Will West Coast roll the dice and play Naitanui next week?

[StevenwellerHFC]

I'd love to see Nic kick the winning goal vs. GWS at spotless again.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Depends how much game time he can get. If he can play 70%+ you'd have to do it I think.

For who? That is the question.

I think LeCras should go. Naitanui provides way more pressure than him.

Also Rioli in for maybe Cripps or Partington

 

[WWSD]

Depends how much game time he can get. If he can play 70%+ you'd have to do it I think.

For who? That is the question.

I think LeCras should go. Naitanui provides way more pressure than him.

Also Rioli in for maybe Cripps or Partington

Vardy

 

[eagle dtrain]

He's available for selection I believe and would give the Eagles midfield a major boost against the Giants.

No chance at all. If they win next week then maybe but only just started joining in contact drills in the main group

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

No, get him ready for 2018.

 

[Bazza97]

Think they should just go with Petrie and Vardy again. Too much of a risk to bring NN in.

 

[Rod Stroker]

That's great.

Petrie and Vardy have been good. Would be a tough call to squeeze one of them out for an unfit NicNat.

Amazing that a year ago they didn't have a ruckman for this season and had to draft in a couple of rejects. Now they have an embarrassment of riches in the ruck at the right time of the year.

 

[Jiggyman]

I would play him forward.

Let him pinch in the centre and take all the taps forward of centre letting Vardy play loose man back.

Out: Lecca.

In his defense, Lecca covered ground tonight. Was pretty poor though, yeah...

 

[sonnywalters]

Le Cras should be sent to Bordeaux by boat from Fremantle Port with a one way ticket.

 

[kerr87]

Yes i think he will come in.
Duggan will be dropped and we will go tall and replace him with Naitanui.
Partington also could be dropped for Willie Rioli

Wellingham for Duggan, Rioli for Partington, Naitanui for Lecras.

Role the dice. Need some fresh legs in there.

 

[officialjc]

eagles can possibly get away with another tall because kennedy, darling, vardy, petrie and naiatnui are all decent at ground level. they are not like the lumbering talls from gws (mumford, lobb, patton). spotless doesnt seem too wide a ground. if it doesnt rain, nic nat is a real possibility.

 

[Laverde2Smack]

I think they should. They have nothing to lose.

Except for a premiership?

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[Macca81]

 

[la verschroben]

Bring him on for Lecras, you'd have the same amount of forward pressure.

I could give the same amount of forward pressure sitting in the stands munching kfc

 

[StillAtLarge]

He'll play if they make the prelim. Has 2 games in him I reckon.
So it's a no for this week

 

[Topkent]

Considering his whole game is beautiful ruck work with some tackling and clearance work I don't see match fitness being an issue. It's not like he relies on marks around the ground or goals to play well

 

[Roobs321]

I'd prefer not to, even though our ruck situation is clearly vulnerable in fourth quarters. If a Grand Final was on the line it would definitely be worth considering, but we're facing four weeks on the road without the form to dare to dream. No point, let him settle for 2018 campaign, we traded in Petrie and Vardy largely for this purpose. Bringing him back to face Mumford seems ill-advised.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

I'd prefer not to, even though our ruck situation is clearly vulnerable in fourth quarters. If a Grand Final was on the line it would definitely be worth considering, but we're facing four weeks on the road without the form to dare to dream. No point, let him settle for 2018 campaign, we traded in Petrie and Vardy largely for this purpose. Bringing him back to face Mumford seems ill-advised.

Why? Mumford was a witches hat the other night.

 

[SdKfz 181]

Play him if you want to risk his 2018 season.

 

[ep2018]

I think it's worth the risk because on the chance they made the final from the easy side of the draw (injury depleted GWS, and Richmond).

Most likely Cats out in sets and Sydney might be tired if they beat the Crows after two huge matches interstate in a row.

Being one of two interstate clubs at the MCG come the GF is well worth it. Bring on Sydney v WC III (.., or Adelaide)

Richmond will flog us if we somehow get past the Giants. And even then the Giant will probably flog us. Two interstate trips in a row will kill us.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Play him if you want to risk his 2018 season.

As much a risk now as he'll be in the preseason challenge next year.


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[Macca81]

If Nic Nat is right to go i think we should play him against GWS. Dont live out of fear.

 

[TheKanga]

Save him for R1

 

[StevenwellerHFC]

lol, if he's right to go I'm sure he would want to play, he'd probably be pissed off if he's not named.

 

[Damon_3388]

Our ruck IS a problem. Despite a few nice moments, Vardy is rubbish. We've been flogged in the guts all year.

I'd play him. He might help Kennedy not get so mauled as well

Yep, Naitanui changes the whole midfield dynamic for them.

Vardy has been the worst lead ruckman in the league this year in terms of stoppage work, and the Eagles have been behind the 8-ball all year because of it. This is Naitanui's specific strength, not just tap-work, but tackles, clearances, second efforts and bullocking work around the packs, giving the other midfielders greater time and space to do their thing.

One of the first things Luke Shuey mentioned last night in his post-match interview was how Port smashed them in the clearances, and it's not something that will get any easier against a GWS midfield with Shane Mumford, Callan Ward, Dylan Shiel, and Stephen Coniglio, either. If you have the opportunity to not just "create a contest" or "break even", but actually swing things in your favour, why not take it?

If Naitanui is fit to play, and you're not going to play him in a sudden-death must-win, what exactly are you saving him for? What reward will be worth the risk? No final or premiership is worth less than any other. Take a gamble, and do all that you can to put yourself in the best position for glory.