Eagleton - In 2007 is his spot is in jeopardy?

[LostDoggy]

I really rate this guy because he has a great work ethic and generally uses the ball so well. The fact that so many supporters wrote him off when he first came to Doglands and the fact that he has been very good for at least three season now shows how he has turned things around.
Some of his kicking into the forward line in 2006 was very classy.

The question is with the emergence of Farren Ray and Ryan Griffen, the acquisition of Jason Akermanis and the class of Rob Murphy and Shaun Higgins around the forward line does Eagleton become an expendable player in 2007?

I currently have him in my best 18 but I think it wouldn't take much poor form for Eagle to struggle to hold his spot.
Does anyone else agree with this?

Competition for spots in the senior team is a health sign for any team however, normally there is also a few causalities.

[bulldogtragic]

Eagleton is like a few others like my man Sam Power.

Their best form warrants selection in the team week in and week out. So if Eagleton performs to standard he shouldn't worry too much. However if he strings 2 bad games together while a Power, Faulker, Addison or co string some good ones for the bees at the same time, then it could be different.

This level of competition is great, and the truely good platers will respond accordingly while those destined for delisting will drop their heads. BUt more specifically, Eagle on song is worth 30 touches and 3 goals a game plus inside 50 entries and goal assists. I hope he responds accordingly.

[alwaysadog]

The better the midfield gets the better Eagle will perform. He plays a critical carry and break them open, then dish it off or kick it yourself role. The busier we can keep defenders and the better we clear the ball from packs the more opportunities he will have.

His foot skills are sublime. Some exampl;es that come to mind are the time he put it on Robbos head between two defenders at one stage last year, then in another game he weighted a perfect pass to a Coon running into space towards goal and don't let's forget those long bombs.

I don't think he's in any trouble.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

The better the midfield gets the better Eagle will perform. He plays a critical carry and break them open, then dish it off or kick it yourself role. The busier we can keep defenders and the better we clear the ball from packs the more opportunities he will have.

His foot skills are sublime. Some exampl;es that come to mind are the time he put it on Robbos head between two defenders at one stage last year, then in another game he weighted a perfect pass to a Coon running into space towards goal and don't let's forget those long bombs.

I don't think he's in any trouble.

I couldn't of said it better myself.

Eagleton's got outstanding foot skills both over long and short range and he's an intelligent player, he finds plenty of pace and picks up plenty of possessions. He is lethal when he gets the ball and in the past two years has been tagged a number of times because of it.

He's in no trouble. Ray, Griffen & Higgins are improving and moving up the ranks but Eagleton is a damn good player and is a wing specialist. His form early on in the piece was breathtaking and as alwaysadog said, he's only going to look better in a stronger midfield. The likes of Aker, Higgins, Murphy & Hahn coming back in will only allow Eagleton to run wild and with Darcy and perhaps Doogs pondering in the forward line, Eagleton's gonna be laughing.

For mine, all players will have to perform or else they'll be dropped. The level of competition is sky high, so I don't think there's too many exceptions. If you have 3 bad games and The Bees are pushing hard, you'll be dropped. Simple as that.

[The Coon Dog]

Nah, he's safe, runs the lines, penetrates inside 50 & finishes off ever so well.

[Dry Rot]

I'm not an Eagle basher, but he could be in jeopardy soon, if not this season.

While I accept he may look better in a better team, he's pretty well at his peak. Ditto other possible midfielders like Acker and even Johnno. A number of our younger players, like Ray and Griffen are not.

Everyone who goes to training is banging on about how good Griffen, Higgins etc even McDougall are looking. If they're right, towards the end of the season you might expect Darcy, Murphy, Johnno, Hahn and McDougall to be fixtures in the forwardllne. Leaves one spot for a resting midfielder/crumber/Powwr etc

Likewise, you'd expect Harris, Morris, Gilbee, Hargrave and Wight (possibly) and Grant (most of the time) to be fixtures in the backline. Leaves at best one spot for McMahon and/or Griffin if needs be.

In the midfield, West and Cross (and Boyd?) are in and under players, and Griffin and Higgins possibly.

So Eagle, Ray, Acker, maybe Griffin, Guido and sometimes Johhno and McMahon will be competing for wing spots. When he's not going forward, Aker is a given, leaving one spot.

So I reckon if a few of the younger players begin to realise their potential, Eagle could be in trouble.

May not be in 2007 but certainly in 2008.

[Go_Dogs]

I couldn't of said it better myself.

Eagleton's got outstanding foot skills both over long and short range and he's an intelligent player, he finds plenty of pace and picks up plenty of possessions. He is lethal when he gets the ball and in the past two years has been tagged a number of times because of it.

He's in no trouble. Ray, Griffen & Higgins are improving and moving up the ranks but Eagleton is a damn good player and is a wing specialist. His form early on in the piece was breathtaking and as alwaysadog said, he's only going to look better in a stronger midfield. The likes of Aker, Higgins, Murphy & Hahn coming back in will only allow Eagleton to run wild and with Darcy and perhaps Doogs pondering in the forward line, Eagleton's gonna be laughing.

For mine, all players will have to perform or else they'll be dropped. The level of competition is sky high, so I don't think there's too many exceptions. If you have 3 bad games and The Bees are pushing hard, you'll be dropped. Simple as that.

Well summed up. A few people have suggested that Ray has over-taken Eagleton for the wing role, but he isn't close yet. Eagleton's long left footed goals and delivery should see him selected every week. He uses the ball so well, and with only 20 touches he can be so damaging.

[bulldogtragic]

Well summed up. A few people have suggested that Ray has over-taken Eagleton for the wing role, but he isn't close yet. Eagleton's long left footed goals and delivery should see him selected every week. He uses the ball so well, and with only 20 touches he can be so damaging.

Good points. While Ray is exciting and has enormous potential. A simple question can assess the two. Running to fifty and having a shot to win a game, say a grand final, who would you rather have the ball.

For me Eagleton is deadly while Ray is barely a fifity/fifty proposition. I have no doubt Ray will get much better and become a solid player to superstar. But as things lie at the moment, Eagleton is more dangerous and more of a threat to the oppositions goals.

[GVGjr]

I like it that some people write eagle off because I think he loves to prove them wrong.
A few have mentioned Ray and while he was terrific in patches today his kicking really lets us down. He does not seem to have made any progress from last season.

Back to Eagle. What position do people see him playing?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I like it that some people write eagle off because I think he loves to prove them wrong.
A few have mentioned Ray and while he was terrific in patches today his kicking really lets us down. He does not seem to have made any progress from last season.

Back to Eagle. What position do people see him playing?

He's a specialist wingman.

Finds plenty of space, picks up possessions, is able to have a ping at the goals from the 40-60m range or is a fantastic passer from that 70-80m region into the forward line. With Darcy and perhaps Doogs running around, Eagleton's best position is by far the Wing where he is allowed to run up and down them.

[firstdogonthemoon]

The better the midfield gets the better Eagle will perform. He plays a critical carry and break them open, then dish it off or kick it yourself role. The busier we can keep defenders and the better we clear the ball from packs the more opportunities he will have.

His foot skills are sublime. Some exampl;es that come to mind are the time he put it on Robbos head between two defenders at one stage last year, then in another game he weighted a perfect pass to a Coon running into space towards goal and don't let's forget those long bombs.

I don't think he's in any trouble.

I agree. In fact I think we should have a policy on this board that we are not allowed to bag Nathan Eagleton even if he is rubbish. He is the heart and soul of this team and while he wasnt at training today, Rodney had a long chat with him in the players race. He has been overlooked for the captaincy, should have been all australian Nathan Eagleton position player.

he is a game breaker, will thrive with an Aker to play off.

[firstdogonthemoon]

Nah, he's safe, runs the lines, penetrates inside 50 & finishes off ever so well.

I notice the Coon dog is promoting some sort of White Supremacy thing with his nom de plume and his fascist gollywog.

[Dry Rot]

I agree. In fact I think we should have a policy on this board that we are not allowed to bag Nathan Eagleton even if he is rubbish.

He's probably still upset Harrison has retired.

[bresker]

I thought his second half of last season was ordinary. I'm not an Eagles basher, I love him. Under Rhode he was one of our best. Maybe I don't appreciate him as much now that the whole team has progressed.

[The Coon Dog]

I notice the Coon dog is promoting some sort of White Supremacy thing with his nom de plume and his fascist gollywog.

Funny, my wife said the same thing yesterday. I transferred the name across from BF (just seemed easier than inventing a new one) & I did quite a few Avatars (still like the one I did for AMJ on BF) including the gollywog. It was originally clothed in brown & green & I went to work on Adobe Photoshop changing it to Red, White & Blue. It took ages & afterwards I thought I'd use it seeing as I had put so much time into it. Just pure coincidence.