The West Coast Eagles are coming off a very disappointing season. After making the finals six seasons in a row, the Eagles finished in ninth position with just ten wins and their first loss to crosstown rivals Fremantle since 2015.
After long-term success, the football club needs to face the reality that it’s at a crossroads, but it seems they’re refusing to accept it.
At the start of the season the Eagles had the third oldest team (25 years old on average) and the second most experienced (80.5 games). The only teams with an older list were St Kilda and Geelong, who people have said may have had their last chance at a premiership, but seeing as they’ve defied that before, we’ll wait and see.
So, if it’s last chance gone for Geelong, what does that say about West Coast?
The thing that concerns me most about the Eagles is their forward line. Their top goalscorer this season was Jack Darling, who’s 29, which is above the average age for starters. But worse is that their highest goalscorer on average is Josh Kennedy, who’s 34 and has a contract expiring at the end of 2022 and is already on reduced money.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
They will be looking at tall forward Jye Amiss from East Perth in the upcoming draft with Pick 10 – he’s likely to go at Pick 12 after father-son picks – but with Fremantle possessing a higher pick in Pick 8 or Pick 10, there’s a good chance they’ll select him as a tall forward given they’re also in need.
It may not be a horrible result for them, as they’ll also be looking for a second ruckman, and Jack Williams from East Fremantle suits both of those needs. That said, he’s not predicted to be a top-ten pick, so if the Eagles are able to get a lower first-round pick with something thrown in, they’ll have done themselves good business.
But if they’re unable to do that, they shouldn’t be afraid to draft a tall forward or second ruckman from interstate. It’s interesting that both Fremantle and West Coast seem to be hesitant to draft non-West Australians despite the games record holders for both clubs being from interstate.
But while there are some draft prospects available for them this year that suit their needs almost perfectly, three list changes they made recently have got me confused.
The first one is Brayden Ainsworth, who was given only two matches this year, and in both of them he barely touched the football. In the WAFL, though, he was one of the standouts in a disappointing season, averaging 26 touches and being on top of a fair few stats boards. Apart from not being a regular goalscorer, Ainsworth’s stats for 2021 were similar to those of Tim Kelly before he got drafted to Geelong, and that was in a much better South Fremantle side.
The axing of Ben Johnson makes a bit more sense – he’s in his third season and not performing at WAFL level – but the delisting of Will Collins doesn’t. After having signed him in the midseason draft, he was yet to play a game at AFL level before being given the cut. While he wasn’t successful in the Eagles WAFL side, he is a medium-sized defender, and West Coast will be on the lookout for someone to replace Shannon Hurn, whose contract also expires at the end of 2022.
Collins was meant to be only a top-up player, but so was Jai Newcombe at Hawthorn, and it looks he’ll be part of Sam Mitchell’s future plans.
On the topic of the medium defender, Sam Petrevski-Seton has requested a trade to West Coast from Carlton in recent days. While not on Shannon Hurn’s level yet, he is still only 23 and could fill the role. I repeat: could. But did the Eagles actually have any interest in him, or is it another case of a player having too much power? He may run the risk of becoming another Brendon Ah Chee.
So after an underwhelming season, with the Eagles relying on ageing players and delisting younger ones who haven’t been given a chance, are they refusing to go down the rebuild path, or are they attempting the unlikely, to be the next Geelong?
Matt
Guest
The Eagles are rebuilding via the draft and certainly haven't gone the Geelong route in trading / bringing in older players to top up. They hit the draft and picked up SPS with a junk pick, and not to cover Hurn. Rotham a 193cm agile half back at 23 is Hurn's replacement. Or the 24 year old Witherden traded in with a 3rd rounder last season. The 21 year old Foley will replace Sheppard. Chesser, Bazzo, Williams are all quality 18 year olds drafted for the future. Clark a mature yr old cm mid was given a chance with a 4th rounder. SPS at 23 will play mid / forward. Bailey Williams another 23 year old hopefully can step up as the 2nd ruck. Oscar Allen and Harry Edwards are developing very nicely, both 23. If anything the old boys need to be rotated out and the kids step in. Another solid draft hall in 2022 and a trade in 2023 and that becomes a young list.
ScottD
Roar Guru
mine certainly do!
Lukey Miller
Guest
Perhaps the Eagles are waiting to put together a better recruiting team before beginning a proper rebuild. Either way, they do remarkably well for a team that plays out of the most remote city in Australia.
Eags
Guest
Ainsworth improved his kicking accuracy and depth this WAFL season. If you deny this you having been paying attention. He’s also improved his speed. As the author said, the lad has been a ball magnet for most of the WAFL season - in a poor side. I thought he outshone Schloithe in the last game of the season. Just my two bobs worth.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Touche. Ouch!
Boo
Guest
Never said they weren't up to it DonFreo I said they were average teams as indicated by there lack of success since 2018 .
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The Eagles are a brilliant organisation. Very jealous.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
They were both AFL listed players. They starred on their return to the WAFL.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
He looks like Paddy Cripps. Same height, same build, same stats. You chose two WAFL players, yet there have been mature age successes. Kid is 23 and has had a breakout season. Eagles, if not Freo or the rest of the clubs, have to be looking at tape.
Boo
Guest
Well Pablo Cruz you got me on the old Cats this year glad to get a bit back with John Pitura .
Damightyham
Guest
Out of all the comments here. This one is spot on Prez. The main thing I kept seeing was that the game plan was now getting torn apart. Clubs had figured it out and WC players did not know what to do when plan A which they have been so well drilled in for years now, was no longer working. This and the number of injuries to key runners who simply missed too much pre-season conditioning and couldn't get their bodies right mid season, derailed the Eagles season. The list is still very capable. A big Solid pre-season and adjustments to the.game style.are needed. More run and Carry breaking lines through handball, quicker transition out of back half needed, we have the forwards, need to supply the ball to them more often. Relying on high precision kicking and marking with pure clean efficency will not work in today's game. Teams will pick you apart. As they did in 2021 to the Eagles. That's not even taking the fact that this game style is even more difficult to uphold in wet and windy conditions. (No coincidence that we are not a strong wet weather side).
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
If Eagles and Collingwood were not up to it in 2018, which teams were and why did they not make it?
CJ
Roar Rookie
The biggest disappointment for any club is not making finals PTS regardless of where they are played but certainly the GF being in your backyard for the first (and possibly/probably last) time would sting for sure. I agree with your last point about bang for buck, but most West Coast supporters DO ask for better than that!
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Don't remind me of John Pitura! Set Richmond back decades.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Probably I think Alec Waterman needs to drop some kilos but he did drastically better this year than he had any right to
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Admittedly I do think part of the reason that Nic Nat won the worsfold medal (it was deserved) but the Eagles injuries were particularly severe through the midfield so he did really well to keep them vaguely functional
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nope they meet the literal definition of a parasite haha
RT
Roar Rookie
Babies aren't transmitted. You might need to have a chat with a parent or guardian.
Boo
Guest
Maybe the Eagles got lucky in 2018 where perhaps both sides ( Collingwood have shown there not much ) were average .So they over rated there list admittedly I did too .The history of the game is littered with big trades often involving three players for one as is the case with Kelly not bearing fruit .Pitura , Fields and of recent times Buddy and Cameron come to mind .( hope I'm wrong next year about Jeremy Cameron ) .IMHO West Coast should trade out non WA players and draft in as many locals as possible .
DarwinDee
Guest
They are just mentally weak.