Questions to ponder ahead of Round 3: Can the Pies be re-heated, Are Port the real deal, Can Jezza's form last for the Cats?
Collingwood look far off the conquering team of 2023 and one aspect of real concern is their struggles in defence.
Yesterday was a very interesting day in the life of a West Australian football follower. Nothing appears to be as it should be as the local football media, populated as they are by ex-West Coast players and supporters, turned on their own.
It began with a scathing article written by Mark Duffield in the West Australian detailing the pathetic effort put in by the West Coast in their 135 point loss to Geelong, their worst defeat at Subiaco, and their second worst ever. Even the much maligned Ken Judge managed to win 5 games, and none of them by that huge a margin in the year he was sacked.
Mark Readings, a Channel Nine reporter, commented on 6pr Radio that the West Australian media had been soft on John Worsfold and the West Coast Eagles to the protestation of host Simon Beaumont, a self confessed Eagles fan.
Then, during Worsfold’s regular segment with Brownlow Medalist and now commentator Brad Hardie, John was clearly agitated at the line of questioning taken by Hardie. John actually got personal and questioned Hardie’s credentials to ask the questions he was, as Hardie had never been part of a premiership.
Hardie reminded John that he had been part of a premiership side, South Fremantle. He also achieved something John never did, the highest individual honour a player can receive, a Brownlow Medal.
It appears that as the on field success dries up, the media is no longer kind to the coach, something their cross town rivals have suffered from for years in the scrutiny of a two team town.
On a final note, Peter Wilson, a ex-Eagles player and now media commentator, believe that the Eagles present on field woes are due to the AFL scrutiny they had endured since their off field dramas of 2006.
The Hardie interview can be listened to at the link below:
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