Game Day Round 3, 2025: West Coast vs Fremantle - The Owen Derby

[Yeahnahmate]

1) Because he needs to do more than just win contested possessions

2)Again, we all complained when Simpson did this to accommodate players. Are we seriously advocating for this again on the back of one game?

3)That's what selection integrity actually is.

4)He was our 15th ranked player, based of fantasy points if you want to use that metric.

1) If he’s the best on ground for CP alone after how little we got first hands on the footy against the Suns, I disagree - that’s enough to keep him in anyway. His biggest ‘deficiency’ was Mini could have rotated him through more than the 65% he got

2) And if this is your argument then Mini is keeping Long in the side currently why?

3) Selection integrity is also very much about rewarding players that perform well

4) I don’t

Seeing as though you froff match reports so much - here’s an excerpt from Rd2 where Hall went a long way to fixing our ball winning woes in the middle:



Where are you going to pull the extra 14 hard balls from this week in the Derby? That’s not coming from Fridge. Who?

 

[Rowan18]

I'd go as far as suggesting a government mandate nation-wide of no one having to work when the temp cracks 35 degrees.

On a serious note, not hard to say March and April in WA and QLD games have to be twilight or later starts, but they're too concerned with providing blockbuster timeslots to awesomely performing teams such as Richmond, Carlton and Essendon to make that possible.

That would shut down the iron ore mining industry and end the Australian economy.

 

[stallon]

35 degrees is jumper weather tbf

 

[bzparkes]

1) If he’s the best on ground for CP alone after how little we got first hands on the footy against the Suns, I disagree - that’s enough to keep him in anyway. His biggest ‘deficiency’ was Mini could have rotated him through more than the 65% he got

See his WAFL game today. Great at clearances, offered not much outside that.

You need to be able to do more.

Also, he probably only got 65% game time because that's all he could manage in the heat.

2) And if this is your argument then Mini is keeping Long in the side currently why?

Because he's a HFF/small forward, not an inside midfielder.

If he has another quiet game, he probably gets replaced by either Petch or Champion.

3) Selection integrity is also very much about rewarding players that perform well

Yes, by playing them in the position they played well in, not shoving them off to a flank.

There's no space for him in his role and clearly doesn't do much outside of that currently, hence him going back to the WAFL.

4) I don’t

Seeing as though you froff match reports so much - here’s an excerpt from Rd2 where Hall went a long way to fixing our ball winning woes in the middle:

View attachment 2265598

I'm not frothing reports at all, I've given you 3 different sources, none of which had him in the best, let alone 5th best

Where are you going to pull the extra 14 hard balls from this week in the Derby? That’s not coming from Fridge. Who?

I dunno but I reckon whoever it is can probably manage more than 5 disposals in a half of football.

Also, they were contested possessions, not 'hard balls', totally different stat.

 

[BSD]

Gross playing brilliantly in the WAFL scratch match in the guts, who comes into the seniors midfield 1st, Gross, Hall or Yeo?

Give Gross and Hall a go. Yeo will be out for a while. I'd rather lose by playing young players than old ones.
How did shanahan go in the scratch match ?

 

[Yeahnahmate]

See his WAFL game today. Great at clearances, offered not much outside that.

You need to be able to do more.

You go? Because one poster who was there saying he didn’t do much on the spread doesn’t maketh a source of truth

Also, he probably only got 65% game time because that's all he could manage in the heat.

Pure inference

Because he's a HFF/small forward, not an inside midfielder.

If he has another quiet game, he probably gets replaced by either Petch or Champion.

So for Long it’s after three bad games, when we have an abundance of smalls - as opposed to after one decent game from Clay when we have no existing great options to get us first use? (Also can’t wait for Grossy though - something we can agree on btw!)

I dunno but I reckon whoever it is can probably manage more than 5 disposals in a half of football.

You’ve mentioned extra possessions and fantasy points a few times as sone of your lead indicators, and your reasoning is in line with that. As I said I was at the Suns game and no one could lay a paw on it in tight, thus we got burnt equally on the outside. Graham was definitely our best, but it was a real ‘tryer’ performance to be honest. Did very little to get us any first use. Ran hard and spreads to get uncontested ball for OK disposal at an average pace. Effort, sure. Impact on the result, hmm.

Mini prior to Rd2 stated ‘we need to get better at the contest, it starts there’. And he was right. Not one player got near it in the Suns game. Hall comes in as a young player in a developing side and has the strongest contested game of any of our players across the first two rounds - and Mini drops him.

We are not going to agree, but it doesn’t sit well. Both in could for sure have worked, despite your arguments about team balance.

Look, agree to disagree - but you’re also wrong!

 

[TY24]

Look, agree to disagree - but you’re also wrong!

 

[bzparkes]

You go? Because one poster who was there saying he didn’t do much on the spread doesn’t maketh a source of truth



Pure inference

It's now 2 posters with similar opinions, who were both at the game.

So for Long it’s after three bad games, when we have an abundance of smalls - as opposed to after one decent game from Clay when we have no existing great options to get us first use? (Also can’t wait for Grossy though - something we can agree on btw!)

But we still want to be playing players in roles they've trained for over summer.

In '18, Simmo said they specifically focused on just having set amounts of forwards, mids and backs, instead of plugging people into different roles they hadn't trained for. I don't know why we went away from that but our development in recent years has indicated that trying to fit players into the AFL side, by getting them playing unfamiliar roles, simply doesn't work.

Very keen to see Gross though, agreed.

You’ve mentioned extra possessions and fantasy points a few times as sone of your lead indicators, and your reasoning is in line with that. As I said I was at the Suns game and no one could lay a paw on it in tight, thus we got burnt equally on the outside. Graham was definitely our best, but it was a real ‘tryer’ performance to be honest. Did very little to get us any first use. Ran hard and spreads to get uncontested ball for OK disposal at an average pace. Effort, sure. Impact on the result, hmm.

What other 'indicators' do you want?

Coaches didn't vote him in the best, wasn't listed in the best in the match reports, was the 15th ranked player for best coast, based on points in the AFL match centre.

You were at the Suns game, well I was at the Brisbane game and aside from that handball over the top to Dewar, can't say I noticed Hall much. I haven't watched the replay, so it may be different for TV viewers.

Mini prior to Rd2 stated ‘we need to get better at the contest, it starts there’. And he was right. Not one player got near it in the Suns game. Hall comes in as a young player in a developing side and has the strongest contested game of any of our players across the first two rounds - and Mini drops him.

Yep, sure does start there. Hall, while having an OK game, wasn't the catalyst for our turnaround. Baker going into the middle and the coaches correcting the structure were.

We are not going to agree, but it doesn’t sit well. Both in could for sure have worked, despite your arguments about team balance.

Look, agree to disagree - but you’re also wrong!

Again, who do you drop to keep Hall in, remembering we played one tall forward short(which stuff our forward entries late, by the way).

 

[BG__]

Is anywhere taking bets for BOG tomorrow? I feel like the last few derby's no ones had a market and no idea why

 

[Deplorable trumpster]

Unfortunately for us given Freo's situation of being 0 and 2 after talking up their flag chances and Longmuir being out of contract i am expecting them to play near the ceiling of their capabilities.

I am just hoping we have a crack, can see more evidence of player development and that the scoreline is respectable by the end.

 

[Grahame]

1) If he’s the best on ground for CP alone after how little we got first hands on the footy against the Suns, I disagree - that’s enough to keep him in anyway. His biggest ‘deficiency’ was Mini could have rotated him through more than the 65% he got

2) And if this is your argument then Mini is keeping Long in the side currently why?

3) Selection integrity is also very much about rewarding players that perform well

4) I don’t

Seeing as though you froff match reports so much - here’s an excerpt from Rd2 where Hall went a long way to fixing our ball winning woes in the middle:

View attachment 2265598

Where are you going to pull the extra 14 hard balls from this week in the Derby? That’s not coming from Fridge. Who?

Hall had the least time on the ground - 65% - other than the subs.

WCE-phil suggested his conditioning isn’t yet sufficient for a full game.

Don’t sweat it - his time will come. We’re not even a month into the season.

 

[stallon]

Hall had the least time on the ground - 65% - other than the subs.

WCE-phil suggested his conditioning isn’t yet sufficient for a full game.

Don’t sweat it - his time will come. We’re not even a month into the season.

If hes doing low game time, and we have other young mids trying to work their way back in on lower midfield minutes too in Hewett and Reid, we cant really afford to have another tbh.

Hall and Gross will get chances 100%

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Jaegar O‘Meara is their form player.We need to be very wary of him.
Without Darcy and Young I think they are quite ordinary.
If anything beats us it will be fatigue.
Fantastic list brimming with young talent? A lot of “ nearly” footballers there!

 

[WCEswift]

If we had one of either yeo or waterman id be way more confident than i am right now

 

[wadistance]

Hall came out for Graham. So if you want Hall in the team, who is he replacing right now?

 

[fullbull]

Hall came out for Graham. So if you want Hall in the team, who is he replacing right now?

Dunno, but I think we can all start pondering whose spot young Tommy Gross is going to be taking in the very near future.

 

[bzparkes]

Dunno, but I think we can all start pondering whose spot young Tommy Gross is going to be taking in the very near future.

Kelly.

 

[fullbull]

Kelly.

Any more performances like Round 1 and I’m with you. Otherwise the small forward in the least form - like Long or Brockman - and Kelly can finally move to half forward where he should be playing.

 

[Astro7]

Get up, stand up, stand up for the fight!
Wake up, it's game day!
Go the chardonnay sipping, arrogant, birdflipping Eagles!

 

[steve hucka]

First game at Optus First game Watching Eagles in WA....... Please at least make it competitive boys !!!

Warming the birdie's up as we speak.......

 

[Dark Eagle 9]

I got a fiddy on Harley kicking 2 goals, 20 possessions & eagles win for a $1700 odd return. Prolly wont happen but it'd be a nice night lol.

 

[DanWCE]

Is anywhere taking bets for BOG tomorrow? I feel like the last few derby's no ones had a market and no idea why

Schoey is part of the voting so if Harley has a decent game he will be in the votes after his public backing this week.

 

[kerrazy]

Dunno about you guys but I've got my game day outfit ready.

 

[ziad]

Schoey is part of the voting so if Harley has a decent game he will be in the votes after his public backing this week.

So a great outcome would be Harley wins but the Eagles loose!

 

[Doashuey]

Unfortunately for us given Freo's situation of being 0 and 2 after talking up their flag chances and Longmuir being out of contract i am expecting them to play near the ceiling of their capabilities.

I am just hoping we have a crack, can see more evidence of player development and that the scoreline is respectable by the end.

I think Freo and their coach are soft in the head. They will only play at their cieling if we let them. I reckon we hit them hard from the outset and put some scoreboard pressure on early and they will go back into their vanilla shells and slow ball movement.
If it wasnt for the conditions we played in last week I would be very bullish on a win but I am much more circumspect now as I think we will struggle to run the game out. Need to build a good lead early to win this one but we are 8n with a shot.