Expectations for 2025

[Schtinker]

I'm looking at us improving slightly with less losses by large margins. McQualter needs to rotate more faces through the midfield and select players on merit although it seems extremely hard to excel when the WAFL team is looking so mediocre. Give the players a bit more autonomy to play their natural game rather than restricting them to a kick down the line and return to your position system. If players like Sheed and Cripps aren't having an influence send them back to the magoos.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Mid table mediocrity.

Pencil that in for next 5 years

And when it’s not where will you be hiding??

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

And when it’s not where will you be hiding??

If I was someone who hides I’d have left when the Liam Baker abomination happenedm

 

[Goroyals22]

Hopefully about 8 wins, percentage of about 80% and some sign of a workable game plan.


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[eaglesnutcase]

If I was someone who hides I’d have left when the Liam Baker abomination happenedm

According to an earlier post Baker won the Robert Rose award for the leagues most courageous player. So according to you we either don’t want that type of player or we have a plethora of them.
Which one was it?
He’ll probably finish in our top three or four in the B @ F.
We don’t need players like that.

 

[Astro7]

Mid table mediocrity.

Pencil that in for next 5 years

Forget to take your meds?

 

[Astro7]

Possibly contravening posting rules here, not sure? But here is question #6 from Mongrel Punts WCE article -

6 – IS A FULLY-FIT DUO OF OSCAR ALLEN/JAKE WATERMAN CAPABLE OF BEING THE BEST ONE-TWO FORWARD PUNCH IN THE AFL?

I have to go on record, here. If Oscar Allen is fully fit, and takes over as the number one target, I reckon Jake Waterman has what people will call a “down year” after his excellent 2024.
And the thing is, no matter how it’s painted, that’s not a terrible thing. Not by a long shot.
Oscar Allen, at full fitness (which is something that has been all-too-rare over the last couple of years) has a ceiling that is higher than that of Waterman. Whilst Waterman’s 53 goals was an incredible effort, I would gladly take 35-40 goals from him if it means that Allen is available as the main avenue to goal, and he collects around 50 for the season. He’s done it before – he had 53 in 2023. Doing it again gives the Eagles potency up forward that has been missing since Kennedy and Darling were at their best.

Ideally, if you could get a combination of Waterman/Allen notching 100 goals between them for the 2025 season, it gives West Coast the type of forward firepower rivalled only by the likes of Carlton (Curnow and McKay), and Geelong (Cameron and Stengle). Of course, those teams are finalists, and the Eagles are not, but having reliable targets inside 50 makes the lives of others around them much easier.

With both Allen and Waterman performing, the chances for players like Liam Ryan, Jamie Cripps (whose career is incredibly underrated), and Matt Owies are multiplies. When both big blokes are playing well, they each possess a gravitational pull when it comes to opposition defenders. It creates a forward structure that is dangerous and very difficult to contain, with Ryan, Cripps, and Owies working into space that would otherwise be filled.

Can this duo be the best in the league?

Well, it’s not all on them. It relies on how well the midfield is performing in terms of delivering the footy. It relies on the half-backs pushing up to create a defensive wall to give the forwards multiple opportunities, and it depends on how much pressure is applied at ground level to create chances. That said, there is no reason that Waterman and Allen cannot be a top-five forward duo in the competition this season. Maybe even top three.

And if they’re able to do that, you might be surprised at how different a team West Coast looks in short order.

https://themongrelpunt.com/

 

[eaglesnutcase]

In November I said our forward line looks sensational and that most AFL sides would kill for it! Hewitt is a natural forward,Long is a natural.
It comes down to how much pressure Owies,Ryan,Cripps,Graeme etc put in defensively.

 

[Astro7]

In November I said our forward line looks sensational and that most AFL sides would kill for it! Hewitt is a natural forward,Long is a natural.
It comes down to how much pressure Owies,Ryan,Cripps,Graeme etc put in defensively.

No problem with Cripps, but Ryan needs to lift, could be so much better, and consistently > goals, tackles, and defensive pressure. But there is more competition/pressure to perform for his spot now.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Rewatched round 24 Geelong debacle to reassess our chances in 2025. Just hoping we get to see Hewitt start to show us a bit after injury. Hoping Baker and Owies and Graham perform so I guess 6 wins is a pass mark given it’s a new game plan and significant hole in defence with Barrass moving on. A lot of questions to be asked in the ruck and midfield. Most of last year with the ruck being plan B after a last minute Flynn injury. Still going to heavily rely on Gov, Yeo and Kelly. Time to step up for Harry Edwards and Rhett Bazzo. Hopefully no 2nd year blues for the Harley train.

 

[Cuzz09]

Malaki is another X Factor up fwd hopefully

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[Astro7]

Rewatched round 24 Geelong debacle to reassess our chances in 2025. Just hoping we get to see Hewitt start to show us a bit after injury. Hoping Baker and Owies and Graham perform so I guess 6 wins is a pass mark given it’s a new game plan and significant hole in defence with Barrass moving on. A lot of questions to be asked in the ruck and midfield. Most of last year with the ruck being plan B after a last minute Flynn injury. Still going to heavily rely on Gov, Yeo and Kelly. Time to step up for Harry Edwards and Rhett Bazzo. Hopefully no 2nd year blues for the Harley train.

Agree about the ruck and defence (lack of experienced talls), less worried about the midfield, it might surprise...Flynn (27) is a concern.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Much like last years season expectations I'm not putting up a win total, I just want us to be competitive, man and have a raised standard of everything across the board. We were fine for like the first half of the season then got belted by Adelaide in Adelaide and shit fell apart.

That 100 point margin at half time against Geelong still disgusts me, not gonna lie.

 

[Cuzz09]

yep that 1st half v geel and the game v Carlton reserves shows we are a million miles behind the middle of the table really.

Win a couple v lower sides, be competitive v top sides maybe sneak a freak win or 2 and don't get belted

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[Astro7]

Question 10 from Mongrel Punts Big Questions About WCE -

10 – WHO STEPS UP IN THE ABSENCE OF TOM BARRASS?

Now, you may have thought this preview was all sunshine and roses, huh? I am a pretty positive person, by nature… but I am not an oblivious idiot.

Anyway, this is where I hope you still have memories of The Simpsons when it was great.
Tall defenders is where the Eagles may struggle.

As a team that finished the year in 16th place, they are obviously going to have to contend with a lot of footy coming into their defensive 50. Sure, I think they’ll be better elsewhere on the park, but the absence of Tom Barrass as the stay-at-home key defender will be keenly felt.

Looking at their list, aside from the incredible Jeremy McGovern, they look very light on for experienced, impactful key position players. That’s a lot of responsibility on Gov… you’d be hoping he has another year like 2024, and not revert to the form and health of 2022/23.

I mean, who is going to do what he does if he goes down? Who is going to play Robin to his Batman if he stays fit?

Harry Edwards looks a likely type. Taken in the 2018 rookie draft, he now has the size to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the big boys of the league and make a contest, and I kind of feel he has to for this team not to be absolutely swamped by the long, high ball inside 20 metres from goal.

Callum Jamieson is another who was given a bit of a baptism of fire when he debuted, being asked to play in both ruck and key defence as the injury-decimated Eagles limped through the 2022 season.

Outside of them, the Eagles might be forced to look outside the box.

Could Bailey Williams slot in as a capable key defender? He has the mobility and is strong in the contest, but would the Eagles be robbing one position to play him at another?

Or is this the season that Rhett Bazzo puts it together and starts making the senior team more often to play in defence?

As I see it, the Eagles’ back six, on exposed form, consists of the following.
Liam Duggan, Liam Baker, Jeremy McGovern, Harry Edwards, Brady Hough, and Tom Cole.
Good at ground level. Not so good in the air, outside Gov.
To be completely honest and not sugarcoat anything, this is the Achilles Heel of the Eagles in 2025. They are running the risk of a good, or even decent key forwards, having days out against them. McGovern, as wonderful as he is, cannot be everything to everyone. Unless they get someone jumping out of the box and becoming a very good defender in his own right, we may see some big scores kicked against West Coast, with bags for some key forwards leading the way.

Home - The Mongrel Punt

themongrelpunt.com

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Question 10 from Mongrel Punts Big Questions About WCE -

10 – WHO STEPS UP IN THE ABSENCE OF TOM BARRASS?

Now, you may have thought this preview was all sunshine and roses, huh? I am a pretty positive person, by nature… but I am not an oblivious idiot.

Anyway, this is where I hope you still have memories of The Simpsons when it was great.
Tall defenders is where the Eagles may struggle.

As a team that finished the year in 16th place, they are obviously going to have to contend with a lot of footy coming into their defensive 50. Sure, I think they’ll be better elsewhere on the park, but the absence of Tom Barrass as the stay-at-home key defender will be keenly felt.

Looking at their list, aside from the incredible Jeremy McGovern, they look very light on for experienced, impactful key position players. That’s a lot of responsibility on Gov… you’d be hoping he has another year like 2024, and not revert to the form and health of 2022/23.

I mean, who is going to do what he does if he goes down? Who is going to play Robin to his Batman if he stays fit?

Harry Edwards looks a likely type. Taken in the 2018 rookie draft, he now has the size to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the big boys of the league and make a contest, and I kind of feel he has to for this team not to be absolutely swamped by the long, high ball inside 20 metres from goal.

Callum Jamieson is another who was given a bit of a baptism of fire when he debuted, being asked to play in both ruck and key defence as the injury-decimated Eagles limped through the 2022 season.

Outside of them, the Eagles might be forced to look outside the box.

Could Bailey Williams slot in as a capable key defender? He has the mobility and is strong in the contest, but would the Eagles be robbing one position to play him at another?

Or is this the season that Rhett Bazzo puts it together and starts making the senior team more often to play in defence?

As I see it, the Eagles’ back six, on exposed form, consists of the following.
Liam Duggan, Liam Baker, Jeremy McGovern, Harry Edwards, Brady Hough, and Tom Cole.
Good at ground level. Not so good in the air, outside Gov.
To be completely honest and not sugarcoat anything, this is the Achilles Heel of the Eagles in 2025. They are running the risk of a good, or even decent key forwards, having days out against them. McGovern, as wonderful as he is, cannot be everything to everyone. Unless they get someone jumping out of the box and becoming a very good defender in his own right, we may see some big scores kicked against West Coast, with bags for some key forwards leading the way.

Home - The Mongrel Punt

themongrelpunt.com

Funny isn’t it. WC always had a reasonable defence albeit under constant pressure and now it’s flipped on its head.
HED is as you say; probably our most important player in terms of balance.I remember his early coach in an article stating how much of a competitive beast he was.His body shape has changed dramatically and he now looks more footy ready.
Looking to the future ;and not far; I see Ginbey and B.A as our big fast h/bs. With those two there I think we need to look at either Shanahan or A. Reid at chb.Young,big,fast.What’s not to like.
I also think Johnston to a back pocket as he’s fast dual sided and brave.Gov can hover around and provide the leadership for a year or two without all the pressure on him.
I for one wasn’t a huge Barass fan; sorry guys but other than great mark he had equally as many shortcomings.Shit kick and ditherer with ball in hand.
Younger and faster is our motto!!

 

[Astro7]

Funny isn’t it. WC always had a reasonable defence albeit under constant pressure and now it’s flipped on its head.
HED is as you say; probably our most important player in terms of balance.I remember his early coach in an article stating how much of a competitive beast he was.His body shape has changed dramatically and he now looks more footy ready.
Looking to the future ;and not far; I see Ginbey and B.A as our big fast h/bs. With those two there I think we need to look at either Shanahan or A. Reid at chb.Young,big,fast.What’s not to like.
I also think Johnston to a back pocket as he’s fast dual sided and brave.Gov can hover around and provide the leadership for a year or two without all the pressure on him.
I for one wasn’t a huge Barass fan; sorry guys but other than great mark he had equally as many shortcomings.Shit kick and ditherer with ball in hand.
Younger and faster is our motto!!

Yes, the author has missed Ginbey in the backs, who could be a starter. Also Duggan could be in the midfield. Too early to call on Bo Allan. I'm not sure Barrass is a big loss, HEdwards was starting to look solid...

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Going forward our most important player ( potentially) is Hedwards.
Posted this in July 2023 after getting hammered by Carlton.
A LOT rests short term on HEd and Flynn.

 

[Cuzz09]

Archer and Shanahan will prob get a shot down back at some point

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[WCE777]

Yes, the author has missed Ginbey in the backs, who could be a starter. Also Duggan could be in the midfield. Too early to call on Bo Allan. I'm not sure Barrass is a big loss, HEdwards was starting to look solid...

Ginbey looks to be at HB and Duggan looks like he will be in midfield from training so far.
Definitely to early call on B Allan but looks a similar type and player to Ginbey to start, may even play wing with his endurance.
Barrass is a big loss for the short term, Edwards in the short term will be decent and serviceable, where he gets too is too early to tell and 2025 will be his breakout year or not.
The biggest hole is who is next up in KDEF, Gov has maybe 2 years.
A Reid, Maric, Barnett look the most likely candidates at this stage, if Barnett can't nail down a ruck spot KDEF is probably his most important role to stay on the list.
Maric training with the backs just looks like a Gov in the making with his intercepting ability, agility and kicking skills.
A Reid looks like he could be a more mobile version of Edwards in KDEF, one of Reid or Shanahan will need to find a place at KDEF imo.

 

[Astro7]

Mid table mediocrity.

Pencil that in for next 5 years

It might well be mid-table, who knows, but it doesn't necessarily have to be mediocre?

* On a side issue - the club posted 2025 milestones, including these young ones possibly reaching 50 games -
Reuben Ginbey (40), Harry Edwards (39), Campbell Chesser (32), Ryan Maric and Jack Williams (29 each) can reach 50 this year.
Surprisingly Chesser, Maric and JWilliams have clocked up a bit of experience. Chesser remains an enigma soon to be resolved one way or another we hope?

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Mid table mediocrity.

Pencil that in for next 5 years

Pretty much whatever you say, the opposite would be true.

 

[darksquare]

We have a lot of players on our list whose best position isn't clear. That will initially be exacerbated by a new game plan. Our youth now looks promising, but they're some time away from being at their best. So I expect us to have a poor first half of the year.

But in the second half of the year, I think we can be happy so long as we see a few players making a position their own, and some of the new draftees lining up behind them in the WAFL, aiming to take their spots.

I doubt this translates to more wins in 2025. Finals takes 13 wins, 3 will give you the wooden spoon. We'll be nearer 3 than 13, likely by some way.

2026, on the other hand - set the right foundations under a new coach next year, and we can make serious inroads. It's an even competition.