Ins
Liam Duggen, Tom Lamb, Jackson Nelson, Damian Cavka, Alex Waterman, Kane Lucas(rk), Corey Adamson(rk), Paddy Brophy(rk)
Outs
Darren Glass, Dean Cox, Ashley Smith, Jacob Brennan, Blayne Wilson, Adam Carter
My prediction
West Coast came home with a wet sail last year winning 4 of their last 5 games. Almost sneaking a place in the eight. That sort of finish raises questions, with a new coach as it a matter of the team getting their head around the game plan or did they have a soft run? I would lean towards the soft run. The Eagles didn’t beat one of the final top 8 last season. Even at home. That would indicate they have a battle ahead for this year.
They have a very good forward line with to good KPFs running around and someone who is possibly the best small forward in the competition. The backline holds up well and holds its own. The middle though for mine is a real concern. No question they have some good players but they too often seem to get lost despite having had one of the games best ever rucks feeding them. He is gone now and NicNat isn’t anywhere near the player Cox was.
Still they have a home ground advantage which seems to always make them a threat for the eight. I don’t think they have the talent to win enough games away from home and I am not sure they have as much young talent coming through as a lot of other teams. I think they will win 10-12 games which will leave them in the 9-11 range.
Like you said, mids are a weakness. Gaff, Shuey, Wellingham are all talented but won’t go for a loose ball hard enough. They leave it for a Priddis or Selwood.
With Glass gone from the backline, it opens up a spot for McGovern who wasn’t bad at FB in the last 3rd of the season (except when Licha tore him a new one ) McKenzie is a gun and with Waters back and Hurn a leader now, they’re defense is a strength.
Darling, Kennedy and Lycett/NicNat rotating are very dangerous talls. Lecras and Cripps also very lively and play that small fwd/HF roles perfectly.
Cox out leaves a massive hole. Lycett and NicNat are very talented but do not have his workrate to run around the ground and take defensive mark and marks I50.
They’ll hover around the same place they finished in 2014. Don’t think they’ll making top 8. Prediction: 10th.
Can never say a bad word about Priddis. Whether he deserves a Brownlow or not is irrelevant IMO. He is the most inoffensive footballer you’ll see, just goes about his business on the field and you could tell on Brownlow night he knew he was out of place as the winner.
Can never say a bad word about Priddis. Whether he deserves a Brownlow or not is irrelevant IMO. He is the most inoffensive footballer you'll see, just goes about his business on the field and you could tell on Brownlow night he knew he was out of place as the winner.
Regardless of the merit of win, more teams and opposition players will put more effort into curbing his influence, so he is for more attention week by week, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the extra pressure. Will others step up to fill the gap as more players are diverted to cover him? As for the Brownlow, he was a more deserving winner than others like Woewoeful or Liberatore.
West coast beat up crap teams struggle against top 8 teams. New coach lacked consistency. And now looses best ruck man and captain.
Best 22
B waters brown hurn
Hb Shepard Mckenzie hutchings
C gaff priddis wellingham
H hill McGovern butler
F lecras Kennedy darling
R natanui Shuey selwood
Int sheed, rosa , masten Ellis
English Lycett, yeo, schofield
Best 22 looks pretty solid, they lack depth outside best 22 tho.
Slotted brown in at fb. But I imagine they will just play Mckenzie on the most dangerous forward.
Eagles need to make subi there fortress and develop midfielders.
Gaff, masten, sheed, Shepard, shuey, selwood need to good years.will leave Priddis out as he won brownlow.
Will be the club to announce the first retired player for the year.
There will be announcement tomorrow involving Beau Waters. He’s retiring because his shoulders are stuffed and were re-injured last week. Shame to see him go. Decent bloke off the field and hard as nails on it.
) McKenzie is a gun and with Waters back and Hurn a leader now, they’re defense is a strength.