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The order of merit: West Coast Eagles 2021 season

12th March, 2021
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Roar Guru
12th March, 2021
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Who are the West Coast Eagles players that should play to their optimum level in season 2021?

To be eligible for selection, a player must have played at least five games in season 2020, so there can be a reference point as far as those players who apply their talent the best at AFL level.

The Eagles don’t have many injury concerns going into Round 1. Here are the ten players (plus an honourable mention) who will stand out from the pack in season 2021 in terms of performing to their optimum level.

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Honourable mention: Alex Witherden is a player that only featured in six out of the 19 games that the Brisbane Lions played in season 2020, but he averaged the third most disposals of any Lions player. It’s difficult to understand why he didn’t play more games. He should be a regular part of the Eagles’ best 22 and will be a welcome addition to the team in season 2021, where he should feature prominently and gain confidence from being in the best 22 of an AFL team on a consistent basis.

10. Jack Darling needs to be better than he was in season 2020 if the Eagles are to be contenders in season 2021. He is a player that has the capability of being a pivotal part of the Eagles structure, as he plays as a centre half forward. He featured in all 18 games that the Eagles played in season 2020, which shows that he is durable. He averaged the second most goals of any Eagles player in the same season, but only averaged the 14th most marks of any Eagles player, which would be disappointing for him. He finished eighth in the best and fairest in the same season, which he would want to improve on in season 2021.

Jack Darling celebrates a goal

(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

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9. Jeremy McGovern needs to stay injury-free in season 2021, in order to show his true potential. He is in the conversation for the best centre half back in the competition, or was in the conversation until season 2020, where he managed to play just 12 out of 18 games. Despite that, he averaged the second most marks of any Eagles player in season 2020 with an average of exactly six marks per game. My concern is that he stays injury-free in order to play to his potential in season 2021.

8. Dom Sheed is a player that has worked hard and should be a permanent part of the midfield with Elliot Yeo out for a while due to injury. If the Eagles’ pre-season match against the Dockers is any indication then he should have a good season. He accumulated 29 disposals. He is a player who needs to improve if he is to stay in the Eagles’ midfield when Yeo returns from injury. He played 17 of 18 games in season 2020 and still finished outside of the top ten in the best and fairest.

7. Luke Shuey averaged the third most tackles of any Eagles player and the fifth most contested possessions of any Eagles player in season 2020, despite being injured and only playing 13 out of 18 games that the Eagles featured in. He averaged the fifth most disposals of any Eagles player in the same season. Provided he isn’t injured in season 2021 he should be one of their most consistent players.

Luke Shuey of the Eagles looks to mark the ball

(Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

6. Tim Kelly is a player that should be looking to improve on season 2020. He may have averaged the second highest disposals and tackles per game of any Eagles player and featured in all 18 games, but he only finished seventh in their best and fairest, which he would like to improve on. He is a player that the Eagles would have brought to the club with the expectation of being in the All Australian squad of 40, which he failed to do in season 2020. He will get better in season 2021 and become a more instrumental part of the Eagles’ midfield.

5. Liam Duggan finished fifth in the Eagles’ best and fairest in season 2020, only missing one game. He averaged 16.53 disposals per game, which should increase as he may play on the wing at times in season 2021, given the Eagles recruited another defender, Alex Witherden from the Brisbane Lions. He should spend some time in the midfield. It should benefit him to be a more prominent part of the Eagles’ team and give him confidence that he has another part to his game, besides being a defender.

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4. Brad Sheppard was named in the back pocket of the All Australian starting 18 and finished third in the Eagles’ best and fairest in season 2020. He is one of the best defenders in the competition. He featured in every game for the Eagles and averaged 15.89 disposals per game, which was a fair amount, given the quarters were shorter in season 2020. He will be looking to replicate the consistency he showed in season 2020 and prove it wasn’t an aberration in season 2021.

3. Liam Ryan was named in the forward pocket of the All Australian team made up of 22 players in season 2020, even though he only averaged the third most goals for the Eagles with an average of 1.44 goals per game in season 2020. He did manage to feature in all 18 games that the Eagles played in season 2020. He is a player that can pull off freakish marks and goals, but he can still improve, which he should do in season 2021.

Liam Ryan

(Photo by James Elsby/Getty Images)

2. Nic Naitanui won the Eagles’ best and fairest and was selected in the ruck in the AFL All Australian final team made up of 22 players, both occurring in season 2020. He still managed to win the best and fairest, despite playing one less game than Andrew Gaff, who finished just behind him in second place. The Eagles need Naitanui to play consistently well in season 2021, which he has the capability of doing, if they are to be contenders for the premiership.

1. Andrew Gaff is an extremely consistent player. He played all 18 games that the Eagles played in season 2020 and he was one of four Eagles that was a part of the AFL All Australian squad of 40. He finished second in the Eagles’ best and fairest in season 2020. He averaged the most disposals of any Eagles player comfortably, with an average of 24.28 disposals per game. He should be the Eagles’ most consistent player as far performing at or close to his optimum level of performance in season 2021.

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