Murray MiddletonNo Judd, No Cousins, No Eagles?
March 16th 2008 12:07
When the West Coast Eagles released the results of an internal investigation last month, they listed thirty-seven misdemeanours involving players over the past five seasons. Some of the players, such as Ben Cousins, Michael Gardiner, Daniel Chick and Aaron Edwards, have moved on. Yet others remain at the club. The Eagles have appointed star full-back Darren Glass as captain for 2008. He will be supported by the best ruckman in the game, Dean Cox, who was appointed vice captain. In terms of the public's perception of the club, it was a move in the right direction.
At the end of last season the Eagles were forced to trade Chris Judd to Carlton and later sacked Ben Cousins. Out of their star midfield trio, only Daniel Kerr remains. In many respects Kerr represents the fabric of the Eagles. He is a player who has struggled to cope with the off-field requirements of a modern AFL footballer. Kerr has faced assault charges and, more seriously, has been investigated by police for drug trafficking. Yet in spite of his irresponsible behaviour, Kerr has flourished on the field. He shot to fame in 2005 when he finished runner up to Ben Cousins in the Brownlow Medal. Ever since he has dominated the competition with his tireless running and ability to split packs open. The alarming thing is: Kerr is so talented that he has been able to perform while under the most intense public scrutiny. He is a man seemingly without remorse.
Last season the Eagles lost a home semi-final to Collingwood in extra time. The Sydney Swans, the Eagles’ main rival over the previous two seasons, bowed out a week earlier to the Magpies. The signs were not great for either team. Collingwood, led by a group of superb youngsters, looked like they had overtaken both the Swans and the Eagles. Meanwhile Geelong proved to be ten goals better than most sides in the competition. Add the loss of Judd and Cousins to the equation and the Eagles no longer seemed to be a viable premiership threat in 2008.
Possibly the Eagles' best player in their loss to Collingwood was Daniel Chick. He was questioned by police on the same day that Ben Cousins effectively terminated his own career. Although no charges were laid against Chick, the Eagles had no hesitation in delisting him. It was a statement. Earlier in the season Chick had come to blows with Andrew Embley. Although the club attempted to put a positive spin on the incident, it was clear that one of the two players would go at season’s end. At thirty-two, and with an ageing body, it was always going to be Chick.
The club remain at loggerheads with Chad Fletcher over a potentially fatal incident that occurred in America following the 2006 premiership. Fletcher has refused to disclose the details of the incident and has struggled for form and his place in the team ever since. He must improve in 2008. If not, he will either be traded or delisted at season’s end. The Eagles appear to be finally moving in the right direction off the field. It remains to be seen whether Chad Fletcher has a role to play in their future. They now have the second youngest list in the competition. In Glass and Cox, they have appointed two level-headed, experienced and respected footballers to lead the club’s resurgance. Recently Cox signed a four year contract which will allow him to play out his career with the Eagles.
In the short term the team has acquired very little in exchange for Judd. Josh Kennedy, formerly of Carlton still does not appear ready to play AFL football. Thus far his progress has been slow. The Blues often used Kennedy as a backup ruckman last season, such was their concern with his progress as a forward. Kennedy would not have got a regular game in any other team in the competition last season and, considering Tony Liberatore’s comments mid-week, perhaps shouldn’t have even played for the Blues. In the longer term the Eagles will benefit from the services of Chris Masten; a player they secured with the draft choice that they received from Carlton. As opposed to Judd, Masten heralds from Western Australia. He has been banned from training with the club after allegedly being drunk in public on Australia Day. Masten has shown star qualities as a junior. He must improve his act if he is to comply with the club's new code of conduct.
Midfield positions are officially up for grabs. Matthew Priddis played every game in a breakthrough season in 2007. Question marks still remain over his lack of pace, but his ability to read the play and his decision making have won him many admirers. Kerr will take the opposition’s number one tagger. Priddis will likely receive the number two tag. It will be a big ask, but he looks the goods. Shannon Hurn also played in every match last season. He spent the majority of his time on the half-back flank. Hurn will now step into the midfield. He is only twenty, yet weighs a hefty ninety-six kilograms. Hurn is a great kick. He regularly boots the ball fifty-five metres. Over the next few seasons Hurn will blossom into a goal-kicking midfielder, reminiscent of Adelaide’s Mark Ricciutto.
West Coast’s back line has always been strong under John Worsfold. They will not be an easy team to score against. Glass is a star. Adam Selwood is tough and disciplined. Adam Hunter, like Fremantle’s Luke McPharlin, is an athletic defender who is capable of going forward to burst a game open. Beau Waters is a contemporary John Worsfold. He is tough as nails. He averaged twenty-one disposals a game last season and gives nothing away to his opponent. Waters might be a future captain.
The forward line is the main concern. Ashley Hanson is a talented centre half forward, but the club have struggled when he has been injured. Quintan Lynch is a good full forward, but not a great full forward. One of Josh Kennedy and Chad Jones, formerly of North Melbourne, will claim a position as the third tall up forward. Mark LeCras had a stellar 2007, kicking thirty-six goals. It will be interesting to see whether Worsfold opts to play LeCras in the midfield for one quarter every match. While such a move might help the Eagles’ engine room, it might also deprive them of a potential star up forward. David Wirrpunda seems destined to spend more time up forward as his career advances. He has been a stalwart of the club’s success. His premiership opportunity is not over. At some point the young Eagles will tire, but they will win the majority of their home matches, ensuring a top eight finish. From there, who knows? At least this time it mightn't be tainted.
At the end of last season the Eagles were forced to trade Chris Judd to Carlton and later sacked Ben Cousins. Out of their star midfield trio, only Daniel Kerr remains. In many respects Kerr represents the fabric of the Eagles. He is a player who has struggled to cope with the off-field requirements of a modern AFL footballer. Kerr has faced assault charges and, more seriously, has been investigated by police for drug trafficking. Yet in spite of his irresponsible behaviour, Kerr has flourished on the field. He shot to fame in 2005 when he finished runner up to Ben Cousins in the Brownlow Medal. Ever since he has dominated the competition with his tireless running and ability to split packs open. The alarming thing is: Kerr is so talented that he has been able to perform while under the most intense public scrutiny. He is a man seemingly without remorse.
Last season the Eagles lost a home semi-final to Collingwood in extra time. The Sydney Swans, the Eagles’ main rival over the previous two seasons, bowed out a week earlier to the Magpies. The signs were not great for either team. Collingwood, led by a group of superb youngsters, looked like they had overtaken both the Swans and the Eagles. Meanwhile Geelong proved to be ten goals better than most sides in the competition. Add the loss of Judd and Cousins to the equation and the Eagles no longer seemed to be a viable premiership threat in 2008.
Possibly the Eagles' best player in their loss to Collingwood was Daniel Chick. He was questioned by police on the same day that Ben Cousins effectively terminated his own career. Although no charges were laid against Chick, the Eagles had no hesitation in delisting him. It was a statement. Earlier in the season Chick had come to blows with Andrew Embley. Although the club attempted to put a positive spin on the incident, it was clear that one of the two players would go at season’s end. At thirty-two, and with an ageing body, it was always going to be Chick.
The club remain at loggerheads with Chad Fletcher over a potentially fatal incident that occurred in America following the 2006 premiership. Fletcher has refused to disclose the details of the incident and has struggled for form and his place in the team ever since. He must improve in 2008. If not, he will either be traded or delisted at season’s end. The Eagles appear to be finally moving in the right direction off the field. It remains to be seen whether Chad Fletcher has a role to play in their future. They now have the second youngest list in the competition. In Glass and Cox, they have appointed two level-headed, experienced and respected footballers to lead the club’s resurgance. Recently Cox signed a four year contract which will allow him to play out his career with the Eagles.
In the short term the team has acquired very little in exchange for Judd. Josh Kennedy, formerly of Carlton still does not appear ready to play AFL football. Thus far his progress has been slow. The Blues often used Kennedy as a backup ruckman last season, such was their concern with his progress as a forward. Kennedy would not have got a regular game in any other team in the competition last season and, considering Tony Liberatore’s comments mid-week, perhaps shouldn’t have even played for the Blues. In the longer term the Eagles will benefit from the services of Chris Masten; a player they secured with the draft choice that they received from Carlton. As opposed to Judd, Masten heralds from Western Australia. He has been banned from training with the club after allegedly being drunk in public on Australia Day. Masten has shown star qualities as a junior. He must improve his act if he is to comply with the club's new code of conduct.
Midfield positions are officially up for grabs. Matthew Priddis played every game in a breakthrough season in 2007. Question marks still remain over his lack of pace, but his ability to read the play and his decision making have won him many admirers. Kerr will take the opposition’s number one tagger. Priddis will likely receive the number two tag. It will be a big ask, but he looks the goods. Shannon Hurn also played in every match last season. He spent the majority of his time on the half-back flank. Hurn will now step into the midfield. He is only twenty, yet weighs a hefty ninety-six kilograms. Hurn is a great kick. He regularly boots the ball fifty-five metres. Over the next few seasons Hurn will blossom into a goal-kicking midfielder, reminiscent of Adelaide’s Mark Ricciutto.
West Coast’s back line has always been strong under John Worsfold. They will not be an easy team to score against. Glass is a star. Adam Selwood is tough and disciplined. Adam Hunter, like Fremantle’s Luke McPharlin, is an athletic defender who is capable of going forward to burst a game open. Beau Waters is a contemporary John Worsfold. He is tough as nails. He averaged twenty-one disposals a game last season and gives nothing away to his opponent. Waters might be a future captain.
The forward line is the main concern. Ashley Hanson is a talented centre half forward, but the club have struggled when he has been injured. Quintan Lynch is a good full forward, but not a great full forward. One of Josh Kennedy and Chad Jones, formerly of North Melbourne, will claim a position as the third tall up forward. Mark LeCras had a stellar 2007, kicking thirty-six goals. It will be interesting to see whether Worsfold opts to play LeCras in the midfield for one quarter every match. While such a move might help the Eagles’ engine room, it might also deprive them of a potential star up forward. David Wirrpunda seems destined to spend more time up forward as his career advances. He has been a stalwart of the club’s success. His premiership opportunity is not over. At some point the young Eagles will tire, but they will win the majority of their home matches, ensuring a top eight finish. From there, who knows? At least this time it mightn't be tainted.
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