Woodville-West Torrens Season Preview

Thanks to C.K for the Eagles preview.

WOODVILLE/WEST TORRENS 2012 PREVIEW

Ins: Robert Eddy (St Kilda), Chris Kane (Glenelg), Robert Shirley, Byron Sumner, Jarrod Harding (returning to club from interstate), John McCarthy (AFL Mini Draft – Port Adelaide)

Outs: Cameron Sutcliffe (Fremantle), Amos Frank (Hawthorn), Jarred Allmond (year away – personal), Stuart Hill (North Adelaide), Leigh Treeby, James Rimington (Victoria), Stephen Tiller, Tom Corbett, Brad Geddes, Dale Symmons (retired).

The reigning premiers have recruited very carefully to cover some anticipated losses, but the late withdrawal of Allmond will hurt their rotations. It is hoped he will return in 2013, and Sumner looks the type who can cover his loss well. Eddy will be one of the big ticket recruits for the SANFL, and his AFL experience is sure to come to the fore at critical times. The losses of Hill and Tiller robs them of some mobile talls, and Rimington was also very underrated for his work at clearing the stoppages.

That said, the list looks cherry ripe to continue the enormous positives from 2011. An experienced defence with the ability to clear the zone quickly, a mixture of pace and ball magnets through the middle and a varied attack, led by the most dominant centre half forward in the competition in Adam Grocke, proved extremely hard to stop at the business end last season and there is no reason to suggest they can’t do the same this year.

While Justin Cicolella, Luke Powell, Shirley and to a lesser degree, Mark McKenzie are in the twilight stages of stellar careers, there is no doubting their leadership and ability to win the ball in the contested situations at Oval Avenue. The situation with McKenzie flying back each week from Victoria (due to employment) is not ideal, but he will be more than professional enough to work through this and retain his status as one of the SANFL’s premier players.

BEST CASE: Eddy slots straight in, the younger brigade steps up and allow the veterans to play dangerous cameo roles, Grocke boots 60, and Craig Parry leads the centre square to a repeat of 2011.

WORST CASE: The hunger takes its time to reappear, older legs start to break down and if Grocke is contained, the ability to kick winning scores is reduced, putting them in a fight for third to fifth place.

WILDCARD: Whether Craig Parry will still need his own car park at the SANFL on tribunal nights will go a long way to them winning the rucks consistently. It also remains to be seen whether commentators who are fans of “Flying High” can resist the temptation for commentators to use Robert Shirley as a line too often in 2012.

PROGNOSIS: Premiers