Why I think Eagles can win the premiership next year

[ep2018]

We need to really nail it with our first draft selection.. The injection of a gun mid could help rejuvenate the team. However, credits in the bank etc etc.....

SPS. I have a funny feeling about him.

 

[The Passenger]

After ruminating on things after the grand final I think we are better served by accepting we aren't going to threaten next year and get on with the rebuild.

Thanks Bung, thanks Josh but it's time to start seeing what the next generation has to offer. Our midfield lacks the athleticism, let alone if Yeo or Kelly gets injured, to be more than a bottom of the 8 group with the present personnel and with that being the case I can't see the value in the old boys going on.

Hopefully the OP is proven right again and I have humble pie to eat but I think we are going to be bog-average next year. The group are the equivalent of Pavlov's dogs when it comes to looking backwards when the receive the ball. It's going to take time to turn that around, if there is even any desire to from the coaching group!

Maybe it's the eternal pessimism of sports supporters but I feel like I'm in this boat too.

Obviously would love to be proven wrong, but I just struggle to see another flag with this playing group. Unfortunately.

Going for another push to the top with minimal games into the youngsters and finishing mid table with no high draft pick could really set our development back I feel.

 

[Footfalcon]

Simple solution for the midfield, play west as a liber role dedicated to ground ball gets along side yeo and redden for high pressure tackling, let jelly kelly get space along side jelly sheed.

Allow the half backs to play as half backs, more aggressive faster ball movement from the back.

 

[Ishmael_]

I'm a footy optimist for the most part, so who knows. The team certainly still has talent.

I just want to see two things:

1. A fit AF playing group that can take hits, put physical pressure on and run out games.

2. A rejigged game plan that fits with the modern game.

We may not be good enough, we might be too old - too whatever, but if we give ourselves those two things then at least we're giving ourselves a chance.

Excited to see what a fit Ryan, Rioli, Yeo, Gov and even SPS can do. Who knows, Rioli and SPS could reach another level and give us something we didn't know we had.

Or it could be another horrible miserable season ending with half our champions ignominiously retiring at season's end!

For now though I'm optimistic.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

It won't matter how much unity we have in the Club next season, if we keep the same game plan, we are going to get our arses kicked.

If you don't think there is anything wrong with our game plan, then you haven't been paying close attention to either:


The style that the two grand finalists and most of the top eight teams play.

Or

The way our game plan has been systematically been pick apart since 2018.







What we had in 2018 was very good and it was state of the art.


View attachment 1246251


But that will be four seasons ago as we head into next year and things change, we need to change too, you either adapt and improve or you get passed, because superseded obsolete designs and plans, inevitably fall short to innovation, development and embracing the latest trends and ideas.


View attachment 1246261

Sure a united Club at all levels will help, but without a change of game plan we wont be contenders in 2022.

I cannot see this group be unified like Melbourne, Bulldogs etc. A complete buy in just seems a step way to far for many on our list.

 

[GO EAGLES]

Simpson kept on talking about how the eagles could not stop
The run ons the opposition went on.
This is another symptom of lack of energy and unity in the eagles

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Simple solution for the midfield, play west as a liber Pridda role dedicated to ground ball gets along side yeo and redden for high pressure tackling, let jelly kelly get space along side jelly sheed.

Allow the half backs to play as half backs, more aggressive faster ball movement from the back.

West could then win a Brownlow and get bragging rights over his old man too.

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

We are harder to pick for next year than a broken nose. We could be anywhere from 4th to 14th!

 

[GO EAGLES]

Natanui is 32next year.
He is the type of player who could play till 36.

 

[GO EAGLES]

Gees, the way Natanui finished 2021, cant wait to see him start 2022

 

[The wily weagle]

Natanui is 32next year.
He is the type of player who could play till 36.

I certainly hope so, he's been playing half a game for a long time so he ought to be fairly fresh

 

[BeornJ]

The three small defenders there are way too slow to play together (yes, including Shep with his faltering body). Would get chopped up by the smalls.

Yeah you're right. We can't play all of Shep, Hurn and Witherden in the same team. One of Shep and Hurn can play, and Foley is in.

Foley Edwards Barrass
Witherden Gov Hurn/Shep (Duggan)

 

[BrotherDodge]

I certainly hope so, he's been playing half a game for a long time so he ought to be fairly fresh

Along with that, missing a couple of seasons has hopefully left him a little less beaten up than your average 30-something ruckman.

 

[GO EAGLES]

An example of unity at Melbourne.
Petracca hid his Norm Smith medal at the party so as not to break the spirit of the team

This is what we need and even more selflessness.

I think Simpson realises this

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

An example of unity at Melbourne.
Petracca hid his Norm Smith medal at the party so as not to break the spirit of the team

This is what we need and even more selflessness.

I think Simpson realises this

How would not hiding his norm Smith medal break the spirit of the team? He should be wearing it

 

[THE A5]

wasn't shuey hiding it too?

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

wasn't shuey hiding it too?

What was he called post 18GF -Chingey or something like that

 

[wedgetail]

I doubt next year will amount to much sadly. Mid table, early exit.

We will continue to be too tall, too slow and too scared to take the risks needed with the modern explosive style

 

[CursoryMercenary]

I doubt next year will amount to much sadly. Mid table, early exit.

We will continue to be too tall, too slow and too scared to take the risks needed with the modern explosive style

Agree with this, Simpson is too stubborn to change his ways.

What do you guys think of Stephen Coniglio being traded? massive fall from grace the last two seasons with injuries and form. What would he even be worth now? I'm sure he's an Eagles fan from memory. Big risk but could pay off. GWS might just want to cut their losses with the guy given his contract and we could get him for a couple of picks late 20's early 30's?

 

[fidstar]

I'm pretty sure the Dockers board has one of these threads each year.

 

[WCErevival]

Plot twist. Go Eagles and GoEaglesGoSGIO are the same person

 

[Chris_6678]

SGIO i heard are not going to be around anymore so i wonder if old mate hangs the boots up on this board also?

 

[DanWCE]

SGIO i heard are not going to be around anymore so i wonder if old mate hangs the boots up on this board also?

 

[kranky al]

When Simmo arrived our standard, at least in terms of fitness was elite. What changed? Eagles have always reliably been one of the fittest teams in the league. If we aren't now, we need to refocus.

Remember our skills coach leaving us (kempy?) in wooshas time as he was told he was limited by fitness needs in time he could drill guys.

when simmo took over skills took a higher place - and fitness seems to have fallen off a bit.

wonder also if the kick-mark game disincentives players to run past as it won't be honoured.

 

[kranky al]

Liam ryan

1

Liam Ryan

Age

27

Ht

181cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

2.7

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.3

5star

D

9.9

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.6

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.6

5star

full preseason - to the wing
Rioli in the forward line
Yeo back to his best
Nn being nn - but with angry yeo getting clearances
gaff back to being pure outside
Oallen takes the next step
Petch to take the next step
Sheed had surgery on his shoulder - hopefully back to his best
shep to bounce back
Darling to bounce back to best form
Duggan to have a blinder of a year.
Shuey to move to a flak for durability
simmo and new assistants to tweak the gameplan on the offseason.

All in all its pretty hard to see a reason why we wont thrash it in next year.

bookmark this s**t you chicken littles - the last time i was this bullish was end of season 2017 when we ditched maggi noodles head and sam mitchell and immediately made our midfield competitive.