Read this if you want to feel better about the Eagles

[Sir Razzle]

A lot of people have been getting very upset lately over the Eagles performance. I, for one, am really proud of the boys. Sure we were playing a 16th placed Demons side. And sure we played pretty badly. But don't forget about our injury list. It's not just bad, its the worst injury list I've ever seen at any club before. I was so uplifted that we were able to beat the Bombers with that list and didn't expect another win against the Demons. When you have a young, inexperienced list you're going to be inconsistent. Both inconsistent through four quarters and inconsistent week by week.

If you're feeling a bit down about the Eagles take a look at the team below. This is what I rate as our best starting team. And it looks bloody impressive:

FB: Waters Glass Nicoski
HB: Embley Hunter Jones
C: Selwood Staker Hurn
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras McKinley Wirrpanda
R: Cox Kerr Masten
IC: Seaby Hansen Rosa Priddis

I also think we've seen the emergence of a few players such as Lynch, Staker, McKinley and LeCras. Now look at the young lads that missed out. We've seen some really impressive signs from them this year:

MacNamara
MacKenzie
Wilkes
Spangher
Armstrong
Houlihan
Schofield
Brown

Now look at our coaches:

Worsfold
Voss
Sumich

Now look at our probable draft picks:

2, 18, 20

So I don't about you guys, but I'm thinking that the next few years are going to be very exciting for us Eagles fans.

 

[Eagle Ant]

FB: Waters Glass Nicoski
HB: Embley Hunter Jones
C: Selwood Staker Hurn
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras McKinley Wirrpanda
R: Cox Kerr Masten
IC: Seaby Hansen Rosa Priddis

Mine looks more like this.

FB: Waters, Glass, Nicoski
HB: Bones, Wilkes, A.Selwood
C: Hurn, Priddis, Embley
HF: Ebert, Kennedy, LeCras
FF: McKinley, Lynch, Wirrapanda
RR: Cox, Kerr, Butler
IC: Rosa, Hunter, McNamara, Masten
EMG: Army, Hansen, Brown

We all know what the problems are but to see the boys play like they did on Sat was disgraceful and alot of people got P*ssed off.

 

[Audacious]

This is what I rate as our best starting team. And it looks bloody impressive:

FB: Waters Glass Nicoski
HB: Embley Hunter Jones
C: Selwood Staker Hurn
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras McKinley Wirrpanda
R: Cox Kerr Masten
IC: Seaby Hansen Rosa Priddis

So I don't about you guys, but I'm thinking that the next few years are going to be very exciting for us Eagles fans.

Good post.

A lot of people are rating Hurn quite highly but for mine id rather Embley on the wing and Wilkes going into a HB position.

My team would be:

FB: Wilkes Glass Waters
HB: Jones Hunter Selwood
C: Staker McNamara Embley
HF: Lynch Kennedy Nicoski
FF: LeCras McKinley Wirrpanda
R: Cox Kerr Priddis
IC: Seaby Ebert Rosa Priddis

EMERG: Masten Hurn Hansen

Wilkes will be our best backmen in 1 or 2 years time i reckon, and McNamara soon will be an automatic selection in our midfield, becoming more important to our team than Priddis and Hurn. Until Hansen can take a contested mark or become more agile ill have Kennedy in front of him with Mckinley. I like Nicoski on the half-forward flank because he has a long raking kick at goal, has explosive pace and gives a bit of flair up forward.

Will be interesting to see what team rolls out Round 1 of next year. Already looking forward even though we have 2 rounds to go this season

 

[koaster]

At least the Perth supporters seen four wins, us Vics weren't lucky enough. A true blue former eagle player has a tattoo that I agree with Such Is Life. I'm sad I've gone to nine away games which included travel and as I never seen a win but I'm proud that I can see good things happening from a poor season sooner rather then later. Negatives we had a lot of injuries. Positives it gave us a chance to blood some young players earlier then they might have. Conclusion a very bright future with not only a great team but a team with great depth. Open poster I loved your team.

 

[Scotland]

People get hung up on injury lists.

We were poor from Rd 1, and started receiving ten goal flogging as early as Rd 2.

Focus #1 should be arresting that. No point hanging your hat on Rosa, Hunter & Staker coming back in if they are going to play average football.

FB: Waters Glass Nicoski
HB: Embley Hunter Jones
C: Selwood Staker Hurn
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras McKinley Wirrpanda
R: Cox Kerr Masten
IC: Seaby Hansen Rosa Priddis

The bolded names are currently unavailable due to injury. Sure, having them back will be a bonus, but let's not pretend all were consistently in the bests when they were injured.

Now look at our probable draft picks:

2, 18, 20

Rich, Natanui and/or whoever we take may end up guns, they may not. Regardless of that, you don't build a side around a first year player. Assuming we draft Rich and he becomes a top mid, we won't see his best for at least 2-3 years. Look at Palmer - he racks up 25 touches a game as a first year player (!), but in a poor side with a mediocre senior group, he doesn't make Freo look any better than they did last year.

Embley, Priddis, Stenglein, Nicoski, Seaby, Fletcher - these (for the most part) senior players are all currently in the side and are down on their best. None are over 30, they aren't the sort of players who are in the gun for delisting. The form of the youngsters has been very pleasing, and the future does look bright, but Ebert, Schofield, Kennedy etc. won't be dragging us up the ladder in 2009, at least not without massive support from the senior group. Unless the 50+ game players lift their collective output, then the day when our side is back in the finals will be later rather than sooner.

 

[bigburger]

McKinley won't be the key full forward target. Hansens been doing alright there and his best game was when Kennedy played at CHF and Hansen deep.

 

[Stereophonic]

More realistically our picks will be something like this

2,11,16,18,20,30.

Kerrs manager has talked to 6 victorian clubs over the week and if he is to leave, as he is contracted, WC wont take anything less than 2 1st rounders. Carlton IMHO are in a position to provide this. They will give us their pick 8 or whatever, and will trade with another club to get the other first rounder. They will do it to get Judd and Kerr in the same midfield, then their forward line and KPP problems will take care of themselves.

If this be the case, expect our development to take 4 years - getting 50 games into our new breed, plus will have top ended experience then in LeCras, Lynch, Staker, Hunter, Jones, Hurn, McKinley, Davis, Wilkes, Waters and Butler - throw in 5 top 20 picks from this draft and what will result is another premiership - kudos to the WCE match committee and it will be kudos to those who keep the faith between now and then.

 

[eaglechick79]

l think through-out this seasons we've had some highs and lows, properly a little more lows then highs, but we can't change the season, we can only learn from it.

We lost four KPP before the start of the year, two everyone knows, the other two there have been endless discussion as to yes they were vital, no, they weren't l dont think anyone will ever agree, RoJo and Chick! So that left Kerr as a target, and clearly, from what we've seen through-out the year he didn't handle that well!

We were a team known for our centre, it was our core, then our core was ripped out right under us! So there was always going to be rebuilding stage, you can't expect to loss valuable players and not feel some pain!

l guess its been a BIT more painful then we'd all hope, l kept telling myself once we have a starting 22, they played a few games together and settled we'd would be right, then came the second problem, injuries, left right and centre!

So how can a team adjust to lossing stars, and not having the same 22, and be expected to be this brillant team in less then a season?

Its one bad year (at the moment, who knows what next year brings, l'd like to hope a lot of good going by the 'little' signs we've seen through out this year), the start of next year will still see some adjustments with players coming back from injuries and getting the boys to have a starting 22 and learning to play together!

lm excited by whats to come, most teams go from really good, to good, to not so good, to bad, then not so bad, to good, to really good, as we have ourselves in the past, through-out this process, they loss a lot of players at once, well we have done that, and will continue to do that at the end of this season, so instead of being stuck in libo for a few years we've jumped a few years ahead! we won a premiership two years ago, we are now cleaning out and starting again, none of this aging players stage! none of this inbtn stage of going down slowly we came down fast, we are restarting again,where a lot of teams will take years to get where we have got in just a season! l can't wait to see what comes about from this in the coming years!

 

[worsfold]

I agree i think Kerr will go - Carlton??? we'll see
Seaby is more likely to go as well
and if kerr goes Wirra should retire as the best kids are this year.

We missed the bigger bodies in the middle this year

FB: Wilkes Glass Jones
HB: Nicko Brown Embley
C: Staker Hurn Selwood
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras Hunter McKinley
R: Cox Priddis Masten
IC: Butler Waters, Steinglein, E Mac

Emg, Schofield, Hansen, Mcnamara

2009 rising star Chris Masten

 

[Obeanie1]

A lot of people have been getting very upset lately over the Eagles performance. I, for one, am really proud of the boys. Sure we were playing a 16th placed Demons side. And sure we played pretty badly. But don't forget about our injury list. It's not just bad, its the worst injury list I've ever seen at any club before. I was so uplifted that we were able to beat the Bombers with that list and didn't expect another win against the Demons. When you have a young, inexperienced list you're going to be inconsistent. Both inconsistent through four quarters and inconsistent week by week.

If you're feeling a bit down about the Eagles take a look at the team below. This is what I rate as our best starting team. And it looks bloody impressive:

FB: Waters Glass Nicoski
HB: Embley Hunter Jones
C: Selwood Staker Hurn
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras McKinley Wirrpanda
R: Cox Kerr Masten
IC: Seaby Hansen Rosa Priddis

I see Butler and Scott Selwood or Davis didn't make the side?

I also think we've seen the emergence of a few players such as Lynch, Staker, McKinley and LeCras. Now look at the young lads that missed out. We've seen some really impressive signs from them this year:

MacNamara
MacKenzie
Wilkes
Spangher
Armstrong
Houlihan
Schofield
Brown

Hey, I see Butler and Scott Selwood or Davis didn't make the emergencies?


Now look at our coaches:

Worsfold
Voss
Sumich

Now look at our probable draft picks:

2, 18, 20


Plus Butler and Scott Selwood AND Davis

So I don't about you guys, but I'm thinking that the next few years are going to be very exciting for us Eagles fans.

We'll be back!!!!!!

 

[Makka]

I agree i think Kerr will go - Carlton??? we'll see
Seaby is more likely to go as well
and if kerr goes Wirra should retire as the best kids are this year.

We missed the bigger bodies in the middle this year

FB: Wilkes Glass Jones
HB: Nicko Brown Embley
C: Staker Hurn Selwood
HF: Lynch Kennedy Ebert
FF: LeCras Hunter McKinley
R: Cox Priddis Masten
IC: Butler Waters, Steinglein, E Mac

Emg, Schofield, Hansen, Mcnamara

2009 rising star Chris Masten

I don't agree with this. Wirra, has been one of the few this year who has made an effort and in my opinion still has a good year left in him if he chooses to play on. With so many young guys into the team now his leadership on and off field will be valuable.

As for the original post I know we have been decimated more and more as the year has gone on by both out of form players and injuries. We still have the core of a good team, a premiership team, sitting on our list. Who is still left and who we pick up after the draft is done and dusted will be interesting. But, I am looking forward to an exciting year next season.

 

[kerrscarryingus]

Mine looks more like this.

FB: Waters, Glass, Nicoski
HB: Bones, Wilkes, A.Selwood
C: Hurn, Priddis, Embley
HF: Ebert, Kennedy, LeCras
FF: McKinley, Lynch, Wirrapanda
RR: Cox, Kerr, Butler
IC: Rosa, Hunter, McNamara, Masten
EMG: Army, Hansen, Brown

We all know what the problems are but to see the boys play like they did on Sat was disgraceful and alot of people got P*ssed off.

agree with hunter on the pine, he is not our best CHB options, he is at best a 3rd tall defender. 1 on 1 he is very unaccountable however is made to look better by a couple of goals. the fact is your centre half back isnt there for goals and the fact is he is no where near good enough to play on people like brown, pav, richo, the volt, cant even beat Jack riewoldt ( got his ass handed to him by the young fella)

 

[Lynch takes a mark]

A fully fit Hunter that can hold down that 3rd tall spot and run his man up the ground is BLOODY handy - Having Wilkes/Spangher/Schofield/Mackenzie as the 2nd genuine defender will allow Hunts to play that 20 disposal, 35 goals a year HBF role like he did in 2006.

 

[West Coast 06]

People get hung up on injury lists.

We were poor from Rd 1, and started receiving ten goal flogging as early as Rd 2.

Focus #1 should be arresting that. No point hanging your hat on Rosa, Hunter & Staker coming back in if they are going to play average football.

This is true and I feel one of the biggest problems this year was the psychology of the team. We weren't playing good footy to start with and then the injuries made it worse.

2009 is a new year. A lot of water has now gone under the bridge as far as Judd and Cousins leaving, the inquiries into the clubs off field behaviour and that (touch wood) we haven't had an off field incident for a long while.

The club is apparently in talks with the AFL to have the axe removed from above the players/clubs heads as far as sanctions are concerned. This will also help, and I dont see how they cant (fairly) wipe the slate considering Collingwoods efforts over the past couple of years.

Time for the new breed to shake off the past and make the new season their own, and I think they really want to do exactly that.

 

[Sir Razzle]

I see Butler and Scott Selwood or Davis didn't make the side?

Yup my bad. Pure oversight. Add them in the mix too!

 

[Sir Razzle]

A fully fit Hunter that can hold down that 3rd tall spot and run his man up the ground is BLOODY handy - Having Wilkes/Spangher/Schofield/Mackenzie as the 2nd genuine defender will allow Hunts to play that 20 disposal, 35 goals a year HBF role like he did in 2006.

Personally I'd be disappointed if Hunter only managed to get 20 disposals in a year. But I'd be impressed that he somehow got 35 goals out of them...

 

[mitchzz]

The future is bright!

 

[Finding Ebo]

This is true and I feel one of the biggest problems this year was the psychology of the team. We weren't playing good footy to start with and then the injuries made it worse.

I think next year is a new year. A lot of time has now gone under the bridge as far as Judd and Cousins leaving, the inquiries into the clubs off field behaviour and that (touch wood) we haven't had an off field incident for a long while.

The club is apparently in talks with the AFL to have the axe removed from above the players/clubs heads as far as sanctions are concerned. This will also help, and I dont see how they cant (fairly) wipe the slate considering Collingwoods efforts over the past couple of years.

Time for the new breed to shake off the past and make the new season their own, and I think they really want to do exactly that.

Nice post job

 

[Crimson King]

I have a huge sausage.

 

[The Made Guy]

The future is bright!

i gotta wear shades

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

Easy on the spray-on optimism, folks.

I agree that our list is in OK shape. We're much better-placed than we were in 2000-01.

But our midfield is a long way off being top tier.

No-one knows what Kerr is going to do. He's our only small mid who is in the league's top 40.

Priddis is a ball magnet, but if he's our number two midfielder, we're in a bit of trouble. Doesn't use it well. Not quick enough to add run-and-carry.

People talk up the guys who can go into the midfield - i.e. Hurn, Rosa, Staker - but these guys are bandaids.

We won't be seriously competitive again until we establish a 6-man blue-chip rotation. Some of those players are already on our list, but it's going to take time for them to really establish themselves.

Until those dominos start to fall, I will be relatively downbeat about our prospects.

 

[jod23]

Easy on the spray-on optimism, folks.

I agree that our list is in OK shape. We're much better-placed than we were in 2000-01.

But our midfield is a long way off being top tier.

No-one knows what Kerr is going to do. He's our only small mid who is in the league's top 40.

Priddis is a ball magnet, but if he's our number two midfielder, we're in a bit of trouble. Doesn't use it well. Not quick enough to add run-and-carry.

People talk up the guys who can go into the midfield - i.e. Hurn, Rosa, Staker - but these guys are bandaids.

We won't be seriously competitive again until we establish a 6-man blue-chip rotation. Some of those players are already on our list, but it's going to take time for them to really establish themselves.

Until those dominos start to fall, I will be relatively downbeat about our prospects.

Agreed, were also losing the ever dependable Braun at the end of this season too. Priddis gets a lot of it but we need more class and endevour. Kerr is one of the best in the game but he needs help. Rosa is lightweight, Butler is talented when he get on the park. But we still need a lot of improvement.

Dont be like every other supporter base and just name all our young kids and say, there ya go, were sorted for years, all superstars, the lot of them. I see it all the time. Then you look back on that a couple of years later and one or two came good, two at other clubs and three you have never heard of.

It happens. Let's just take it easy and hope we see more development next year.

 

[Eagles 4 Mine]

I think that well have to wait and see what Voss does with our Midfield next year he'll have a better setup than Suma has well be alright IMO.

 

[worsfold]

I don't agree with this. Wirra, has been one of the few this year who has made an effort and in my opinion still has a good year left in him if he chooses to play on. With so many young guys into the team now his leadership on and off field will be valuable.

I agree wirra has held his own but his body can't handle 22 rounds anymore and we need to build a new breed, so do you want to give him one more year when were not going to be pushing for a premiership or get a kid we can train up to play in our future premiership?

 

[eaglesnutcase]

agree with gunnars comments. our midfield is a problem.priddis is slloooow and his disposal is up the shit.macnamara and ebert will be good but need 50 more games and neither has genuine pace and both lack penetration with kicking.we need a fit maston in a hurry.i think with his pace and good kicking skills he will have the most immediate effect in a full team.agree hunter warm the bench.schoey and mckenzie on talent are well ahead of wilkes and with waters hurn and jones look good down back.glass hopefully fully fit is the cream.mckinley lecras kennedy cameo from wirra and the forward line looks better.brown is the x factor at either end.we need midfielders.with pace with good kicking skills.the kids lacking penetration with their kicks;will they improve??? i think you either have it or you dont.look at stinger.rich?? great kick apparently.can he move?? dunno. we look ok gotta body up.need size