Another week, another loss, in an all too familiar story for West Coast fans over the past three years. West Coast are paying dearly for their indiscretions leading up to the 2007 sacking of Ben Cousins.
Many around the country would have thought in 2007 that the Eagles should have been punished more than they were by the AFL.
Now, I am as one-eyed as any Eagles fan, but I will admit that the club was not entirely without fault in it’s dealings with Ben and other players from the 2004-2007 period.
I believe that the club got off lightly because it was seen to take preemptive action before the AFL had to get involved.
Fate has a funny way of getting even.
2010 is looking like the year that fate will smack the Eagles with their wooden spoon. 2010 is also the first year of the compromised national draft, which offers teams that finish bottom little reward for their poor season.
While I see a lot of potential in our playing list for the future, it seems the chickens are coming home to roost this season for the Eagles.
Beaver fever
Guest
Sorry, but i am not a big fan of Adam Selwood, seems to miss targets a hell of a lot, IMO he is not elite, or anywhere near it. The Geelong Selwood is though, sometimes when you have sets of brothers come through, people get mixed up on who is the best, or potentially best, in my experience usually the standard line(and my observation) is the youngest has the most skill and the oldest the toughest, not sure where Adam sits but elite he is not. Ebert seems to miss targets constantly as well, but i am sort of enjoying this as it,s not often the Wet Toast are down and seeing i dont barrack for them it's all good. I will say that even though i dont really like WC, in have never seen them give up, like in some games this year. Recruitment managers are usually more important than coaches, he should be the one who goes !!.
Tim Philp
Guest
Where in your article do you relate the eagles 2004-2007 off field issues with their current form? Not saying they are unrelated, but I can't see where your piece connects the two.
BigAl
Guest
?? why not a single bad word about Worsfold ???
Chaos
Guest
If Adam Selwood is considered elite and his brother is considered potentially elite then I am lost at sea. They are good taggers not A grade midefielders. Unless you are getting them confused with Joel? I digress, the Eagles problem is simple. On the weekend there where only 6 players from the 2006 premiership So its not only the lose of Cousins and Judd with Kerr and Glass injured... Its the B grade midfielders of Stenglein, Braun, Fletcher, Banfield, R.Jones (heaven forbid) and the verstile ulitities of Hunter and Chick whom had 150-200 games experience each I feel is a greater loss. How many times did Hunter get thrown forward and get those pivotol goals in 2005 and 2006? Eagles have no middle tier and limited top tier. To win premierships you need a core of people with 100-150 games experience. Take Cox, Lynch and Embly (lesser extent B.Jones) out of the team versus Adelaide and you don't get a high average games. Probably 20-30? The waste of high draft picks in McDougall and Sampi doesn't help the long term list. Ashley Hansen and Nickoski haven't stepped up (injured or otherwise). Phillip Matera (a player whom would walk into the side) retired in 2005. Karma? No, just the loss of a couple of superstars, the entire mid tier retiring and the 'young guns' not stepping into the gap.
Guy Smiley
Roar Pro
Matty I think you're on the money. As a West Coast fan myself I am really struggling to watch season 2010. I could watch 22 losses in a row if they were only trying. But the effort, application, skills, and pride are disgraceful. As for karma....maybe. I was regularly confronted by fans over the last 5 years who preached the West Coast gospel a little too fervently. If you weren't 100% in agreement with the ostriches at the club you weren't a 'true fan'. The Eagles let themselves down badly and it will take a hell of an effort to win a flag within the next 5 years or even contest. They are by some considerable distance the worst team in the comp.
HK47
Roar Rookie
West Coast's Form has come at a relatively bad time. They now only really have 5 elite players. Cox and Kerr when in form and uninjured, Adam Selwood, and relative newcomers Josh Kennedy and Mark Le Cras. The only 2 amazing young boys are Niatanui (although in a form slump) and Scott selwood. Clubs will have to find different ways of recruiting, whether that is recruiting good mature aged players, drafting overseas talent, giving up relatively high picks, to try and take youngsters from other clubs, or feed off your own rookie list. Adelaide has signalled its intent to do the Rookie List, As has Richmond with the trades. A few other clubs, (Collingwood, St. Kilda, Sydney) look like they are using the rookie list too.
Joel
Guest
The wooden spoon is still a long way off, Port Adelaide may still challenge for that honor. A prolonged period down the bottom of the ladder might help West Coast fans build some character.
sheek
Guest
One problem I see is that the Eagles management didn't demand any personal discipline from their leading players off the field. They basically ran amok with little or no respect for society. I'm speaking basically of the leadership group before, during & after the grand final years, say 2003-07, with Judd a notable exception. Getting rid of Gardiner & Cousins helped change the culture, but the damage had been done. Kerr was part of the 'brat pack' also.
Redb
Roar Guru
Losing Judd and Cousins over that 2007 period hurt the Eagtles, but not having Kerr in a regular fit state has really put them behind the eightball.