Shannon Hurn to captain Eagles again

agree that the team that finishes high should have the home final. But AFL is a Bussiniss now no matter what we want to think and untill there is a ground in every state that can hold 100,000 Plus it won't be moved from the MCG

Then last years GF should been played at Subiaco as WC finished higher on the ladder. I suspect the result would have been a lot closer (and quite possibly different) if it had of been. That's why its harder for interstate clubs to win flags. Not impossible, just harder.

I'm all for the top finishing team being allowed to play a home GF

If the AFL cared about the result they would let the interstate clubs play on the MCG more often. They want Vic clubs in home finals obviously, the fixturing supports that claim. I think WC played one Fri night game at the MCG prior to the GF appearance, one game at the home of football, seriously? I'm not making excuses but some ground experience would help. If the AFL isn't going to take it seriously then I don't know why anyone else does.

I can't think of any - please name yours. It was the codes biggest day in front of it's biggest audience on a perfect day for footy - and it was ALL OVER half way through the first quarter !!! Sure they were underdogs, but this sort of result just shouldn't happen in a large professional sporting competition. Good close GFs are becoming as scarce as hens teeth. Blowouts in general, let alone in GFs are the elephant in the room as far as issues the AFL will have to address.

Untold damage to the brand? Really? Perhaps a bit of exaggeration there? They got beaten by a great team of finals hardened players on their home ground. Its not like it was the first ever AFL GF blow out. Can think of quite a few more thing doing untold damage to the brand than an underdog being overwhelmed in a GF.

No that would have been the 2007 GF. Yes Eagles did not play there best on the day but with that experience they will be the better for it

Hope he goes well and same to the Eagles. with the Defence back to full strength they should be a good chance they will be in the top 4 again.

Glass half-empty or half-full? The players pick the captain and they are in a much better position than you and I so I'm backing him in. Of course he didn't have the best day and either did most of the team but that doesn't throw their body of work throughout the season out the window. They weren't expected to make the eight. They smashed Hawthorn in the QF two weeks before the GF so they know they can tear them apart and it's just between the ears now (and a little to do with playing the ground better). 2015 was a stepping stone with lots of lessons that always get taken on-board so as to improve. They'll be all the better and harder to beat for the experiences of 2014. WC have developed and learned very quickly under Simmo. There is no sign of that trajectory slowing down. They have improved significantly over this pre-season and they have had 40 players on the track - they had 29 at this time last year and that was before Ezy and Brown went down. Duggan is going to breakout, McGovern is going to swing and kick a lot of goals (I think he kicked 10 goals inn3 games before he was moved to defense. He's only played 30 games and he can ruck. Throw in Jetta, Redden, MacKenzie and a fit Nic Nat (2015 was his first injury free year since 2012) - they're going to be hard to stop if they can keep the team on the park.

Dude captains a team from one year, takes them from non-finalists to runners-up, and you want him sacked?

They did untold damage to the AFL brand with that frightfull and embarressing performance in the Grand Final.

Fall closer to jax than gene.Gene is more your parasitic type who has barracked for Hawthorn for the whole of two years and comments as though he is actually a player of an extremely high standard.

I fall somewhere in between Jax and WhereIsGene on this one. Jax is right that Hurn did a lot to carry the team, but how can anyone deny that the GF was utterly dismal? WC's season was fantastic, but the final was just pathetic, somewhat negating any real significance of their full season performance. If it were a close GF, I might not take such a negative view. But it was just a sad GF. In short, Hurn is a great guy and good player, but WC should experiment with new on-field leadership. Why not Natanui? He's charismatic and articulate, athletically gifted. Not the best on-baller, but has a lot of leadership traits and status. On the rare occasion that he actually marks the footy, it's spectacular... could fire up the whole team.

I don't agree. They owe it to themselves and the WC fans. Anyone else is largely irrelevant or way down the pecking order at best. Outside noise is to be ignored. That's what they did last year when most picked them to finish well down the ladder. In fact, the AFL and the fans should be thanking WC for their outstanding 2015 and for playing a lot of beautiful high scoring attacking footy. They should also be thanked for not throwing in the towel when their defenders went down and for revolutionising the game with their all ground web defence.

They certainly owe the AFL and ALL football fans a big year.

He takes them from 9th to 2nd and you expect more, unbelievable. Have you ever got anything good to say about anyone than your Hawks? You're boring as BS WIG. Great appointment, WC are set for a big year.

They seriously can't come up with a better captain than Hurn? He pulled a Trent in the GF and even shirked several contests. Admittedly their VC Kennedy kicked 0.0 so that's hardly grounds for promotion but surely there is SOMEONE else at the club who'd make a better captain?