July – it’s the time of year when an enormous amount of pressure is placed on various coaches, with this year’s whipping stock, Collingwood’s Nathan Buckley and the Gold Coast’s Rodney Eade, currently in the firing line.
The AFL is a cut-throat industry and a degree of pressure is fair, but after West Coast’s insipid effort against Collingwood it has left me wondering whether or not Adam Simpson is the right man for the Eagles.
The West Coast Eagles are no strangers to success after finishing second on the ladder in 2015 with 16 wins after the home and away season.
Yet it would seem their inability to seal the deal in the Grand Final against the team of the century, Hawthorn, has left them suffering.
In 2015, the West Coast Eagles’ list was young and it appeared that it would only gather strength in the following seasons.
Simpson had built a game plan that started with a tight defence, aptly named ‘The Web’ which conceded the fourth-least goals in the competition in 2015. It concerned every side and fast became the talk of the competition.
Their forward line was extremely powerful, kicking the second most goals for the season, spearheaded by the power forward of the competition, Josh Kennedy who won the Coleman Medal with 80 goals.
(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
To accompany Kennedy was Marc Lecras, who was one of the smartest small forwards in the competition, kicking 45 goals for the season and was ranked sixth in the competition for goal assists.
Everything was looking rosy over the Nullarbor, but since then there has been a steady decline that undoubtedly has every West Coast supporter thinking, “Where to now?”
In 2014, the West Coast Eagles finished 6th on the ladder and had a home final against the Western Bulldogs but they were smashed. The Dogs brought a frenetic pressure that the Eagles simply couldn’t withstand.
Yesterday’s loss to Collingwood will place immense pressure on Coach Adam Simpson. The Eagles have now fallen out of the top eight and have a poor percentage, with just five games to go.
The Eagles were 24 points up in the final quarter, but faded to lose by 8 points. 12 players failed to gather a contested possession in the final quarter for the Eagles and they only had two players reach double figures for contested possessions, while six Collingwood players reached double figures.
This is a real sign that the Eagles are suffering from a mindset issue. Are the players playing for their coach?
The Eagles have shown a complete inability to play consistent football this season. Their list is as high quality as any other, with All-Australian players scattered throughout their side, not to mention two Brownlow Medallists.
Yet putting two good games together has been near impossible this season.
The Eagles have been labelled ‘Flat Track Bullies’ and ‘Mummy’s Boys’ all season and it was reiterated by Former Chief Football Writer for the Herald Sun, Mike Sheehan on SEN 1116 on Monday morning.
All of these insults fall back on the Head Coach and Adam Simpson needs to address this situation soon or it may be too late.
The Eagles have a three very winnable games before the ultimate tests against GWS and Adelaide to finish off the home and away season.
Anything short of making the finals and winning at least one final will leave the Eagles with no choice but to begin considering their options and possible replacements.
Rene Silva
Roar Rookie
Appreciate the reply DF. We in the East get exposed to a lot of stereotypes about our WA & SA friends by our footy media. No doubt you hear your fair share about us over there.
Don Freo
Guest
West Aussie adopt their coaches as their own. Simmo is well liked. Those calling for his head here are minority voices.. and the same voices just repeating the call. Those minority WC fans are notirious for eating their own...players usually are the targets. It is, however, only a minority. Eagles criwds are very ugly when they lose but, once again, it is a minority...just a feral minority. They are those here calling for blood from Priddis, Darling, Masten, Hill, Lecxa...the feral minority.
Rene Silva
Roar Rookie
I think Adam Simpson did a remarkable job to take the Eagles from an ordinary 13th in 2013 (where they didn't beat a single top 10 side, apart from an already finals disqualified Essendon late in the season) to a GF in his second season. A game I really thought they had plenty going their way in the lead up and that they'd win. The list profile of WC is the oldest in the comp currently and needs refreshing. It wasn't a young side that took to the MCG that October in 2015. Priddis was the only player over 30 but Elliot Yeo was the only one aged under 23. (22) The average age was 26 and the average games played per player in that 22 was 112 games. The fresh blood will take time to gel and develop. I see WC making finals in 2017 but finishing bottom 6 in 2018 & 2019. My question to WCE fans (especially those living over in Perth) is will Simpson be given a fair crack at rebuilding or will there be unreasonable and undue pressure on him from the local fan base, media and most importantly, the club hierarchy? Will him being a non Sandgroper count against him? Not trolling, I'm genuinely curious?
Don Freo
Guest
Can't go with you on Darling. He's a terrific chaser and tackler.
Gecko
Guest
Drew Petrie and Jack Darling were on the bench because they're not good chasers. You can't have a forward line that applies minimal pressure.
Gecko
Guest
I think the Eagles are indeed highly dependent on those 3: – Kennedy, McGovern and Naitanui. But Simpson did a great job in 2015 and certainly deserves another year in 2018 with NicNat back to see what he can do. A bit sad to see Priddis struggling in 2017. I wonder if it's because of too much overlap with Mitchell's role. Perhaps there's not enough room for two slow midfielders and Priddis plays a similar high possession role to Mitchell but does it less creatively.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Logic aint your strong point is it? The statements are independent of each other, the first statement is not predicated on the second and vice versa. Additionally, your contention is based on the TWO games Hawthorn played in 2015 that were settled by less than a goal???
Matto
Guest
We won't beat saints in Melbourne. And I'd back GWS even with their terrible form, as well as Crows even if they rest a few. It's damaging to even think we could win 2 out of those 3 because Simpson will continue to play the old guard that have achieved nothing but consistent top 8 spot and a GF appearance.
Don Freo
Guest
So funny when footy commentary is reduced to finding someone to sack. Really shallow. I'd agree with Eade because he took a star studded side on the edge of the 8 and has plunged them to a rebuild over a number of seasons but Simmo is not even close to being under pressure. He took a tired side from under an even more tired John Worsfold, rebuilt most of it and has returned them to regular finals. The absence of NicNat, Lycett and JK for a significant slab ought not to be blamed on Simmo. Gee people get silly when they speak through their disappointment.
Matto
Guest
25 times? That's the sadest thing I've heard today
Matto
Guest
Terrible analysis of eagles list. If eagles have three good players Simpson is a master coach for having them close to finals.
Don Freo
Guest
Really Lroy? Yeo was on the field at a very "crucial moment" in the last quarter. Are you going to blame Simmo for that kick? Now, that IS unreasonable!
Mattician6x6
Guest
At no point was anyone discussing his career at collingwood or other collingwood players it was only in regards to his time at WCE. You purposefully deflected from that to make a statement about the CFC in hopes to engage or at least peeve PtS, the de flection to a completely unrelated topic was an attempt to use the straw man technique to start a argument that had zero relevance to what was being discussed.
Asd
Guest
They should be sitting well in the 8.Got the players to cover Nic Nat.Simpson will have the screws turned in a bit more.There capable of a lot better performance's.
anon
Roar Pro
Once again over categorisation runs strong in this one. There’s a case to be made that the repeated ability to get up in those tight situations is down to prime coach messaging shining through, so that’s a laugh. So in 2015 when Hawthorn were losing most of their close ones they weren't a very good team? Really, Fremantle are a 5 win team with most of their wins coming in the wake of Ross Lyon being forced to drop his veteran favourites. it charged the team dynamic, gave it a new vitality for a month, but that's all worn off now.
gameofmarks
Roar Guru
Simpson and the WCE still may be able to salvage something from the season. At the moment the teams battling it our for the eight are SYD (40), MELB (40), ESS (36), WCE (36) and WB (36). I am going to write WB off first because they have the toughest run into the finals with games against ESS, BL, GWS, PORT and HAW. If you give them 3 wins from these games that puts them on 48 pts. I am going to give a geurnsey to SYD because they have HAW, GEEL (away), FREO, ADE (away) and CARL. Lets give them 3 wins from these games, which puts them on 52 pts and they won't drop out of the eight becuase of their healthy percentage. Mind you, if they trip up against the Hawks that makes things very interesting because GEEL and ADE won't be easy and SYD could end up on 48pts. So I guess I will be barracking for the mighty Hawks this weekend! I am also going to give a geurnsey to MELB because they probably have the easiest run into the finals with NMFC, GWS, STK, BL and FREO. If we give them 4 wins from these games that puts them on 56 pts. Then we come down to the two teams I reckon will battle it out for eighth spot - ESS and WCE. ESS have WB, CARL and ADE for their next three games. Lets give them 2 wins from these, which puts them on 44 pts. WCE have BL, STK and CARL for their next three games, and if we give them 3 wins that puts them on 48pts and back in the eight. If they can't beat STK in Melbourne, with their season on the line, then they really do have an attitude problem and I reckon Simpson might start feeling the heat as the cries from the WCE supporters goes to another level! Then for the final two rounds ESS have the SUNS and FREO. We have to give them these two as wins, which puts them on 52 pts. The WCE have GWS (away) and then ADE (home). They will have to win both games because they will not be able to scrape into the eight on percentage with just one win from these two games, which would put them on 52 pts, because ESS have the SUNS and FREO and play both games after the WCE have played GWS and ADE. So ESS will know what they have to do in both of their last two games to ensure they have a better percentage than the WCE. So the equation for the WCE is win all five remaining games and trust ADE will beat ESS, which will leave the WCE on 56pts and ESS on 52pts. But there is a crucial game this weekend that could make life so much easier for the WCE, and that is if the WB beat ESS. This would mean ESS would have to win their remaining 4 games, including ADE, and hope the WCE drop a game against either GWS or ADE. If the WB do beat ESS this weekend then they are right back in the hunt, but their percentage will be against them as will their low scoring offense. What about PORT? Well they have STK, ADE, COLL, WB and the SUNS remaining. If we give them 3 wins that puts them on 52 pts and with their percentage of 132% they won't drop out of the eight unless ESS and WCE go 4 and 1 and 5 and 0 respectively and PORT go 3 and 2. So hopefully the WCE can pull their proverbial out and have a real crack at making the eight. If the games go the way I hope they will then the bottom half of the eight will look like this: 4th - PORT - 56 5th - GWS - 56 (with losses to WCE and GEEL (away) int heir last two games). 6th - MELB - 56 7th - WCE - 56 8th - SYD - 52 9th - ESS - 52 10th - WB - 44 Then all that WCE have to do is get over MELB at the MCG in the first week of the finals....yeh as if that's going to happen!!!!
Cat
Roar Guru
Talking about whether Wellingham is overrated or not. My comment was directly on point.
Mark
Guest
Jetta was close to AA in 2012 but could never really recapture that form. Seems to be doing ok at the same time Sinclair is finally (hopefully?) coming good. Looks like the nil all draw trade isn't quite as bad now.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Cat - you are quite vocal on accusing all and sundry of being a straw man or using the debating technique of straw manning yet this post is just engaging in that behaviour. Why do you insist on using that termonology when it is the basis of a lot of conversations you start or engage in with?
Mattician6x6
Guest
This year or over simpsons coaching tenure thus far?