What we need to be like the Eagles

gerry atric · **Joined:** Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:35 am **Posts:** 2125

What we need to be like the Eagles

Bigger bodies, need physical strength that takes a few years to develop
LUck / good picks with the draft. If Cox Judd and Kerr were playing for us instead of them we would probably have won. Great players make everyone else much better. The Eagles have had luck. Judd was a #3 pick and he is the best player of the last decade. ANy other year and they might have got a good player (or Fiora), in 2001 they probably should have got Ball or Hodge. They are good, Judd is way beyond that level.

Kerr- might play up a bit off field, but on it he is the next best in the comp to Judd. Gee we knew our stuff when we traded into 3 first rounders in the weak 2000 draft and wisely eschewed Burgoyne and Kerr for Livo SPorn and Wiggo. Yeah I know, drafting is really really hard. But we need to be as good at it as other clubs and between 96 and 2000 we had 5 first rounders for no result. Things have looked much brighter since.

Cox was a second round rookie, so even if the Eagles had an advantage because he's from WA they had no idea what they were drafting, pure luck. So basically we need 3 of the top five players in the country and we would be talking finals, and building to a flag. (I know the Eagles have a lot of good, well drilled strong tough players, but the big three and Cousins when he plays, make them premiers rather than fringe of the Eight).

Question is do we have those players (capabelof being top 5 in AFL) on our list at the moment. Perhaps we do in Murphy, Gibbs and Fev. The crucial thing is whether Jacobs, Hampson, or Aisake can develop into a dominant ruckman. We are either not far away in terms of talent, or a million miles away. Because three superstars and a few years development, can make all the difference.

George Harris · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:28 am

John Worsfold instead of Denis Pagan would be a good start.

sticksaftersiren87 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 01, 2005 8:50 am **Posts:** 1221

wiggo, carazzo, russell simply would not get a game at west coast. Need to replace these guys who try hard with quality midfielders if we are to challenge for flag.

murphy, gibbs, walker are all top 3 picks so should be dominating in a few years, but you need 10 good ones like WC to win a flag.

TheGame · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:38 am

sticksaftersiren87 wrote:

wiggo, carazzo, russell simply would not get a game at west coast. Need to replace these guys who try hard with quality midfielders if we are to challenge for flag.

murphy, gibbs, walker are all top 3 picks so should be dominating in a few years, but you need 10 good ones like WC to win a flag.

They didn't get 10 top 2 draft picks though.

Wild Blue Yonder · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:46 am

Weagles were excellent at providing options - they create the contest, get the disposal and run to present at the next contest situation or drop of the ball - and that will be two or three players not just the ball winner.

Watch Kerr and Judd keep presenting as the move it down the field.

A lot of our guys provide a contest and then stop to watch the action downfield. Gotta keep running forward and presenting. We'll turn it over a few times and get caught out plenty of times when it comes flying back, but I think that style of play has to be brought in if you are going to match it with the good sides.

Jarusa · **Joined:** Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:00 am **Posts:** 23123

Maybe we need lots and lots of drugs.

bluebeard · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:52 am

Jarusa wrote:

Maybe we need lots and lots of drugs.

yep...

All the food groups

tommi · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:54 am

*sniff sniff*..................

*sniff*................!

hey Jarr..........................................................you-chasin.........?

kindest regards tommi

samblueboy · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:57 am

They have 22 guys who all know what their roles are.
Whitnall, Waite, Kennedy, Russell, Wiggins and several others sadly do not.

Fabulous · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:17 pm

samblueboy wrote:

They have 22 guys who all know what their roles are.
Whitnall, Waite, Kennedy, Russell, Wiggins and several others sadly do not.

Very good point, they look at form and pick accordingly...

We look at a playerâ€™s reputation and call them untouchable even though they should be running around in the Northern Bullantsâ€¦

I remember 2 years ago when Rowan Jones played in WC reserves all year, even though he was the vice captainâ€¦He simply didnâ€™t deserve a game and the MC gave his spot to a person who was going to perform

Elwood Blues1 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:10 am **Posts:** 4827

Just a couple of points re: Kerr and Burgoyne.....Kerr didnt want to leave WA and made a point at an interview at his private school of saying he might not even play AFL if selected by an interstate team.....I think a lot of clubs would have cooled on him given his attitude...

S.Burgoyne....did nothing in his initial years and i think was always going to be more successful in SA than anywhere else..

Worsfold is like Matthews ...wont tolerate squibs or players who are not along the same lines as himself with regards contesting the footy.
I think he weeds the ones out who wont(Staker wont last)....and the WC look especially for players with strong bodies and minds.....Hurn, Waters and Selwood are examples of the second string Eagles mids who are built up kids who dont need much gym work and can take a bump and give one......some of the other eagles like the Jones boys, Glass, Lynch, etc are not stylists but they give you a contest.

A player like Sampi who has great skill and can do the freaky stuff but isnt accountable and doesnt do the the things Worsfold loves isnt tolerated......
the harder Wirrapunda has taken his spot up forward.

Worsfolds expectations are higher than Pagans.....he wouldnt tolerate some of our players...players who give half arsed contests would be in the WAFL... on a permanent basis..

camel · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:25 pm

I wonder if the Eagles forum started a thread like this after R10 in 2001?

amers · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:06 pm

samblueboy wrote:

They have 22 guys who all know what their roles are.
Whitnall, Waite, Kennedy, Russell, Wiggins and several others sadly do not.

I agree, and IMO that has a lot more to do with the way they are coached than the players themselves.

Kouta · **Posted:** Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:22 pm

sticksaftersiren87 wrote:

wiggo, carazzo, russell simply would not get a game at west coast. Need to replace these guys who try hard with quality midfielders if we are to challenge for flag.

murphy, gibbs, walker are all top 3 picks so should be dominating in a few years, but you need 10 good ones like WC to win a flag.

Matt Rosa is a similar type of player to Russell but because he is surrounded by the competition's elite players at WCE he gets a softer run. Rosa would be used in a similar way to Russell by Pagan if he was at Carlton and would probably be considered poor if he was at Carlton. :roll: