Season preview: West Coast Eagles

A brand new era awaits the West Coast Eagles this season with the arrival of a new coach and a mission to return to its status as an AFL powerhouse.

John Worsfold’s resignation as head coach of the Eagles came as no surprise given the Eagles suffered a disappointing 2013 season in which it failed to live up to expectations, missing the finals after reaching the semi-finals in 2012.

New coach Adam Simpson will be the man whom the Eagles hope will lift them back into the upper echelon of the ladder, but this process isn’t expected to be instantly successful, as the players try to adjust to a new coach after most of the team developed under the tutelage of Worsfold.

How will the Eagles fare in 2014 under a new coach? Let’s take a look at their chances.

West Coast Eagles
Last season: 13th
Most recent premiership: 2006

Notable arrivals: Xavier Ellis (Hawthorn), Elliot Yeo (Brisbane Lions)
Notable departures: Bradd Dalzeill, Cale Morton (delisted), Adam Selwood, Andrew Embley, Ashton Hams, Mark Nicoski, Daniel Kerr (retired)

Leading goalkicker: Josh Kennedy (60)
All-Australians: None
Best-and-fairest: Matt Priddis

After twelve years under John Worsfold, which included a premiership in 2006 and a wooden spoon in 2010, a fresh new era beckons at the West Coast Eagles.

The change comes after the Eagles suffered a disappointing 2013 season in which they failed to make the finals for the third year running, after many experts rated them as serious pre-season flag contenders.

The man to take the club into the next phase is former North Melbourne two-time premiership player Adam Simpson, who after retiring in 2009 served four years as an assistant coach at Hawthorn, including in last year’s victorious premiership side.

It’s hoped by fans that he can lift the Eagles back into the finals, but it’s not going to be easy given the exodus of players during the off-season.

Xavier Ellis is a notable arrival from Hawthorn, but if you analyse the departure lounge, it include 2006 premiership players Daniel Kerr and Adam Selwood, as well as the Norm Smith Medallist from that side, Andrew Embley.

Additionally, Bradd Dalziell and Mark Nicoski have also departed the club, so if that is an indication, the Eagles will be in for a rebuild in the short-term.

Ellis arrives in Perth having played 86 career games with Hawthorn, but only seven in the last two seasons which were marred by injury; none of the games he played included either the 2012 or 2013 grand finals.

If he can regain the form that saw him feature in the Hawks’ premiership side of 2008, and suit very well into the new-look Eagles squad, then he will remain on track to reach his 100th AFL game, probably by the middle of the season.

He is expected to fill the big hole that has been left in the midfield by Daniel Kerr, but he will also be complimented there by the likes of Scott Selwood, Luke Shuey and Matt Priddis, among many others.

Additionally, fans will be hoping for another good input in the forward line from Josh Kennedy, whose 60 goals was a rare season highlight for the Eagles, as well as from Mark LeCras, who managed 15 games in his comeback season after an ACL injury destroyed his 2012 season.

Let’s now take a look at some of the highlights that Eagles fans can expect to enjoy in 2014:

Matches to watch in 2014
1. The Western Derbies, Rounds 7 and 15
Since its inception in 1995, the Western Derby has become a mandatory event for all WA footy fans as the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle fight it out for bragging rights in the west.

The Eagles have struggled against the Dockers in recent times, losing the last three Derbies, including both in 2013 by 28 points each.

And as is customary in all AFL derbies, there will be two meetings this year, so it presents the Eagles two good chances to make up some lost ground having lost the last three Derbies.

Seven rounds into the season, the first Showdown could give the Eagles a chance to show just how much progress they’ve made under Adam Simpson.

2. West Coast Eagles versus North Melbourne, Round 11
This match will see West Coast take on North Melbourne for the first time since last year’s Round 8 thriller which saw Nic Naitanui kick the match winning goal after the final siren.

The Eagles’ victory was one of only three home victories they would enjoy in 2013, but undoubtedly it was the biggest season highlight in an otherwise disappointing season.

Not only that, the acquisition of Adam Simpson as the Eagles’ new head coach will further add some spice to this mid-season showdown.

Simpson is a legend of North Melbourne, featuring in their two most recent premierships (1996 and 1999), playing over 300 AFL games and enjoying his best season in 2002 when he won All-Australian selection and was also named the club’s best-and-fairest.

And now, when the two teams meet on the first Sunday of June, Simpson will be busy trying to plot the downfall of his old club, who are not only coming off a frustrating season themselves, but have suffered as a whole since the late 1990s.

3. West Coast Eagles versus Sydney Swans, Round 16
One of the AFL’s most notable rivalries of the millennium will continue in July when the West Coast Eagles and Sydney Swans lock horns at Patersons Stadium.

Over the last decade, the Eagles and Swans fought out some of the most titanic battles ever witnessed in modern AFL history, including two grand finals and a hat-trick of one-point verdicts, all going the way of the Eagles.

However, the rivalry has died down in recent years, with the Eagles having not beaten the Swans anywhere since 2007, despite having home ground advantage the last three times they met.

But with a new coach, and once again with the home ground advantage, will the new-look Eagles end the curse or will the star-studded Swans continue their dominance?

4. West Coast Eagles versus Richmond, Round 18
The Eagles’ Round 18 showdown against Richmond will mark not only their only Friday night match of the season, but also their only match of the season which is not on a Saturday or Sunday.

Their poor 2013 season meant that they lost the privilege of featuring regularly in the more lucrative Thursday, Friday and Monday timeslots, but at least this will be the players’ chance to shine under the bright Friday night lights, like they did against North Melbourne last year.

And the fans must embrace it as well – this will be only the second Friday night match played in Perth all year – after Fremantle’s ANZAC Night match against North Melbourne in Round 6.

The Eagles will also have some redemption on their minds for their match against Richmond – it was the Tigers who spanked the locals by 41 points on the Monday night stage in Round 10 last year.

The verdict
After twelve seasons of ecstatic highs and confidence-sapping lows under John Worsfold, the West Coast Eagles enter the Adam Simpson era with a fresh mind and with the goal of returning to the finals.

The club severely lost a lot of experience during the off-season, but with the likes of Nic Naitanui, Josh Kennedy and Matt Priddis still at the club, that’s enough experience and talent to lift the club back where it needs to be and that is in the top eight.

The most interesting story of this season will be how the Eagles fare under new coach Adam Simpson, and given last year’s season-ending 13th finish, not much will be expected.

Prediction
12th