Opinion
With the season only a week away, this series continues as I reach sixth place in my top eight predictions for the 2021 season.
Sixth place: West Coast Eagles
It was a disappointing end to the 2020 season for the Eagles as they became victims to one of the upsets of the year, failing to capitalise on their home ground advantage against an inspired Collingwood side. They will be looking to improve on this result and return to the form that saw them take home the flag in 2018.
With a list full of guns across all three lines, its hard to see this side not playing well for the next few years. They’re well coached, have good leaders (I’m a big fan of a captain who leads from the front and Luke Shuey does just that) and have a game style that has held up well. Unfortunately, these things have only delivered them premiership glory once, but with arguably a better side now, they should put themselves right up in contention again.
All of this is without mentioning one of the best home-ground advantages in Optus Stadium. I think Optus is an unreal ground, and the Eagles have mastered it, often making opposition teams dread making the trip west. It’ll be a key weapon if the Eagles can manage a home final at the end of the season.
The Eagles backline has always been pretty steady. Since the emergence of Jeremy McGovern as one of, if not the best, intercept marker in the game, the back six of this group seemed to get the job done more often than not. They have a good core of about five walk up starters, with competition for the sixth spot making things interesting. All-Australians McGovern, Shannon Hurn and Brad Sheppard aren’t going anywhere, and neither are dependable duo Liam Duggan (who may see more midfield time this year) and Tom Barrass.
Jeremy McGovern (Paul Kane/Getty Images)
As for that sixth spot, I’m backing Lions recruit Alex Witherden to take this. He has been touted as a Hurn replacement once he hangs up the boots, and the Eagles will be keen to get his chemistry with the team up as soon as possible. He might not be the best lockdown player, but he is an accumulator and the Eagles thrive on that.
Their game style relies on them having the ball in their hands to play their kick-heavy style of game. They ranked second in the league for kicks and marks. Witherden averaged 15 kicks per game during his time at the Lions with reasonably good efficiency. With players such as Tom Cole and Jackson Nelson also knocking on the selection door, the backline has plenty of talent, system and depth — they have no worries here.
The midfield is where the team really has the goods. Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, Tim Kelly, Andrew Gaff and Elliot Yeo? Yes, please.
Admittedly, Kelly’s recruitment didn’t quite deliver as well as many had hoped, as he only averaged 20 disposals (not too bad in a shortened season but he was quite hot and cold), but he is the quality of player that won’t have two poor seasons in a row and I am backing him to respond.
On paper, this midfield is in the upper echelon of the AFL, especially with one of the best ruckmen in the game in Nic Nat. When healthy, I can’t name a more influential ruckman than this bloke. He’s had a horrible run with injury over the last five years but when he’s on the park, it’s an absolute nightmare for the opposition ruckmen to outplay him. He doesn’t match the statistics of the Brodie Grundys and the Max Gawns of the competition, but geez he has a say on a game.
They were fourth in clearances last year, and he had a huge role to play in that. Throw in the explosive Shuey, the bull that is Yeo and hard-running All-Australian Gaff and they really don’t have many holes in this part.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Their forward line looks great on paper and often executes. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t raise some questions for me. Josh Kennedy is an automatic tick, there are no issues there. He’ll kick over 50 goals this year and will be up there for the Coleman.
Jack Darling has really started to come into his own as a key forward alongside Kennedy, finishing fifth in the Coleman. Liam Ryan had a career-best season in 2020, making the All-Australian team and establishing himself as one of the best small forwards in the league.
These three blokes are walk-up starters every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Can they get this same level of reliability from the other three spots in this forward line?
Let’s start with Oscar Allen, a capable tall forward who plays that third tall role alongside Kennedy and Darling. He has shown he has the ability to hit the scoreboard at times and play a role in the ruck while Nic Nat rests. He needs to just elevate his game (not by much as he is progressing nicely) to really become a threat and hurt opposition teams when the defence is drawn to the other two key forwards.
Jamie Cripps has been a more than solid servant for the Eagles during his time but kicked only nine goals last year, averaging one goal less a game than 2019. He’ll need to recapture his form if he’s to cement his spot.
The last spot I have filled by recruit Zac Langdon, who fills the pressure forward void they have. He doesn’t have to kick bags on a weekly basis, but if he can apply the pressure consistently, he’ll be hard to drop until Willie Rioli returns from suspension midseason.
While I do have some uncertainties about this six, they’ve all got the upside and potential to really build their chemistry and become a force against opposition teams.
The West Coast Eagles just always put themselves in the finals at the end of the year and their list and system holds up year in and year out. The question remains how deep they can go into finals, but they will put themselves in the position to have every crack at holding the cup.
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