It is a conundrum that will challenge the powers to be at West Coast over summer. Are they genuine premiership contenders or is it time for a list overhaul and to look towards a rebuilding phase?
Despite sneaking into the top eight at the last hour and winning an elimination final in the most extraordinary of circumstances, the Eagles’ performance against the Giants last weekend suggested they are a long way off the mark when it comes to its premiership credentials.
Following the recruitment of Sam Mitchell and Drew Petrie over summer of 2016, the Eagles entered season 2017 with the oldest list in the AFL with an average age of 24 years and 330 days – ten places higher than the 2015, when they ranked 11th in terms of list age in their grand final year.
The recruitment of the elder statesmen suggested Adam Simpson and list management staff firmly believed the Eagles could challenge once again this season following a disappointing elimination final loss in 2016.
Ending the minor rounds with a 12-10 win-loss ratio and winnings just three games away from home, many would say the season was profusely underwhelming.
On paper, the Eagles best 22 looks solid. But is it time to look closely at the way we view these players who have been getting away with the ‘good player’ tag way too easily.
Take Mark LeCras for example. A 31-year old who has kicked 400 goals, been an All Australian and had once kicked 12 goals in a match. He’s been a mainstay in the Eagles line-up for ten years; a solid contributor, but it didn’t take long father time to catch up to the crafty forward whose AFL career looks to be done and dusted after kicking just 32 goals for the season and averaged a lowly 14 disposals a game.
It’s time for reputations to be thrown out the window.
It’s a similar story for the likes of Josh Hill, Chris Masten, Sharrod Wellingham and Will Schofield. All four men have spent a decade on an AFL list, promising so much but delivering very little, while showing no signs of improvement in their late 20s.
These aren’t the guys to take the Eagles forward and sadly their credentials, as depth players are questionable.
Jack Darling and Jamie Cripps are both going to be there in 2018, but even those two who have shown only flashes of brilliance continue to tread water as AFL players at 25 years of age.
The same goes for Lewis Jetta, who at 28 is still a major tease.
Jack Darling of the Eagles celebrates with Lewis Jetta (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Young talent also remains a question for the Eagles with just four players making their AFL debuts in the past two seasons, the lowest of all the AFL clubs. Many critics place the blame on Simpson for his lack of faith in youth, but maybe just maybe these young guys aren’t up to it?
Promising youngsters Tom Lamb, Tom Cole, Simon Tunbridge, Kurt Mutimer and Matt Allen are yet to show genuine signs of forging serious AFL careers,
Next season there will be no Matt Priddis, no Sam Mitchell and no Drew Petrie. Three veterans who ended the season well and truly entrenched in the Best 22, all ending their last AFL game in the midfield.
The last surviving premiership player Sam Butler has called it quicks, back up ruckman Jono Giles’ days look done and if rumours are true fullback Eric Mackenzie could be exploring his options as an unrestricted free agent.
Andrew Gaff is yet to sign a contract extension beyond 2018 and his name will certainly be thrown around in trade talks before his free agent status comes into effect next season.
There are a number of spots to fill on the Eagles’ list – it’s a matter of what they choose to do. There will certainly be a bit of salary space available to lure a few key players – the likes of Alex Fasolo and Brandon Matera already being linked to the club. But is this the right move?
There is no doubting the A-grade talent the side possesses, with the likes of Josh Kennedy, Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey, Elliott Yeo and Jeremey McGovern all being considered elite AFL players – while the likes of Shannon Hurn and Brad Sheppard and Dom Sheed are more than capable roll players.
Nic Naitanui will give the side a major boost next season, but it won’t be enough to work a miracle.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
The Eagles need speed, they were caught out big time in the midfield against the Giants and the recruiting staff will be spending hours and hours looking at potential draftees in the lead up to the silly season that is October.
Aaron Hall seems like the perfect fit for the Eagles, a gun line-breaking midfielder who would work well in tandem with Nic Nat. The 26-year-old is contracted for 2018, but West Coast would be stupid not to ask the question.
With pick 14 in the draft (at this stage) the Eagles should be looking at the Victorian likes of Patrick Naish or Andrew Brayshaw as future midfield options, while speedster and 2016 draftee Daniel Venables waits patiently for an opportunity which will surely open up for him next season
Naitanui will certainly help the Eagles improve around stoppages but he needs more support. Elliott Yeo looks like keeping his role as a rebounding defender for the time being meaning the Eagles will need to find a replacement for Mitchell and Priddis – out of favour Richmond midfielder Anthony Miles may appeal.
Time is running out for the Eagles and although a rebuild is there as an option, smart drafting and a solid trade period could see the Eagles contend for another season or two. In saying this, West Coast would know that it’s do or die right time right now and must not become overexcited by a new stadium and a ruckman. Watch this space.
David C
Guest
Adding to silverware next year?? You're dreaming. WC are next years North.
Jack
Guest
......in a sense this is the first chance Simmo has had to really shape the team he wants, he inherited a team and it's culture from the Woosha epoch. Now he can have a big clean out, he seems excited about the prospect. Even the captain mentioned 'players too concerned with the lifestyle and pay-packet in sunny Perth', maybe that culture was too entrenched with many senior players..the big fish in a small aquarium syndrome, too much adulation by Perth media and the public, it's not easy to stay grounded and focused perhaps, you're a celebrity wherever you go. who knows but this clean out is what we need. This will very much be Simmo's creation, his baby. His career will have to live or die by it of course.
Jack
Guest
actually I am relieved priddis has gone, now we can finally address the midfield problem completely, top to bottom. maybe we'll get away from circlejerk handball as well. there are problems but with pace and more youth and a stable ruck we'll be okay. not saying we'll be in finals, but we should be solid and playing a different brand I hope (Simmo?)
Jon boy
Guest
Bludey good read Jack lot of good points raised especially mitchell issue and midfield. Great forward line but Priddis gone it is going to make the midfield even weaker 1 pick 12 not going to help much in the short term. Hard decisions have to be made.
Jack
Guest
As a longtime supporter, the Eagles have been a mystery to me these past couple of seasons. I recall Woosha couldn't get what he wanted from them as a group, or vice versa, either way there was dissatisfaction back then and i suspect he he 'retired' so that the club didn't have to sack a favourite son. Back then the topic for debate was "is it the team or the coach?". So we've had a new coach for 4? seasons, we got into a few finals and a GF probably by default, where we were smashed by the best coach and team around. Since then we got to a semi-final and weere knocked out by the Doggies, who don't forget surprised everyone in a kind of perfect storm (which they couldn't repeat). then we had injuries to NN and our recruitment plans were re-adjusted to bringing in emergency ruck stocks (should've been getting a bullish speedy mid for a walk-up start), Sam Mitchell seemed to be another pop-up surprise move, being good for the longterm/coaching view.(tick that box/future covered there). But basically in a normal situation this was when we should've been getting in a couple of strong speedy midfielders. So then Lycett goes down for the season. Petrie breaks his hand in round one...you see where I'm going with this, we had a very unsettled+patched up year with injuries and bad luck(I know other teams have the same, but we got a good dose). So really in hindsight, it wasn't too bad a year, in the finals we arguably finished in sixth place on the ladder? We got some luck at the end. 12 teams finished below us!!! I'm not sure, but I think that's supposed to be a pretty good team? Yep, I know the Eagles and coaching has been frustrating as hell to watch and endure. Also FWIW, I bagged Lecras and Darling this season, but while he hasn't been at his best with hip injury, broken arm before that, a hamstring etc, he is still one of the best forward goalsneaks around by way of goals kicked. Darling and Kennedy are THE best tall forward combo in the comp for goals kicked. Darling frustrates the hell out of me, but his record/stats speaks for itself. So there is now about 8-12 spots up for grabs in the eagles camp. theres Venables, Rioli, Watson, Partington, Murtimer, Cole, Karpenny, Waterman etc coming through. I imagine we'll go hard at draft for 1-2 speedy mids. The midfield will be addressed fully this time around. Then we have Sheed, Duggan, Redden to lift. Yeo wants to play midfield. Wellingham was so disappointing after tearing it up in the Wafl, but while he is touted to be shown the door, he would make a good midfield/high forward option-mongrel, pace, can mark, a raking kick? The back line speaks for itself. We have a couple of small forward options coming. Nic Nat and Lycett will be back with Vardy (Giles is gone). It's not as bad as people make out. We had a dog of a season. Hill, Masten Schofield could go no problem. Jetta is an enigma, a confidence player, had a rough time settling in, brought in for pace, didn't save our bacon but helped get us over the line in finals. May come good. May not? With midfield speed injected and some tweaking around the ground i believe we should be competitive,certainly given our home ground advantage at new stadium. The only factor remaining is the coaching. Waiting to see who gets shaken out...
Dave
Guest
Makes me laugh. Every eagle should be traded, let go or shot at dawn if you believe some of the media reports since the Eagles lost. Well if we are going to base the future worth of Eagles players on their last game then all top eight teams should be put under the same scrutiny given the results over the last 3 weeks. Maybe Richmond being the exception.
Mattyb
Guest
Matto,I was being sarcastic in reference to Robs outrageous comments. I find it really rich that people say clubs outside Victoria have any home ground advantage when VFL clubs get a home GF no matter what. I'm a doggies man and we got a home GF against the top side when we finished seventh,I'm thankful but you can't dress that sort of thing up no matter how hard you try.
Matto
Guest
Im sure I hope you're right as much as you do matti
Mattician6x6
Guest
Totally agree don, wce have been quite forward in that the list is going to undergo change so I fail to see what it is exactly they've done wrong, a lot of pundits saw us as a top echelon team leading into season that didn't eventuate but its not like the club sat back and said we're not going to develop youth they've quite vocally said that's the plan, the fans have said that's what they want and yet apparently if I believe what some ppl are saying the club is apparently in disrepair with no clear direction. Whingers.
Leonard
Guest
Watched a few Eagles games down here at York Park as one of four HFC members-of-convenience on the Henri IV 'Paris is worth a Mass' principle - not once did they seem anywhere near as potent as their early 1990s teams who had the hardness, skills and power that the Brisbane Lions hdd ten years later. Similarly, Hawthorn teams at York Park looked like wusses compared with ferocious Hawks of the 70s and 80s: nobody like Dipper or Dermie, or to compare with Don Scott and Peter Knights - what a boring lot the current lot are, and they bored us into giving up; one day, after a very dull game, we agreed that there was not one single game where we left reckoning 'That was a game (or even a quarter) to remember'. Is it really just a case of different times, different strokes? Or remembering the old VFL through the mists of hindsight?
Don Freo
Guest
They were not as good as the players that played. Remember, this was a successful side. They made it to the last 6.
Don Freo
Guest
That didn't happen at Freo.
Don Freo
Guest
Oh JonBoy! That is not too many talls. Every club has that many. They won't all play in one side. They never have. Waterman and Darling are smaller than many midfielders. They are hardly immobile.
Don Freo
Guest
David C, young players not having had much opportunity is not a problem. They have that now. That's an exciting prospect.
Don Freo
Guest
"Are they genuine premiership contenders or is it time for a list overhaul and to look towards a rebuilding phase?" Very rarely is it one or the other. Unless you are Carlton and choosing to rebuild every year of a 5 year plan then go straight to a new rebuild, no side does one or the other. It's why we have drafts and trades. This gives sides a chance to stay competitive. Add NicNat, Lycett and Venables to that side and it would be configured quite differently and would allow greater flexibility with the Gov and Yeo. Freo, Collingwood, GC the same. They don't rebuild or bust, they just adjust and go again.
rusty
Roar Rookie
Look, I don't know Mark Lecras from a bar of soap, and I hate the Eagles, but if 32 goals in a season as a small forward means your finished then I think eagles fans and the footy media have become delusional. That's a perfectly fine season no matter how you look at it.
Mattician6x6
Guest
The game plan this season was pulled apart easily as we were exposed by the long kick over the press were the opposition would bring ball to ground and run onto it at speed. Something we couldn't defend against as we didn't have the legs. Pace has been identified by wce as the biggest need going fwd, as we punters all know aswell, the game plan itself is sound and effective its the cattle that's needing refreshing.
Jon boy
Guest
Being a Freo fan but a true blue west Aussie i am not as into your list as well as you fellas i am well aware to injuries to Rioli,Waterman and others,but i can not understand why playersi rate Lamb Karpany and Cole were not given more games.
Matto
Guest
Yep. As long as its not the game plan/tactics that have been an issue....
Mattician6x6
Guest
Absolutely agree with that Matty, wce successful rookie list players identified from wafl to name four say chad fletcher, matt priddas, dean cox and Jeremy McGovern we have a strong history of identifying talent through the strength of the wafl and country wa leagues, add to that both wa clubs relationship with Clontarf and the likelihood in getting a wce wafl team not the east Perth alignment and its apples imo.