Now that we've had the pleasure of seeing Wet Toast both out of the finals and done for the year thanks to East Perth missing the WAFL finals, thoughts now turn to what next?
For us, it's hoping a strong and successful WAFL finals campaign will do for blokes like Ryan, Deluca, Duman & Logue that Peel winning the flag last year did for blokes like Blakely, Langdon, Hughes, Tucker and Weller.
For all the talk of a compromised WAFL comp, there is no denying having success at some level is better for our club than no success at all.
If we're lucky enough to have at least as good a trade & draft period this year as last - esp. if we pick up Hogan - then finals should be on the cards next season.
But if we turn the focus to the Weagles - well, I think some fun is to be had here.
The Weagle Media (I.e. basically every sports journo in WA) are now getting themselves into a lather over where to from here.
Personally, I think they massively over-achieved this season. But for a coach-saving win by the Magpies (also a great fillip for footy lovers not of the Colonwood variety as they will never challenge as long as Buckley is their coach) over Melbourne in the last round - they'd not have played finals at all and it'd be clear to all & sundry the premiership window was slammed shut & now was the time to move into rebuilding mode.
However, having snuck into the 8 and winning a final that Port threw away, all of a sudden there is confusion in the ranks of their media sycophants.
Do they just 'top up' the oldest list in the comp and go again coz once NicNoStat is back they'll be unstoppable - or do they acknowledge they've hit the wall and a mass clean out of the list ensues?
I've read reports today that span those widely opposed views - right down to trading Kennedy! Beautiful!!
IMHO, they need some quality mids, particular inside mids, and anyone with pace.
But I really hope the Cokers club management thinks the window is still open. If Leccas gets another contract- then that'll be a sign to what they're thinking.
Really, they've got a list with most of their better players over 27 (Kennedy, NicNoStat, Hurn, Shoeey, MacKenzie, Redden, Jetta, Schofield & Wellingham). Others like Masten (28), J.Hill (28), Hutchings (27) & Cripps (25) are nothing but downhill skiers and list cloggers, IMHO.
Mackenzie, Wellingham & Hill are out of contract. In a genuine rebuild scenario - only MacKenzie would be retained.
Going over the rest of their list, their A-graders (or those I believe will be A-graders in the next year or so) would be NicNoStat, Kennedy, McGovern, Shooeeey, Yeo, Barrass, Duggan, Sheppard, Gaff & Hurn. Some of these go missing when the game's not going their way but I think this is close.
Lycett, Vardy & Sheed would probably be B+ players.
But aside from Partington who has shown a bit in his few games, I'm not sure there is much more potential quality on their list.
That's barely half a team so if they draft/trade in more 'older' players to their list this off-season - then they're setting themselves up for a big fall in a season or two's time.
How good would that be??!!
