Changes for Rd. 5 vs West Coast Eagles

[aardvark]

Every time we pick Clarke I feel like we're scraping the bottom of the barrel.

[Markwebbos]

Every time we pick Clarke I feel like we're scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Or that someone else with more upside should be playing

[aguy]

Clarke will tag gaff. I think that’s a pretty smart selection myself. Let’s hewett be the midfielder we know he can be.

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I also hope that they use Aliir as the main ruck and leave Maclean mostly forward.

[Swanny40519]

Not impressed with the team selection.

Both Gray and Clarke have been tried before - Gray dropped due to bad performance, played in a scratch match and straight back in the side. Last year Clarke was in and out of the team and found it difficult to consolidate a position.

Where are the young guys we drafted last year and the years before - Stoddard, Gould, Stephens, Warner, Ling, Bell. I would have thought the way we are going, some of those guys would be given a chance.

I think Horse is too afraid to take a chance on the younger guys, but unless we give them a try we will never know.

This year is looking very bleak.

[Blood Fever]

Ok so AA goes to the ruck and is replaced by the Pelican. Gray for Taylor. O’Riordan for Fox... is Clarke able to play a lockdown role as a defender rather than a tagger or will we see Mills lining up in the backline yet again?

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Could Thurlow be the messiah to free up Mills?

The messiah would have performed his miracle by now. Thurlow is a false prophet.

[The Big Cat]

Not impressed with the team selection.

Both Gray and Clarke have been tried before - Gray dropped due to bad performance, played in a scratch match and straight back in the side. Last year Clarke was in and out of the team and found it difficult to consolidate a position.

Where are the young guys we drafted last year and the years before - Stoddard, Gould, Stephens, Warner, Ling, Bell. I would have thought the way we are going, some of those guys would be given a chance.

I think Horse is too afraid to take a chance on the younger guys, but unless we give them a try we will never know.

This year is looking very bleak.

Horse has said people won’t be gifted games. Obviously the blokes you quote are not tearing it up on the track.

[waswan]

Not impressed with the team selection.

Both Gray and Clarke have been tried before - Gray dropped due to bad performance, played in a scratch match and straight back in the side. Last year Clarke was in and out of the team and found it difficult to consolidate a position.

Where are the young guys we drafted last year and the years before - Stoddard, Gould, Stephens, Warner, Ling, Bell. I would have thought the way we are going, some of those guys would be given a chance.

I think Horse is too afraid to take a chance on the younger guys, but unless we give them a try we will never know.

This year is looking very bleak.

5yr apprenticeship at Sydney, Mills in his last year, Zak Jones funished and left.

Got to play kids, Ling should be in Stephens should be in

Western Bulldogs young blokes seem to be able to handle it

[111431]

Ling didn't play in the scratch match last week i think i read somewhere on here. he will be lucky to survive year end

[Ralph Dawg]

Looks like the draft class of 2017 hasn't yielded too much. We took Ling, McCartin and Stoddart in the main draft, followed by Angus Styles, Amartey, Jake Brown, James Bell and Alex Johnson.

[Markwebbos]

Looks like the draft class of 2017 hasn't yielded too much. We took Ling, McCartin and Stoddart in the main draft, followed by Angus Styles, Amartey, Jake Brown, James Bell and Alex Johnson.

I think right now 2017 is being judged as a weak draft. Not many stars have shone yet

[ernie koala]

Ling didn't play in the scratch match last week i think i read somewhere on here. he will be lucky to survive year end

Add him to the list....

Willoughby
Johnston
Vespremi
D O'Keefe
Lamb
Towers
Ling

History shows, our recruiters have a very ordinary strike rate with mid to late 1st round draft picks.

[Hereitis]

Looks like the draft class of 2017 hasn't yielded too much. We took Ling, McCartin and Stoddart in the main draft, followed by Angus Styles, Amartey, Jake Brown, James Bell and Alex Johnson.

Yes, we had picks 14, 33 and 51 in a weak draft, taking a punt on a fast half back with a beautiful kick, but also an injury. Ling is 21 and McCartin 20, so not giving up on them yet. Anything after 40 is a massive bonus.


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[Markwebbos]

Eagles' season on the line against Swans: Simpson

West Coast coach Adam Simpson says his club can't afford to lose against Sydney

Eagles' season on the line against Swans: Simpson

"That's a challenge for us this week, Sydney are a really good, tight-knit side that rely on the contest and they use the ball well. It's going to be a massive challenge for us this week to get up."

[bloodspirit]

I saw a few Swans standing in Bronte pool yesterday, presumably for the benefits the cool water has for their muscles. Hayden McLean was wearing a puffy down jacket but only knee deep in the water. Reminded me of the time I saw Aliir there for an "icy" recovery swim and he lasted less than 60 seconds even though the water was about 18 degrees. Anyway I said g'day and wished them well for the game. I asked Lewis Melican why he hadn't been playing and he said he had been out of form. I asked him whether he felt daunted to be picked while he was out of form which got a laugh from the others (not my intention) and he clarified that he had had some recent good form since his earlier poorer form. So hopefully that bodes well.

[bloodspirit]

I think Horse is too afraid to take a chance on the younger guys, but unless we give them a try we will never know.

I used to think that too but Horse proved me wrong. To provide a few examples: he played AJ from Round 3 in his first year (2011) and kept him in the team all year. He played Papley from first game, first season when he had been drafted as a rookie. Florent and Hayward played rounds 1 and 2 after being drafted respectively. He played McCartin as a KPP while he was an 18 year old. He blooded Hayden McLean to all our surprise last year. Even Stoddart got his debut in his first year. Conversely, other players have been made to serve time in the ressies before getting a run (Dawson, Hewett, T.Mitchell). I'm not sure exactly how Horse (and the match committee) decide, but I'd say it's a combination of when they think the player is ready and have earned a go, and the needs of the team. That is the message you typically get out of the players when you see them interviewed.