West Coast Eagles Priority Pick (2024)

[FreoRicci]

Unless Gaff, Darling, McGovern, Cripps announce their retirements end of this year, West Coast aren’t committed to the rebuild. Still have quite a number of older players that shouldn’t have the club this inept on field.

 

[Lunchtime]

Absolutely accepting grinning and bearing it. But losing by 70+ points every week is a few levels above grinning and bearing it. Like I said in this thread a few days ago, the only way I see us getting a priority pick is if the AFL thinks we're skewing the league when it comes to the teams who play us twice getting massive % boosters and it affecting the ladder come the end of the season.

No - grin and bear it. Simple as that. No ifs or buts....no nothing. What the Eagles is experiencing (thrashings margins wise) is what all clubs have experienced when they are struggling.

All Eagles supporters just need to cop it on the chin. Simple.

 

[ghostbat12]

No - grin and bear it. Simple as that. No ifs or buts....no nothing. What the Eagles is experiencing (thrashings margins wise) is what all clubs have experienced when they are struggling.

All Eagles supporters just need to cop it on the chin. Simple.

Who has experienced these sorts of trashings?

 

[Gavin Excell]

Who has experienced these sorts of trashings?

North fans living it now. Not that long ago Melbourne supporters were watching their team get routinely flogged

 

[kreuze_missile]

North

Their rebuild feels like it’s been going since Boomer Harvey retired.

If this is the path for West Coast they won’t be competitive until 2032.

 

[db26]

That was a pathetic decision to keep Simpson on by the board no idea he should have gone.

 

[Gavin Excell]

That was a pathetic decision to keep Simpson on by the board no idea he should have gone.

Then again perhaps they knew there was going to be real pain and didn't want to throw a young coach to the wolves

 

[Purple Suit]

You don't end up in this position because of one easily identifiable decision, it's a combination of factors, some our fault and some bad luck, The club decided after 2018 to roll the dice on another flag, something most clubs would do in the same position, which resulted in us trading out a few draft picks. Then we had injuries that were just bad luck, such as Venables and Sheppard, which hurt our age profile even further. We also blew a couple of picks. Then there were changes to the rules after 2018 that affected us more than just about any club. After that you had the injuries to Shuey, Yeo, NicNat etc that cruelled the club. And there are definitely some players that got complacent after winning a premiership. All those things factor in.

But if the current hysteria around West Coast shows us anything, it's that most eastern states commentators don't follow us closely enough to have a clue. The problems weren't simply because of the Kelly trade (he's our best mid and the picks 16, 18 and 27 aren't game-changers in their own right), it wasn't the NicNat deal, it wasn't a failure to split the Harley pick (even though we split the year before and may split again this year).

I also think it's too early for all the doom and gloom. We've had three games all against top eight contenders, two away from home, and lost by 50-70 points. That's still better than last year. The game plan is still new and you can see the players putting together some plays only for them to fall apart at the last, something that will improve the longer they play together and to the plan, there's still a few mature bodies to come back that will improve the team. We'll know more when we get some matches against teams expected to finish lower on the ladder and some home games. But anyone thinking we'll go winless is kidding themselves.

I think your WAFL side is probably the worse decision of the lot. The kids who come in get flogged by more than your seniors every week. Look at how that has developed Chesser, he’s got bust written all over him when you can least afford to waste anything.

You desperately need a new senior coach & to cut the dead wood off the list. Blokes like Gaff & Darling have given up. Better off getting a bunch of fringe players from other clubs on the cheap and turning over 10 at the end of the year just for training standards. Not just 1 fringe player plus 5 picks.

I watched yesterday and the new game plan is to try and restrict scoring. Kicking three goals against those slightly lower scores is not a good side. They also look not as fit as the Bulldogs as they got ran all over in the second half.

 

[HairyO]

Then again perhaps they knew there was going to be real pain and didn't want to throw a young coach to the wolves

The pain hasnt started yet. Reid leaving for a mid 1st round pick end of next year will add to it, but they are still a fairly old team.

What significant changes have WCE made over the last 2 years to show they are serious about rebuilding ?

 

[the harry]

Has there been many clubs who have completed a premiership to premiership rebuild without retaining any players from the previous flag in the last 20 years?

Tigers might be the only one without afl assistance of some form or farther sons.

 

[the harry]

Unless Gaff, Darling, McGovern, Cripps announce their retirements end of this year, West Coast aren’t committed to the rebuild. Still have quite a number of older players that shouldn’t have the club this inept on field.

Just for balance, what are your thoughts on North's current position and how, if at all, it would be different if they didn't jettison their veterans under Scott?

 

[Gavin Excell]

Tigers might be the only one without afl assistance of some form or farther sons.

Dogs 2016?

 

[ghostbat12]

North fans living it now. Not that long ago Melbourne supporters were watching their team get routinely flogged

To this level? When? Percentage of sub 50?

Eagles have had the lowest percentage. And north have multiple years of draft assistance. Including last year and yet we finished lower. So I am not clear what your point is….you got draft assistance and others shouldn’t?

 

[Saab NLAW]

To this level? When? Percentage of sub 50?

Eagles have had the lowest percentage. And north have multiple years of draft assistance. Including last year and yet we finished lower. So I am not clear what your point is….you got draft assistance and others shouldn’t?

Eagles have also won a premiership not that long ago, i think at least another 5 years in the bottom half should teach your fans a lesson. It's going to be fun to watch

 

[Outtatym]

To this level? When? Percentage of sub 50?

Eagles have had the lowest percentage. And north have multiple years of draft assistance. Including last year and yet we finished lower. So I am not clear what your point is….you got draft assistance and others shouldn’t?

Yes. 2022 we had a percentage of under 50 for periods of the season ( finished the season with a % of 54)

You're not the first team to suck. West coast have been bottom 2 for what...2 years?

 

[Madas]

unfortunately the driving force behind this is that WC suck so much they are providing an imbalance to the comp via the percentage boost teams get when they destroy them .
Maybe adress the problem via the fixture where every team only plays each other once , however that would require 24 teams in the comp .

Other than that I don’t think they meet the criteria to receive a PP :

They have only been down about 3 years
Recently won a flag
Financially secure
Oversubscribed membership
Still getting bums on seats at games in decent numbers

What even is the criteria , is it defined or another one of the AFL’s secret herbs and spices recipes ?
A team should be a basket case for around 10 years , with no crowds turning up before it gets assistance. The spread and time it takes other teams in rebuilds is just too long to jump the cue

And while we are at it get rid of the F/S picks as well , it’s such an unfair advantage to older established clubs .
If a kid really wants to go back to the club their dads played for then they can do so after 2 years of being drafted and play out their career there if they so wish

 

[Bald]

The competition is set up so that you should win a premiership every 18 years. If you do not win one for 18 years, and are still down the bottom, then assistance should be provided. Otherwise I just can't see how it can be justified.

 

[Bald]

Dogs 2016?

We had a few father sons.

 

[RonnieRaven]

Dogs 2016?

Tom libba
Zaine cordy
Lachie hunter
2 are 100+ game players

Freo have never had a 100+ father son ever.
Only Brett peakes 60 games in 30 yrs

No priorities in 20+ years
Our only first rd academy player walked out the door.
We have zero flags

yet here we are talking about a club that’s won a flag in each of the last 3 decades with the most financial power needing/deserving priority picks because their losing and other clubs are collecting father son academy priority picks ???
Welcome to FREOS WORLD

 

[Madas]

The competition is set up so that you should win a premiership every 18 years. If you do not win one for 18 years, and are still down the bottom, then assistance should be provided. Otherwise I just can't see how it can be justified.

So PP coming up for Freo ?

I don’t think it will help

 

[Obeanie1]

Unless Gaff, Darling, McGovern, Cripps announce their retirements end of this year, West Coast aren’t committed to the rebuild. Still have quite a number of older players that shouldn’t have the club this inept on field.

A Freo supporter wanting the Eagles to make the same mistake as North did six years ago. Wonder why?

Gaff is gone this year and will spend time in the WAFL.

Darling will retire end of next year and will be needed this year with Oscar out for 10 weeks. 200cm Archer Ried to replace him however he was drafted with a knee issue so will take time as all talls do.

McGovern and Cripps are playing well and young teams need older veterans around them.

Losing Venables and Sheppard to concussion retirement and Naitanui with his achilles and early retirement has left a big hole.

Half the list under 21 suggests they have embraced the rebuild BTW.

 

[ghostbat12]

Yes. 2022 we had a percentage of under 50 for periods of the season ( finished the season with a % of 54)

You're not the first team to suck. West coast have been bottom 2 for what...2 years?

And you got draft extra picks across multiple years. But you are saying others can’t. Load of crap.

Well it’s now 3 years, not 2 for a start. So that’s 50% more than you said and it’s clear we will be bad next year.

If you need draft picks you give them early. Not later.

Besides, wce generates money as welfare for your mob. Longer we spend on bottom, lower welfare payments to you. It’s like the unemployed telling entrepreneurs on what’s a right way to run a business.

 

[Obeanie1]

The competition is set up so that you should win a premiership every 18 years. If you do not win one for 18 years, and are still down the bottom, then assistance should be provided. Otherwise I just can't see how it can be justified.

How do you justify top four and teams playing finals getting assistance every year?

Did you notice the commentators running through the list of father sons playing at the Bulldogs in yeaterdays game? One comment was "Its like calling a game from 20 years ago." Libba, Darcy, West with JUH as a #1 pick as an academy priority access pick. Plus Croft to come and others.

So no drama about other forms of assistance helping sides avoid the bottom of the ladder?

Collingwood has the same advantages and bounced back from a 2018 GF defeat to win it 6 years later. How? Quaynor academy priority access and father sons in Daicos x 2, Darcy Moore. Four premiership players gained via priority access.

Its amazing how posters are so quick to kick a club in 18th with a percentage less than 50% struggling to be competitive but you dont seem to care about the strongest teams continuing to recieve AFL draft assistance every single year in one form or the other.

 

[ghostbat12]

Eagles have also won a premiership not that long ago, i think at least another 5 years in the bottom half should teach your fans a lesson. It's going to be fun to watch

Teach the fans a lesson? You sound like a Chinese woof warrior. What lesson is that you think we need to be taught?

 

[Grockadoc]

Then again perhaps they knew there was going to be real pain and didn't want to throw a young coach to the wolves

I personally think that it was the wrong decision to keep Simpson. Any potential coach for the Eagles would know what they are getting in to. But getting in a new coach gives them a start on a new game plan, fresh ideas, and they can start building for the future. Simpson staying on hurts long term as the potential new coach may not have access to leaders like McGovern, Gaff, Shuey who are just about done.