Mid Season Report

[whufc]

Im bored at home so with most teams at the half way mark of their season where does everyone think they sit!

This is just my opinion

1/ Central- Top not playing very well but doing enough most weeks, lots of injuries and long term ones at that mean a very unsettled line-up. This could effect Lairdys ability to train the lads extremly hard through the middle of the season especially with a very tight top 4- Should finish top 3

2/ Norwood- Coming along nicely, very similar to last season. Have had a fairly decent run with injuries which should help set them up for a massive finals campaign. The availabilty of Walker could play a massive part and would give them a gun key forward which imho they currently lack. Rowe is very handy but no gun imho- Top 2 finish

3/Eagles- Were talked up pre season and have shown glimpses of this, probably a good sign that there still winning games while not being at their best. Imho there a tad behing the dogs and legs but on their day are definatly dangerous- Vying for the 3rd spot

4/West- Surprise packet for 2011, they have continued their very good Richmond form, and are beating teams below them away. Their best is very good, like most teams their best relies on them having their best players out on the park, if they get them out on the park more often than not they are a definate premiership threat. -finish between 2nd and 4th

5/Glenelg- Very up and down start, massive gap between their best and their worse is costing them, they seem to be a tad behind the top 4 but still to good for the bottom 4. Getting alot of game time into younger players. Cant seeing winning a premiership from outside the top 3.- finish 5th

6/Port- Very young side who play very well at Alberton and struggle away, their games against the likes of South, North and Sturt will be very crucial in their bid for a top 5 spot. Personally i think their one year away from finals but are definatly on the right track- finish 6th

7/South- Are playing very well underlights at Noarlunga but struggle away and in the day, lack depth but are starting to build a good foundation of solid league players. Personally i think they will struggle in the second hald of the season alot of good sides to come at home and away form is terrible- finish 8th

8/North- Their way better than ladder position suggests. Imho their best 4 players are as good as any but it slips away pretty dramatically after that. They are starting to adjust to Francous game plan very well. They will cause some up sets and lose some games they shouldnt- finish 7th very close with Port though

9/Sturt- Struggling big time, their home form isnt great and occasionally playing well away from home. Norman is a dead man walking and will be gone by seasons end, finish 9th

Have we ever had a tighter top 4, hard to seperate any of them and it may come down to who can get their best players on the park at the right time of the year.

Remember these are just my opinion Discuss?

[am Bays]

I think you've got it spot on.

[Squawk]

Without going through club by club, here are my general observations:

The comp is even more even this year, for a few reasons. Firstly, I dont think any of last year's top 5 have been "on song" for full games, or for a few weeks in succession. Injuries havent helped any of these teams either - IIRC all of last year's top 5 have had injury worries which have also affected their feeder teams at reserves and u/18 levels. Secondly, I think the draw for the first half of the year was "managed" in such a way that the top teams of 2010 were playing one another early on (often under lights) and the bottom teams of last year were playing off. This has meant that outcomes have been pretty evenly split across the board.

Mid year, it is also interesting that three clubs (?) are virtually inseparable on percentage (around 56%) before a big drop to the remaining clubs starting 5-6% below them. That's like having an extra win up your sleeve and could mean the difference between finishing first or third for example, subject to wins and losses being the same.

How the season pans out from here could come down to the remaining draws of each club. On paper, and based on the current ladder, Norwood has a pretty reasonable draw. I haven't looked at the draws of other clubs, though, to really compare everyone. However, we have already played Glenelg, Central and Port twice each yet we still have 3 games to play against South. Hence my earlier comments about the draw being 'managed' in the first half of the year.

In the second half of the year I still see Glenelg, North and Port as shaping the makeup of the final five and that might include their own entries or slides into the finals series. West have been good so far but we all recall their battle with Sturt for the fifth spot last year, which went on for about the last 4 rounds of the season! Sturt look gone but are still capable of taking scalps. I haven't seen South yet but they do appear to be an improved outfit at home this year, and still working on their away form.

Mid-year - it seems like a centurion goal licker in 2011 is most unlikely. Jimmy Allan is every chance of the Magarey (subject to the Tribunal this week) and would anyone rate Steve Morris as a chance?

The Eagles are this year's Glenelg - they are very much playing it low key and getting negligible media attention IMHO. Nothing less than a Grand Final appearance will be expected from the Oval Ave faithful, and with the Crows on the slide, expect their crowd numbers to improve between now and the end of the season. "All aboard the Eagles" as they will be the ones on the 2011 bandwagon!

[Big Phil]

I think you've got it spot on.

Agreed, good post whufc.

[PhilH]

The Eagles are this year's Glenelg - they are very much playing it low key and getting negligible media attention IMHO. Nothing less than a Grand Final appearance will be expected from the Oval Ave faithful, and with the Crows on the slide, expect their crowd numbers to improve between now and the end of the season. "All aboard the Eagles" as they will be the ones on the 2011 bandwagon!

Hope so squawrk

[Big Phil]

Mid-year - it seems like a centurion goal licker in 2011 is most unlikely!

Our good friend Gary (Centurion on here) is a strange fellow but I'm not sure we'd see even him liking the goals

I know what you meant mate and FWIW I personally think the Ken Farmer Medalist will be either Matt Duldig (Sturt), Dan Havelberg (Central) or Michael Wundke (South).

[Sojourner]

South, Port and West have all shown improvement,

Eagles, Central and Norwood appear to be on a par with last season.

Glenelg, Sturt, and North all appear to have taken a step backwards.

Think North will however improve as the season progresses. Glenelg will be interesting to watch as they get injured players back into the side. Sturt are in all sorts of trouble.

I do think South have a few more wins in them yet, Port will likely challenge Glenelg for the fifth spot and may well win it, Westies will be third or fourth depending on how the Eagles go, to improve from here Westies have to get over another side and I do think its between them and the Eagles for third. The Eagles will likely pick up their form with several more home games to go.

Norwood appear to be the only side capable of taking the Premiership cup off Central at this stage.

[Dogwatcher]

Spoke to an Eagles coaching panel member last weekend and he's pretty confident they can knock off everyone.
Although, they feel the Dogs will be the biggest challenge.
He feels Norwood plays a very tiring style and will find it hard to maintain that.
He was reasonably happy with his club's progress.

[Squawk]

Feel free to make any corrections that need to be made... but

The minor round draw home - in a nutshell - is as follows:

1/ Central- Plays the Eagles twice. Finish with two home games including Rd 22 vs Norwood.

2/ Norwood- 3 games remaining vs South; two games remaining vs North. Doesn't play Glenelg again. Play Central away in Rd 22.

3/Eagles- Has a bye in the split round 18 - so a long break for them. Play South away under lights in Rd 21. Don't play North or Sturt again. Play twice still against Central, Glenelg, West and South (ie 3 teams in the current top 5).

4/West- only 1 more bye remaining and 11 games (6 away). Play Eagles, Glenelg and Sturt twice more. Plays Norwood away under lights (Rd 19) and Glenelg at home under lights (Rd 21).

5/Glenelg- of 10 remaining games they play West and the Eagles twice plus Central once. Don’t play Norwood again. Has a bye in Rd 23 so need to have a spot cemented in the top 3 or top five by then or potentially have a nailbiting weekend waiting on other results to unfold to decide their fate. Play West away at Richmond under lights in Rd 21.

6/Port- Play Sturt and Glenelg twice each still, plus as at the time of writing, still have Foxtel Cup commitments. Win FC this week vs North and no more byes for them this season, plus a tough last 3 matches of SANFL vs Central, Glenelg and Rd 23 is vs the Eagles.

7/South- Has a terrible run home from here. Play Nwd 3 times, and the Eagles twice. Only 1 bye remaining – Rd 19 (after the Split Round in Rd 18). Rd 23 is away to Nwd.

8/North- Play Central, Norwood and Sturt twice each. Don’t play the Eagles again. as at the time of writing, still have Foxtel Cup commitments. Win FC this week vs North and no more byes for them this season. Rd 23 is vs Central at Elizabeth.

9/Sturt- Has possibly the best draw remaining of the bottom four. If they find form and have a bit of luck, could make a charge to a finals spot yet. Don’t play the Eagles again, but play twice more against Port, North and West. Has the bye in Rd 17 before the split round in Rd 18. Face West (away) in Rd 23.

Interestingly, based on the ladder as it is at present the last minor round fixture (rd 23) has the top 4 playing the bottom 4 with 5th placed Glenelg having the bye that week.

[CoverKing]

Without going through club by club, here are my general observations:

The comp is even more even this year, for a few reasons. Firstly, I dont think any of last year's top 5 have been "on song" for full games, or for a few weeks in succession. Injuries havent helped any of these teams either - IIRC all of last year's top 5 have had injury worries which have also affected their feeder teams at reserves and u/18 levels. Secondly, I think the draw for the first half of the year was "managed" in such a way that the top teams of 2010 were playing one another early on (often under lights) and the bottom teams of last year were playing off. This has meant that outcomes have been pretty evenly split across the board.

Mid year, it is also interesting that three clubs (?) are virtually inseparable on percentage (around 56%) before a big drop to the remaining clubs starting 5-6% below them. That's like having an extra win up your sleeve and could mean the difference between finishing first or third for example, subject to wins and losses being the same.

How the season pans out from here could come down to the remaining draws of each club. On paper, and based on the current ladder, Norwood has a pretty reasonable draw. I haven't looked at the draws of other clubs, though, to really compare everyone. However, we have already played Glenelg, Central and Port twice each yet we still have 3 games to play against South. Hence my earlier comments about the draw being 'managed' in the first half of the year.

In the second half of the year I still see Glenelg, North and Port as shaping the makeup of the final five and that might include their own entries or slides into the finals series. West have been good so far but we all recall their battle with Sturt for the fifth spot last year, which went on for about the last 4 rounds of the season! Sturt look gone but are still capable of taking scalps. I haven't seen South yet but they do appear to be an improved outfit at home this year, and still working on their away form.

Mid-year - it seems like a centurion goal licker in 2011 is most unlikely. Jimmy Allan is every chance of the Magarey (subject to the Tribunal this week) and would anyone rate Steve Morris as a chance? The Eagles are this year's Glenelg - they are very much playing it low key and getting negligible media attention IMHO. Nothing less than a Grand Final appearance will be expected from the Oval Ave faithful, and with the Crows on the slide, expect their crowd numbers to improve between now and the end of the season. "All aboard the Eagles" as they will be the ones on the 2011 bandwagon!

By far our best player this year. Puopolo like, he is sure to be picked up IMO. Every chance of winning the magery from the back flank this year

[FlyingHigh]

Feel 3/Eagles- Has a bye in the split round 18 - so a long break for them. Play South away under lights in Rd 21. Don't play North or Sturt again. Play twice still against Central, Glenelg, West and South (ie 3 teams in the current top 5).

Interestingly, based on the ladder as it is at present the last minor round fixture (rd 23) has the top 4 playing the bottom 4 with 5th placed Glenelg having the bye that week.

Eagles had this scenario last year too IIRC. Trained hard, were up and down for the next few weeks potentially costing us a double chance, before hitting the finals hard. Hopefully we don't try the same thing this year, because I can't see us making the GF from the Elimination Final.
Also, just as worried about the South games as the others. Apart from when they have been truly horrible, they seem to have a habit of upsetting us at least once a year.

[HOORAY PUNT]

Spoke to an Eagles coaching panel member last weekend and he's pretty confident they can knock off everyone.
Although, they feel the Dogs will be the biggest challenge.
He feels Norwood plays a very tiring style and will find it hard to maintain that.
He was reasonably happy with his club's progress.

I think this is the Eagles problem.I think I have heard Godden say he expects a GF birth which sends the wrong message to the players IMO.

[Squawk]

Spoke to an Eagles coaching panel member last weekend and he's pretty confident they can knock off everyone.
Although, they feel the Dogs will be the biggest challenge.
He feels Norwood plays a very tiring style and will find it hard to maintain that.
He was reasonably happy with his club's progress.

The Eagles play the Dogs after the Dogs' next bye.
As for Nwd playing a tiring style, they have a bye in Rd 14, the split round in round 18 and then another bye in Rd 21, so there are opportunities there for players to get some respite from the vigours of the footy season.

[JK]

Spoke to an Eagles coaching panel member last weekend and he's pretty confident they can knock off everyone.
Although, they feel the Dogs will be the biggest challenge.
He feels Norwood plays a very tiring style and will find it hard to maintain that.
He was reasonably happy with his club's progress.

You touch on a good point DW .. I often wonder about this also.

If we actually make the most of our scoring opportunities then it's not as much of an issue IMHO, BUT, we are generally very inefficient in the forward 50, and Im not confident we can rely on keeping teams to 9 goals in finals matches.

The Eagles have the list to take it up to the Dogs if they can get everyone healthy and in form, but that's a big "if" .. what we know (and admire) about the Dogs is their record at managing and nursing their list so that it's pretty healthy come September - Without dropping too many points along the way.

[Pseudo]

I think this is the Eagles problem.I think I have heard Godden say he expects a GF birth which sends the wrong message to the players IMO.

Indeed that is the wrong message to give to players. If you're going to tap the missus three months after the completion of the season, it is highly irresponsible not to take precautions first!

[redandblack]

Good post, whufc.

[robranisgod]

Jimmy Allan is every chance of the Magarey (subject to the Tribunal this week) and would anyone rate Steve Morris as a chance?

Jimmy Allan did nothing that would affect his Magarey medal chances. He wasn't reported, he did nothing that could have led to him being reported. All that happened is that he got smacked in the head.

ironically Steve Morris did get reported, I can't remember the incident so i can't comment.