The Embley Train?

[Slap]

Eagles wont finish below 13th

They're better than Richmond, Melbourne, Port, North, Brisbane and Gold Coast

Im an Eagles supporter and I don't entirely agree with this.  I think that bunch of teams will walk into games with odds saying they are close to a 50% chance of winning.

[LaHug]

Eagles wont finish below 13th

They're better than Richmond, Melbourne, Port, North, Brisbane and Gold Coast

Eagles had a great start, but I wouldn't put them above Melbourne, North or Richmond.

[browny_wce]

Eagles will win games against bottom 8 teams at home but not in melbourne

I think Embley has the potential to be a great unique, with Kerr back and Shuey and Priddis racking up stats the best 2 taggers will go to those likes

If Embley can play free as he did off the wing against Port on the weekend he can really rack it up, plus he kicks goals as a offensive wingman. He also sometimes plays a loose man across halfback in the dying stages of games and gets even more ball

Could be a very good option as a unique, I know it went thru my head when watching the replay on fox today

[yorgis]

i'm a port supporter and i must say that it was very tempting to swap hayes for embley. but, i kept my cool and decided against it. fair enough he played exceptionally well against the roos and he did'nt have an opponent at aami. if he produces those scores against sydney and hawks, i'll pick him up no matter how much he costs, but very much doubt it

[Bluke]

Eagles wont finish below 13th

They're better than Richmond, Melbourne, Port, North, Brisbane and Gold Coast

Im an Eagles supporter and I don't entirely agree with this.  I think that bunch of teams will walk into games with odds saying they are close to a 50% chance of winning.

I'm not refering to odds, or chances of winning. I'm saying the Eagles are a better team than the above mentioned.

I think a full strength Eagles at a neutral venue would beat those same teams 7 out of ten times. The injuries we have had to key players over the last few years has had an effect. With the return to form, and from injury of Embley (norm smith), Cox (4 time AA), Kerr (2 AA Runner up BL) and Glass (2 AA) that takes pressure of the young kids that have had a baptism of fire over the last 2 years. That baptism has exposed those kids to situations they wouldn't normally be playing in the WAFL. The Suns kids will go through a similar (more severe) baptism this year, but you cant tell me that three years on, they wont be better players.

Guys like Selwood, Selwood, Ebert, Kennedy, Lecras, Hurn, Brown, McKenzie, Waters, Sheppard, Shuey, Masten, Naitanui (all of whom are relatively high picks) have now played quite a lot of football together. Furthermore, many of those kids are coming up to the 40 - 50 game mark and as a result I think we will see a lot more improvement in the side as whole.

If we had kicked straight on the weekend we would have put Port away by 10 goals (thats a conservative estimate, we had 20 behinds). Remember that Port finished 10th last year, and they havn't had an exodus of players like Brisbane have had, yes they have some injuries but they arnt a bad side, they certainly arnt . 

Im not saying we didnt stink it up last year - we did big time. But I think the team is a lot better than they (and we) give them credit for. I've got faith in the boys to get the job done this year. I've thrown my hat in the ring, I think we will return with 8 wins this season, finish 13th - 11th and Worsfold will keep his job (for better or worse).

[ShaynoB]

Eagles wont finish below 13th

They're better than Richmond, Melbourne, Port, North, Brisbane and Gold Coast

Im an Eagles supporter and I don't entirely agree with this.  I think that bunch of teams will walk into games with odds saying they are close to a 50% chance of winning.

I'm not refering to odds, or chances of winning. I'm saying the Eagles are a better team than the above mentioned.

I think a full strength Eagles at a neutral venue would beat those same teams 7 out of ten times. The injuries we have had to key players over the last few years has had an effect. With the return to form, and from injury of Embley (norm smith), Cox (4 time AA), Kerr (2 AA Runner up BL) and Glass (2 AA) that takes pressure of the young kids that have had a baptism of fire over the last 2 years. That baptism has exposed those kids to situations they wouldn't normally be playing in the WAFL. The Suns kids will go through a similar (more severe) baptism this year, but you cant tell me that three years on, they wont be better players.

Guys like Selwood, Selwood, Ebert, Kennedy, Lecras, Hurn, Brown, McKenzie, Waters, Sheppard, Shuey, Masten, Naitanui (all of whom are relatively high picks) have now played quite a lot of football together. Furthermore, many of those kids are coming up to the 40 - 50 game mark and as a result I think we will see a lot more improvement in the side as whole.

If we had kicked straight on the weekend we would have put Port away by 10 goals (thats a conservative estimate, we had 20 behinds). Remember that Port finished 10th last year, and they havn't had an exodus of players like Brisbane have had, yes they have some injuries but they arnt a bad side, they certainly arnt . 

Im not saying we didnt stink it up last year - we did big time. But I think the team is a lot better than they (and we) give them credit for. I've got faith in the boys to get the job done this year. I've thrown my hat in the ring, I think we will return with 8 wins this season, finish 13th - 11th and Worsfold will keep his job (for better or worse).

Bluke im a Cats man but i couldnt agree with you anymore. Very well said!!

[Bluke]

Cheers ShaynoB

Here is a (very) conservative estimate of how the Eagles season might go. Winning only against the teams I mentioned, and mostly at home.

Sydney - Home - Loss
Hawthorn - Away - Loss
Melb - Home - Win
Ess - Away - Loss
Freo - Home - Loss
WB - Home - Loss
Coll - Away - Loss
GC - Home - Win
Adel - Away - Loss
Port - Home - Win
Carl - Away - Loss
Geel - Home - Loss
Saints - Away - Loss
Freo - Home - Loss
WB - Away - Loss
Rich - Home - Win
Melb - Away - Win
Ess - Home - Loss
Bris - Away - Win
Adel - Home - Win

This very rudimentary analysis shows games the Eagles 'should' win. Given we have already won 2 games, that amounts to a total of 9 wins. Note that the Eagles have not beaten Essendon, WB, Freo, Geel or Sydney at home in this break down, however it is possible they could upset at least one of these teams, Freo, Sydney (and possibly essendon) being the most likely. Especially the first freo game given their injury concerns and shaky start to the season.

In this break down they have won away to Melb and Brisbane only, although an away win against Adelaide isnt an impossibility.

The key though, are the two wins already in the teams pocket. Starting the season 2 - 0 is just the confidence this team needs to start fulfilling its potential. I challange anyone to realistically dispute this breakdown given our 2 - 0 start. I do not see the Eagles winning less than 7 games this season.

[browny_wce]

I recon the form of 3 key players (not including 2 of our top players Waters n LeCras-out injured) will determine how our seaon goes
They are Dean Cox, Luke Shuey and Josh Kennedy.
With x-factor performances from Kerr, Naitinui and Jack Darling and then a late season surge with the re-addition of Lecca n Waters I'll think we'll do ok.
The wins at home are a main concern

On a side note, if Beau Waters isn't captain next year I'll throw away my membership, dam he does the hard stuff. That 2 tackles then diving smoother then gather n beautifully placed chip kick infront of Embley who ran on to kick the goal which pretty much won the game (shades of Daniel Chick in the 06 grand final)
And then Darren Glass earlier in the game throws a terrible handball to an under pressure Brown who has to get a quick kick away which results in a Robbie Gray goal. Leadership is all about 1%ers n Beau is the king!

[Bluke]

The chemistry Shuey and Scotty Selwood have around stoppages is undeniable.

Yep, I agree those three are key. But without improvement from the fringe players as well, they will become easy prey to taggers and double teaming etc.

[Holz]

Eagles wont finish below 13th

They're better than Richmond, Melbourne, Port, North, Brisbane and Gold Coast

Im an Eagles supporter and I don't entirely agree with this.  I think that bunch of teams will walk into games with odds saying they are close to a 50% chance of winning.

I'm not refering to odds, or chances of winning. I'm saying the Eagles are a better team than the above mentioned.

I think a full strength Eagles at a neutral venue would beat those same teams 7 out of ten times. The injuries we have had to key players over the last few years has had an effect. With the return to form, and from injury of Embley (norm smith), Cox (4 time AA), Kerr (2 AA Runner up BL) and Glass (2 AA) that takes pressure of the young kids that have had a baptism of fire over the last 2 years. That baptism has exposed those kids to situations they wouldn't normally be playing in the WAFL. The Suns kids will go through a similar (more severe) baptism this year, but you cant tell me that three years on, they wont be better players.

Guys like Selwood, Selwood, Ebert, Kennedy, Lecras, Hurn, Brown, McKenzie, Waters, Sheppard, Shuey, Masten, Naitanui (all of whom are relatively high picks) have now played quite a lot of football together. Furthermore, many of those kids are coming up to the 40 - 50 game mark and as a result I think we will see a lot more improvement in the side as whole.

If we had kicked straight on the weekend we would have put Port away by 10 goals (thats a conservative estimate, we had 20 behinds). Remember that Port finished 10th last year, and they havn't had an exodus of players like Brisbane have had, yes they have some injuries but they arnt a bad side, they certainly arnt . 

Im not saying we didnt stink it up last year - we did big time. But I think the team is a lot better than they (and we) give them credit for. I've got faith in the boys to get the job done this year. I've thrown my hat in the ring, I think we will return with 8 wins this season, finish 13th - 11th and Worsfold will keep his job (for better or worse).

i happen to completely disagree the eagles injury list is pretty good at the moment, and they barely were able to beat the roos with probably the most injury depleted side out there at home. If round 2 roos had played round 1 eagles the eagles would be sitting on 1 win 1 loss. i rate port and GC as the 2 sides  under the eagles. I would loved to be proved wrong as i like the eagles but to me they are still below teams like the roos, melbourne and richmiond.

[Bluke]

I love a good debate.

Rd. 1 Eagles were missing Kerr, Butler, Naitanui and McGinnity (who would have done the job on Thomas, as he did on Pearce).

versus

Petrie, MacIntosh, Greenwood, Goldstein and Grima

Four vs five although three of yours were rucks, so obvious disadvantage there. Weigh that up against eagles losing Masten and Lecca and I'd say we have a disadvantage in the sun by having -33% bench rotations on a big ground, as well as the obvious tallent North has in the midfield. Plus you north boys were supposed to play better in the heat wernt you (If you ask me Scott needs to pull his head in a bit, the mind games hes trying to play are just making himself look foolish)?

Melbourne I would have rated above the Eagles had they not dropped McDonald, Miller and Bruce. The Eagles dropped Wirra, Stenglein, Fletcher and lost Staker after 2009 and then finished spooners. The loss of those three big experienced bodies will hurt Melbourne, it showed on the weekend. They wont improve their 'ladder' position much this year, although next year they will see substantial improvement.

Richmond got belted around the ground against the blues and played beyond themselves against the saints (who dont know their gameplan and looked well off their best). Thats why that draw must have hurt so bad for them, yes its a sign of things to come, but their two extra wins last season dont place them above WCE in the developmental pecking order IMO. Their senior players arn't half as good as the Eagles' and neither are their youngsters except for Martin and Cotchin.

Where does Brisbane fit for you Holzman?

[Bluke]

I will conceed that the Eagles wouldn't beat the Roos at home 7 times out of 10.

[Holz]

I love a good debate.

Rd. 1 Eagles were missing Kerr, Butler, Naitanui and McGinnity (who would have done the job on Thomas, as he did on Pearce).

versus

Petrie, MacIntosh, Greenwood, Goldstein and Grima

Four vs five although three of yours were rucks, so obvious disadvantage there. Weigh that up against eagles losing Masten and Lecca and I'd say we have a disadvantage in the sun by having -33% bench rotations on a big ground, as well as the obvious tallent North has in the midfield. Plus you north boys were supposed to play better in the heat wernt you (If you ask me Scott needs to pull his head in a bit, the mind games hes trying to play are just making himself look foolish)?

Melbourne I would have rated above the Eagles had they not dropped McDonald, Miller and Bruce. The Eagles dropped Wirra, Stenglein, Fletcher and lost Staker after 2009 and then finished spooners. The loss of those three big experienced bodies will hurt Melbourne, it showed on the weekend. They wont improve their 'ladder' position much this year, although next year they will see substantial improvement.

Richmond got belted around the ground against the blues and played beyond themselves against the saints (who dont know their gameplan and looked well off their best). Thats why that draw must have hurt so bad for them, yes its a sign of things to come, but their two extra wins last season dont place them above WCE in the developmental pecking order IMO. Their senior players arn't half as good as the Eagles' and neither are their youngsters except for Martin and Cotchin.

Where does Brisbane fit for you Holzman?

on the people who were outs a concede kerr is a big out buth the other 3 arent really great players. Goldy is a beter back up ruck than nic nat at this stage. Hmac is very important to the team, Petrie is now our key forward (assuming we have hmac and goldy). grima is probably the teams best backman or close to it and i would argue than bastinac and greenwood are more important than butler and mcginnity.

sorry forgot about brisbane (because they are so bad). i see them below the eagles for me if i had to pick the bottom 4 i would go   eagles, port, Brisbane, GC

[Bluke]

Goldy may find more of the ball, but Nic Nat has more influence on the outcome of games. Some of the stuff he does is incredible. The tap he made to Shuey in the last qtr arguably won us the game.

Butler is in our best 22 without a doubt he is a premiership player and if hadn't had a hamstring strain he would've been playing all year. His decision making and skills are top notch, hes just injured all the bloody time. He reinvented himself as a rebounding defender last year and will slide into the spot Waters has vacated nicely.

McGinnity will take up the mantle of no1 tagger at the eagles this year with S. Selwood becoming more of a ball winner. McGinnity did the job on Pearce and he plays well on small defenders, there no doubt in my mind he would have limited the output of Thomas more than Schofield did. 

There is no way in hell Richmond are above the Eagles, thats just crazy talk.

[Slap]

I also worry about the hacks that consistently turn the ball over in WCE such as Scofield, Jones, Swift, Nicoski etc.. 
I like the eagles, but if i was coach and had the opportunity to have a completely new team comprised of random players from every AFL team (a sort of lottery), I'd almost go the lottery.