Recruiting

PMSL wrote:

ccrump wrote:sucks to say, but we are the only team in the sanfl that hasnt improved there squad ova the offff season. we have gone backwards

Lost a lot of players at the end of 2014. Yes brought in Porplyzia Helbig and Ryan Willets .
But off the top of my head we lost: Birss, Anderson, Still, Bricknell, Kirk, Durdin, Carter, Fisher,McCreadie, Thompson.

That is a lot of experience and quality out the door. Not many would have picked Snelling Haysman Agostino to step up like they did.  

Time will tell but I don't think the players we lost at the end of 2014 compare to Beech, Keough, Milne, Francis, Snelling and probably O'Brien.

The West Adelaide Football Club is pleased to announce the signings of Lachie and Josh Ryan.

Lachie and Josh are twin brothers from Mildura. Both of which have previously played for NSW/ACT in the National Championships.

Lachie, with his super clean kick has played most of his footy as a running half back, but has also adapted to play wing, half forward and can win the footy in the midfield.

Josh has played a lot of footy up forward and in ruck, but in the last couple of years has developed into a key defender, taking on some high profile players in the TAC cup.

Both trained on Wednesday night, impressing with their hard-running and ball movement.

The West Adelaide Football Club is very pleased to have Lachie and Josh running around in Red and Black this year, and we look forward to watching them develop.

ccrump wrote:sucks to say, but we are the only team in the sanfl that hasnt improved there squad ova the offff season. we have gone backwards

Maybe we need to play a game this year before you jump off. Sounds like we got rucks, rovers and speed. Looks like another Premiership to me.

You cant begrudge a player going on that i totally agree
Not sure 150k figure is accurate but it would be much more than an sanfl club can offer

I now see 1 player only that has been listed in the last 2 years makes me feel better but i still hope if we do lose a player we get $$$$ compensation

If the norwood statement eluded to is true that would be crazy. A year goes by quickly and we may be lucky enough to get 3 to 5 players return to us. It still doesn't make me feel better that we could lose a good player so late in the piece though

Players from here would not quit their job and move interstate to go there for one year for little money. Would want to be paid handsomely IMO. $150,000 would be less than the average wage in the AFL

According to the rules the AFL have set down, the only players they could take from us are Porplyzia, O'Brien or Helbig. The Advertiser reports that Essendon inquired about 3 of our players so I assume it was them.

I guess good news is really scarce when a press release is issued for lads from Mildura. Did Brad Eagle get one when he came from Mildura?

Second Team wrote:

ccrump wrote:sucks to say, but we are the only team in the sanfl that hasnt improved there squad ova the offff season. we have gone backwards

Maybe we need to play a game this year before you jump off. Sounds like we got rucks, rovers and speed. Looks like another Premiership to me.

Rucks will be a problem when pette Nelson goes river league end of febaury.
Injury to willlllits n Webbb n we r in trouble

Why would Nelson do a pre season and then quit???
Doesn't really make sense.......

brodlach wrote:I guess good news is really scarce when a press release is issued for lads from Mildura. Did Brad Eagle get one when he came from Mildura?

We're trying to communicate with members. Would you prefer we didn't put it on the website?

I reckon the communication from Westies is great, keep up the good work!!

I think you are missing my point Lee. Most people would agree, for one reason or another, that our recruiting this off season has been underwhelming and so we sign two kids from the country it needs a press release when in times past they would just quietly gone into the club. To me it smacks of a little bit of desperation. Just my opinion.

Has one of our recent signings
had second thoughts already

brodlach wrote:I think you are missing my point  Lee.  Most people would agree, for one reason or another, that our recruiting this off season has been underwhelming and so we sign two kids from the country it needs a press release when in times past they would just quietly gone into the club. To me it smacks of a little bit of desperation. Just my opinion.

No problem  brodlach. 2 separate issues, perhaps. We're tending to use our website to give as much info as possible about new playrrs to the club. We always have new local players trying out, but notify members about lads from interstate who have been highly recommended to us.

We obviously tried to recruit a key defender and were close to succeeding, but it's not easy, as other clubs have also found. Losing Beechy and Tom so late made it difficult, too. We're rapt to have got Zac O'Brien, who would be perhaps the best credentialled recruit this year.

There's certainly no desperation. We're confident of our new talent coming through as well.

Our premiership team had several players who nobody would have expected to be in it before the start of last season.

blacky wrote:Has one of our recent signings
had second thoughts already

Who would that recruit be?

Wolf Pack wrote:

blacky wrote:Has one of our recent signings
had second thoughts already

Who would that recruit be?

Must be that aboriginal lad from Darwin.

You're Hagan us on surely Blacky

Second Team wrote:

ccrump wrote:sucks to say, but we are the only team in the sanfl that hasnt improved there squad ova the offff season. we have gone backwards

Maybe we need to play a game this year before you jump off. Sounds like we got rucks, rovers and speed. Looks like another Premiership to me.

A ball has not been bounced and we are just about writing our team off.Steady on guys we still have a lot of talent for the coach to work with.

Certainly wouldn't be writing the team off!!!
BUT I think supporters would have liked a bit more on the recruiting side.
Particularly when you look at a lot of the other teams. If O'Brien goes to Essendon, then really we have only got Trent Stubbs as a ready made player....

I think we will have a very strong midfield especially if we keep O'Brien.
It has been frustrating not to have signed a Key Position Player who is a ready made league player.

Fingers crossed Hartlett,Webb and Hardy have an injury free year, and players such as Klemke and even Watchman can take the next step

Wolf Pack wrote:Certainly wouldn't be writing the team off!!!
BUT I think supporters would have liked a bit more on the recruiting side.
Particularly when you look at a lot of the other teams. If O'Brien goes to  Essendon, then really we have only got Trent Stubbs as a ready made player....

That's very fair comment, WP.

We all would have liked to recruit another key position player and tried everything to do so.

The rookie draft hurt us, not only for losing 3 key players, but also we had a likely key position signing drafted.

Recruiting also has to look at the longer-term, of course, hence some of our younger recruits. We have another young lad training next week from interstate.

As for replacements, I think Agostino, Brind, Homburg, Anderson and several others who didn't play the GF will be great replacements.

No doubt those players who missed the GF are good enough to play consistent league footy this year.
Hopefully Klemke and Hardy can fill the holes that Milne and Keough have left.
Looking forward to season 2016!!

SANFL News
18 JAN 2016
WESTIES WAIT ON O’BRIEN



By ZAC MILBANK | Twitter @zacmilbank

West Adelaide is yet to hear from Essendon in regard to supplying the club with a top-up player for season 2016.

Despite speculation last week the Bloods’ star recruit Zac O’Brien was on the Bombers’ recruiting radar, West football manager Andrew Marks said he hadn’t been contacted about acquiring the former Brisbane Lion’s services.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, Marks said O’Brien – who previously played with Essendon’s VFL outfit – was settling in well after attending his first training session last week.

Marks also revealed Bloods utility Andrew Hayes – a premiership player with Central District – has opted to end his SANFL career after a wretched run with hamstring injuries.

Ken Farmer Medallist Justin Hardy continues to battle a quad ailment while two youngsters have caught the eye on the training track with their positive attitude and commitment.

Just listenned to interview and andrew marks realy presents the club in a very good manner well done onya

o'brien close to signing at essendon? this really hurts