Eagles Preseason 2015

[RaisyDaisy]

Looks like Scooter and Newman are fine after both played last night in the WAFL

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-03-14/selwoods-surprise-return

Waterman and Duggan played too

[RaisyDaisy]

Simpson says if everything goes well Darling should be back between rd1-6

Cavka has a foot injury and will be out for 8-9 weeks :(

NicNat will play this week and then rd1 (Wont play in between)

[The_Captain]

Simpson says if everything goes well Darling should be back between rd1-6

Cavka has a foot injury and will be out for 8-9 weeks :(

NicNat will play this week and then rd1 (Wont play in between)

1-6 wow... Not much of an timeline for return Simpson ha.. Maybe say round 3/4 or something. 6 weeks if a fair amount. Makes it more suspicious that hes not traveling well..

[LF]

Simpson says if everything goes well Darling should be back between rd1-6

Cavka has a foot injury and will be out for 8-9 weeks :(

NicNat will play this week and then rd1 (Wont play in between)

Damn Cavka was having a ripper preseason as well
Scooter will play this weekend as well.

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-03-17/naitanui-returns

NIC NAITANUI will finally play his first game of 2015 against Fremantle on Sunday, and West Coast coach Adam Simpson said it will be the only match he plays ahead of round one.

The star ruckman has had a strong pre-season but hasn't featured in any of the Eagles' pre-season matches against the Indigenous All Stars, Carlton and Port Adelaide due to back-related tightness.

West Coast has the option to play some players in the WAFL on March 28 ahead of the round one clash with the Western Bulldogs on April 4, but Simpson said Sunday's NAB Challenge match will be Naitanui's only hit-out of the pre-season.

"You'll see him play (this week), definitely," Simpson said at the Eagles' season launch at Crown Perth on Tuesday morning

"I would've thought 70-80 minutes would be around about the time we're looking for. We'll manage that in a way that's different than we would in round one.

"He's probably a game off being absolutely cherry ripe. But we think a good hit-out this week, see how he pulls up, and get him for round one."

Scott Selwood will also return to the Eagles' side this week after playing 58 minutes for East Perth last Friday night.

"He pulled up well," Simpson said.

"The progression for him now is 80-90 minutes this week. We'll look at whether he needs to play WAFL again before round one."

The Eagles received some positive news about Jack Darling this week with the dynamic forward set to return to the training track after increasing his running loads but there is still no definitive date placed on his playing return.

"He's training now," Simpson said.

"He's just about to get into using the footy and training with the main group.

"When he gets his fitness up, and (if) progresses back to full strength, I'd say between rounds one and six if everything goes well."

The Eagles have suffered another foot stress injury with draftee Damien Cavka set to miss eight or nine weeks.

Cavka was in a moon boot at the season launch and Simpson said the club would be very cautious with the 18-year-old midfielder.

"We'll manage him in the right way," Simpson said.

"It's not about getting him back as soon as we possibly can, it's about getting 10 years out of him.

"He's probably a week or so in the boot, and then he'll start to transition back. So he might be an eight- or nine-week process."

The Eagles will train on Domain Stadium on Tuesday ahead of the clash with Fremantle on Sunday.

Simpson thought the surface was safe following the damage caused by the One Direction concert on February 20 but he wasn't certain about how it looks.

[LF]

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-03-23/scoot-feeels-great-to-be-back

Scott Selwood is feeling good about his body and is already looking forward to round one against the Bulldogs after making a successful return to the Eagles side yesterday.

Selwood pulled on an Eagles jumper for the first time in season 2015 after fighting his way back from ankle surgery late last year.

Selwood, who gathered 25 disposals, says it was good to get back out there.

“It was good to run out there with the boys again,” he said.

“It was a lot of fun, even though we lost, its NAB Challenge still though so no points on the board.

“I thought our intensity was really good, and it was mainly from the young guys which was great to see.

“If we can keep that intensity up for four quarters I think we’re going to go places.”

Selwood was particularly impressed with the continued development of Eagles youngsters Tom Lamb and Dom Sheed, who again showed signs they’ll be players of the future.

“Tommy Lamb just keeps presenting and he’s filling the void of Jack (Darling) at the moment,” he said.

“Hopefully we get Jack back in soon enough time, but he’s doing a great job in there.

“He’s a bit of a spark and you love watching his big dreadlocks running around.

“Dom Sheed’s had a terrific summer, he’s worked really hard.

“He’s reaping the benefits now and I think we’re going to have an elite player in him hopefully.”

He did look very good yesterday considering his limited preseason.

[LF]

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-03-23/no-risks-as-eagles-eye-round-one

WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson is hopeful Mitch Brown and Will Schofield will be fit for round one as the Eagles desperately strive for a defensive structure that can cover the loss of reigning best and fairest Eric Mackenzie.

Brown (hamstring tightness) and Schofield (foot) both missed the Eagles' 19-point loss to Fremantle in the last NAB Challenge match at Domain Stadium on Sunday.


MATCH REPORT: Full wrap of Sunday's clash with Freo

Jeremy McGovern and Elliot Yeo were forced to play as key defenders as the Dockers scored 31 times from 45 inside 50 entries.

Simpson is hopeful Brown and Schofield will be available to face the Western Bulldogs on Saturday, April 4.

"Those two guys we're hoping are available for round one, we really are," Simpson said.

"Both could've potentially got up this week but we just can't risk it.

"So we may have to play them in the WAFL. We'll see how we go."

The Eagles' affiliate WAFL club East Perth has a fixture next Saturday for the pair to play in if necessary.

Simpson also has to find some solutions in the forward half with key forward Jack Darling still recovering from his foot stress fracture.

The Eagles are hopeful Darling could play by round five or six but they need to find some options in the meantime.

Young draftee Tom Lamb has played in all four of the Eagles' pre-season matches. The 193cm Victorian was selected with pick No.32 in last year's NAB AFL draft from Dandenong.

He gathered 13 touches, took four marks and kicked 1.1 against Fremantle. Simpson said he could potentially play round one.

"He seems to have adapted pretty well to the intensity," Simpson said. 

"He's still going to make some errors but we've got to have a bit of patience.

"We also don't want to rush him straight in. There's another level to go to for round one.

"But we'll review the game and see how he worked off the ball."

[LF]

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/2015-03-26/sharrod-exceptional-simpson

SHARROD Wellingham has done everything right this pre-season and now the only thing left for him is to deliver, according to the West Coast coach and captain.

Much was expected of Wellingham when he arrived at West Coast from Collingwood at the end of 2012, as 24-year-old premiership players with a clean bill of health are rare commodities.

To snare Wellingham, West Coast paid pick No.18 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft, which Collingwood used to draft Brodie Grundy.

But Wellingham's first two seasons at the Eagles have been underwhelming.

Two serious ankle injuries, one self-inflicted on a trampoline, ruined his first season at West Coast.

His second, the first under new coach Adam Simpson, was plagued by poor form that saw him spend time in the WAFL.

Simpson said getting the best out of Wellingham has been his ambition since he became Eagles coach.

Now, after the midfielder had completed a full pre-season, Simpson said Wellingham was edging closer to fulfilling that ambition.

"Sharrod's pre-season has been exceptional," Simpson told AFL.com.au.

"We've been really pleased with his attitude and approach to everything he's done at the ground, at training, (and) away from the club.

"He's in a good space. He's got buy-in from his teammates."

Eagles captain Shannon Hurn echoed his coach's sentiments.

"He's matured more as a player and he understands what he has to do off the field but also on the field to become a better player," Hurn said.

"So I think he's been able to do that. And now it's just about putting the results on the footy field."

Wellingham is in the final season of a three-year deal and his outside run is much-needed.

The Eagles have a Brownlow medallist dominating contested and clearance situations but they need to compliment Matt Priddis' tireless work with outside polish and goals from their other midfielders.

Hurn said Wellingham was one of the men who can do that.

"He is important," Hurn said.

"The way he played at Collingwood was excellent. He plays very well in the midfield and he can go forward and kick goals.

"That's what everyone wants these days and I think that's his strength, so if he can bring that to us he'll be a handy player."

But Simpson also requires him to work harder defensively. The coach said he had seen significant improvement from Wellingham in that area during the pre-season.

"Now it's about producing the goods game day," Simpson said.

"He's given himself every opportunity."