A Preseason Preview 2006- Part 15 of 16 - Weagles

[pahoffm]

Weagles

Losing a grand final can often be a very good precursor to winning one. StKilda 1965, Tigers 1972, Kangas 1974, Hawkers 75, Kangas again 1976, and so on.
Will the Weagles have enough anger and desire to make 2006 their year?
As well as regulars Worsfold, Sumich, Wiley & Micale, there are also a couple of extras I hadn't noticed. Neil Ross, an excellent ex-coach of the Oakleigh Chargers joined them in 2005, as did Darren Harris, ex-Roo, as I recall, and excellent ex-Wodonga coach, and WAFL coach too. So they look to be gaining ground in this area.
Athough I must say that the preseason antics of their so-called club leaders is not in line with genuine premiership aspirants.

The Weagles list is as follows:
Dean Cox 204 102 24
Mark Seaby 200 99 22
Michael Gardiner 199 99 26
Travis Gaspar 197 95 25
Ashley Hansen 198 96 23
Andy McDougall 197 97 23
Jaymie Graham 195 98 23
Brent Staker 196 96 22
Michael Embley 199 93 20 rookie
Brad Smith 192 98 27
Darren Glass 192 93 25
Andrew Embley 190 89 25
Adam Hunter 190 86 25
Quinten Lynch 194 102 23
Beau Wilkes 194 93 20 rookie
Matt Spangher 193 84 19 new
Matt Rosa 190 78 19
Daniel Chick 185 88 30
Rowan Jones 187 82 26
Tyson Stenglein 189 91 25
Brett Jones 189 92 23
Chris Judd 189 85 22
Adam Selwood 189 80 22
Mark Nicoski 187 85 22
Beau Waters 188 89 20
Sam Butler 188 84 20
Ben Sharp 188 83 19 rookie
Ashley Thornton 188 85 19 rookie
Shannon Hurn 188 92 18 new
Drew Banfield 184 89 32 vet
Josh Wooden 183 84 27
Damien Adkins 181 75 25
Steve Armstrong 180 80 22 new
Matt Priddis 184 86 21 rookie
Mitch Morton 184 77 19
Ben McKinley 184 82 19 new
Mark LeCras 183 78 19
Phil Matera 171 76 30 vet
Ben Cousins 179 80 28
Michael Braun 175 74 28
Chad Fletcher 179 81 26
David Wirrpunda 173 84 26
Daniel Kerr 178 78 23
Ashley Sampi 177 83 22

So 44 on the list, including 2 vets, 4 newies and 5 rookies.
17 of the 44 (39%) are 190cm or taller, which seems slightly on the tall side. And of course, 27 of 44 (61%) are under 190cm
Incidentally, 17 of 44 (39%) are 25yo or more, so 27 of 44 (61%) are under 25yo. To be in a grand final at this stage is fantastic. These boys have a great future ahead.
Notice Westcoast too, like the Swans and other good sides, have 7 players under 180cm.

Let's look at the spread.
Twilight = 28+yo
Prime = 25-27yo
Development = 22-24yo
Junior = 18-21yo

<180 Small Runners
Twilight: Matera 30, Cousins 28, Braun 28
Prime: Fletcher 26, Wirrpunda 26
Development: Kerr 23, Sampi 22
Junior: 0

180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Banfield 32
Prime: Wooden 27, Adkins 25
Development: Armstrong 22
Junior: Priddis 21, Morton 19, McKinley, 19, LeCras 19

185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Chick 30
Prime: Jones 26
Development: Judd 22, Selwood 22, Nicoski 22
Junior: Waters 20, Butler 20, Sharp 19, Thornton 19, Hurn 18

190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: 0
Prime: Smith 27, Glass 25, A.Embley 25, Hunter 25
Development: Lynch 23
Junior: Wikes 20, Spangher 19, Rosa 19

195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime: Gardiner 26, Gaspar 25
Development: Hansen 23, McDougall 23, Graham 23, Staker 22
Junior: M.Embley 20

200+ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: Cox 24, Seaby 22
Junior: 0

What really stands out about Westcoast's talls are that their best is yet to come. The current ones can be substituted for a new set quite easily.
Plenty of depth. Plenty of youth, but not too young.

And for positional coverage:
B: Wirrpunda 26 Glass 25 Hunter 25
Gaspar 25 Hurn 18

HB: Cousins 28 Staker 22 Selwood 22
B.Jones 23 Graham 23 Wooden 27
Butler 20 Wilkes 20

C: Judd 22 Fletcher 26 Nicoski 22
Adkins 25 R.Jones 26
Thornton 19 Sharp 19
LeCras 19

HF: Chick 30 Hansen 23 Morton 19
Armstrong 22 Lynch 23 McKinley 19
Spangher 19

F: McDougall 23 A.Embley 25 Matera 30
Smith 27 Rosa 19 Sampi 22

R: Cox 24 Stenglein 25 Kerr 23
Seaby 22 Banfield 32 Braun 28
Gardiner 26 Waters 20
M.Embley 20 Priddis 21

Yep, so they look very strong in all positions.
If the West coast can get a positive focus from their leaders they'll be up there again. Maybe all the way this year.

 

[Otis]

i thought Phil Matera retired

 

[pahoffm]

i thought Phil Matera retired

I thought so too, but according to the records he is sitting on the Westcoast list as a vet.

 

[Otis]

sneakier than your average goal-sneak

 

[mk33]

He has retired

 

[mk33]

Big Year for the Eagles, can they hold ground or drop off. With 12 home games they will make the 8 but they need some 2nd and 3rd tier players to set up, especially the talls

Plenty of tall options up fwd but the problem is finding ones that work. McDougall, Seaby, Lynch, Graham, Hansen and Staker are capable. My liking is Hansen, Seaby and Mcdougall and possibly Graham as a flank. The small fwds are light on with Matera retiremant leaves only Sampi and midfield options. Somebody has to step up and kick some goals for the Eagles. Adam Hunter is wildcard whether fwd or back, when moved fwd can kick goals.

The midfielder is the best who cannot be excited with these names Judd, cousins, Kerr, Fletcher, Stenglein, Embley then next level Morton, Rosa, Butler, Selwood, Waters and Adkins. A fair amount depth but some of them need to kick 20 goals a year to support the fwds.

Dean Cox is the best ruck in competition with Staker and Seaby helping out, Gardiner future is at crossroads menatlly and phyiscally.

Tall defenders are available in *smile*, Glass and Jones but not much depth, maybe Staker or Graham can support. The run from defence relies on the midfield but Braun is coming off career best year and Nicokski, Wirrpunda will be permanent features.

Overall top 4 possibly for Eagles but maybe no more unless a few guys can kick 40 goals

Player to watch
Beau Waters injury free and very polished midfielder as with Mitch Morton
Adam Hunter is played up fwd with Hansen they could kick 35 goals each.

On the decline
Ashley Sampi needs to find a way to kick goals
McDougall and Staker need to find a permanent spot or could be trade bait

 

[Dyer'ere]

Ah, the Eagles.

It's dawning round thirteen.

Sorry I couldn't make it earlier. They look strong, don't they? But not to me. Outside players. Perth perimeter boys. Not finals players. Judd may yet prove to be a champion but I'm not buying until I see it in Melbourne against a good class tag.

Cousins is a hair-do.

Kerr is very good- one way and Fletcher can't use.

Stengelin is a pansy. Not fair dinkum. 192cm and 92kg of runaway. Not for old-fashioned students.

Now, that's their midfield, their good side.

The Perth Perimeter team has one dominant tall, Dean Cox- and he's a running player, not a marking player.

Their best genuine tall, Phil Matera (174cm), has retired.

That leaves Darren Glass to lead the charge. He beat Barry (go to water in the big games) Hall, who thought a Grand Final would be a good time to experiment with CHEST MARKS! Yeah, Glass was too good for him.

At the other end Leaky Leo was exposed for three goals by that notorious champion- Adam Hunter. You could remind me that Adam (the Champ) has exposed other defenders in 2006 but I'd just dis the opponent or the coach. If Adam Hunter is your best tall- give the game away.

Quinten Lynch lacks talent. Who plays CHB for Perth if Hunter plays FF?

Some compare Embley to Ryan O'Keefe. Wrongly IMO. O'Keefe plays running HFF at the SCG- a tight groung. He plays in traffic. Embley plays in space at Subiaco. Embley is another Perth Perimeter Boy. Needs space- can't play.

Perth has done well without Judd, to a point.

They have an inside comer in Waters. But Nicoski is just more of the same.

Woosher knows that the MCG (Grand Final ground) is smaller than Subi but when will he wise up?

In their defence, because of their riches in small (when fit) they keep coming. You can never relax against WC. They play the game out. (It was evident in 2005- paramount in 2006.) Have shown class against rubbish.

IMO, outside unit. Not the real deal. Not a fan.