I watch every West Coast game.
It's been clear to me that Adam Simpson has based a game plan similar to Hawthorn. Move it quickly with short passes,create space and spread.
What he has found is that it is very difficult to get them to play that way when Worsfold game planned did not rely on actually passing the footy, it was more create space over the top and kick it high over the back and run on to it. Simpson has also found out that we don't have the skill level by foot to play such a game plan. Our forward entries are laughable at times, it would be a nightmare playing up forward.
- shallow Midfield, no depth at all. Priddis is good, but can't kick. Shuey is inconsistent but our most dangerous mid and Selwood is injured, Masten has been disappointing, and Wellingham experiment has failed.
- No elite kicks in our midfield and lacks polish and speed.
- No small crumbing forwards. Lecras is a small marking/lead up forward. The ball comes out way to easy as we are a little tall up forward.
Nic Nat hasn't done a Pre Season for 2 years now due to injury and has only began training on a regular basis for the last 8-10 weeks. That's a fair bit of footy to miss in a pretty important phase of his career. Hopefully gets through the year injury free and next year, gets a full pre Season and we can play through the middle a lot more like he did 3 years back. But he has been disappointing, doesn't mark the footy anywhere near as much as he should.
Kennedy has had some terrible kicks to him this year. As stated above, the forward line and midfield are on completely different pages at the moment. The same goes for Jack Darling.
5 times this season we have had more scoring shots then the opposition and lost. So we put ourselves in the match but just lack that bit of polish when it comes to the crunch.
On a positive I think our backline has been excellent all season under some heavy pressure with MacKenzie, Brown, Hurn, Bennell, Yeo, Ellis and Scholfield standing up after Glass retired.
McGovern as been a revelation up forward, looks like he will be a serious player, either forward or back.
I'd say Cox won't go on after this year. Our a Ruck stocks are good and Lycett will improve with more game time and I think Cox will be happy to step aside for him.
It is a must that we go after young Midfielders in the draft. Our key position stocks are filled, so Mids and a crumbing forward are the key.
If a player isn't going to be in the next Premiership side (4-8 years) then they must be moved on.
Retire- Cox,Butler, Glass, Waters (injury pending)
Trade- Masten, Sheppard, Wellingham,
Delist- Josh Hill, Jamie Cripps, Ash Smith
I must say I have not seen a lot of Barrass,McInnes, Karpany, Main.