Eagles

[Con Gorozidis]

Showing u can bottom out and be a contender the next year with a bit of forward planning. Playing very good footy right now.

[lurker#134]

Personally, I'd be waiting a little bit before I call em' contenders.

So far they have beaten: North, Port, Melbourne, Freo, Doggies

Lost to: Sydney, Hawthorn, Bummers

[Sobraz]

A great example, and it quite clearly can be done...

Mindset and confidence play such a big part in todays game... Perhaps more so than ever...

We clearly have the top end personal required... Our middle tier is solid... If a few of the young guys can show enough this season to deepen our list, there is no reason why we cannot reload next year...

Enter P66 to come in and shoot this thread down...

[plugger66]

A great example, and it quite clearly can be done...

Mindset and confidence play such a big part in todays game... Perhaps more so than ever...

We clearly have the top end personal required... Our middle tier is solid... If a few of the young guys can show enough this season to deepen our list, there is no reason why we cannot reload next year...

Enter P66 to come in and shoot this thread down...

You got me. Firstly I have never said that we cant challenge next year what ever happens. What I have said to Con at least 20 times is there is no way we can finish last this year which means less than 5 wins and then challenge next year. For us to have any chance next year they must get some confidence back this year which means we must be trying to win as many games as possible. Surely that makes sense.

[borderbarry]

Yes it makes sense. This is not a year when you want to bottom out. With GWS having the lions share of the draft kids. 2012 would be a better year to bottom out.

[Sobraz]

A great example, and it quite clearly can be done...

Mindset and confidence play such a big part in todays game... Perhaps more so than ever...

We clearly have the top end personal required... Our middle tier is solid... If a few of the young guys can show enough this season to deepen our list, there is no reason why we cannot reload next year...

Enter P66 to come in and shoot this thread down...

You got me. Firstly I have never said that we cant challenge next year what ever happens. What I have said to Con at least 20 times is there is no way we can finish last this year which means less than 5 wins and then challenge next year. For us to have any chance next year they must get some confidence back this year which means we must be trying to win as many games as possible. Surely that makes sense.

Yes, it does make sense, and my last comment was purely tongue in cheek to be honest...

I actually agree with you, and do not think we should aim to tank as such..

Getting games into Sippos, Cripps, Lynch, Ledger etc as the year progresses, and knocking up a few wins in the second half of the year especially will help us no end come season 2012...

Those guys are where our improvement may come from, and exposure to the top level this year will hold them in good stead... In that, if it means a greater likelyhood of a loss this year, albeit a close one, it's worth it....

[Munga]

The eagles didn't bottom out last year, they TANKED! I said it last year, they were tanking and would come back strong in 2011 for Woosha's last year of his contract.
Planned, always going to happen.

[clarky449]

The eagles didn't bottom out last year, they TANKED! I said it last year, they were tanking and would come back strong in 2011 for Woosha's last year of his contract.
Planned, always going to happen.

Yeah of course they would tank when Gold Coast got all the picks.

[degruch]

The eagles didn't bottom out last year, they TANKED! I said it last year, they were tanking and would come back strong in 2011 for Woosha's last year of his contract.
Planned, always going to happen.

Besides Darling (a late pick anyway), I don't think they've used any 1st year players, so (so far) tanking last year hasn't done too much for them. I'd hate to see the state of this forum should we bottom out for 3 years!

[saintsRrising]

Showing u can bottom out and be a contender the next year with a bit of forward planning. Playing very good footy right now.

With a lot of forward planning you mean..

The Eagles have been building to this for years.

ie the Judd trade.

It certainly has little to do with their last season.

[CURLY]

Anyone else think they put out the wrong vibe on Darling then snared him themselves?

[degruch]

Anyone else think they put out the wrong vibe on Darling then snared him themselves?

You think they framed the police investigation?

[Animal Enclosure]

WC have been in a rebuild mode since Judd left.

It definitely hasn't been a one year rejuvenation, they've been able to get early picks in 2007 (Masten #3- from Carl, Ebert #13), 2008 (Natanui #2, Shuey #18- Priority pick), 2009 (Sheppard #7), 2010 (Gaff #4, Darling #26).

So if we were to be in a similar situation to WC we would be looking at trading one of our guns for an early pick & a young developing key forward. We would then look at being in the bottom 5 for 2012 & 2013 before a resurgence in 2014 with aging guns in Goddard (29), Riewoldt (32) & Montagna (30).

[spert]

While Cox is in form, and they have strong marking key forwards, they will do pretty well

[SaintPav]

WC have been in a rebuild mode since Judd left.

It definitely hasn't been a one year rejuvenation, they've been able to get early picks in 2007 (Masten #3- from Carl, Ebert #13), 2008 (Natanui #2, Shuey #18- Priority pick), 2009 (Sheppard #7), 2010 (Gaff #4, Darling #26).

So if we were to be in a similar situation to WC we would be looking at trading one of our guns for an early pick & a young developing key forward. We would then look at being in the bottom 5 for 2012 & 2013 before a resurgence in 2014 with aging guns in Goddard (29), Riewoldt (32) & Montagna (30).

We are more likely to replicate the Swans model with a mixture of youth and trading for players which means being middle of the road and not bottoming out. I could be wrong though.

[Dr Spaceman]

WC have been in a rebuild mode since Judd left.

It definitely hasn't been a one year rejuvenation, they've been able to get early picks in 2007 (Masten #3- from Carl, Ebert #13), 2008 (Natanui #2, Shuey #18- Priority pick), 2009 (Sheppard #7), 2010 (Gaff #4, Darling #26).

So if we were to be in a similar situation to WC we would be looking at trading one of our guns for an early pick & a young developing key forward. We would then look at being in the bottom 5 for 2012 & 2013 before a resurgence in 2014 with aging guns in Goddard (29), Riewoldt (32) & Montagna (30).

Of course it makes it a lot easier for club and fans when the trading of a beloved champion is forced upon you (eg Judd)

[MCG-Unit]

Personally, I'd be waiting a little bit before I call em' contenders.

So far they have beaten: North, Port, Melbourne, Freo, Doggies

Lost to: Sydney, Hawthorn, Bummers

Those 3 losses were all by about 2 goals - I think you will find they were right in those matches

They are contenders IMO...

[widereceiver]

What a load of tosh.

Cox, Kerr and Embley were non-existent last year.
Natanui and Kennedy have another few ks on the clock.
Nicoski is playing for his career.
Darling is what we all hoped Kosi would be.

It has nothing, nothing, to do with tanking or bottoming out.

PS Shuey isn't a bad player either.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

What a load of tosh.

Cox, Kerr and Embley were non-existent last year.
Natanui and Kennedy have another few ks on the clock.
Nicoski is playing for his career.
Darling is what we all hoped Kosi would be.

It has nothing, nothing, to do with tanking or bottoming out.

PS Shuey isn't a bad player either.

Don't know that I'd say nothing to do with bottoming out... but I'd certainly back the above as being closer to reality than the OP.

The wooden spoon from 2010 can't be credited to 2011s rejuvination. Their first pick was Gaff, who is a great prospect, but their big score is Darling, who everyone in the league passed on and they drafted with their priority pick. Their other "high" draft pick is Lycett, who hasn't been selected yet? Brennan's a F/S, Stevenson and Strijk are promoted rookies.

One does have to give some credit to their build over a number of years though - Kennedy and Masten are via the Judd trade, Niknat's a high draft pick due to being a bad team. Ebert's due to being a bad team.

So West Coast does make an interesting - and relevant to the Saints - study in what it takes to retool a contender. As noted above, they've still got a lot of key football being played by guys who won a premiership with the Eagles in '06.

What's fascinating is that with so many key roles being filled by players available 12+ months ago... the football the Eagles are playing is nothing like their approach in 2006 that won the flag. That team was the prototype for the Geelong 07-10 with and aggressive handball-centric offense. The Eagles in 2011 are playing a forward press built around a number of talls...

[Sobraz]

They'll win a flag within 3 years...

They're back to the party hard/play hard club that gets them success...

Anyone seen Masten lately... His the new Chad Flecther, only with more talent and tatts...

They've got their arrogant mojo back, and with such a strong home ground advantage, they'll be up for a while...

With Swan potentially out this week, they are a real shot against the Pies...

[SainterK]

Implementing a zone requries effort, not always ability?

[dcstkfc]

Implementing a zone requries effort, not always ability?

Yeah form mine it's about them comibing some good talent, with an outstanding system.

St Kilda 2009 style

[SainterK]

Implementing a zone requries effort, not always ability?

Yeah form mine it's about them comibing some good talent, with an outstanding system.

St Kilda 2009 style

Exactly

[gringo]

The eagles are probably like us bottoming out after losing Riewoldt and BJ they are a very good team now and will be good for a few years to come. Cousins and Judd where about the best mids in the comp when they lost them and they missed a heap of games from Kerr as well.