those contested screamers these days.
What have his leading patterns been like? Has he been working hard constantly leading? When he does provide a leading option, is anyone kicking it to him? IF they don't does he get discouraged and stop leading?? IT doesn't matter if no-one kicks it to you, you have to keep leading tirelessly. Because that splits oppo defense and creates space and opportunities for others.
What about defensive side of his game?
This is not an accusation because I haven't been to games, but jsut wondering if maybe he's been playing like a show pony who wants to be on highlight reel and doesn't want to put the unglamorous unnoticed hard work in?

I think he rarely loses a contest, but this year they are usually halved and last year it seemed to me like he was winning more. Last year there seemed to be more black and white jumpers around him (as Dennis might say ‘’the cavalry have arrived’).

This year he seems to be going it alone a bit more, which is good in that he is finding space (one of his great traits), but bad in that against some teams the halved ball can rebound away from him.

Quality player, I rate him very highly and he will win us a flag - he’s a Norm Smith medalist if I’ve ever seen one. Ice running through his veins in big moments.



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[Scodog10]

sr36 come on down! Or are you ready to take my thoughts on board?

Essentially there’s two WHE’s the first is the one we had in 17-18 who got in a full pre-season. The second we have in 19 who didn’t get a pre-season. He doesn’t perform under injury duress or off limited preparation and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in 2020 if he stays fit over the next 6-8 months.

 

[Moeydw]

He's missing the other 2 members of the swoop squad

 

[foreigner]

Hasn't he played very different roles this year? On the wing or chb? I think one of the issues this year has been that the coaching panel have tried to change some of the things that worked so well last year including the forward structure. Remember Stevo playing on the wing early in the year? Maybe it was due to Elliott and later Reid coming in. I guess we lost the synergy by trying to be too cute. What worked so well last year with Cox, Mihocek the talls and Stevo, Thomas, WHE even Varcoe being the crumbers - that synergy and confidence is no more. Injuries haven't helped either.

 

[sr36]

sr36 come on down! Or are you ready to take my thoughts on board?

Essentially there’s two WHE’s the first is the one we had in 17-18 who got in a full pre-season. The second we have in 19 who didn’t get a pre-season. He doesn’t perform under injury duress or off limited preparation and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in 2020 if he stays fit over the next 6-8 months.

When it comes to preseasons, I would have thought 3 months of senior footy would trump an actual preseason. If it's just about conditioning, he'd be getting better. He's not.

 

[TW Sherrin]

Thought he was ok at half back against the eagles and would've left him there against gws.

He is a typical flanker who goes missing.

They are the icing not the cake.

 

[Thedivided]

Let's be honest last season a couple of guys put up numbers that would most likely be career one offs for them. Not to suggest WHE is one I certainly think he can reproduce but with an interrupted pre season and all hes coming from a mile back. Dont expect miracles when they ain't possible.

 

[rand corp]

Has struggled to get going this year, playing out in cow-corner flankers often find it hard to get and remain involved for much of the game but, we rely on them to perform at crucial times and to seize upon their opportunities, take their half chances when they arrive: take a great grab, get out the back, kick a beautiful goal or three, apply defensive pressure and do enough to contribute to a win.

Where WHE could be relied on last year to take an important mark, use his speed to get out the back, kick a great goal and have half a dozen or more decisive touches, he is mostly having 'nearly' moments this year instead of defining ones.

Interestingly, I thought last year he and Varcoe combined beautifully, Varcoe would swoop on the pill across high half forward, then turn towards goal and almost intuitively find Will out on the fat side; perhaps no coincidence that both are down on form.

 

[sr36]

sr36 come on down! Or are you ready to take my thoughts on board?

Essentially there’s two WHE’s the first is the one we had in 17-18 who got in a full pre-season. The second we have in 19 who didn’t get a pre-season. He doesn’t perform under injury duress or off limited preparation and I’m sure he’ll bounce back in 2020 if he stays fit over the next 6-8 months.

An interrupted preseason doesn't help, but my take on WHE is that despite having a wonderful array of attributes, he doesn't win many contests and thus relies on getting uncontested possessions. This makes him much more limited than his skill set would suggest. Clubs using outliers in zones better has made it harder for half forwards to get uncontested possessions, particularly those whose bread and butter is hitting up at the footy. Additionally, his form is a symptom of our teams ailments. To impact as a half forward, he needs more space than our current ball movement allows him.Thus WHE has become an ineffective half forward. As a deep forward, he's so efficient that he doesn't need to get much of the footy to have an impact. If he plays forward for us, deep is his go. But with a full team, Stephenson, JDG and Elliott are better options playing deep.

I'd trial him at half back. His ability to run and carry is one of his real strengths and he doesn't get to use it very often up forward and our defence really needs more of it. Whilst he isn't great in a contest, as a defender he only needs to halve them to be effective - as a forward he needs to win them to have a real impact.

 

[loki04]

He's missing the other 2 members of the swoop squad

Why is this term gaining traction over the past week? it seems to be everywhere re our team last year?
But it doesn't make typical sense as bulk of goals came from "Lead and mark" play whether at ball carrier or back towards goal to medium - small fwds into their space aka pagans paddock.
With a smaller % off swooping on ground balls off packs although more of a feature then this season not nearly enough to coin a phrase on it.

 

[manicpie]

His biggest problem is that he has a second pair of ears which hear footsteps

 

[Somebody]

Can't remember him being tried as a key forward, which would prob be leading FF. Might be worth a try - again, I'd be interested in what hsi leading patterns look like, is there any sneaky doubling back as we see in good leading forwards? Just doesn't seem to have that knack but maybe if given a key role he could do better? At the moment up forward he doesn't seem to be contributing much, not even forward pressure. Otherwise as you say, keep trying him as a defender and this game woudl be a perfect opportunity.

 

[HeathySure]

Like every other forward in the league he is struggling because the defences are flooded and ball movement into the forward line is slow as treacle except after centre ball ups. You have to be a superstar to get more than 12 possies in the forward line these days. Its not just him. I wouldn't worry about him yet.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Thought he was ok at half back against the eagles and would've left him there against gws.

He is a typical flanker who goes missing.

They are the icing not the cake.

This is the thing; he’s meant to be icing but is being forced to be cake.

He’s like Varcoe except he can mark, kick and get enough possession to influence games.

 

[TW Sherrin]

This is the thing; he’s meant to be icing but is being forced to be cake.

He’s like Varcoe except he can mark, kick and get enough possession to influence games.

Whe has the speed, skill and size to be a very good rebounding defender. He is a waste getting 10ps a game.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I’d argue he doesn’t have the size. Body on body I think he’d be eaten alive. He’s a winger.

 

[Sea fog]

There are some reports that he is managing fluid on the knee.

 

[Thatsmyname]

There are some reports that he is managing fluid on the knee.

 

[Black_White]

I don’t remember, was he injured late last year.
Did he have off season surgery?
Did he have a proper pre-season.
Those who watch closely Wil tell me I’m sure.

 

[Frank Gallagher]

He ain't no defender.

 

[KillerMagpies]

Did his knee against Essendon late last year.
Prior to that he was fa-ly-ing.
He dropped off after that and he received another injury during the preseason.
I think he’s banged up.

 

[THATSGOLD]

I’ve never seen a softer player. He’s one of Buckleys favourites.

 

[Vicky Park]

Did his knee against Essendon late last year.
Prior to that he was fa-ly-ing.
He dropped off after that and he received another injury during the preseason.
I think he’s banged up.

Dont think WHE's ever recovered the form he had prior to last year's injury. Hopefully that is not a permanent thing. Also, as others have noted, his link up work with Varcoe in 2018 was a strength for him, and us. That's gone too, and Varcs has sadly fallen off the cliff.

WHE is too much of a talented natural footballer to be left out of the side. We need to work better at making him better, whether that's through position, game plan, structure or whatever. He is frustrating, and a challenge, but he can be much better. It may not be until 2020.