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Despite being grand finalists this year, there are still doubts over what the West Coast Eagles are really capable of, after receiving a ‘soft’ 2015 draw and being easily disposed of by the Hawks in the Big Dance.
In his two seasons at the helm, Adam Simpson has brought a new system to the team. He loves versatility in his players and a team that plays to their strengths.
When Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown went down at the start of 2015 Simpson had to regenerate the game plan, and attack was the course of reply.
West Coast were ranked second in attack and fourth in defence in 2015 – not bad for a team decimated in defence.
Furthermore, the Eagles’ age profile stands up pretty well. The average age of the list is 23.76 years old, with 58 games the average experience. Compare that to Hawthorn (74 games) and you can understand the grand final margin a little better, as seven of the Eagles players from that grand final had played in 100 games or fewer.
This team played without their best defender all season, a ruckman, key defender, small defender and a Brownlow medallist carrying injuries, and still managed a shot at the premiership.
Adding two ready-made midfielders, Jack Redden and Lewis Jetta, who play display class, polish and genuine ability to an ever-growing midfield and West Coast are in good stead. On grand final day Hawthorn bullied West Coast, and it all started in the midfield.
Hawthorn are once again deserved premiership favourites for 2016, but with the experience of 2015, and the uncertainty of what sort of gameplan the Eagles are going to throw up with the return of Mackenzie and Brown, the Eagles deserve to be involved in the premiership discussion.
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