How will Westies go next year

[merrick]

How do all u westies supporters think west will go next yearafter 4 dismal years

[silicone skyline]

I would like to see them model themselves on they way Centrals have recruited and nurtured local talent over the last decade.

West's high turnover of players with bulk recruiting doesn't do them any favours.

Nuture the local talent, be selective in your recruits, build a club, don't buy one.

[wycbloods]

I know we won't be worse and i am hoping that we get better . Seriously though i am hoping we recruit well enough to set us up for a shot at the finals in 2010. I would be happy to see us be more competitive and finish 7th.

[piccachu]

2 years ago now westies 17s won th g/f and 19s lost it, so you would think they have got some talent coming through, but before these boys become consistant league players which i still think is a few years away you would suggest they will struggle. IMO

[TigerBoss]

Salami Hassan will save the day...or at least that's what he'll tell everyone...

[nickname]

What's behind that unwarranted attack?

[Thiele]

I belive we will improve next year

[Dog_ger]

Maybe they should bring back Doug..?

An Embarrassement.

How can SANFL improve if some clubs don't give a TRUCK...?

Shame Bloods...

Drop the 9th team, make it an 8....

[am Bays]

I see West being like Sturt in 1996, Obvious improvement, will win 3-5 games, won't get thumped but unfortunetly still get the spoon.

My $0.02

[Sojourner]

I see West being like Sturt in 1996, Obvious improvement, will win 3-5 games, won't get thumped but unfortunetly still get the spoon.

My $0.02

If Westies did win the Spoon that would make for 5 in a row and although their form wasnt as hoped this year I do think that the club will improve enough to ensure that it is handed to someone else!

I am not sure that I agree that Westies are "buying a team", yes they recruited strongly at the start of last season but have re-signed a number of players already, I feel that there is a definate sense that the club is trying to build up a quality side.

Westies are in a position where if they can jag some more quality players that I feel that the side will lift as a whole and be more competitive as a result.

Perhaps the question that needs to be asked is if the sides that finished above West - South, North, Eagles, Norwood and Port have more in the tank or not. If one or more of those sides take the step backwards as is certainley a likely scenario then Westies may well have the door opened for them to make their way up the ladder and for me that is what I see as the likely outcome, I do just hope that South isnt the side that gives them that opportunity!

[Squawk]

I suspect Collins is hovering over Box Hill Hawks as we speak, looking for recruits there. His timing could be good given Box Hill only won 6 games in finishing 11th this year, and their coach Barry Mitchell has left to take up an Assistant's role at Freo. They could be languishing and with the likes of Steve Kenna (won their B and F), Batsanis, Digby Morrell and others there, he will be hoping they don't get hammered in the draft on Nov 27 and that he can clean up. That said, there will be a queue of other SANFL clubs looking for similar players but Collins will have some advantages at Box Hill as a previous/recent coach there.

[best on hill]

i think it will be another long year for the bloods. they have no stability in there club they may need to look at the talent in there youth teams and start blooding them instead of quick fix recruits which is getting them no where

[therisingblues]

I reckon Westies will be in the finals within 3 years. They are not a club to cellar dwell for too long IMO.

[redandblack]

i think it will be another long year for the bloods. they have no stability in there club they may need to look at the talent in there youth teams and start blooding them instead of quick fix recruits which is getting them no where

Why do we have to read this sort of knee-jerk, unthinking, comment every time this subject comes up?

As for stability, they've signed all their key players and have a Coach on a 3 year contract.

As for youth, they've blooded more kids over the past few years than any other Club by a long way. West can hardly help it if they bring up their kids and they get drafted and win Brownlow Medals.

There were 14 SA lads invited to the draft camp this year. West supplied 4 of them.

West generally have a full team of drafted players in the AFL, more than any other Club.

Where do you suggest we get the players to replace our juniors?

I'll be interested in your reply.

Meanwhile, think a bit before putting up that sort of misinformed nonsense.

[JK]

Fair defence of your club RaB, but whilst not being able to provide you with the answer for it, if the club, it's players and supporters are aware of the yearly exodus of quality juniors, then they should also be in a position to do something about ensuring they compensate for that in terms of their list ... It's no good sitting back every year effectively saying "blame the system" when you know it's going to happen, that's just making an excuse.

FWIW, whilst last year was tough on the Bloods fans I still believe AC put some important miles in their younger legs, and almost thought it a "Short term pain for long term gain" scenario.

IMHO the Bloods don't need to over recruit, 2 or 3 Ferguson-like quality recruits would be enough to inject into a squad that should already be improved, and then they top-up/address deficiencies as required with a view toward being around the money in 2010 or 11.

Just my$0.02 worth.

PS: Thats not meant to sound harsh, it's exactly how I've put things to my own club in recent years (and no doubt will again).

[nickname]

i think it will be another long year for the bloods. they have no stability in there club they may need to look at the talent in there youth teams and start blooding them instead of quick fix recruits which is getting them no where

So we should just keep playing our kids (which we have been doing in massive numbers for the last 5 years) and let the rest of the comp recruit the mature-bodied VFL and ex-AFL players?

[Dutchy]

There have already been some hard calls made on players and not only the older ones, some kids have got the boot also....its looking like their Senior List will have a turnover of nearly 30 players

[TigerBoss]

I suspect Collins is hovering over Box Hill Hawks as we speak, looking for recruits there. His timing could be good given Box Hill only won 6 games in finishing 11th this year, and their coach Barry Mitchell has left to take up an Assistant's role at Freo. They could be languishing and with the likes of Steve Kenna (won their B and F), Batsanis, Digby Morrell and others there, he will be hoping they don't get hammered in the draft on Nov 27 and that he can clean up. That said, there will be a queue of other SANFL clubs looking for similar players but Collins will have some advantages at Box Hill as a previous/recent coach there.

Boo Squawk...Box Hill is Glenelg's new favourite recruiting zone. Buzz off Collins...

[TigerBoss]

Fair defence of your club RaB, but whilst not being able to provide you with the answer for it, if the club, it's players and supporters are aware of the yearly exodus of quality juniors, then they should also be in a position to do something about ensuring they compensate for that in terms of their list ... It's no good sitting back every year effectively saying "blame the system" when you know it's going to happen, that's just making an excuse.

FWIW, whilst last year was tough on the Bloods fans I still believe AC put some important miles in their younger legs, and almost thought it a "Short term pain for long term gain" scenario.

IMHO the Bloods don't need to over recruit, 2 or 3 Ferguson-like quality recruits would be enough to inject into a squad that should already be improved, and then they top-up/address deficiencies as required with a view toward being around the money in 2010 or 11.

Just my$0.02 worth.

PS: Thats not meant to sound harsh, it's exactly how I've put things to my own club in recent years (and no doubt will again).

Love your passion R&B...a truer West Adelaide man you will not find.

I also think CP raises some very good points...Westies have been exceptional in providing juniors for the AFL clubs for a while now, but since that GF appearance, have languished in terms of league and reserves performances. I think West have made the mistake in the past of over-recruiting from outside, but it's difficult to see what the right formula is, given the fact that a number of juniors that aren't picked up by the AFL clubs, stick around and will be 100+ players for West...

I hope Westies can show a lot more on-field in 2009...otherwise another spoon will be headed to Richmond Oval.

[redandblack]

Fair call, CP and TB.

I hasten to say, though, that I certainly don't blame the system for where we are. That's what we have to deal with and we haven't done so very well in recent years.

I only raise it in response to other uninformed posters telling us not to recruit players from interstate. I'm absolutely sure there are several clubs who have far more interstaters in their league team than Westies