WC - where are they at?

[Astro35]

Elliot Yeo is the most overrated footballer currently playing.

Even Tom Boyd is better than him.

Whoa - that's brutal! I mean, your right but still...

 

[Furn2]

Looked like they were at the G playing the Cats or Hawks next week tonight.

 

[Jeremias]

Yeah Swans won the trade with Sinclair playing in the reserves...nice troll

You're joking, surely.

 

[Shane Hird]

North or Richmond should try and get Darling.

The Bloke needs a change and out of Perth playing in a new environment.

 

[clivenator26]

I reckon most WCE fans on here are pretty level headed so credit there, some have fronted up to the bay even!

Most of the WCE fans have said they lack midfield quality/depth for a few years now as have other fans, seems NN carried them. Redden has been a huge let down, I was a huge fan of his, Priddis needs help in the guts.

NN going down was the nail in the coffin for this year and maybe next year will be similar. Finals again will be probable, but the fast rising dogs, GWS, stk, Melb & maybe even the Suns might mean they take a step back.

Duggan, Nelson & Lamb should be pushing through and be best 22 next year. WCE fans will hate hearing it but I think Ballantyne would fit in nicely - IF they're going to have a crack in the next 2 years.

 

[masai]

Sharrod is 28, Masten 27.

Wellingham plays in the backline, Masten I wish was 30+ and being pushed out the door. Do not rate.

The problem as I see it, is that Wellingham & Masten have stagnated, whilst Shep has slowly step by step improved to become a very reliable player. Extract the digits "pretty boys".

Midfield looks very flat.

Darling makes me laugh less at Mayne.

A strong call must be made on LaCras, time to depart.

 

[SBYM]

Lol you are kidding yourself Carlton are horrific

You're obviously emotional. I'll let this one slide.

 

[AFLOnline]

Case of the bye robbing them of momentum imo.

 

[Undertaker]

When the going gets tough these guys all go missing. Masten, Yeo, Lecras, Cripps, Darling, Wellingham & Sheed all down hill skiers. Butler & Brown to old. Priddis & Shuey try their guts out every game.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Were always going to struggle without Nic Nat. Their midfield needs a serious overhaul, it is very one paced.

 

[kaiserchief13]

You're obviously emotional. I'll let this one slide.

You're obviously delusional. I'll let that slide

 

[SBYM]

You're obviously delusional. I'll let that slide

We could go on like this all night kaiser...

 

[Elite Master]

Never rated them as a contender despite their recent purple patch of form with or without Nic-Nat.

 

[SBYM]

Case of the bye robbing them of momentum imo.

Pretty hard to argue against this given the evidence.

 

[Unique Name]

Darling and Yeo need more support.

"Support"

 

[Scotland]

There's not a Premiership in this playing list.

I wonder if the club and Simpson are ballsy enough to do the logical step for their future and perhaps go one steps backwards next year to go fowards.

Not a lot of promising youth on display this season. Of course Nic Nat is a massive loss, not sure if missing the finals next year would be a bad thing for the footy club.

Really though the future isn't with the likes of Wellingham, Masten etc. Darling should be put on the trade table.

In the last two seasons we've managed to unearth two top young key defenders; McGovern and Barrass - filling an area of need we didn't think we'd have. Mackenzie and Brown are now both on the outer which no one would have seen in 2014. Lycett was good until the last couple of weeks when he got injured, but he's a minor upgrade on Sinclair and is no Naitanui replacement.

But our midfield still sucks. Redden played 15 games, Jetta 12. That's a very poor return. Rosa has been injured and has still outperformed both at Gold Coast. We missed Sheed for most of the year and that's worrying. I rate Sheed, but a 33 gamer shouldn't be that noticeable by his absence. Duggan got a good run at the start of the year but didn't capitalise. Nelson played 8 games, but again didn't really capitalise and was played more as a half back anyway. Yeo has been a giant disappointment. Was good against Richmond in Round 4 and that's it.

Our list profile is OK in terms of age, just light on for quality in the middle. Has been that way for a decade.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Rely too heavily on system. Is very important to have a good system but they are exposed BIG TIME for raw talent when it breaks down a bit. Dogs were tough and hard tonight but make no mistake it was talent where the mis match was as much as anything.

 

[tazaa]

Simple case of being beaten on the night.
Every team looks slow when they get pumped. No different here.
They peaked too early and the bye stalled their momentum. Clearly missed NicNat.
They'll get an easier draw but if sides tag Gaff they won't beat many teams away.

 

[who_let_the_dogs_out]

Bloody good side, despite tonight's result. Week-off hurt their momentum, will be top 8 again next year.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Simple case of being beaten on the night.
Every team looks slow when they get pumped. No different here.
They peaked too early and the bye stalled their momentum. Clearly missed NicNat.
They'll get an easier draw but if sides tag Gaff they won't beat many teams away.

Bit more to it than that. Their system was knocked on it's backside at the coal face and they had little of anything to strike back with. They lack talent. Dogs have plenty and deserved to win by 70+ the Eagles were out of their depth against them.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

As we speak they are at 7th I think

 

[BigVic]

The bye certainly killed our momentum going into W1 of the Finals.

 

[Scotland]

The problem as I see it, is that Wellingham & Masten have stagnated, whilst Shep has slowly step by step improved to become a very reliable player. Extract the digits "pretty boys".

Midfield looks very flat.

Darling makes me laugh less at Mayne.

A strong call must be made on LaCras, time to depart.

Agree, but Wellingham and Sheppard have minimal influence on the midfield anyway. Sheppard has been great in his role at HB.

Darling I've almost given up on. Almost coasts through producing 40 goal seasons without ever playing to the level he can. Strong hands, reads the ball well in the air, good leading patterns, good set shot for goal - but gets the Josh Hunts/Levi Casboults. Kicked 4 in our loss to the Pies, 3 in both games against the Hawks, 3 against the Cats then 0.5 against the Blues and 2.4 against the Crows. Consistent, but has kicked one bag of 5 in the last 3 seasons.

LeCras used to be one of the best set shots in the comp and the last Eagle you'd want putting the ball inside 50. Our biggest downhill skier by a mile. Goes missing or gets the yips in big games.

When the going gets tough these guys all go missing. Masten, Yeo, Lecras, Cripps, Darling, Wellingham & Sheed all down hill skiers. Butler & Brown to old. Priddis & Shuey try their guts out every game.

Harsh on Sheed who's only played 39 games and 6 this year. Agree on the rest unfortunately.

 

[blitzer]

West Coast are an interesting case. Their list profile in terms of age and experience is really quite ideal for a team that is challenging for flags. However obviously their performance doesn't match that profile. Unfortunately they have too many senior experienced players that should be in their prime but are actually only average players.

I don't see them declining quickly but i don't really see them improving quickly either. At this rate I think they will just hover just inside the 8 or maybe just outside if they have a bad run with injuries/form for a few years yet. Their spine is still great - McGovern, Barrass (will only get better), Darling and Kennedy is excellent. Naitanui out for a year could cost them finals next year. Lycett is your average or slightly better quality ruckman - not elite but good enough to be first ruck at a good portion of clubs.

As others have said their midfield is their weakness and Priddis, Shuey and Gaff pretty much carry that midfield. Priddis is getting on age wise but the rest of their midfield isn't too old. Masten I think won't make it too far into his 30s the way he's playing right now though. Sheed seems really promising and will probably be the next guy off the rank. Only Shuey of those better midfielders is really damaging though - the rest are more accumulators even if they are quality. Priddis and Gaff are also really slow for AFL midfielders, especially Priddis.

As they've been at the top I don't think they have a heap of young talent coming through. I think Duiggan will be a good one and Sheed I've mentioned. Barass in my opinion will be an elite player or close to it. Really though their team hasn't changed much in years and without a mini rebuild they could easily stagnate in the same manner as Richmond.

Their players that are experienced but aren't really top end quality or at least not playing like it include: Hill, Schofield, Brown, McKenzie, Yeo, Butler, Lecras (shadow of his former self), Masten (really ordinary) and Wellingham. I'm not saying these guys are all bad players - in fact many of them are decent AFL footballers but as a collection they don't scream premiership contender. These are guys that will keep them slipping down the ladder too far but won't elevate them either. Reckon they need to turn over like 5 of these guys over next 2 years - maybe get some trades going.

Also Darling gets way too much hate for his performances. Every team would want him as a 2nd or 3rd tall. He's not a top 10 forward in the game but players like him don't grow on trees either and you would definitely not entertain the idea of trading him.

 

[Balony_pony16]

Sharrod is 28, Masten 27.

Wellingham plays in the backline, Masten I wish was 30+ and being pushed out the door. Do not rate.

Masten is 27 already? Geez time flies by. Anyway, what a Vanilla career he has had. Perhaps a trade out type?