A Preseason Preview - Part 10 of 16 - Westcoast

[pahoffm]

Who'll put their money on Westcoast?

The Eagles have been sitting just inside the finals for the last couple of years quietly rebuilding their side. That process is just about complete.  Their homeground at Subiaco gives them a strong homeground advantage. Worsfold continues as coach, supported by long time Eagle stallwarts Rob Wiley & Peter Sumich. Tony Micale, an experienced & successful WAFL coach, is also assisting.

The Eagles list is as follows:

Cox 204 104 23
Seaby 200 95 20
Gardiner 199 99 25
Hansen 198 96 22
Gaspar 197 91 24
Beeck 197 95 22
McDougall 197 93 21
Embley M 197 82 19 Rookie
Staker 196 89 20
Graham 195 94 22 Rookie
Lynch 194 104 22
Smith 193 102 25 New
Wilkes 193 90 19 Rookie
Glass 192 97 23
Embley A 190 88 23
Hunter 190 81 23
McConnell 190 83 18
Stenglein 189 89 24 New
Jones B 189 89 22 New
Judd 189 82 21
Selwood 189 82 20
Rosa 189 74 18 New
Thornton 189 73 18 Rookie
Green 187 84 25
Jones R 187 80 25
Nicoski 187 79 21
Butler 187 77 19
Waters 187 87 19
Sharp 187 78 18 Rookie
Chick 185 88 29
Banfield 184 88 31
Edwards 184 88 21 Rookie
Morton 184 73 18 New
Wooden 183 83 26
LeCras 183 74 18 New
Humm 182 82 22
Adkins 181 73 24
Cousins 179 79 26
Fletcher 179 79 25
Kerr 178 78 21
Sampi 177 83 21
Braun 175 73 27
Wirrpunda 173 84 25
Matera 171 76 29

44 players on the Eagles list, with 6 new players and 6 rookies. Compare this to our 40 players, 10 newies and 2 rookies. They've got money and continually evolving their list.

The spread of the Eagles list is as follows:

Twilight = 28+yo
Prime = 25-27yo
Development = 22-24yo
Junior = 18-21yo

Eagles
<180 Small Runners
Twilight: Matera 29
Prime: Braun 27, Cousins 26, Fletcher 25, Wirrpunda 25
Development: 0
Junior: Kerr 21, Sampi 21

Tigers
<180 Small Runners
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: Krakouer 22,
Junior: Rodan 21, Foley 20,

Eagles
180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Banfield 31
Prime: Wooden 26
Development: Adkins 24, Humm 22
Junior: Edwards 21, Morton 18, LeCras 18

Tigers
180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Chaffey 28
Prime: Brown 27,
Development: Pettifer 23, Newman 23, Hyde 22,
Junior: Hartigan 20, Gilmour 19, Roach 19, Meyer 18, Raines 18, Tambling 18,

Eagles
185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Chick 29
Prime: Green 25, RJones 25
Development: Stenglein 24, BJones 22
Junior: Judd 21, Nicoski 21, Selwood 20, Butler 19, Waters 19, Thornton 18, Rosa 18, Sharp 18

Tigers
185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Campbell 32
Prime: Bowden 27, Johnson 27, Hilton 26, Tivendale 26,
Development: Tuck 23, Coughlan 23,
Junior: Jackson 19, Deledio 18, Polo 18,

Eagles 
190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: 0
Prime: Smith 25
Development: Glass 23, AEmbley 23, Hunter 23, Lynch 22
Junior: Wilkes 19, McConnell 18

Tigers
190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Graham 32, Gaspar 29, Kellaway 29
Prime: 0
Development: Morrison 24,
Junior: Moore 21, Schulz 20, Archibald 19, Thursfield 19, McGuane 18, Limbach 17

Eagles
195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime:  Gardiner 25
Development: Gaspar 24, Hansen 22, Beeck 22, Graham 22
Junior: McDougall 21, Staker 20, MEmbley 19

Tigers
195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: Richardson 30
Prime: Simmonds 27,
Development: Hall 24,
Junior: Pattison 19

Eagles
200+ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: Cox 23
Junior: Seaby 20

Tigers
200+ Ruck
Twilight: Stafford 30
Prime: Knobel 25,
Development: 0
Junior: 0

To me this spread is very well balanced. Probably too many junior taller mediums, and their prime aged key positions look a bit thin. But this looks like a list which is about to explode.

Their coverage of positions is as follows:

B: Chick 29 Gaspar 24 Glass 23
Wirrpunda 25 Lynch 22 Selwood 20
Humm 22

HB: Hunter 23 Graham 22 Cousins 26
Jones B 22 McConnell 18 Banfield 31
Sharp 18 Beeck 22  Wooden 26

C: Braun 27 Judd 21 Green 25
Nicoski 21 Waters 19 Jones R 25
Thornton 18 Rosa 18
                 Morton 18

HF: Embley A 23 Hansen 22 Adkins 24
Edwards 21 McDougall 21 LeCras 18



F: Staker 20 Smith 25 Matera 29
Embley M 19 Wilkes 19 Sampi 21


R: Gardiner 25 Stenglein 24 Fletcher 25
          Cox 23 Butler 19 Kerr 21
          Seaby 20
         
Yep, they look a bit thin at CHB and FB, personally, if I was Worsfold, I'd take Gaspar out of the forward line and send him to his brother to get a crash course on how to play FB. I might also be tempted to place Beeck at CHB.

Conclusion:
Very easy. Eagles with a great homeground advantage, good coaching, and very good list wont miss out on the finals, and should start pushing to finish close to or within the final 4. All they need is a good draw, with a good run home at the finish.

 

[tigersnake]

Pretty much agree Phantom, but I'd go a step further. I recckon 1 or 2 of their runners will step up to elite status, say Kerr, and at least 2 of their mobile young big men, and they have a swag of 'em, will take the next step. I really like Seaby, Glass and Staker, and that's just for starters. With Matera ever reliably snagging goals each week, and Cousins and Judd keeping everything together, I beleive they'll play off in the Granny.

 

[mb64]

This is the year West Coast should step up & make the top 4.Shouldn't lose a home match altough travelling could be a problem but they've beaten Brisbane the past couple of years.Prediction 1st-5th.

 

[FightingFury]

I also think they are capable of top 4.
It seems many of their better and established players are still young but experienced enough to take further steps up the ladder.
Judd,Cousins and Fletcher are as good as any 3 midfielders in the comp with Kerr about to take the next step.
I have a slight query on their ability to kick goals if Matera is hurt long term,or has a poor year.They somehow get away without a dominating type Key forward.
If Gardiner comes back and plays capably along with Cox, I think they'll be near impossible to beat at Subi.

 

[tigersnake]

I also think they are capable of top 4.
It seems many of their better and established players are still young but experienced enough to take further steps up the ladder.
Judd,Cousins and Fletcher are as good as any 3 midfielders in the comp with Kerr about to take the next step.
I have a slight query on their ability to kick goals if Matera is hurt long term,or has a poor year.They somehow get away without a dominating type Key forward.
If Gardiner comes back and plays capably along with Cox, I think they'll be near impossible to beat at Subi.

Yes. I forgot about Gardiner, the thing is, Cox was thrown in as a first ruck last year as a battler, but he improved so much over the course of the season that a mate of mine who follows WC and played WAFL, reckons he's now a better prospect than Gardiner, and I agree. Great ruck duo, and I reckon Seaby will be a player as well.

 

[pahoffm]

Yep, good point.

With Cox playing well in the ruck, Gardiner may slot in nicely in a forward pocket.
But Gardiner will still yet need plenty of time to recover from his knee injury, so Cox will be rucking anyway.

 

[an_oxford_man]

With a spine like that they are more likely to implode. They haven't got a single decent KPP. Some of them may have potential but I couldn't possibly imagine them finishing ahead of St.Kilda, Port, Geelong, Brisbane, Sydney etc.

Top eight because of the midfielders.

 

[tigersnake]

I beg to differ Gyp. Spine looks good to me.

FB, CHB choose 2 from Glass (top player), Gaspar, Lynch, Hunter McConnell and a couple more possibles

FF, CHF choose 2 from McDougall, Staker, Embley as well as Gardiner, Seaby resting at FF, Seaby is especially mobile.

These players are coming along well and its another season on.

If anything I reckon their midfield depth could be a bit of a problem. If Judd and Cousins get injured they could start being tretched there

 

[jb03]

Overrated and caught in media hype. NEver the same after Wilson didn't make it.

7th - 10th

 

[CHF]

I generally agree with your take on the position of West Coast as a top 4 contender. I think it depends on two things.

One. Injuries in the midfield as I think there is a question mark over their second tier runners.

Two. The development of the up and coming KPP's as I believe that, while they have a lot of them and a lot of them with potential, they will need to have a couple of them really 'claim' the key positions.

Home ground advantage and a class midfield should see them solidly in the 8.

 

[pahoffm]

I generally agree with your take on the position of West Coast as a top 4 contender. I think it depends on two things.

One. Injuries in the midfield as I think there is a question mark over their second tier runners.

Two. The development of the up and coming KPP's as I believe that, while they have a lot of them and a lot of them with potential, they will need to have a couple of them really 'claim' the key positions.

Home ground advantage and a class midfield should see them solidly in the 8.

Thanks chf,
I'm looking forward to doing Melbourne. On gutfeel I think they'll do really well. The recruiting of Bate, Newton & Dunn was excellent as well as Warnock & vanschaik as rookies. Infact in the last couple of years Melbourne's recruiting has been top notch. But I'll save this for episode 12.

 

[johnson2richo2003]

My Smokey for the premiership.

 

[TOT70]

Phantom, as you corectly point out, WC have a plethora of young KPPs.

Ashley Hansen is a young Victorian who showed a fair bit in a couple of games for them last year and doesn't seem to have had a lot of opportunities. You would, no doubt, have seem a fair bit of him in TAC Cup.

Would he be worth trading for if he became available at the end of the season?

 

[tigersnake]

Phantom, as you corectly point out, WC have a plethora of young KPPs. 

Ashley Hansen is a young Victorian who showed a fair bit in a couple of games for them last year and doesn't seem to have had a lot of opportunities.  You would, no doubt, have seem a fair bit of him in TAC Cup. 

Would he be worth trading for if he became available at the end of the season?

There was a lot of discussion on PRE of this Tot70s, in the leadup to trade week, of snagging Hansen or Johnson if they came up and the merits of it. They ended up trading Johnson to Melbourne, and the general consensus here was that he's too lumbering. I'll be interested to see how he goes.

 

[TOT70]

Thanks, TS. I saw him play in a Friday night game and he didn't look too slow. Wallace won't be interested if he is , though. He will only recruit mobile talls. He ahs made that obvious this year.

 

[pahoffm]

Phantom, as you corectly point out, WC have a plethora of young KPPs. 

Ashley Hansen is a young Victorian who showed a fair bit in a couple of games for them last year and doesn't seem to have had a lot of opportunities.  You would, no doubt, have seem a fair bit of him in TAC Cup. 

Would he be worth trading for if he became available at the end of the season?

Yep, Hansen had a good year with Oakleigh in 2001, playing as a good goalkicking CHF/Rk. Had an injury midseason and it affected the latter part of his season. He went at no.38 in the draft, we chose Rodan at 33. (Someone else can remind me what we did with our earlier picks.)


Height 198cm
Weight: 96kg
Recruited From: Northvale/Oakleigh U18
Debut: 2004
Date of Birth: 03 March 1983 (curr. 21yo, turning 22.)

Hansen is a good example of why it takes 4 years or more for a big man to click. His season last year was:

Round       K H P    M HO T FF FA G B
Round 11  3 1 4    3 0 1 0 0 1 0
Round 12  9 0 9    5 0 0 0 1 4 1
Round 13  6 1 7    1 0 0 1 3 0 1
Round 14  10 2 12    5 0 2 2 0 2 1
Round 15  9 3 12    4 2 3 1 0 0 1
Round 16  1 1 2    0 0 0 0 0 0 1

He can kick multiple goals, and can take a mark.

At his current age and stats he looks as if by the age of 24 he might be really something. If he wants to return to Victoria he would be worth looking at, but I wouldn't be trading draft picks to get him.

 

[CHF]

I generally agree with your take on the position of West Coast as a top 4 contender. I think it depends on two things.

One. Injuries in the midfield as I think there is a question mark over their second tier runners.

Two. The development of the up and coming KPP's as I believe that, while they have a lot of them and a lot of them with potential, they will need to have a couple of them really 'claim' the key positions.

Home ground advantage and a class midfield should see them solidly in the 8.

Thanks chf,
I'm looking forward to doing Melbourne. On gutfeel I think they'll do really well. The recruiting of Bate, Newton & Dunn was excellent as well as Warnock & vanschaik as rookies. Infact in the last couple of years Melbourne's recruiting has been top notch. But I'll save this for episode 12.

I am looking forward to your assessment as well. It is always good to get an outsiders view of how your team is travelling.

As far as our history of recruiting goes, i think we have not only drafted well, but also structured our drafting to suit our list development. I think this will show you in the type of analysis you do.

So far I think the West Coast is the best structured list you have done.

Look forward to #12.

 

[an_oxford_man]

Their main target up forward is 5' 6. If the spine was much chop he'd be doing the job he was bullt for, CRUMBING!

 

[the claw]

they will play stkilda in the gf.they have been nursing lots of talls along for 3 or 4 yrs now and most of them are ready to make their mark. they picked up stenglein a quality shut down player who finds plenty of the ball as well. he is the missing midfield link along with waters who i rate very highly and adds toughness.back to the talls they get gardiner back who imo when fit is the best ruckman in the comp who can also play chf.talented kpp in staker mcdougall glass and gaspar if he can stay healthy is also like a new recruit. throw in cox seaby lynch hanson and beeck for depth and i would say they dont have any worries in the big man dept.
12 home games i make that 12 wins they only need to win 4 or 5 away and top 2 will be theirs.

 

[Otis]

looks like yet another season where matera is gonna win their goalkicking. I was talking to a few WC fans a couple of months ago and they were talking up their new recruit brad smith, well now he's out for the season with a serious knee injury he received in the opening minutes of their first intra-club match the other day.

they have a promising list of players (mainly midfielders), not grand final material. I have always felt as though (on paper) their defense has been lacking in height and strength. I suppose I'd have to actually sit through one of their games before I can really comment on this as being a major weakness, but on paper it seems like a very small squad. If Gardiner can stay fit, then they can plug him in at CHB and I'l probablyl be eating my own words regarding their backline. He's a great player, can't forget his potential.