Round 5 v. North

Well, I can make a case for making 14 changes this week, but I'll limit myself to 8, which still gifts a game to some underperforming players. But for me:

Out: Hartlett (inj), Chamberlain, Steele, Gore, Morrish, C.Fairlie, Babic, Hupfeld, Rundle.
In: Lemmey, Marslen, Meline, K.Ryan, Cleeland, Couroupis, Gay, Redfern, Delahunty.

F: Squire, Marslen, Meline
HF: Gay, Lemmey, Beech
C: Edwards, Carmichael, Boyle
HB: Couroupis Brand Delahunty
B: Hill Keough Park

R: Cleeland, J.Stevens, K.Ryan

INT: McKenzie, Redfern, Maguire, Allan

On performance 8 changes are warranted but we know that won’t happen.
Cleeland has to replace Babic in the ruck. Babic failed to register a single kick or mark on Sunday and needs to spend the rest of the year in the Reserves to improve his game.
Thought Gore was ok on Sunday. Kicked 2 goals which is what we need from the small forward.
Marslen and Lemmey back in the forward line with Couroupis and Gay.
5 changes for me!!
North Adelaide are a strong side with a talented midfield. We need to show some physicality and intensity or we will be smashed again.

Aldo of that team, plus all those you're omitting, I reckon only 3 were playing 4 years ago?

Lee Harradine wrote:Aldo  of that team, plus all those you're omitting, I reckon only 3 were playing 4 years ago?

Maybe Hill, Keough and Hupfeld? I think Beech would have been at Adelaide.

Yes. The other 3 are all 30+, so we have lost all of those emerging players under 30.

Nothing could be done about Snelling and Noble, but Duval and Dunkin cost us, Turner going was understandable but costly in retrospect. Not getting Durdin was a pity and Stevens retired very early. Murphy and Lovell didn't stay.

The disappointment has been that players such as Sinderberry, Chamberlain and others haven't kicked on at this stage. We have to hope that the best of the current crop of younger players such as Gay and Carmichael stay for some time.

My team

FF McKenzie Marslen Gay
HF Beech Lemmey Squire
C Boyle Carmichael Chamberlain
HB Park Brand Couroupis
FB Hill Keough Delahunty

1st R Cleeland Stevens Ryan
2nd R McKenzie Allan Redfern

Int Allan,Redfern Meline Maguire

In Marslen,Gay,Lemmey,Couroupis,Delahunty,Cleeland,Ryan Meline,Redfern

Out C.Fairlie,Hupfeld,Gore,Edwards,Morrish,Babic,Rundle,Steele,Hartlett

Wolf Pack wrote:
North Adelaide are a strong side with a talented midfield. We need to show some physicality and intensity or we will be smashed again.

No worries! Back on track this week.

go bloods

Lee Harradine wrote:
The disappointment has been that players such as Sinderberry, Chamberlain and others haven't kicked on at this stage.

It seems very rare that players improve at our club. Weaknesses, such as disposal, never improve. Young recruits such as Ellem, Squire, Gore and Babic are arguably no better than when they arrived. Players like Chamberlain, Boyle, Sinderberry, and Haysman have either made no progress as League players or gone backwards. Is this because of the part-time nature of SANFL clubs, or is it a failing of ours? It's an important question because if we can't improve/develop players, then we're wasting our time recruiting players with critical deficiencies, or persevering with juniors who have them.

Couldn’t agree more with your comment, Aldo.
There is absolutely no doubt that player development is an issue at our club. Simple fact is players don’t get better!
Haysman played in our premiership as a kid in 2015 and now can’t get into a winless league side. Boyle has been ordinary this year. Sam Davidson was impressive with Port but has fallen away at our club.
The other players mentioned have shown no improvement and they have had multiple seasons at the club. You could also throw in Cleeland, Hupfield and the Fairlie Brothers!!
I look at a team like Sturt who have 4 or 5 top players and the rest are certainly not big names but they are improving and most likely play finals this year. Mattner is a brilliant coach!!
4 games in to the season and I would say that Brand has been outstanding and Carmichael has been good. 2 good recruits.
There aren’t too many other players that would be happy with their first month of footy!
That is a poor reflection on the coaching group.
This week we are staring at an 18th consecutive loss. A SANFL season is 18 games!!

Here is the injury update:

https://westadelaidefc.com.au/news/injury-update/


Was Lemmey a Covid out and back this week hopefully? Not mentioned?

F: Maguire, Lemmey, Beech

HF: Steele, Keough, Gore

C: Edwards, C. Allan, Chamberlain

HB: Couroupis, Brand, Park

B: Morrish, Hupfeld, Hill



R: McKenzie, Stevens, Carmichael

INT: Redfern, Laudato, C .Fairlie, Ellem, Squire, Marslen, Boyle

IN: Couroupis, Ellem, Laudato, Lemmey, Marslen, Redfern

OUT: Hartlett (hamstring), Rundle, Babic

NEW: Michael Laudato (Seaton)

Still no Kobe Ryan or Clayton Gay.

Marslen named on the bench.  You would think he either starts or doesn't play, unless he's a ruck  backup?

Only two unforced changes and we're still going with the same players who have struggled so far.

Kobe Ryan named in the Reserves.

I'm not sure I can see the logic in that, but just opinion.

I like the idea of McKenzie in the ruck.
Babic and Cleeland are Reserves players only.
Hupfield keeps his spot only because Josh Ryan is missing.
Stevens, Carmichael and C. Allan are the on ball brigade.
Edwards and Chamberlain on the wings.
Without a doubt the weakest group I’ve seen in my 35 years of following West Adelaide…….
There would be better Div 1 Amateur set ups!

I hope both Marslen and Ellam play otherwise our key position stocks look very thin.
If they do both play Keough surely plays in defence given the North Adelaide forward line.
I can’t believe Clayton Gay can’t get a game and surely Kobe Ryan should be playing league. Playing ressies makes no sense at all

How does Steele remains in the team, him and Beech are similar type players. C.Fairlie has to be dropped he’s not a league player.
With Redfern and Laudato both named you would think Boyle misses out as both can play on the wing.

The only reason I could think why Marslen has been named on the bench is there is doubt over his fitness due to Covid

Two unforced changes. What does it take to make wholesale changes? An 11-goal drubbing after 16 previous consecutive losses obviously isn't enough. How Gay can't get a game is beyond reason, considering the fumbling, underperforming plodders being picked ahead of him. And surely Marslen comes straight back into the side. He took more contested marks in his one game than any of our other forwards have this season.

There will be another change or two.
Beech a late withdrawal?

Wolf Pack wrote:There will be another change or two.
Beech a late withdrawal?

If so they'd have to bring Gay in wouldn't they?

How much do the board members get paid to add WAFC on their resume? Treating the club as a corporate entity ... would hate to be on their side if they had skin in the game.

West 35 5.5 v North 105 15.15

Come on, we'd have to be some sort of chance against Adelaide next week after encouraging signs tonight. Green shoots and all........ Hit me with the positives!

We're done.
Why even pay the membership each year (would be good if all posters done the same), for this bull s***. I feel sorry for the volunteers.

Another insipid performance.
A carbon copy of last week.
Smashed in the clearances and inside 50s.
The longer the game went, the worse we played.
We kicked 2 goals after quarter time.
We are going backwards in a big way.

Was that an anomaly, or did we get back on track?