Offseason Changes + Road to the 2021 Premiership

[swingdog]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I didn't want to say it out loud cos Petch isn't really in favour at the moment, and for good reason.

You missed Yeo in your setup. I think Yeo takes Reddens spot and Redden gets pushed out of the side.

Also, I'd like to see what MON can bring. His draft package shows exactly why we drafted him. he has speed and good marking. 2X U18 AA, I have no idea why he made it through to the rookie draft. Something amiss there.

On another note, apparently Langdon said "there will be a couple of retirements". Nothing but speculation, but I have had a feeling all morning that Kennedy will announce he is retiring.

He gave an interview on Perth radio saying that he was sombre when he did his ankle in round 18 as he wasn't sure if he had played his last match (paraphrasing), and he went on to talk about decision making and talking to the family and all that.

Means Brander should play up forward and Oscar to continue ruck/forward.

Would also mean Bailey Williams needs to start at number 2 ruck next year and we keep Hickey. Down back, Barrass needs to be trained to be more like Hurn, more body to body but able to peel off when the time is right (actually, he needs to watch Harris Andrews' performance the other night). Contesting the other player should be first priority, zoning off second.

Petch on the wing is about the only place he is going to work - using his speed - but even then I'm not sure he can do it.

 

[Jako Darling]

Oh yes so much this.

Does my head in watching us miss so many tackles ... has done for five seasons now.

Lay just half of the tackles that we should have nailed tonight and we win the game.

Would Priddis be a left field idea as tackling coach? All time leader for tackles.

 

[KERRPOW]

I was thinking the exact same thing. I didn't want to say it out loud cos Petch isn't really in favour at the moment, and for good reason.

I had to think hard before i put this idea out there. He needs massive improvement, i really dont know how much he will improve as he doesnt look like he has a football brain.

You missed Yeo in your setup. I think Yeo takes Reddens spot and Redden gets pushed out of the side.

Forgot all about Yeo, i only had the mids that played last night on my mind.

Sheed and redden cant both play in the same team. Sheed offers alot more offensively (goal scoring mid), yet redden offers alot more defensively.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Means Brander should play up forward and Oscar to continue ruck/forward.

Hmm what makes you think Brander will be played forward, I'd like to see it myself but he hasn't been used there since 2018.
You'd think that Allen would replace JK and Williams would be backing up NN.

 

[KERRPOW]

Our defeneders need to learn how to ****ing spoil effectively.

That gov spoil back into the corridor that resulted in a goal...ffs.

List management blinked when he got his godfather contract. Hea not worth 1.1mill a season.

 

[ep2018]

Time to poach an A grade midfield coach and not promote from within.

 

[woosha24]

Would Priddis be a left field idea as tackling coach? All time leader for tackles.

Wouldnt mind throwing Kerr a lifeline if he can get his act together. Dude built his career on tackling and the hard ball get.

 

[Obeanie1]

Here's the thing:

The drive of this group has been under par since the 2018 flag.

The major problem with this team has always been between the ears. And until that gets sorted this group won't go all the way again.

As to how to sort out that issue, I have no idea. I'm not a sports/performance psychologist. But perhaps they should invest in a better one(s). Mindset is key.


Another major problem is our last 4 players picked are bad. Compare our last few players picked compared to Brisbane/Port/Richmond and you'll see a massive gulf.
Ainsworth/Petrucelle/Ah Chee/Reid/Brayshaw/Cole (last night at least, he's normally ok), doesn't leave much to be desired.

The midfield tactics need a massive overhaul. Our centre clearance work is brilliant (mostly due to Nic) but our around the ground stoppage work is awful. Dead last in the competition for ground ball gets, below average contested possessions, unbelievably poor tackling. All of these issues need to be the primary focus in the off season. From a layman's perspective it looks like a lack of desire/endeavour. How the fu** does Levi Greenwood side step amd waltz around 3 players twice in 2 minutes?! Unbelievable, get Sheed, Gaff, Ainsworth in the god damn gym so they can actually take a player down. They certainly aren't alone there, the whole team needs to be so much harder and more focussed.

The ball comes out of our forward 50 far too easily. Obviously we've had our small forward stocks decimated this year, but still, it's far too easy for opposition defence's to bring the ball to ground and then just waltz it out. No where near good enough for a flag team.

Our defensive strategy has been worked out and needs addressing also. It's intrinsically linked to our lack of defensive pressure in the midfield but if you move the ball quickly into our defensive 50, Barrass and Gov aren't strong 1v1 defenders and you can exploit that easily. ******* Mason Cox kicked 3 goals in 3 minutes due to this. He's probably the worst player on an AFL list.
Dixon destroyed us earlier in the year too.
Why Schofield was dropped for this game i'll never understand (though I believe he and Simpson had a pretty big rift this year, damn shame).

We are too predictable amd slow transitioning from defence. Losing Jetta this year really hurt us in that department (if the rumours are true about the first hub, I don't think he'll be with us next year). The Cole/Nelson/Duggan trio was a revelation towards the end of the first hub and during our golden run at Optus, but Nelson and Cole really fell off the cliff towards the back end of the season. Duggan, however was exceptional all year, great to see. What they aren't though, is particularly fast or creative in their disposal in transition from defence into attack in the way Jetta and Hurn were a couple of years ago. Hopefully this comes with more experience, but we need to find cleaner/more creative avenues to transion from our defensive 50 effectively.

So basically a lot to work on. Very much feels like 2016/17, where Simpson had found a revolutionary game plan a couple of years earlier (The Web of 2015) but it was worked out by the opposition faster than he could adjust, leaving us good but not great. Thankfully his revolutionary game plan of 2018 (kick/mark/switch) took us all the way, but he needs to adjust faster and better if we're to extract the maximum potential out of this list, which is ageing.

I believe we have what it takes to compete for another few years, but presently, we're an upper mid team relying on too few to carry us over the line, with an exploitable game plan that needs an overhaul and no first round draft picks to freshen us up. Will be an interesting off season.

Is the game plan the problem or the wrong cattle available to play it?

The area we were decimated is the small defensive forwards.

We never had this year.

Rioli Kennedy Cameron
Cripps Darling Ryan

Those quick defensive forwards help our mids defend and in turn helps the backs defend.

That never really happened this season.

 

[Obeanie1]

Would Priddis be a left field idea as tackling coach? All time leader for tackles.

Beau Waters........just do it!

 

[FreeTK]

Hmm what makes you think Brander will be played forward, I'd like to see it myself but he hasn't been used there since 2018.
You'd think that Allen would replace JK and Williams would be

I think it is fair to say that Brander as a midfielder hasn't yielded the results Simmo and the club would have liked. While Simmo is happy to give people a fair shake to prove their worth, I think given he has been prioritising Ainsworth over Brander gives insight in to his thinking and the Brander to the wing concept is more or less dead in the water.

From what I know West Coast are absolutely desperate to keep Brander, and desperate to find ways to give him opportunities at AFL level.

Two consecutive years Geelong has enquired about him in regards to a potential deal for Tim Kelly and the club was absolutely horrified at the prospect. So much so, that they were willing to give up the bounty they did for TK in order to keep Brander. In fact, conversations about Brander going to Geelong weren't even had in 2019 due to how strongly West Coast reacted in 2018. By all accounts Brander loves being at West Coast, is very close with his draft year cohorts, and is not entertaining a move to another club.

I'm pretty sure that a combination or Nic (ruck) Oscar (2nd ruck/fwd), Brander (fwd) is still preferred combination to Nic, Bailey, Oscar.

I had to think hard before i put this idea out there. He needs massive improvement, i really dont know how much he will improve as he doesnt look like he has a football brain.

Forgot all about Yeo, i only had the mids that played last night on my mind.

Sheed and redden cant both play in the same team. Sheed offers alot more offensively (goal scoring mid), yet redden offers alot more defensively.

Agree with everything. One of Sheed/Redden need to come out. At the beginning of this year I think money was on Sheed being pushed out, but his ability to hit the scoreboard surely sees him retain a spot. I think taking Redden out also allows Kelly to get in the guts more.

 

[Cuzz09]

Play Brander up forward for the first half of 21'.

If that doesnt work then see ya

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Play Brander up forward for the first half of 21'.

If that doesnt work then see ya

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

But if JK plays on, there’s no spot for him there.

 

[Cuzz09]

But if JK plays on, there’s no spot for him there.

then see ya

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Matera92]

Would Priddis be a left field idea as tackling coach? All time leader for tackles.

Priddis was insanely strong for his size and the dude has massive hands, also most of his tackles were in flat footed stoppage situations.

Our problem is our guys ignore basic tackling techniques like watching the hips, staying low etc, it’s embarrassing watching them hurl themselves at the opposition only to be easily sidestepped.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Yep - way to reliant on nic but we have been like that for a while now.

Agree, the midfield as a collective is not dynamic enough, arnt defensively minded enough.

Its an inditement on the midfield when our 2 beat midfielders are also our 2 beat defensive mids.

This may be a left field idea, but build up petrucelle's tank and turn him into a winger.

Our starting midfield will be:
Ruc: nic, shuey, kelly
Centre: petch, redden, gaff

Interchange: sheed

And have 1 forward and 1 defender that has the ability to play midfield bursts.

The centre player has to be defensively minded to allow the ruck rovers to ball hunt

Cripps/ryan & cole/duggan/nelson have this ability.

Petch is not a footballer mate, he can’t get the ball himself and his skill level is poor so he can’t be an outside player either. He simply is not a footballer. He has unfortunately been sold a dream he can’t deliver on. He can’t even make starting mid in any WAFL side.
Its not his fault our club are prepared to pay another 3 years and good luck to him for the free money he will be getting. He just is not a footballer, a failed experiment trying to turn a runner into a footballer. Poor recruiting by our club and even poorer management that they are backing that decision in. It is exactly why we perform as we do, from the top down we are not ruthless and it shows how our group play.

 

[swingdog]

I think it is fair to say that Brander as a midfielder hasn't yielded the results Simmo and the club would have liked. While Simmo is happy to give people a fair shake to prove their worth, I think given he has been prioritising Ainsworth over Brander gives insight in to his thinking and the Brander to the wing concept is more or less dead in the water.

From what I know West Coast are absolutely desperate to keep Brander, and desperate to find ways to give him opportunities at AFL level.

Two consecutive years Geelong has enquired about him in regards to a potential deal for Tim Kelly and the club was absolutely horrified at the prospect. So much so, that they were willing to give up the bounty they did for TK in order to keep Brander. In fact, conversations about Brander going to Geelong weren't even had in 2019 due to how strongly West Coast reacted in 2018. By all accounts Brander loves being at West Coast, is very close with his draft year cohorts, and is not entertaining a move to another club.

I'm pretty sure that a combination or Nic (ruck) Oscar (2nd ruck/fwd), Brander (fwd) is still preferred combination to Nic, Bailey, Oscar.



Agree with everything. One of Sheed/Redden need to come out. At the beginning of this year I think money was on Sheed being pushed out, but his ability to hit the scoreboard surely sees him retain a spot. I think taking Redden out also allows Kelly to get in the guts more.

Why isn't Sheed being played as a half-forward?

 

[Agent93]

Why isn't Sheed being played as a half-forward?

Lack of midfielders.

 

[FreeTK]

Why isn't Sheed being played as a half-forward?

Because he is slow, can be stepped around easily and can't tackle.

I think that was the setup early in the season, and it just didn't work.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Should trade Brander to Geelong for WC first rd pick this year

 

[Cuzz09]

Why not this fwd line?

Cripps JK Ryan
Brander JD Waterman

this backline?

Rotham Barrass Cole
Shep Gov Hurn



On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Tugga27]

Why not this fwd line?

Cripps JK Ryan
Brander JD Waterman

this backline?

Rotham Barrass Cole
Shep Gov Hurn



On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

Where's OA?

 

[bzparkes]

Im not calling for the blokes head and he's shown that he is capable of redeveloping a gameplan between years, but if we persist with what has now failed twice and keep giving games to blokes like Petch and Ah Chee he will feel pressure from the board.

What, so we just play with 20 instead of 22?

If we had the cattle available then they wouldn't be playing.

Fact is we didn't, so who else plays?

 

[kaiserchief13]

What, so we just play with 20 instead of 22?

If we had the cattle available then they wouldn't be playing.

Fact is we didn't, so who else plays?

That's horrible recruiting then. Surely there's better players in wafl in their positions?

 

[bzparkes]

Why would we trade Brander with JK only potentially going on for one more year?

Seems pretty stupid to me.

 

[squashface]

What, so we just play with 20 instead of 22?

If we had the cattle available then they wouldn't be playing.

Fact is we didn't, so who else plays?

Jetta and Schofield.

Nelson Barrass Sheppard
Hurn McGovern Jetta
Duggan Kelly Gaff
Cripps Darling Waterman
Allen Kennedy Ryan

Naitanui, Shuey, Sheed

Cole, Redden, Schofield, Ah Chee

Jetta and Schofield over Ainsworth and Petruccelle and we win