With rookie coach Adam Simpson taking over from club great John Worsfold, and a list seen to have talent but yet to fulfil its potential, West Coast began this season as the enigma of the competition.
Fast-forward to their loss to Richmond, and 2014 has been filled with frustration and disappointment.
Beset by injuries to key players, and lacking star power through the midfield, the Eagles have been one of the most underwhelming teams of the season.
They tantalised fans with glimpses of their potential and ability, but these glimpses were few and far between.
The loss to Richmond officially ends the Eagles’ already slim chances of making finals, and leaves them with six games to try and find some solace from a disappointing season.
Their season was hampered by injuries to key personnel. Vice captain Beau Waters failed to get on the park all season due to a chronic shoulder injury, and both his leadership and run off half back were sorely missed. Key midfielder Scott Selwood also sustained a long-term injury, while young half back Elliott Yeo, defender Brad Shepphard and ruckman Nic Naitanui have all been in and out of the side with injury.
The upside was the young players who stepped into the breach, showing that Simpson has something to work with next year.
Mark Hutchings has turned into an ultra consistent midfielder, young forward Jeremy McGovern has been a revelation in his handful of games, top draftee Dom Sheed showed talent, while Blayne Wilson, Simon Tunbridge and Brant Colledge were other young Eagles to show promise.
However, despite the best efforts of these rookie players, they were unable to fill the void left by the absence of more senior players.
The biggest hole in West Coast’s list is its lack of star power and class. Retiring ruckman Dean Cox, full forward Josh Kennedy and midfielder Matt Priddis are the three Eagles who could be categorised as ‘stars’, with Selwood not far behind. After them, however, there is a big gulf in talent.
The Eagles are a team of high draft picks who have failed to develop into stars. Chris Masten, a former pick three, has become a consistent midfielder, but would be classed as ‘very good’ rather than ‘elite’. Similarly, Andrew Gaff, taken with pick four, has failed to develop into a star player. Luke Shuey has had his development stalled through injury, but is another who has threatens to break open games all too infrequently.
The Eagles also lack run through the midfield. West Coast’s decision to trade its pick six to Collingwood for pick eleven last year, in the knowledge that local inside midfielder Dom Sheed would still be available at that pick, robbed them of the chance to select a pacy, outside winger. Sheed has the makings of an excellent contested player, but is not fast. The Eagles need a line breaker, and this should be the highest draft priority for them this year.
Given that the 2014 draft will be one for the taller players, the Eagles need to procure a trade to acquire the services of a top-flight midfielder. Given their plethora of tall players – the Eagles have forwards Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Jeremy McGovern, Fraser McInnes, and ruckmen Naitanui, Scott Lycett and Callum Sinclair – the Eagles may be best served by letting one of these promising players go.
Lycett has been courted by Port Adelaide, who have struggled to get all their ruckmen on the field this year, and losing him could either deliver the Eagles a valuable pick or player.
A player who should be on the Eagles’ radar is Western Bulldogs midfielder Shaun Higgins. While he comes with the baggage of injury history, Higgins is a classy, line-breaking midfielder, and, more importantly, has put off contract talks until season’s end. He won’t come cheap, but would inject class into the team.
The retirements of captain Darren Glass and Cox will further deprive the Eagles of top-line talent and experience. The club should use the next six weeks to decide how to rebuild.
If they don’t, 2015 could be another year in the wilderness.
Coasters
Guest
Pretty fair article the midfield needs a major overhaul. All the midst have talent but most of them belong as 4th or 5th midfielders. We need to invest in one or two gun midfielders and everything will change. Look at 2006, Judd cousins and Kerr made guys like embley and stenglein look better and made for a Berger mid group that's the case now guys like masten and rosa need a gun midfielder to bring out their game shuey has the potential to be this player but we need one absolute gun midfielder. Also if we hadn't of traded from 6 to 11 draft pick we would have still ended up with sheed but wouldn't have been able to trade for yeo who IMO has been one of our best players and is the type of player we need in the midfield big bodied but also has pace. Yeo, shuey as outside mids and priddis (and sheed when he retires) and a gun midfielder with rosa Hutchings masten etc as the 4th and 5th midfielder. Wellingham also just needs a bit of class around him to show his full potential as we saw at collingwood
DJW
Guest
That would explain alot as the game plan seems pretty non-existant and exactly the same as Worlsfolds. Justin Longmuir needs to be booted as forwards coach, never seen such a dysfuctional forward line with the talent they have. To be fair any kick into it is either bombed in or missed them on the lead by 3 metres.
Mat
Guest
McKenzie's a star. If not the squad he'll be on the AA shortlist for sure.
jimmy
Guest
lol AS IF rohan is worth a first round pick AND shuey. rohan will turn 24 next season and is a bit part player although admittedly at the best team inthe comp. he was pick 6 in the draft of 5 years ago. eagles will have a first round pick between 7-9 this year. rohan is worth like a second rounder and definitely not shuey. only trade i could see that would be reasonably equal would be shuey for rohan.
Thomas
Guest
Gary Rohan would be a sensational pickup for either of the WA clubs, but particularly the Eagles. Tom Mitchell I know is highly regarded but I was under the impression he was a bit more inside than outside - though I readily admit not seeing enough of him to know. I don't think Kane Mitchell is quite the standard of the other two but I think he's a really good fit for what the Eagles need right now. First round pick and Luke Shuey for Gary Rohan? The Issac Heeney situation could make Sydney an interesting player in the forthcoming trade period and the Swans would back themselves in to make a star of Luke Shuey.
Don Freo
Guest
Fancy, when choosing between Lewis Jetta and Brad Sheppard, they chose Sheppard.
Don Freo
Guest
Yes. It was Ken Judge, on Saturday morning, who said his tenure was effectively over when the Eagles sent Tim Gepp into the coaches' box. He said Gepp, ostensibly in the role of advisor, actually operated as a workplace spy, reporting back to Nisbett. On Friday, Gepp, who usually sits on the bench, was sent to the coaches' box. Judge is suggesting that Simpson has no chance of stamping his authority on a side in those circumstances. We know that Nisbett and Gepp were gunning for Judge back then because Judge told the board that WCE had a drug problem in those days.
Don Freo
Guest
Kane Mitchell, Tom Mitchell and Gary Rohan are all potential top liners who are not getting games. All provide the pace that would supplement the class of Priddis and Masten. Masten has plenty of class which is only useful if he is the 4th or 5th best midfielder. He needs to slide back in the pecking order and he'll multiply his value. I think Shuey is potential trade bait for better midfielders. He crumbles as the #1 but would be very tempting for a club with 3 or4 other guns.
Lroy
Guest
Something definately wrong in the recruiting department... really they need a complete overhaul, get someone each who was involved at the Dockers, Port , Hawthorn and Sydney, cannot believe we never scored any of the Hill boys, the Jettas, frankly we have not drafted any of these gun Aboriginal kids in the last few years. from memory we havent taken anyone since we took Scampi, over ten years ago. I think we are getting to the point where the reality is the Eagles hired the wrong guy in Adam Simpson. So far all he has done is pick the same guys Woosha picked, and so far we have had exactly the same results. If Simspon doesnt wake up soon he will be sacked halfway through next year. As it stands, the Eagles should be sounding out Mark Harvey and or Mark Thompson to set up a coaching dream team. Fraser McCinnes needs to play a few games at full forward, Will Schofield needs a run on the wing, McGovern can cover his spot down back... and guys like College, Tunbridge, Wilson etc all need to play out the season at AFL level to see if they have what it takes. Wilson has been good every game is played, I am flabbergasted he hasnt been a regular this year. I believe 5 or 6 guys need to be cut at the end of the year, including the old Spartan Sam Butler, he adds nothing these days, lacks pace, best days behind him. Guys like McGinity have been around for 5 years, still hasnt cemented a regular spot, same goes for Ash Smith... and I have never been sold on Masten or Rosa.. some tough decisions need to be made otherwise we face another 2 years down the bottom of the ladder. REally, this is the worst midfield I can recall since their establishment in 1987... Brisbane, near the bottom of the ladder have a much better bunch of mids, all quick, can use the pill.
TW
Guest
Apparently the two seperate Sat morning sports shows in Perth said a lot about the Eagles admin and the coach. It was said that the admin was tired and needed a cleanout and that Coach Simpson was alleged to be under the influence of the football managers staff, something which Woosha and Malthouse were definitely not. This is very rare to have any wholesale criticism of the Number one sports club in WA. Coach Simpson is finding out the realities of coaching the Eagles now.
Thomas
Guest
If Lycett is already committed to heading to Port next year they may not have a choice. My guess is the Eagles wouldn't want to trade him - particularly as they don't seem to have a key position player who looks comfortable in the ruck for 5 minutes a quarter. Having said that, sending Lycett and their second round pick (maybe mid 20's) to Port for Mitchell and their first round pick (probably mid teens) would give the Eagles an outside runner (even if he's not elite) to help the Eagles in an area they're clearly deficient - plus two chances to recruit elite running players for the future.
Radelaide
Guest
Yeah I think that would be a trade Port would be happy with but would the Eagles considering Cox's retirement.
Thomas
Guest
If Port are keen on Lycett the Eagles could do worse than to prise Kane Mitchell away from Port - along with a suitable swap of picks given Lycett has a fair bit more value on the trade table than Mitchell does.
Radelaide
Guest
Worst midfield by a mile, for such a powerful club off field they sure can get themselves into the mire from time to time.
Gecko
Guest
I'd be even more pessimistic. Though the Eagles are well off for key position players, they have very little up-and-coming talent in terms of runners, Adding Higgins would be like adding another Wellingham - insufficient work rate. If Shuey doesn't become the gun midfielder he's so long promised to be, the Eagles will be contenders for wooden spoon in 2015.
GD66
Guest
Hard to argue with any of that. Plus this year they seem to have installed a home-ground disadvantage, losing to teams they would traditionally have dealt to with little inconvenience. It would be nice to think just once this season the Eagles could burst forth from the first bounce, take the game by the scruff of the neck and establish dominance or even...a lead ! But they seem totally lacking in intensity or fervour, possibly not all that surprising when the coach gets about as fired-up as describing what he had on yesterday's sandwiches for lunch. You can be patient and make excuses, but this season I haven't seen any more than the occasional glimpse of hope for the future. They are ordinary in the extreme, and that won't achieve much these days.