John Worsfold

[Bluke]

I respect him as a player and a coach. You cannot take away from what the guy has achieved.

However;

I'm starting to doubt his coaching ability. I don’t like the game plan, playing on at all costs is not a plan that is conducive with young players. They turn it over too many times trying to handball out of trouble or kick backwards. Maybe I’m old fashioned but I’d like to see a more direct style of game play, making use of the talls we have up forward with a more defined forward structure.

There is no forward line structure IMO; the forwards are constantly getting caught up field and out of position. The Mids seem content bombing it in to 2 on 1 or 3 on 1 contests. Whether Worsfold is to blame or Sumich I’m not sure.  One area that’s really hurting us is a lack of forward pressure. We are really missing a couple of small defensive forwards ready to rove those packs and apply tackles to prevent the rebound. 

While West Coast had the highest disposal efficiency in the competition in round three - 78 per cent - Worsfold said it was the unforced nature of the side's turnovers and where they were happening that was hurting the Eagles, who fell to North Melbourne on Saturday by 25 points at Etihad Stadium.

I disagree with Worsfold’s assessment here; I feel it was our inability to take a mark inside the 50m arc that hurt us the most. We have gone inside 50 more times than our opponents every game this year. It’s the lack forward structure that is hurting us. Not a lack of talent but poor coaching.

This has been a problem for West Coast throughout Worsfold’s coaching tenure.

I don’t like the message that was sent by dropping Lynch. I really feel that some senior Eagles have been ostracised at the expense of the youth policy the club has adopted over the past 3 years. Lynch didn’t have a bad game against Brisbane, I feel he is a victim of the Eagles lack of forward structure and the delivery he receives from the mids. By dropping Lynch and not someone like Swift, who has had 3 shocking games West Coast might be fostering an ‘untouchable’ mentality among the young crop of Eagles midfielders. They need to held just as accountable as the older players IMO.

The singling out of senior players is a consistent theme that has continued this week;

Adam Selwood and Daniel Kerr are two senior Eagles with a kicking efficiency of roughly 50 per cent this season, and Worsfold said they needed to improve.

Selwood didn’t have the best game against North but has been instrumental in the two rounds before that. Kerr cops the #1 tag week in week out. I don’t think he will ever play as well as he did in the Judd Cousins era and Worsfold needs to accept that.

I would like to Worsfold shoulder some of the blame for not tagging Boomer from the get go. He was as much at fault in the North game as any West Coast player IMO.

One last thing, who else thinks players like Stenglein and Wirrapanda were sent packing before their used by date?

Rant over.

What are everyone else’s thoughts? Am I barking up the wrong tree? 

[peanutt]

I totally agree about worsfold, was thinking it last year but this year starting
to question how good a coach he is along with sumich.
Possibly only did so good in the past with the quality players he had.
Yep defiently the forward line is a problem like u said we had more than enough
inside 50s but lack either the setup or the players spotting a target and or hitting
the target.
I couldnt understand against Port why we just bombed it and bombed it forward they had
like 3 free men in our forward line then when they went forward it was open.
As for lynch being from WP hes a favorite of mine and something doesnt seem right with
him being dropped. Ive heard the rumour that he has either spoke to Gold coast or has
even signed with them. Hence....hell never play again for WC. However im not sure if hes
out of contract this year or not? Anyone know?
Wirra i think the body had enough...Stenglein i thought we should have kept as a tagger
...I think we lack one of those guys that just goes out there to tag eg baker etc etc...
which could be seen last week with NM and Brent Harvey.
Adam Selwood used to be a scraggy tagger type but he seems to have stopped that kind of play
and plays like an in and under mid fielder. I mean Worsfold had him SEMI tagging harvey,
and look what happened there.
But yeh i agree with you in whole maybe worsfold aint that good...if the year goes on like this
maybe well talking about our new coach :)

[eaglesman]

I have to be honest here; I have NEVER liked Worsfold as a Coach. He is too stubborn in the sense that he commits to his poor decisions and lets them escalate into a bigger issue. For example, Boomer Harvey on the weekend just let fly early in the game and never applies a tag??? I mean come on, are you serious???? A semi-tag allows a down on form player to get his hands on the ball with cheap possessions and plays them into form. That was a terrible decision. McGinnity is our tagger but surely we have one player that we could of just said, "do not worry about gettin the ball just do not let this bloke out of your sight". I do not think its terribly difficult for christ sake let alone at least limiting boomer to under 30 disposals. Even our premiership year I feel we were outcoached in a majority of games and it was purely our talent that got us over the line Cox, Judd, Cuz, a free to roam Kerr, A less obvious seagull Embley. Paul Roos thoroughly outcoached Worsfold in every game they played against one another in my opinion.
When ever the coaches box is showed on tv i do not think I have ever seen worsfold at work, on the phone or simply doing something. He looks like a statue observing the game without actually doing anything. He is not willing to change his gameplan(which I can not for the life of me work out anyways) but seems set in his ways or is too slow on adjusting it.

I thoroughly look forward to his exodus from the club but I would be deeply concerned if Sumich was to take over. I predict it will happen eventually because they are that far from being a top 8 contender its ridiculous. I predicted a few years ago now that we would not make the finals for at least 5 yrs and I still do not see this changing. Would rather Scotty Burns as Coach.


I also think our rookies are hopeless. In all honesty our recruiters need to have a look at themselves.

Masten and Swift are similar players both of which have lil or no ability of earning the hard ball and both of which have terrible disposal efficiency.
I think Scott Selwood(who is f.u.c.k.i.n.g useless also), MacKenzie, Spangher are amongest some of the dumbest footballers I have seen play.
Ebert can get the ball but like the others has terrible disposal.
With the exception of Nic Nat I do not actually see any youngsters worth gettin excited about.

Kerr needs a change in his game, I would play him in the fwd pocket because he clearly does not no how to get the ball himself anymore.

Grr I not happy with the eagles atm

[Digglers27]

I've never rated Woosha as far as match day tactics go.  I'm sure he's got some great qualities as a coach but I reckon I could do a better job than him some times after coaching primary school footy for 4 years.

He's too stubborn and won't make changes til it's too late.  Perfect example was when he left Hunter on Rocca after kicking 3 quick goals in the semis in '07 instead of Glass.   Obviously another example is Harvey on th weekend.  Any other coach would have instructed his players to target Harvey and rough him up to put him off his game, especially considering he had a pathetic 5 touches the week before.

Final point:  Anyone who plays Hansed over Lynch or even McKinnley should be coaching West Coast Fever not Eagles.

[nas]

Re Lynch there is a lot of speculation / rumors that he has signed all ready with the GCFC.

Can any light be shed on that or is it just plain old Porky Pies?

[Cruiseon]

3 losses and you guys turn.  I'd sit back and prepare for a long season (or two) if I were you and be thankful of days gone by.

Keep the faith though, its the difference between an average club a good club!

[Bluke]

Not turning, just sharing lingering concerns from years gone by. The point is, with the list we have we should be looking forward to brighter days.

[wingman]

What made the eagles a good club in prior years was that when a midfielder got a heavy tag, we had other midfielders who would be free. They also then had someone to go to up forward.

Now, neither of those is true. It'd be really nice if Rosa / Priddis / Selwood became worthwhile tags to give Kerr some space.  Dropping (?) Lynch was a bad idea.

I don't know if it's a coaching thing or not, but all too often while watching the game they kick the ball to hard-contests, or handball it to someone who's already held-up. These are 101 skills, no?

Our saving grace IMO is Nic Nat. He demonstrated in the Bombers game he's capable of taking responsibility of either getting the clearance or running the ball forward from the centre. Or doing good tackles otherwise. He's played but a handful of games and I already rate him one of the best rucks in the league.

[valkorum]

I am gonna wade in on the Hansen v Lynch debate

I actually think Woosha has made the right decision there.  Lynch has 1 asset and that is his booming kick.   I dont think he has a football brain and playing him out of the square wont really utilise his strength (booming kick).  When he was pinch hitting in the ruck last season it was a great benefit to have his big kick in to the forward 50.

If he doesnt mark the ball then he is useless when it comes to the ground and being perfectly honest you only have 1 excellent crumbing forward (LeCras)

Both of them arent strong in contested marks, both lead up the same, both can kick goals from 50.  At least Hansen has a football brain and can still be in the play once the ball hits the ground.  I think that is why he is in the team over Lynch

I dont think the Eagles have had a big strong presence in the forward line since Cummings and previous to that Sumich.