looking at LH info, great to see the likes of 2nd tier guys Tropiano, Hancock, Bayliss, Schofield, Coooper,Boyle,Henson and Lester-Smith get some good game time in them. These guys were often the ones to lose out to the AFL boys coming back these past few years. Plus Howlett and Stephen have built on their form as well to be primary contributors like ROB, Hadley, Young and McGough are for EF.
Defence wise EF had a core of consistent contributors......hopefully the likes of Jupp, Read and Jansen can keep developing and provide depth to EF defensive line. Kieran King had a shocker with injury, but showed when he came back he has a lot to offer the side. From the colts Alirr, Sutton and Cuneo could be possible newbies in 2014, if not drafted. Be interested to see if MacNamara comes back form the VFL, he excelled as a running defender in 2011.
Midfield wise EF is reliant on the likes of their big three in McGough, Hadley and ROB to perform, not to sure their playing status for 2014, but great to see similar sorts in Tropiano, Boyle, Henson and Hancock all contribute more....be interested to see if Liam Anthony is given the flick at North over the summer, perhaps Dalziell and Menagola may be under the pump too. Hooker and Schleicher from the reserves were consistent performers in the reserves and will be pushing hard for league footy in 2014.....as will new boy Edwards from Perth to. Colts wise the likes of Green, Jansen, Barone & Bourne, if not drafted, could be there and there abouts as well.
Forward wise, still reckon EF lack that killer tall forwrad, saying that EF forward line line was the second highest from memory over the year......will Dick play WAFL next year?......Lester-Smith stepped up big time, hopefully he can build on his break out 2013 year......Perham went backwards big time, but then came back towards the end of the year to his 2012 form......think BOB won't come back, pity because he is talented.....small forwards in Depane and Cronan showed their wares, not to sure if Waight will be back from up north next year.......Duffy may be dispensed with from freo, though he has had an injury prone year......nothing of note goal kicking wise from the reserves to come through, plus Marsh from the colts will get drafted....so be interested in what the club does tall forward wise for 2014.....Howson is off to Peel.......
Ruck wise Macdougall battled hard, punched well above his weight at times, Symonds for some reason got demoted to the reserves and never got back, Kurt Tropiano just aint tall enough at the league level, Young struggled post knee to replicate his feats of 2012.....Byron-Pendergast seem to disappear from the reserves mid season too.....injury perhaps?.....from the colts u/18 ruck Solomon may be a furture solution as Fletcher from the colts, the kid performed well v Cameron from Cl on the weekend. From the reserves Wallis and Stokes battled hard, not too sure how good these two will be, but time will tell.
I think EF went a long way to adjusting from having loads of AFL boys to very few this year.....so next year it wont be such a massive problem.....a few of these boys in Dalziell, Duffy, Brennan, Menagola and Sheppard could be under the gun for delisting.....though will be suprised if it will happen next year. Good luck to the likes of Howson and Simpson for 2014, two talented kids who sadly will be plying their wares in Peel colours next year......
Possible retirees could be Hadley and McGough and perhaps Young.....need to work hard in the off season to recruit some mature quality to replace these boys....obviously some EP guys like Johnson, Smith, Moss etc could be on the radar, plus possible delistings in Hardingham, Anthony and Eardley from the AFL.....plus MacNamara from the VFL......expect to see a clean out of guys who have been on the cusp of league footy, yet when given the chance not taken it with both hands.....Riccardiello, Chalwell, Curley etc.......also fellas like Fasolo, Yeo and Waight could be enticed back to the club for 2014......
Disappointing not to have a side in the finals.....especially after 3 GF appearances last year....each grade has it's own sob story to tell........be interested to see what steps are taken to ensure at least one side is playing finals in 2014.....till then a lot will depend on comings and goings post draft and xmas period.....let the rumours begin!!
Good luck to all teams playing finals this year.......will no doubt be an interesting year in 2014 with the alignments etc.....may the WAFL keep on keeping on!
