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?

 

[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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[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.

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.

 

[We_The_West]

Question #9 from Big Questions on WCE 2025 season from Mongrel Punt -

9 – IS THIS THE DO-OR-DIE SEASON FOR MATT FLYNN?

Indeed, it is.
At GWS, there was the perception that all Matt Flynn required was a good opportunity to take the number one ruck spot. And when that opportunity presented itself, he got injured and Kieren Briggs swooped in to take the role.

Home - The Mongrel Punt

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Who is West Coast's version of Shaun Grigg?

Jack Hutchinson? Good leap on him.... maybe he could take the centre square bounces and JW take around the ground... wouldn't hurt having an extra mid.

 

[Astro7]

Who is West Coast's version of Shaun Grigg?

Jack Hutchinson? Good leap on him.... maybe he could take the centre square bounces and JW take around the ground... wouldn't hurt having an extra mid.

Not sure where we'll see Hutch line up for 2025? He's played HF and Mid, and suggested for Wing and HB, ruck is a new one out of the box? Like many things about this team and new coach, especially the ruck debate, all will be revealed soon. The ruck problem mightn't be resolved immediately, could be an ongoing work in progress...

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

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.


https://themongrelpunt.com/

If Oscar is fit enough to play CHF leaving Jake more in the goals, then we have a dynamic duo.

The worry is if Oscar can only play deep meaning Snake plays more a high half forward link role.

Simmo stuffed up the set up when Oscar returned and Snake was compromised

 

[Astro7]

If Oscar is fit enough to play CHF leaving Jake more in the goals, then we have a dynamic duo.

The worry is if Oscar can only play deep meaning Snake plays more a high half forward link role.

Simmo stuffed up the set up when Oscar returned and Snake was compromised

Snake seems capable or proven in both positions, so be good to get Oscar bedded down at CHF. Importantly they'll attract good defenders leaving the smalls to do their job - just need the right smalls combo, but we have some depth there for rotations.