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anchorman wrote: Some pretty strong articles coming up on the net about the Eagles since their capitulation on the weekend.Almost all are copping it.
Is it all deserved!!!

Bring back John Worsfold I say.

I heard some talk that Sam Mitchell is having a bit to say around the club.As a player and a coach.Does he think some Eagles players are soft.Does anyone know what he has said.
Some players are terribly out of form.Lecras.Pridus.Cant blame the Collingwood loss on Darling.Hes playing ok atm.

anchorman wrote: There is an article on the net about Mitchell not mixing well with some of the youth at the Hawks as well and saying that maybe he is not that popular at the Eagles.
But I think the problem was there before Mitchell came along.

Notwithstanding my dislike of the Eagles is well-documented. Here is my two pennies worth. In a two WA domiciled AFL team town that is so dominated by Eagles' supporters in the media, they quite often believe the hyperbole about how good they are. And if you are THAT good, you don't need to work too hard.

swan42 wrote:

anchorman wrote: Some pretty strong articles coming up on the net about the Eagles since their capitulation on the weekend.Almost all are copping it.
Is it all deserved!!!

Bring back John Worsfold I say.

I thought you would be quite happy for them to keep Simpson 42 as he seems to be doing a mighty fine job of destroying the "devils incarnate"!!

What has to be concerning for the Eagles.Is the form of there East Perth players.Allways had the feeling the Dockers players at Peel take it more seriously. If your not playing good Wafl footy. Don't think you can step up to Afl and just play well.

Criticism is well deserved - they have been bloody soft for most of the year. I get most of their games live here on ABC+ TV, but they can be excruciating to watch (so I often don't).

I am starting to wonder about Simpson as the coach - particularly the continual picking of elderly duds or has beens (inter alia Masten, Redden, LeCras ) rather than getting more games into the next generation.

I am also afraid that the 1 year extension given to Pridda looks like a poor decision at this point. But who knows how much difference a fit NicNat will make to the mids next season.

Yes, they deserve all the criticism they are getting. To be leading by 4 goals and then getting blown away in 10 mins of football by a very ordinary club is disgraceful. However, putting all the blame on Simmo is unfair. His part of the problem is in the team selection. The team must take the brunt of it. When things turn like they did in the last quarter, the coach cannot get out there and try to instil a bit of steel - he's hopelessly stuck in the box and can only watch the carnage. The only thing available to him is the following week's team selection. If he doesn't get that right, then his time is short. Time for him to drop the total loyalty to the past stalwarts and move ahead. A leader who employs loyalty ahead of results is doomed. I would rather watch a young developing team cop a few hidings than watch this current team limping along as they are. Do it Simmo, this team is going nowhere this year. All this stuff about believing in their press and people like Mitchell causing problems is good food for all the gossips and conspiracy theorists - suppose it rings their bells. I believe the problem is player generated.

gtrxuone wrote: I heard some talk that Sam Mitchell is having a bit to say around the club.As a player and a coach.Does he think some Eagles players are soft.Does anyone know what he has said.
Some players are terribly out of form.Lecras.Pridus.Cant blame the Collingwood loss on Darling.Hes playing ok atm.

I would imagine that after playing for the Hawthorn powerhouse, he would think that some players are soft. Time to drop out of form players such as Pridda and Le Cras. If he doesn't, the WCE don't suffer lack of success very well!!

That sure was a massive choke by the Eagles. They should beat Brisbane and Carlton at home and then the St Kilda game will decide whether they scrape into 8th spot. Simpson would have to be looking over his shoulder now I would think as he is in charge of a slow, non performing ageing list. I think they need to make hard calls on some players who only provide short term value (e.g Petrie,Mitchell) and start getting more games into guys like Partington, Mutimer, Karpany and Lamb who all played for East Perth on the weekend.

West coast have some good firepower across the ground but, without checking stats, i'd say they get spanked in the middle too much and this is Simmo's fault. What has he done to fix our clearances and I don't mean a dribble to the edge of the square counting as a clearance either. I went to the port game and they practically did what they wanted through the middle and seemed to just constantly be able to attack inside 50 directly from the centre bounce.

On Saturday (i only saw pieces) we looked like we got spanked in the middle again. Especially the last quarter and notibly the last 10 mins i'm not sure it went forward of centre once. Given the ploy of all 18 players playing in a quarter of the ground these days how could they not stem the flow across 10 minutes of footy is beyond me.

I haven't watched enough to know if this is a week to week occurence but the little i have seen this is where we seem to be getting smashed.