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as is callum wilson but to where is the question.

Doesn't look that good on paper now does it. we need to pull our finger out in the recruiting

Mossstreetshark wrote: Doesn't look that good on paper now does it. we need to pull our finger out in the recruiting

i thought that initally MSS but when i actaully listed all the names it actaully looks pretty good
who are the worries for you?

EF always seem to be one tall short strono.....can see Young playing permanently forward if this 6 ft 10 inch SA fella Rock has mentioned is a decent player. Symonds will only improve and young talls in Mack Byron-Pendergast, Richard Wallis and Andrew Stokes can spend 2013 developing in the reserves.

Brown's availabilty is always the key for EF, he is the only fella up back, now with Weller retired, who can take on the big bulky key forwards. Without him the likes of Howlett and Doddy are just a shade too small, whilst young tall defenders in Chalwell and Jupp are too inexperienced....they need to be on developing their wares on the oppositions 3rd tall forward.

Mids are dime a dozen at this club, lots of good experienced options in Hadley, McGough, ROB and Dalziell to call upon, plus developing youngsters in Henson, Boyle, Tropiano and Hancock......plus the likes of Sheppard, Menagola, Sutcliffe Simpson will play some WAFL to.

Small forwards EF have the likes of BOB, Waight, Leslie,Cooyou, Curley and AFL listed boys in Duffy and Dick to keep the opposition backs busy....will be very surprised if Duffy and Dick are away at the same time playing AFL.

Perham, Howson and Young will be EF tall forward options up front, unless a last minute recruit turns up.....any injuries though and EF could be buggered tall men wise up front....Youngie is always our swingman, would love to see him in one position 90% of the time and switch if and when the situation arises.

Gotta feeling reserves wise EF may come back to the pack though, saying that there were some half decent colts boys in Fannon, Dorotich, Wallis, Schleicher, Stokes, Dennis, Bowey etc who will move out of the juniors.

2013 EF will be ok, it's 2014 that will be a big concern for EF.

I reckon you are spot on freeze. Bit light on with the match winning talls, bit like us a little but I reckon our young blokes who copped a flogging down back in 2012 like Borovac, Gulley and McIntosh will serve them very well in the coming years. Some of the blokes you mention may go through that this year perhaps and then be called upon in a big way in 2014 when the shite hits the fan.

Surely Mitch Brown will play AFL, must have been one of many reasons he put to the wce because he couldn't go to STK. may not see much of him I reckon, especially with Lynch and Stevenson gone. 1 injury and he will be first one in.

I reckon Leslie is a bloke who needs to be given a whole year playing league as he has the skills to be damaging.

Wonder if anyone has contacted Havleburg recently??

Freeze, or any of the EF boys that can answer. We have lacked that tall we need and it has hurt us for a few seasons now. Why hasn't the club chased one? Is it because they don't see it as a priority, or is it simply because they can't get one to sign up for us?

Like most WAFL clubs EF have chased a tall key forward without a lot of success. Kingsley Hunter appeared to be the solution 8 or 9 years ago but after a solid first season his body couldn't stand up to the rigours of another complete WAFL season. When we recruited Johns about 4 or 5 years ago back from Essendon many thought he would solve our forward problem but he never lived up to our expectations.

Speaking to an EFFC Board member recently they try each year to fill the required gaps and are still pursuing a tall option for 2013.

yeah too true Custy, Johns showed snippets but his ego was bigger than his ability to be a team player. Don't forget Warren too, but his body fell apart after 12 months, similiar to Hunter.

Gabriel sadly has spat the dummy from all reports too, thus that's 4 fella's in the past decadewho were earmarked by the recruiters as tall forwards, but injury and ego cut their EF careers short....hindsight is always the best sight.

EF must find it hard to recruit players because of the vast number of AFL ring ins too each week....why would a senior ruckman come to EF if Griffen is on the AFL/WAFL fringes.....tall defender if Brown is available most weeks....tall forwards surprisingly EF seem to struggle to recruit as well, but then again if Griffen and Brown play WAFL, Robbie Young goes forward......though EF probably thought Monaco and Perham would nail down those key forward positions in 2012....Perham did, but Monaco struggled for consistency....surprised Monaco left, but hey to me Howson will play before Monaco this year any way.

Good to hear though a tall forward is on the radar, but hey every club has their radar on full throttle for a tall forward.....

Doggie, Lynch played predominantly forward and Stevenson played no matches for WCE last year. Brown was always the first go to defender if one of WCE regulars in Schofield, MacKenzie and Glass went down in 2012...nothing will change there, plus if Brown is wanting to move east, than perhaps Woosha may choose to develop McInnes instead with an eye on 2014....bit rough for Brown , but hey that's footy.

Freeze I saw Howson play as a key position backman in the State 18's last year and he looked good down there. But I guess at the end of the day it will be up to his employer as to what position he gets told to play for you blokes!

yeah true 27, but the only reason Howson played up back for the 18's was because Shaw couldn't play any where else but FF and Hogan was a gun at CHF and Paparone was the 3rd tall forward playing all over the forward line....interesting to note Hogan made the AA side at CHB....from memory he was always played at CHF!!...

I reckon Freo will want to see Howson at both ends of the ground in 2013....considering the kid won the goal kicking in the colts, even with playing at the state champs, Freo would be keen to see the kid as a forward, especially with Pav on his last legs.