Worsfold today has admitted the Eagles are tanking ....
But Worsfold said such losses were inevitable as West Coast's looks to fast-track itself into premiership contention just two-and-a-half seasons after it's 2006 triumph.
"It's going to take a little bit of patience from people to understand where were going," Worsfold said from Subiaco Oval on Tuesday.
"If they want to have a side that might finish ninth or tenth for five years in a row, we could manufacture that, but if they want a team that could potentially win a premiership within five or six years of their previous premiership, then that's what we're aiming for.
"We've got a strong focus on that and we're prepared to wear some pain heading towards that.
"We've got a big picture of more imminent success than just being a run of the mill side for a long period."
http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=77605
Worsfold would know he'll have the full support of the whole club from the President and Board to the Footy manager and recruiters. They've been rebuilding for the past 2 years and this will be their 3rd rebuilding draft.
2007 draft: 3, 13, 20, 22 + gained Josh Kennedy in the Judd trade.
2008 draft: 2, 18, 20, 36, 52
So the Eagles have gained 7 top 25 draftees to just our 2 in the past two drafts.
In 2006 despite winning the flag they still upgraded picks (traded fringe tall McDougall to the Dogs, Gardiner to Saints) and then used all their picks - 16, 29, 43, 50, 80. The Eagles understand that the National Draft is the best chance each club has of accessing the most talented youngsters each year and that you don't trade your picks away while in a rebuilding phase.
Compare that to the bozos at Richmond who after 23 drafts still don't get it trading away picks for fringe players and keep giving out mixed messages from the top down because we have no clear policy, direction and leadership as far as our footy division and recruiting goes
. If the Club wanted to do something radically bold it would not only plan to finish bottom this year but also use the new coach's honeymoon first year to clear out the oldies at the end of the season and with the youngest side and list in 2010 finish with just 4 wins to gain the pre-first round priority pick ahead of the Gold Coast's first 5 picks. That would give us picks 1 and 7 while the majority of existing clubs miss out on a top 20 pick altogether. This adds 5 more top 20 quality juniors to our list including 2 young guns (name the last dud No.1 pick). Our existing young core won't peak until 2012-13 (Cotchin will be only 22, Lids 25) so by then no one will care that we were crap in 2009-10 when we finally have a strong list with no age gaps and are playing finals.
MT sits and waits for people to freak out lol
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