The Weagles and bottoming out.

[Rosy]

I don't follow other teams, or study their lists, as closely as others seem to. I'd be interested to know what people think are the reasons behind the Weagles going from last to at least top 4 in the space of a season.

I don't understand the opinions of some on here that we shouldn't play finals and that we need to get comfy in the bottom half of the ladder to completely rebuild and have any chance of a premiership in the next few years. There is no guarantee hitting rock bottom and getting a lot of kids will bring success.

How did WC pick themselves off the bottom and become very competitive again so quickly? Also what is it with their big bodied and very good first year players slotting in so quickly?

If we say we're modelling ourselves on other teams are there any lessons to be learned from the Weagles?

 

[jamo]

They had big injuries and fitness concerns in 2010

Cox
Embley
Hurn

to say the least.

They are all fit now.

 

[johnson2richo2003]

Something in the Perth "Water" is my tip Rosella.

 

[TigerMasochist]

Getting their core of experienced senior premiership players back fit and in form went a long way to pushing them back into finals contention Rosy. It also helps that they've already been working on their game structures for quite a while. Woosha quoted in an interview he's been trying to teach them the midfield press for three years. He's also been able to drive stacks of games into his younger kids while his senior core has struggled with injuries, just made it easier to take a sudden leap when all three areas clicked.

 

[WesternTiger]

Simple. They have a number of 25 yo plus quality premiership players who are fit.

 

[Total Tiger]

I think great coaching and man management has a alot to do with it. Rather than playing his stars hurt last year, Worsfold gave the year up and got them right for this year. They are reaping the rewards for that now.

 

[TigerPort]

They had big injuries and fitness concerns in 2010

Cox
Embley
Hurn

to say the least.

They are all fit now.

Add to that

Kerr just 4 games
Glass only 8
Nicoski 6

 

[gustiger12]

They had big injuries and fitness concerns in 2010

Cox
Embley
Hurn

to say the least.

They are all fit now.

Add Kerr to that list

 

[TOT70]

They are a really interesting case.

As others have pointed out, injuries to Cox, Hurn, Kerr, Embley, Nicoski and Glass meant that a large number of younger players were cycled through the team. They were in no hurry to bring them back either, especially in the second half of last year, preferring to keep playing their kids and losing games as a consequence.

There are some other factors present as well though. This time last year they were being pilloried for their poor disposal, especially coming out of defence. They have improved dramatically in this area, so a good deal of credit has to go to their coaching staff.

Also, they have stumbled into another advance on the forward press. Cox, Lynch, Kennedy, Naitanui, Darling etc have taken zone defence to a new level. When the opposition is trying to bring the ball out of defence, there is a wall of Eagles talls waiting between the centre square and half-forward. All of them are outstanding in the air. This is one of the main reasons for their dominance. Whilst most teams have been playing one ruckman and a couple of tall forwards surrounded by smaller players they have gone the other way and loaded up on talls who can take contested marks, esp from opposition kicks.

It’s given them an edge.

 

[Tiger Ghost]

I think great coaching and man management has a alot to do with it. Rather than playing his stars hurt last year, Worsfold gave the year up and got them right for this year. They are reaping the rewards for that now.

I think the same way, Woosha wrote last year off and used it get games into kids and teach a game plan that stands up to the pressure of finals football.

 

[tigerdave]

Inured stars fit and firing and a mix of young gun's.Jack Darling will make every club that passed him look like idiots - Superstar in the making!

 

[BrisTiger24]

Yep, it's the older blokes getting on the park and playing infinitely better such as Cox, Kerr, Hurn, Lynch, Embley, Glass and Nicoski (almost best form of their careers) but also the development of some of the younger guys like Shuey, Naitanui, S Selwood etc.

 

[TigerMasochist]

Also, they have stumbled into another advance on the forward press. Cox, Lynch, Kennedy, Naitanui, Darling etc have taken zone defence to a new level. When the opposition is trying to bring the ball out of defence, there is a wall of Eagles talls waiting between the centre square and half-forward. All of them are outstanding in the air. This is one of the main reasons for their dominance. Whilst most teams have been playing one ruckman and a couple of tall forwards surrounded by smaller players they have gone the other way and loaded up on talls who can take contested marks, esp from opposition kicks.

It’s given them an edge.

Interesting set up Tottie.
We could nearly match that with a setup of Jaaack,High Def, Griff and whatever ruckman drifting forward at opposition kick ins. Also Dusty's a strong mark so he'd stack in there when down forward.

 

[TigerFurious]

As others have said. Glass, Kerr, Cox, Lynch and Embley are all fit and in near career best form. West Coast look to have some promising kids too but I'm not completely sold yet. Much easier for the likes of Darling, Gaff, Shuey and Naitinui to get a kick when they have so much quality and experience around them.

It will be very interesting to watch West Coast in the next few years as their more experienced players begin to retire.

 

[TOT70]

Interesting set up Tottie.
We could nearly match that with a setup of Jaaack,High Def, Griff and whatever ruckman drifting forward at opposition kick ins. Also Dusty's a strong mark so he'd stack in there when down forward.

We need to get rid of Graham first.

Most clubs look for their ruckman and other strong marking players to help bring the ball out of the backline first. We have been absolutely belted in this area by nearly everyone this year. I agree with what you are alluding to and Jayden Post ia another strong-marking player who can help in this area but we are a long way behind WC.

Cox and Naitanui vs Graham. Not exactly an even contest for the World Heavyweight Championship, is it?

 

[Punxsutawney Phil]

Inured stars fit and firing and a mix of young gun's.Jack Darling will make every club that passed him look like idiots - Superstar in the making!

Yeah with Darling and Kennedy they have two quailty key position forwards for the next 10 years. Some of the composure Darling showed on Saturday night made him look like a 10 year veteran rather than a first year player playing in his second final. Then Nic Nat resting down there on occasions...very dangerous forward line

They have done very well there.

 

[Lennox Street]

Also what is it with their big bodied and very good first year players slotting in so quickly?

Far fewer players of that type than you think. Gaff and Darling are first year but were always known to be ready to go straight-away just like Martin. Shuey and Natinaui are 3rd year players who are 21 years old. Pretty much the same age we have written off half our players. No one else under 21. Very few teams ever win finals with many kids under 21.

If we say we're modelling ourselves on other teams are there any lessons to be learned from the Weagles?

Don't dispose of duds like Lynch, Nicoski, Masten or fringe players like McGinnity too early. When the better players do well those 2nd-tier role players will look better than they are. The PRE insistance that you somehow get better by replacing one fringe player with another doesn't work?

 

[spook]

Your last point is a very good one Lenny.

The Eagles are also in one of the strongest positions in the league. They have a waiting list for membership! Every home game's a sellout and sponsors are climbing over each other to get on board. Thus when the club is having a bad year it can afford it to be a really bad year, e.g. finishing second-last two years after winning the flag, "coincidentally" when NicNat, Rich and Yarran were going to be right up the pointy end of the draft. They tanked in 08, were on their way to doing it again in 09 before the AFL warned them off it and they wrote off last year early as well. They know their members and sponsors aren't going anywhere so they maximise their draft position when they know they're no hope of playing finals. They have fingers in every WAFL club pie and their tentacles around probably 75% of WA kids' hearts. And they have gazillions of dollars.

 

[Lennox Street]

The Eagles are also in one of the strongest positions in the league. And they have gazillions of dollars.

And a huge disincentive to make a profit because their profit gets distributed to their owners (the WAFL - and then to the WAFL clubs). So they don't much mind breaking even. Same as Freo who spend money like it is someone elses - because it is.

Huge memberships and small grounds equals waiting lists and reserved seat sales. A membership card is not enough in Perth, you have to buy a seat as well. For Richmond fans there would be 1 or 2 games a year where you might be nervous about buying a ticket at the gate on match day.

 

[TOT70]

The Eagles are also in one of the strongest positions in the league. They have a waiting list for membership! Every home game's a sellout and sponsors are climbing over each other to get on board. Thus when the club is having a bad year it can afford it to be a really bad year, e.g. finishing second-last two years after winning the flag, "coincidentally" when NicNat, Rich and Yarran were going to be right up the pointy end of the draft. They tanked in 08, were on their way to doing it again in 09 before the AFL warned them off it and they wrote off last year early as well. They know their members and sponsors aren't going anywhere so they maximise their draft position when they know they're no hope of playing finals. They have fingers in every WAFL club pie and their tentacles around probably 75% of WA kids' hearts. And they have gazillions of dollars.

Yep. Agree whole-heartedly. It is pretty easy when you know that your membership income is at its maximum every year, no matter what happens.

Geelong is fast approaching being in the same position. Their last five years have set their income up for the next decade regardless of what happens on field. They also have tapped into the Geelong Falcons and their local kids in exactly the same way. They are almost back to having their very own recruiting zone like in the 60s and 70s. They would have 10-15 players on their list who grew up less than 100K from the Cattery. Some of them, like Stevie J, Chappy, Cristensen and Ling were surprisingly low draft picks too.