West Coast Eagles

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,820]

How good are we!!!!???

We only lost to WCE by 54 points with half our side out. The scraggers, touted as top 4 potential, lost by more than 20 goals over there!!!

[Guest Artie Bucco]

Gives a bit of perspective on the "shocking" west coast loss, doesn't it?

It was bad, but not half as bad as some thought, and the relevance of West Coast being last year's wooden spooner was negligible.

It was a bit like our "shocking" defeat to "putrid" Freo in last year's preseason.

They proved to be much better than the garden variety ignorant supporter gave them credit for.

& Josh Kennedy is a star.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

You have said it yourself - our senior players are not what we thought they were.

You will see consistent spirit (and the wins that will follow) when the kids grow up and take over the house.

And it could be by next year.

Hell, it could be next week.

That's it.

WC have a handful of senior stars and a handful of young guns.

A good mix, but probably not enough to get them over the top & it won't last.

We have virtually no senior stars and a stockpile of young guns.

When they get old enough to be the senior stars, the likelihood is that we will be in very real contention.

Until then, we just need to make sure we develop these kids properly and hold tight during the tough, and sometimes soul-crushing losses.

It helps if you remain mindful of the importance of these tough experiences for the kids' learning process.

Learning how to respond positively to serious setbacks is one of the most critical things.

NB. Final Quarter, WC 10.4 WB 0.0

And look at all the supposedly quality senior players on the dogs list.

Higgins, Boyd, Cross, Murphy, Hargreaves, Giansiracusa, Hudson...

Sometimes #%&$ happens.

[Jordie_tackles 354]

It is a combination of established senior players, who are good, plus drafting, plus the Judd deal (kennedy and Masten)... and yes they would still love to have judd, but it might have given them a better shot with a ok mid and maybe the next big KPF during their next window

Also winning games in Perth helps might check out if they have won away this year?

[DemonDave 1,096]

The rapture, and end of the world was supposed to happen yesterday. Seems every Sunday night on here is the Rapture waiting to happen.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,102]

OK. Why are the eagles lookin like they do? How come they have such quality senior players when they are supposed to have been bottoming out? The answer is that they are us in about 12 years. They have had their premiership window, built a successful side that played in two consecutive Grand finals, and then gone downhill. The downhill slide was helped along by the loss of Cousins and Judd, so they managed to hit the bottom end of the ladder quickly and pick up some high quality draft picks. These draft picks are now getting into the groove, led by the senior players who are left over from the premiership side.

[Strawbsodwyer 0]

it makes me chringe every time Darling did well, we should have picked him up. I am sick of recruiters looking at what is wrong with a player rather than what he can do. He was clearly a top 10 pick apart if it was not for his off field issues which were very minor.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

it makes me chringe every time Darling did well, we should have picked him up. I am sick of recruiters looking at what is wrong with a player rather than what he can do. He was clearly a top 10 pick apart if it was not for his off field issues which were very minor.

Ignorant whining Jack Darling comment of the week, goes to...

[DemonWA 3,940]

Eagles were crap last year becasue Kerr & Glass were injured, Embley was out of form, Cox was carrying an injury and Lynch was out of favour (palying WAFL). Thats 5 prem players and unless im incorect they've all been AA too (maybe not lynch?)

Also their players like Masten, Ebert, S. Selwood, Rosa, Nikoski & Butler (who until this year havent shown a great deal and many have been quick to write off) have improved significantly.

These two factors combined with a well drilled press are the reasons they are looking the goods.

[H_T 3,049]

it makes me chringe every time Darling did well, we should have picked him up. I am sick of recruiters looking at what is wrong with a player rather than what he can do. He was clearly a top 10 pick apart if it was not for his off field issues which were very minor.

Clearly....he lasted 25 picks until being picked up. Clearly top 10...

[Strawbsodwyer 0]

Clearly....he lasted 25 picks until being picked up. Clearly top 10...

we will wait and see, I am confident that at the end of his career he will be well inside the top 10 players from that draft.

[dee-luded 2,959]

The rapture, and end of the world was supposed to happen yesterday. Seems every Sunday night on here is the Rapture waiting to happen.

'Rapture' seems to happen Thursday Nights, only for 'Armegeddon' to come about by Sundays.

We have to relise we are chopping older players with so so abilities, but are true professionals, and replacing them with highly talented BUT totally inexperienced kids, to come out & play AFL Pro football. Its a big jump.

[daisycutter 29,892]

it makes me chringe every time Darling did well, we should have picked him up. I am sick of recruiters looking at what is wrong with a player rather than what he can do. He was clearly a top 10 pick apart if it was not for his off field issues which were very minor.

There were a lot of people here on Demonland who wanted him at draft time.

Biggest worry was whether he would be available for our first round pick

Too late now..............

[old dee 24,000]

There were a lot of people here on Demonland who wanted him at draft time.

Biggest worry was whether he would be available for our first round pick

Too late now..............

We were never going to pick him DC

Did not fit the Choir boy image

[H_T 3,049]

we will wait and see, I am confident that at the end of his career he will be well inside the top 10 players from that draft.

Wait and see... . It doesn't matter now, what's done is done. Besides, you probably don't even know who Lucas Cook is, or what he might be capable of.

[titan_uranus 25,174]

West Coast were appalling last year. But they played it up as best they could (i.e. they tanked) to ensure the season wasn't entirely wasted.

However, their biggest problem in 2010 was Cox being injured, and as a close second, Kerr being injured. Those two are fit and back in 2011.

The other improvements have come from a changed game plan (they are, from all reports, as good at the forward press as anyone, Collingwood included), structural changes (Nicoski as a small forward is one) and improvement from midfielders like Shuey.

[old dee 24,000]

Wait and see... . It doesn't matter now, what's done is done. Besides, you probably don't even know who Lucas Cook is, or what he might be capable of.

Another skinny kid who will take three years to be big enough.

Might be JC who knows, JD is killing them now!

[Radar Detector 1,347]

We were never going to pick him DC

Did not fit the Choir boy image

Does anybody that spouts this as the reason we didn't draft Darling actually know why we didn't pick him?

Couldn it be because we have a wealth of mid-size forwards and were all crying out for a genuine tall forward? Could it be that Cook, like Watts, was viewed by the FD to be a better long-term prospect?

The 'choir boy" comment is a very easy throw-away line with no basis in fact. Plenty of our more recent draftees are tough as nails.

In any event, time and again we see physically mature 18yo footballers look a cut above their peers for one or two seasons but often there is less improvement. Tom Hawkins springs to mind. Rich may be another. Tapscott may even be another. They're bankable because they're ready to go straight away so you know won't get a dud but you often won't get the superstar either. Let's revisit this in a few years when we have a clue if Cook is any good.

[Jaded No More 68,975]

Does anybody that spouts this as the reason we didn't draft Darling actually know why we didn't pick him?

How about the fact that he suffered a very serious head injury before the draft in a non footy related incident?

We aren't the only club that passed on him. 24 picks were made before West Coast decided to pick him up, and don't forget that at West Coast he has a couple of more experienced big bodied forwards to take the pressure off him in Lynch and Kennedy (who is a top notch KPF). He would have no such support at Melbourne.

[Radar Detector 1,347]

How about the fact that he suffered a very serious head injury before the draft in a non footy related incident?

We aren't the only club that passed on him. 24 picks were made before West Coast decided to pick him up, and don't forget that at West Coast he has a couple of more experienced big bodied forwards to take the pressure off him in Lynch and Kennedy (who is a top notch KPF). He would have no such support at Melbourne.

I agree. I was saying that the "we didn't pick him because he's not a choirboy" line is a load of crap.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

He was in a bloody coma from that incident, iirc.

I've heard supporters for years bemoan the fact we try to make do with undersized forwards.

Darling might be showing something now, and can afford to get out on the park because he had a ready-made body...

but Lucas Cook will be a much more accomplished and damaging player once they both develop.

I am a big big fan.

Considering getting his number on my jumper next year already.

[darkhorse72 1,925]

Eagles are like Dee's of 98, lot of young blokes but the old hands having a good year. We went from wooden spoon to Prelim...

Remember WC still have a bunch of premiership players running around.