Training 2021 - Preseason Thread

[Hai_Newman]

Sorry, got caught up avoiding quarantine detection at Perth airport (NN a notable absentee) to fly back to Queensland so forgot to post last night after catching the redeye.
Just a few random notes I took down...

- A lot of running work again, clearly a focus even in the heat.
- Duggan looked on and was hitting targets left and right. Set for a huge 2021.
- Giles went up against Vardy in the ruck contests and I'd say that Giles has the inside running at the moment.
- Mitchell looked a class above the other midfielders bar Priddis. Just knew how to find the footy and wouldn't miss a target all session. Shuey was very quiet and seemed to be taking direction from Mitchell. Doesn't bode well for his captaincy credentials, maybe he doesn't want the gig?
- Won't say too much about it in case I was just reading too much into it, but Rioli looked as though he'd enjoyed the Christmas break a bit too much. A few of the coaches pulled him aside and they were having quite an animated conversation before Rioli was sent to do laps for the rest of the session. Good news for Le Cras, I suppose.
- Sheed kicked on his right foot for 80% of the session, I reckon. Nice to see players working on their non-preferred so readily.
- Petrie looked like he was doing a great job 'coaching' the younger forwards in between the drills. Darling in particular seemed to be following him around.
- Gee Venables has some skills. He mainly jogged laps before spending the last half hour or so on set shots - curled a few beauties from behind the boundary line at the end for a bit of fun. Hardly saw him miss a kick.
- What interested me the most was that McGovern split his time between the defenders and the forwards, could be seeing a swingman role in 2017. He was his usual dominant self down back in some match simulation drills before going head-to-head with Mackenzie in a forward role.
- Bayok is very fast - Cripps was in most of the drills with him and couldn't keep up.
- Nelson is pale as buggery and still doesn't really have the body shape you'd expect of an AFL player.
- There was a big bloke who pulled up next to me and I could have sworn it was Suma, but I'm sure I was wrong...
- Masto was the player picked to kick the goal at the end today and nailed it. Celebrations were huge.
- No sign of Cole, Parto or Hill. Couldn't tell you why.

Will upload pics later if I have time. Let me know if you have any questions!

How about we give this unfunny joke a rest?
Its right up there with posting Gee on anything to do with Venables and putting Jack Watts as a poll option as embarrassing crap just clogging up threads.

 

[Doashuey]

How about we give this unfunny joke a rest?
Its right up there with posting Gee on anything to do with Venables and putting Jack Watts as a poll option as embarrassing crap just clogging up threads.

Bodes well for Wohpol.

 

[Off Tap]

Someone might know but the club is quite stingy with releasing training times. Often announce "open" sessions like its a huge deal. They used to just have a spot on the website showing the times each week...

There is nothing re training times on the club website which unfortunately is not necessarily unusual.

Thanks guys. I'm living just around the corner so will take my chances and just rock up with the kids and camera.

 

[WestCoast05]

How about we give this unfunny joke a rest?
Its right up there with posting Gee on anything to do with Venables and putting Jack Watts as a poll option as embarrassing crap just clogging up threads.

Well it WAS funny for a long time, a lot longer than most.
Now it has run its course.

Perhaps minor references to the old post within a real training report still has some mileage eg adding that Nelson is still 'pale as buggery' whilst giving some actual info on him.

 

[Doashuey]

Well it WAS funny for a long time, a lot longer than most.
Now it has run its course.

Perhaps minor references to the old post within a real training report still has some mileage eg adding that Nelson is still 'pale as buggery' whilst giving some actual info on him.

Gee

 

[Barrybran]

Let me know if you have any questions

Where can I get my hands on a time machine?

 

[Dark Sharks]

It'll never not be funny.

Someone posting it once a week is a bare minimum for me.

 

[Obeanie1]

I don't think this is true at all.

To say it is simply desire is to overlook our deficiencies, which were especially apparent in 2020.

In my opinion, our top 15 players is the strongest in the league, dig a little deeper and the talent drops off, and drops off very quickly.

We have an over surplus of talls, that we can't play in their genuine position, and a lack of options if a midfielder or a general/small foward goes down.

In 2020 our list lacked depth and we were too reliant on too few getting us the win.

Ainsworth getting a gig in our midfield due to Yeo's injury says everything you need to know about the talent on our list outside of B22.

The other big issue is we had next to no players at ground level in our forward line. Relying on Kennedy/Darling/Ryan to take contested marks every time the ball comes in is not a sustainable gamestyle. Whenever they didn't take a mark/get paid a free, the ball would be collected by oppo defenders and zip down the ground. Our best football is just like Richmonds, front half game and lock it in. We just move the ball differently. No Rioli, no Le Cras, no Venables, and losing Jones/Cripps and Pettrucelle's poor season meant we were boom or bust going inside 50. You don't win flags that way in 2020.

At the end of the 2020 season/before the trade period, I was one of the posters who felt we weren't that far off and all we had to do was increase the number of B grade players we had on our list, and I am ecstatic about the choices Glassy and the club have made during the trade and draft period.

We traded out a player surplus to our needs (Hickey), and traded in 2 good players who are fringe B22 in areas of need and nailed the draft given the choices we had.

The wild card is Yeo. 2020 shows that he may be our most important player. Without him in there, you do really get a sense of how small our mids are compared to other top teams. All our mids outside of Yeo are 6'-6'1". Kelly and Shuey are strong through their hips, but don't have the overall strength and aerial game of Yeo. Geelong's all have big bodies, and Richmond has a couple as well in Martin and Ross.

We have a lot of room for improvement just by getting improvement out of players that contributed next to nothing in 2020 (Petch, Cripps, Cameron). If they're not ready to step up, Langdon and Jones will be. And we could possibly see the return of Rioli.

It might be harsh, but it might be time we put Redden out to pasture. Not because he is past it, but because the mix in the midfield could use a bit more variety. I'd be keen to use redden in the event of Yeo/Shuey/TK not being fit or able to play. If our best 5 mids are available, I'd be more inclined with blooding XON/Duggan, or maybe even Trew dependent on how he travels in the pre season and Marsh series.

If we can get our guys on the park, we are a top 4 team. Now with our activity over the trade and draft period, we also have more options if one or two guys go down with an injury. Just on that basis alone I expect us to be more consistent across the season, and if we have any decent run with injuries top 4 should be a lock.




Great post. 2020 v 2018 revealed how much more important to our side Yeo is vis a vis Gaff.

2020 our pressure forwards were decimated.

One player out doesn't cause team imbalance but two or three in the one area of the ground does.

Duggan came into the mifield for Yeo and did pretty well.

For most if not all of the season we missed Rioli, Venables, Cripps (1st child when we were hubbing), Jones, Cameron and Petrucelle.

We ended up playing mids forward as the cupboard was bear for pure small / medium forwards.

This is where the improvement needs to come from.

 

[Obeanie1]

Waterman to the wing is just another example of playing somebody out of position because of an unbalanced list.

I maintain we should have encouraged Kennedy to retire. We’re not winning the flag next year, let’s be honest.

If you seriously think we can't win the flag in 2021 you don't know much about football.

Always need some fortune and a bit of luck but the talent is there.

 

[Goroyals22]

If you seriously think we can't win the flag in 2021 you don't know much about football.

Always need some fortune and a bit of luck but the talent is there.

If the team has to hub again which is very likely the toys will come out of the cot again and we will have no chance at all.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Carbine Chaos]

If you seriously think we can't win the flag in 2021 you don't know much about football.

Always need some fortune and a bit of luck but the talent is there.

Settle. I’d agree my wording was poor.

Let me rephrase. The Eagles of the past 2 years are no chance of winning the flag in 2021. We’ve been woefully inconsistent and (I believe) unbalanced.

I think changes are required to win the flag next year. I’m not convinced they will be made.

 

[Convocation]

How about we give this unfunny joke a rest?
Its right up there with posting Gee on anything to do with Venables and putting Jack Watts as a poll option as embarrassing crap just clogging up threads.

I expect to see it again this year, and undoubtedly numerous times again next year. The only way it stops is if the Mods delete it every time it gets up.
Being interstate it frustrates me more then most as I can't get to training or get to speak to many west coast supporters, other then at the games we play in Melbourne. Posting this "joke" year after year shows a lack of respect to those who go to the effort of putting a real training report together that I and others are genuinely appreciative of getting to read. Its frustrating and annoying but is what it is.

 

[Astro7]

Settle. I’d agree my wording was poor.

Let me rephrase. The Eagles of the past 2 years are no chance of winning the flag in 2021. We’ve been woefully inconsistent and (I believe) unbalanced.

I think changes are required to win the flag next year. I’m not convinced they will be made.

For sure, although most of that does seem fairly obvious. They were gutted by the EF loss, and undermanned against a quality team with it's best 22 on board.
So you'd expect WCE to underline that game and be fired up this season.
Also like most teams we get to reset, renew and re-enter.
They appear to have drafted players to plug the gaps and add better depth.
I agree changes are required, as most of the comp knows how to counter our style, some successfully. If we don't change then we must have a good plan B to revert to as required. Or mix it up as we've seen when leaving the backline they slow down, spot-up players to the centre/wing - then unleash the run+gun style to the goal arc..(obviously coaches are reacting to changes throughout a game anyway). The marking game or controlling the airspace (in Ryan's case!) is of little concern to teams like Tigers et al...
Clearly we need to hit top 2/4 spot as soon as possible and maintain that...easier said than done...revolves around the fixture as much as other factors such as winning and losing?

 

[woosha24]

For sure, although most of that does seem fairly obvious. They were gutted by the EF loss, and undermanned against a quality team with it's best 22 on board.
So you'd expect WCE to underline that game and be fired up this season.

This is where I have a problem with the club currently.

I havent seen West Coast "fired up" for 2 years now. There's no passion shown on or off the field for the game and we've regressed into being a "dad club". When's the last time we saw this team well and truly upset at a loss? Cause I cant remember anyone being too visibly cut up when Collingwood came over here and stuck it up us for calling them "dirty". Even the rhetoric out of the coaches and staff was muted.

We need to find our hunger again, cause right now it looks like too many dads are content with showing off their 2018 premiership medallions to their toddler kids. The team needs a bit more campaigner in it.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Getting "fired up" at the Eagles these days involves watching Gov running around with a big goofy grin on his face belting blokes for no reason and getting suspended for being an idiot instead of watching Nic Nat nailing blokes HTB and having everyone scared of the beast, and Yeo ragdolling Dusty.

 

[Astro7]

This is where I have a problem with the club currently.

I havent seen West Coast "fired up" for 2 years now. There's no passion shown on or off the field for the game and we've regressed into being a "dad club". When's the last time we saw this team well and truly upset at a loss? Cause I cant remember anyone being too visibly cut up when Collingwood came over here and stuck it up us for calling them "dirty". Even the rhetoric out of the coaches and staff was muted.

We need to find our hunger again, cause right now it looks like too many dads are content with showing off their 2018 premiership medallions to their toddler kids. The team needs a bit more campaigner in it.

Did we/club call them dirty? I thought the media or public sentiment was that they were 'dirty'?
Well, it's all open to interpretation and speculation -this whole thing of 'no passion, desire, hunger or being fired up. They looked pretty fired up in that EF and other games in 2020.
Maybe they're drilled to play professionally and not aggressively-giving away frees etc- if the oppo gets to dirty or pushy, they seem to stand up and push back?

In interviews the players always say they're hungry and passionate for another Gong and they play to win (as opposed to what-not caring or playing to lose?)..
Who knows really, maybe they are subconsciously/collectively in a comfort Dad zone (on half pay?). How many players are Dads?
How do you prove something like that? Go and interview all the players..the coaches?

 

[Lathlain]

Thanks guys. I'm living just around the corner so will take my chances and just rock up with the kids and camera.

Even on non-open sessions there is full view of players on #2 ground and all action on #1 ground (through the fence / under the trees).
Training is usually 9:30 onwards Mon / Wed / Fri
No player access for the kids though.

 

[Obeanie1]

If the team has to hub again which is very likely the toys will come out of the cot again and we will have no chance at all.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Maybe we will be better prepared mentally next time.

The first time the AFL did it's usual bullshit and made SA and WA team relocate to QLD first even though SA and WA we Covid free. The pampered Vics stayed at home praying they wouldn't need to move.

So yep, our boys likely thought they were yet again carrying more of the travel load than Vic teams and were not happy.

By seasons end pretty much everyone chipped in.

We can be better.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

The win against St Kilda was quickly forgotten it seems, but was one of the great backs against the wall fighting wins I've ever seen from the club.

 

[Winky]

Well it WAS funny for a long time, a lot longer than most.
Now it has run its course.

Perhaps minor references to the old post within a real training report still has some mileage eg adding that Nelson is still 'pale as buggery' whilst giving some actual info on him.

It was never funny

 

[WCErevival]

If you're going to post the classic training report at least update the names.

 

[Off Tap]

Even on non-open sessions there is full view of players on #2 ground and all action on #1 ground (through the fence / under the trees).
Training is usually 9:30 onwards Mon / Wed / Fri
No player access for the kids though.

Nice. Thanks mate.

 

[RanaNaved]

Lol, too many dads.

Obviously the reason we didn't win the premiership is because not one coach was willing to throw Gatorades at the players

 

[Dark Sharks]

If you're going to post the classic training report at least update the names.

It's dumber AND funnier with the original names though.

 

[WCErevival]

It's dumber AND funnier with the original names though.

I dont know. You kind of want people to get a few lines in until they suspect something isn't quite right then it finally hits.