Game Day Round 15, 2024: West Coast vs Essendon

[Westend]

So is this going to be same old same old this week?

are we a chance of winning ?

 

[random260]

All I'm looking forward to is.

Ryan/Brockman/Chesser how they go as centre square mids.

Ryan in mid was rather delicious.

 

[Schtinker]

So is this going to be same old same old this week?

are we a chance of winning ?

More chance of getting flicked in the eye by a Bombers scarf than us getting a win.

 

[Westend]

More chance of getting flicked in the eye by a Bombers scarf than us getting a win.

okay then..

 

[UseR2006]

1st game i'm attending for the year. Bodes well.
Let's get that first away win for the year.

 

[Astro7]

I read a lot of similar stuff about who was going to replace Priddis ...there was nobody, it was impossible to replace him. Who going to get the hard ball.

2018 premiership without him and won the contested possessions iirc.

You don't need the youth to be getting 40 possessions a game to justify selection.
Maybe when you're team is chos full of talented senior players yeah but Simpson missed an opportunity to try some young players and see what they bring to the table in an AFL game.

We lost with sheed and gaff anyway and learnt they are pretty much the same players as when they last played and gained nothing in exposing the kids to the seniors.

We lost lots of games without Gaff+Sheed too, different players in and out.
When we had them in we weren't trying learn anything about them, we knew what to expect, they were plugging a gap, filling a need at the time, depth.

Are you taking the piss? How can you genuinely argue that they “have had their shots”.

Trew has had one quarter this year.
Harvey had two sub appearances.
Dewar had one full game plus a few sub appearances.

Jones on his own has had more game time than above before even mentioning the other two.

If it’s based purely on wafl form those three have been minimally better. And based on AFL form there is no difference.

Trew played last year and his stats weren't too bad, kicked a goal or two.
I said they've all had a shot, I don't mean it's over for them? But they've all been introduced to travelling, a sub, playing time. Coach seems to be doing things in stages, slowly bringing them in, test the water etc - has mentioned 'he will get the experience of travelling with the team'. If they haven't played again, you have to ask yourself why?
As mentioned, they might play again in the 2nd term.
Just play them because they're young? Coach is trying to win games too. Do we enjoy losing games? We want to win, but we want to play inexperienced young ones repeatedly as well?

 

[KERRPOW]

Just want someone to lay out guelfi

 

[Tugga27]

So is this going to be same old same old this week?

are we a chance of winning ?

We couldn't beat North and The Saints at home
Westie.

I just think most want us too be competitive.

 

[Dale Doback]

We've got the backline to hang around, keep us in the game. Can the mids and half forwards actually pressure for 4 quarters though?

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Play the yoof even when they're bad reminds me of the argument a couple had a few years back that we should play Brander ahead of Waterman because Brander was a high draft pick and Waterman wasn't. That was it, that was the reasoning.

Yeah.

 

[steve hucka]

Surely we put Duggan on ball.

Our midfield looks very thin

 

[Biggie]

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Surely we put Duggan on ball.

Our midfield looks very thin

I'd probably go Duggan with Merrett and Petch on Martin.

Who was it that let Martin do whatever he wanted last time - Cripps?

 

[Bender_]

Get up?

 

[Godfather32]

We've got the backline to hang around, keep us in the game. Can the mids and half forwards actually pressure for 4 quarters though?

All 3 of them?
Simmo's trying a new game plan this week, he calls it the donut

 

[Bender_]

Play the yoof even when they're bad reminds me of the argument a couple had a few years back that we should play Brander ahead of Waterman because Brander was a high draft pick and Waterman wasn't. That was it, that was the reasoning.

Yeah.

Is Dewar not deserving of a game? Or even Trew? Maybe Johnston? And regardless have you watched any of the WAFL games? The environment there is worse than our AFL team. Trew's numbers in that rabble of a team are excellent.

I'm not in the camp of play kids just for the sake of it. However, these 3 deserve more of a run than shitty single quarter as subs.

And what's the rationale behind not giving these kids the run? Are we worried about not making finals? About our reputation? We are a rabble and the MC needs to recognise this and start having an eye on the future by allowing kids to play in their positions for a full game.

But yeah, let's paint everyone that wants to see deserved kids get a shot in our flailing side as unreasonable.

 

[Priddis Is Done]

I'd love to eat my shorts, being wrong.

But putting Allen straight back in without 2 to 4 weeks in the WAFL? disgraceful.

Gaff and Sheed out are amazing. Gaffs books are stamped. I have no doubt Sheed will be straight back in ASAP, so he can do another banged up credit 1/4 Nelson soft tag.

End of rant.

 

[EagleEgo]

With 4 qtrs intensity, we win. Without, we lose.

 

[Into The Black]

Good day to go to work I reckon.

 

[UseR2006]

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Good day to go to work I reckon.

Or better still if you live in Broome, get the boat ready to launch.

 

[UseR2006]

 

[Forward Press]

 

[Barrybran]

Exactly - I don't know who these young guys are that are supposed to be getting an AFL gig, especially if they're not even standing out in Wafl?

We want players who stand out in Wafl to get a shot in the team, meanwhile Gaff does this for a few weeks in a row, and gets criticised when he is promoted, hypocrisy no?

Could be wrong but Gaff+Sheed were brought in when we had injuries, they were our depth and of course had plenty of senior experience, even if they were slow.

Like many, I've criticised Gaff +Sheed, but after rewatching several games during the bye, they actually did a fair job, not outstanding or even impactful, but they filled a gap in the team chain and for the most part kept the ball moving. Sheed actually had some good handballs and a few raking left kicks into the forward line, a couple of sizzling shots hitting players on the chest, that was almost sexy!?

Gaff+Sheed are our midfield depth and that tells you where we're at. Culley, Trew and Ledwards are not impactful but are serviceable, if not slow. Arguably Gaff+Sheed have more impact (and experience+leadership)(yes, pointing). Hall due to wrist injury is not ready, and may or may not live up to expectations? Arguably none of these players are our saviours going forward.

So we can joke and bang on and reinforce our own narrative all we like with the usual cliches or tropes on Gaff +Sheed, who are not ideal in the fast modern game of football, but are serviceable 'when needed', until our depth improves, or these mythical young players emerge, when they are up to AFL standards?

Sheed is injured and Gaff presumably was left out because we need speed - seems pretty reasonable to me. If nothing else JJ has speed and swerveability, might be handy against Bombers. Dewar and Johnston are not quite there yet. We have at least another 2 years of bringing in youngsters. We've actually played quite a few this season.

But rewatching games, you can tell Brockman is a shiny one, just needs to string a few games together to find his groove.

And this, kids, is why it will take a couple of drafts to rebuild our depth. Great post.

 

[Barrybran]

Expecting a frustrating game today with plenty of nearly moments. There is a clear emphasis on speed so I'm expecting something resembling our first month of the season - trying to take the game on but ultimately being punished on turnovers by a much better side. Keen to see what we do with Maric and Ryan in particular.

Today is about green shoots, people.