Preview Elimination Final: West Coast vs Essendon, Perth Stadium, Thursday 05/09/19 @ 8:10 PM AEST

[Runk]

I would be smashing down those canapes. 195 dollars worth.

I’d have $50 of it in my mouth and the rest placed within a large Woolworths bag I’d bring with me.

 

[fairbump_playon]

My WC mate says Kennedy has carried injuries all season. Can not bend down to balls below his knees and struggles to run. Play Hooker on him and could turn this contest in to a positive for us. Ambrose/Hurley to Darling.

How far below his knees are his balls? That must be quite painful.

 

[Hird05]

Considering how closely his wife (and him) are linked to the club, surely they can’t allow him to umpire the final?

Wow. Seriously no

 

[Darealrath]

So I've already posted about it seeming not to be local umpires for finals (Margetts). Here's a little deeper dig

Eagles v dees preliminary 2018
Umpires: Nicholls, Meredith, Chamberlain
Frees 23-21

Eagles v Pies qualify 2018
Umpires: Nicholls, Meredith, Harris
Frees 23-23

Eagles v dogs elimination 2016
Umpires: Farmer, Rosebury, Schmit
Frees 13-17 (dogs)

Eagles v Hawks 2015
Umpires: Dalgleish, Stevic, Meredith
Frees 19-16

Freo v Hawks 2015
Umpires: Dalgleish, Stevic, Rosebury
18-19

Eagles v North 2015
Umpires: Chamberlain, Margetts, Meredith
Frees 24-18

So in the last few years zero umpires have been from WA.

Margetts hasn't umpired since the one game where frees were 24-18.

The stats show frees are very even.

I just lost ten valuable minutes of work time so you can than me with a like.

fu** I will lose it if we get that dick but seems very unlikely. Policy must be to bring in guys from other states....

So if they don't allow it for finals, because of actual or perceived bias (I know which one), it raises the question as to why they allow it in the regular season.

Cost is probably the reality but that's not good enough in a professional sport IMO.

 

[hurlygurdy]

My two cents are that we are doomed if Hurley doesn't get up.

Apart from that gem of wisdom, i don't care too much about the result of this game in terms of how it reflects on our season. With the injuries we've had i think we have done exceptionally well to get to this spot, and win or lose it doesn't reflect on the quality of our side.

Interestingly if we get through WC relatively injury free then it's on like Donkey Kong. Some key players will have had a chance to rest and reset, our structure will be back and our form in terms of intensity will be bang on. In that respect i will be pretty sad if we go down by a few points wondering what could have been.

 

[Shane Heard]

Hurley’s shoulder was wrenched and pulled out. Not like it was cracked or anything. So a week and half of rest and a pain killer injection before the game will get him through.

Spoiling marks and dropping back for the pass out and delivering kicks up the ground he should be able handle.

He’ll play.

 

[cAsEy_18]

My two cents are that we are doomed if Hurley doesn't get up.

Apart from that gem of wisdom, i don't care too much about the result of this game in terms of how it reflects on our season. With the injuries we've had i think we have done exceptionally well to get to this spot, and win or lose it doesn't reflect on the quality of our side.

Interestingly if we get through WC relatively injury free then it's on like Donkey Kong. Some key players will have had a chance to rest and reset, our structure will be back and our form in terms of intensity will be bang on. In that respect i will be pretty sad if we go down by a few points wondering what could have been.

This.

I think we went from a very very minor chance if we were playing Collingwood/GWS to...well, less than that, by playing West Coast.
But IF (one of the biggest IFs going around) we do, then we get one of Geelong/Collingwood in Melbourne Week 2. And there are no 'easy' games in finals, but if you asked me which teams we're at least a slim chance against, they'd probably be 2 of them.

 

[Bjchan13]

FB Saad Hooker Ambrose
HB Redman Hurley Gleeson
C Merrett Heppell McKenna
HF Fantasia McKernan Tippa
FF Laverde Stringer Brown
R Bellchambers Shiel Parish
INT McGrath Francis Langford Clarke

 

[hurlygurdy]

Yeah

Hurley’s shoulder was wrenched and pulled out. Not like it was cracked or anything. So a week and half of rest and a pain killer injection before the game will get him through.

Spoiling marks and dropping back for the pass out and delivering kicks up the ground he should be able handle.

He’ll play.

yeah he'll play, but will he play like Fletcher played in 2001?

 

[vast]

Yeah

yeah he'll play, but will he play like Fletcher played in 2001?

I hope the club considers his selection thoroughly. If he isnt right we should suck it and not pick him.

 

[andleanback]

The most interesting thing will be to see if woosha comes with a plan to specifically beat west coast. I’d love to see us keep the ball on the ground as much as possible going inside 50 and let our smalls goes to work. It’s proven to expose the eagles defense. With McGovern’s man ( likely smack) you either have to hit smack on the lead up option every time if McGovern peels off or keep the ball away from him and use him as a decoy.

 

[quotemokc]

The most interesting thing will be to see if woosha comes with a plan to specifically beat west coast. I’d love to see us keep the ball on the ground as much as possible going inside 50 and let our smalls goes to work. It’s proven to expose the eagles defense. With McGovern’s man ( likely smack) you either have to hit smack on the that lead up option every time if McGovern peels off or keep the ball away from him and use him as a decoy.

If that is the plan AND it will be wet then I can't see how we could justify playing Brown

 

[andleanback]

If that is the plan AND it will be wet then I can't see how we could justify playing Brown

I’d s still play brown and have him playing high up the ground to drag out Sheppard or hurn. Try and have stringer deep ( hopefully they play barrass on him) , keep the ball on the ground and let him go to work.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

So if they don't allow it for finals, because of actual or perceived bias (I know which one), it raises the question as to why they allow it in the regular season.

Cost is probably the reality but that's not good enough in a professional sport IMO.

Understandably, most AFL umpires are big AFL fans before they become AFL umpires.

They just quit their memberships when they get the gig.

I don’t know why it has to be denied... just have each umpire nominate their club of support, and they don’t umpire that club. There’s enough of them to go around.

 

[cAsEy_18]

If that is the plan AND it will be wet then I can't see how we could justify playing Brown

Why not? That's literally Brown's strength. He's much better on the ground than he is in a contested marking situation. The only negative in a wet-weather sort of game is you really have to bring the tackling pressure, which he definitely doesn't do.

 

[boncer34]

Understandably, most AFL umpires are big AFL fans before they become AFL umpires.

They just quit their memberships when they get the gig.

I don’t know why it has to be denied... just have each umpire nominate their club of support, and they don’t umpire that club. There’s enough of them to go around.

It would make Teffy's head explode how many umpires were/are North fans.

 

[Vander18]

I’d play Hartley this week - closest thing we have to a decent match up for Kennedy. Hooker too slow and Hurley/Ambrose don’t have the height or reach. Ambrose on Darling is a good match up for us. If Hurley gets up I’m not sure there is a match up for Francis....wouldnt be surprised if he was omitted.

Play Hooker forward with Smack - helps occupy McGovern.

 

[Vander18]

The most interesting thing will be to see if woosha comes with a plan to specifically beat west coast. I’d love to see us keep the ball on the ground as much as possible going inside 50 and let our smalls goes to work. It’s proven to expose the eagles defense. With McGovern’s man ( likely smack) you either have to hit smack on the lead up option every time if McGovern peels off or keep the ball away from him and use him as a decoy.

Have we ever implemented a plan specific to a team we are playing?

I’m not being smart....our approach always seems to be to try and play our way rather than trying to take something away from the opposition.

 

[andleanback]

Have we ever implemented a plan specific to a team we are playing?

I’m not being smart....our approach always seems to be to try and play our way rather than trying to take something away from the opposition.

We can still play ‘our way’ with our run and carry, its just how we use the ball going into the forward line. Bombing it in won’t work and we’ll get cut up

 

[eth-dog]

It would make Teffy's head explode how many umpires were/are North fans.

... Can you tell him?

 

[Vander18]

We can still play ‘our way’ with our run and carry, its just how we use the ball going into the forward line. Bombing it in won’t work and we’ll get cut up

I’m Not disagreeing.

Just saying we never actually adjust what we do....for better or worse we play the same way every week.

 

[boncer34]

... Can you tell him?

He's pretending to have me on ignore again.

 

[jaguaress]

Trying not to stress ...

 

[DallasCrane316]

Wet weather expected for the game (and the week leading up to the game) - helps reduce the Eagles game style of mark and possess.

 

[Darealrath]

I’m Not disagreeing.

Just saying we never actually adjust what we do....for better or worse we play the same way every week.

There are subtle variations around tagging and numbers around the ball, which shouldn't be discounted, but Worsfold is obviously big on committing to a style of play.