Prediction Why won't we win the 2019 flag?

[Coasters7]

I can,t see that happening. Schoey is a tall backman.

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[campaigner___]

Few pundits on here would be taking the $10 for eagles b2b...

 

[MIKE85]

Maybe the stupid ones, who like to throw money away

 

[Astro7]

We played poorly but i can,t believe the folks wanting to get off.

Just trying to make sense of it all?
The other things I noticed was how upbeat Simmo was at the presser, the positivity was almost overkill?
It 'aint natural to be that upbeat after a gut-wrenching loss that almost kills your GF hopes?
He was like the energiser bunny after a couple of rails?
Also noticed how gutted Gaff looked after the siren! And NN in the box. Glum.
So to say these players just gave up or didn't give it their all, just doesn't make sense when they have so much to play for...so much pressure for their spots, so much expectations on themselves, by supporters, the coach and the club. There's no way they just flip it all off lightly?

 

[Gaffy Duck]

Just trying to make sense of it all?
The other things I noticed was how upbeat Simmo was at the presser, the positivity was almost overkill?
It 'aint natural to be that upbeat after a gut-wrenching loss that almost kills your GF hopes?
He was like the energiser bunny after a couple of rails?
Also noticed how gutted Gaff looked after the siren! And NN in the box. Glum.
So to say these players just gave up or didn't give it their all, just doesn't make sense when they have so much to play for...so much pressure for their spots, so much expectations on themselves, by supporters, the coach and the club. There's no way they just flip it all off lightly?

Denial is the first stage in the 5 stages of grief so guess that’s where he was at

 

[Gaffy Duck]

Just trying to make sense of it all?
The other things I noticed was how upbeat Simmo was at the presser, the positivity was almost overkill?
It 'aint natural to be that upbeat after a gut-wrenching loss that almost kills your GF hopes?
He was like the energiser bunny after a couple of rails?
Also noticed how gutted Gaff looked after the siren! And NN in the box. Glum.
So to say these players just gave up or didn't give it their all, just doesn't make sense when they have so much to play for...so much pressure for their spots, so much expectations on themselves, by supporters, the coach and the club. There's no way they just flip it all off lightly?

Gaffs face hurt to see. Feel for the bloke

In b4 coward punch, thug etc

 

[PerthBoy86]

Gaffs face hurt to see. Feel for the bloke

In b4 coward punch, thug etc

I mean, he probably wouldn't admit it, but suspect a premiership chance was a big reason he stayed.

Definitely should still be in it for the next few years IF we make some changes. Don't and I fear we may drop next year.

 

[KERRPOW]

I had fools confidence last night.

But looking at the brutal reality of the stats about the eagles from on the couch. We are ducking abhorent with the groundball hard gets and post clearance contested posession.

Im wavering

 

[Coasters7]

I had fools confidence last night.

But looking at the brutal reality of the stats about the eagles from on the couch. We are ducking abhorent with the groundball hard gets and post clearance contested posession.

Im wavering

Nic Nat is the big question mark. I’m giving us till about 6:30 next Thursday night to see if we have what it takes to go all the way. If we don’t come out breathing fire, and see significant improvement in intensity, then we’re just making up numbers regardless of the result next week.

 

[Patron]

I had fools confidence last night.

But looking at the brutal reality of the stats about the eagles from on the couch. We are ducking abhorent with the groundball hard gets and post clearance contested posession.

Im wavering

It’s been a weakness for a while. It’s just that our intercept marking game isn’t very effective atm as every team has put so much effort into countering it.

We need naitanui and kelly to come in next year to really reverse our groundball issues.


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[wraglesweb]

I had fools confidence last night.

But looking at the brutal reality of the stats about the eagles from on the couch. We are ducking abhorent with the groundball hard gets and post clearance contested posession.

Im wavering

I think its because we are waiting for the opposition to get the ball then tackle.......

 

[Max zero]

I had fools confidence last night.

But looking at the brutal reality of the stats about the eagles from on the couch. We are ducking abhorent with the groundball hard gets and post clearance contested posession.

Im wavering

Noticed it at the game on the weekend.

If the ball is on the ground in a contested situation we almost never win it. I am not exaggerating. If you count contested ball gets you would be heading well into double figures for consecutive Hawthorn wins before WC would win one. It really stood out.

 

[KERRPOW]

That plus how easily oppo teams transition out of D50 for a goal.

Serious issues the team needs to work on over summer.

 

[wraglesweb]

Noticed it at the game on the weekend.

If the ball is on the ground in a contested situation we almost never win it. I am not exaggerating. If you count contested ball gets you would be heading well into double figures for consecutive Hawthorn wins before WC would win one. It really stood out.

Yeah we would rather the opposition do the hard work and bend down to get the footy and then TRY to tackle them.........

I really hope the coaches call them out on it but im just not sure they will !!

 

[frenchconnection]

Nic Nat is the big question mark. I’m giving us till about 6:30 next Thursday night to see if we have what it takes to go all the way. If we don’t come out breathing fire, and see significant improvement in intensity, then we’re just making up numbers regardless of the result next week.

Intensity was what was missing by many of the players on Saturday evening, and also the fact that a couple of our key players were hindered by injury - eg Hurn and Darling. Probably were others as heard Shep on the radio this morning saying "they welcomed the bye as there were a lot of sore boys out there the other night", including him as think he sustained a minor hip injury during the game so he would have been playing sore. Noticed at the game he was hobbling a fair bit at times.

Hagdorn said with Nic that he was still not convinced he would play next Thursday as even though at training he can now jump he hasn't got to the leaping stage yet and remains to be seen as to whether he will be able to land on that ankle coming down from a leap? Will be interesting to see whether he can manage to get up for the game and admittedly it was Hagdorn making these comments but he has been fairly accurate with some of his assumptions of late!

 

[frenchconnection]

Yeah we would rather the opposition do the hard work and bend down to get the footy and then TRY to tackle them.........

I really hope the coaches call them out on it but im just not sure they will !!

Noticed this on so many occasions, ie second to the ball, that it frustrated me no end! Can remember on GF day last year there was no way they were going to lose that match after Dom kicked the winning goal so need to see more of that type of intensity.

There is no easy ball at the business end of the season and I do worry about the fact they don't play the whole 4 quarters and this will bring them undone during the finals unless between now and then Simmo can get through to their heads that this is just not on.

So many of our players were down on intensity the other night - the question has to be asked are some of our older players cooked. Mind you Barass is not in that category still being a young man and appears to have lost all confidence as has had stinkers the last 2-3 weeks. Some of those dropped marks he normally would take with his eyes closed is just mind boggling.

I just hope it was just "one of those nights" after a 6 day break, and that they are not having a form slump at the wrong time of the year

 

[frenchconnection]

The players have made their own beds to sleep in , being lazy and not fully switched on during the season has now seen the easier road to the big dance removed.

So now it needs to be achieved the hard way.
That said it doesn’t mean it can’t be done. The route to the big dance will require more travel, but the MCG should not hold any fear factor... home away from and all that.

Key point is are our players able to be laser focused and switch on every game from the get go.

We have the ability to beat any team on any day.

Two things will be critical to our chances of success :

1. What is between the ears of our players as finals are for the most part won above the neck.

2. How much and how badly does this playing group want to win it. This needs to be as a collective not just the lead players in the team. Full on effort , application and commitment is required, skimp on any of these and the cause is lost.

It’s now up to the character of this playing group pure and simple:

Let’s see what this group is made of.

They chose the hard road , now can they deliver.

Time will tell , the ability is there now it’s now all about application.

On last nights football show FC Matthew Lloyd made the comment that only a fool would write WC off and still thinks we are still a big chance to win B2B even though we will have to do it the hard way. In other words what he was really saying was 'write off WC at your peril"!

We will find out what the boys are made of over the next few weeks that's for sure as too much coasting earlier in the season which has come back to bight them on the ***. Surprise surprise!

 

[frenchconnection]

TBH I think people are forgetting the fact that the worst thing we could be coming up against is Richmond at the MCG in a prelim. The conditions will be perfect the whole time, so we won't have to deal with any wet games, we'll be playing at our home away from home (the MCG, not Adelaide oval) against either of Geelong or Collingwood, who we should beat over there.

Those other years, we had significant handicaps (the MCG hoodoo in 2016, Mitchell and Priddis in the same midfield in 2017) - this season, though, that's all gone. We've proven already we can do it over there. In fact, we have the best chance of winning multiple away finals in nearly a decade IMO.

Yes not sure if our failure in the past has been due to the MCG hoodoo or the excessive travel factor. We will have this question answered over the next few weeks. Hopefully it was the MCG hoodoo which means we still have a pulse and anything can happen. Fingers and toes crossed is all I say!

 

[Astro7]

Intensity was what was missing by many of the players on Saturday evening, and also the fact that a couple of our key players were hindered by injury - eg Hurn and Darling. Probably were others as heard Shep on the radio this morning saying "they welcomed the bye as there were a lot of sore boys out there the other night", including him as think he sustained a minor hip injury during the game so he would have been playing sore. Noticed at the game he was hobbling a fair bit at times.

Hagdorn said with Nic that he was still not convinced he would play next Thursday as even though at training he can now jump he hasn't got to the leaping stage yet and remains to be seen as to whether he will be able to land on that ankle coming down from a leap? Will be interesting to see whether he can manage to get up for the game and admittedly it was Hagdorn making these comments but he has been fairly accurate with some of his assumptions of late!

That would solve some mysteries - if it was a slump due to injuries and battered bodies off last couple of games. Remembering that being the hunted often means the opp put a lot more into you, including attacking the player harder as a tactic. We've probably been getting a much more physical attack all season. Might help explain why Simmo was so upbeat at the presser-with the bye and he knew we were beat up, and could/would play better in finals? It's all speculation, with so much internal affairs we know nothing of. But Shep's weekly interview on 6PR is worth listening to for an insight.
Would expect a major regroup, focus and planning for the next block of games.
But first, Essendon and the Smiling Assassin! (ironic and infuriating if Woosha brings us down?)

 

[frenchconnection]

TBH I think people are forgetting the fact that the worst thing we could be coming up against is Richmond at the MCG in a prelim. The conditions will be perfect the whole time, so we won't have to deal with any wet games, we'll be playing at our home away from home (the MCG, not Adelaide oval) against either of Geelong or Collingwood, who we should beat over there.

Those other years, we had significant handicaps (the MCG hoodoo in 2016, Mitchell and Priddis in the same midfield in 2017) - this season, though, that's all gone. We've proven already we can do it over there. In fact, we have the best chance of winning multiple away finals in nearly a decade IMO.

We could also be playing Brisbane at the Gabba in the SF should Richmond win against Brisbane in the QF.

 

[Spuddigger]

I mean, he probably wouldn't admit it, but suspect a premiership chance was a big reason he stayed.

Definitely should still be in it for the next few years IF we make some changes. Don't and I fear we may drop next year.

Some changes have already started with Cameron and a few others given a sniff. You knew we were in strife when Gov went to the forward line and Oscar taking his place.

 

[shooshka]

We could also be playing Brisbane at the Gabba in the SF should Richmond win against Brisbane in the QF.

Only way we play either Brisbane or Richmond is if we make it to the prelim, and obviously that would be away. Also almost certain to be a Saturday arvo (or latest twilight) game.

Long way to go before we even look at that though.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

I'm feeling increasingly more optimistic as the week goes on.
Should beat Essendon. They have a ton of injuries, a coach under fire and down on form.

Week 2 we fly to the MCG regardless of who wins. After nearly 4 weeks between flights, we should be as fresh as can be. I expect to be playing Geelong, so effectively a neutral venue.

Prelim is probably the toughest ask. Brisbane at the GABBA is a long trip into hot conditions while Richmond at the G is probably the hardest matchup for us.

Eagles v Bulldogs grand final Put your house on it.

 

[06Premiers]

I'm feeling increasingly more optimistic as the week goes on.
Should beat Essendon. They have a ton of injuries, a coach under fire and down on form.

Week 2 we fly to the MCG regardless of who wins. After nearly 4 weeks between flights, we should be as fresh as can be. I expect to be playing Geelong, so effectively a neutral venue.

Prelim is probably the toughest ask. Brisbane at the GABBA is a long trip into hot conditions while Richmond at the G is probably the hardest matchup for us.

Eagles v Bulldogs grand final Put your house on it.

Our path to glory is very difficult, but could work with sufficient breaks due to the schedule.
This is where the Thursday night final can work to our advantage, since the AFL avoids 6 day breaks in finals so the days for each game are pretty much locked in.

This is our possible path, as I said very difficult but doable.
EF: Thu vs Essendon @ Optus
SF: Fri vs Geelong or Collingwood @ MCG
PF: Sat vs Brisbane @ Gabba or Richmond @ MCG

But of course, let's just get past stage 1 and reassess from there.

 

[Eaglemaniac]

You guys obviously haven’t watched this team for the last 5 years, we always lose when we are favourites because we believe our own press. We will not make the GF.