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Much has been made of just how insipid West Coast have been this season. They’ve been a downright disaster and with one win and a percentage under 50, they are bordering on becoming one of the worst teams in AFL history.
West Coast fans will point to injuries but that only goes far, this team is as far down the bottom as one can feasibly go.
But have they even been the most disappointing team in their own state this year? I’d argue no.
As the dominant powerhouse club in Western Australia, their struggles have commanded the local media and the plight of their cross town rivals has largely gone unnoticed.
This time last season Fremantle were in the top four, now they sit in the bottom four – above only the Eagles and fellow battlers Hawthorn and North Melbourne.
In any other season it would be an extraordinary fall from grace commanding the front page of the West Australian, but this season it’s barely rated a mention and the likes of coach Justin Longmuir and Executive General Manager Football Peter Bell are seemingly getting off scott free.
It’s clear why West Coast are a mess; poor recruitment, poor leadership, long term deals for older players, combined with a hellish run with injuries and a WAFL deal that simply doesn’t work have all combined to send the side into freefall, but this wasn’t unexpected.
(Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
It’s perhaps been worse than anticipated but no one (apart from maybe the most optimistic of fans) had them anywhere else but in the bottom four.
Freo on the other had, were considered by many as a genuine top four chance, and even a potential contender this season, but it’s never really taken off.
They’ve been plagued by inconsistency, gameplan issues and question marks around leadership as well.
What makes matters worse is they themselves backed them in for this year. They parted ways with their first round pick in exchange for Luke Jackson and that currently is pick 4 – Melbourne are laughing all the way to the bank.
They too have signed veterans onto long term deals and Nat Fyfe (as much as I love him) is showing signs of being to Freo what Nic Naitanui now is to their cross town rivals – a colossal waste of salary cap space sitting on the sidelines.
It’s hard to really pinpoint where exactly it’s gone wrong for Freo this season. This simply isn’t a bottom four list, and last season I suggested the two WA clubs were trending in exactly the opposite directions; Freo an exciting young list heading for finals, West Coast a team full of injured has beens in freefall.
Now the question has to be asked which fans you’d rather be?
The optimism at Freo is gone, replaced by the same feelings of mediocrity and status quo that have plagued this organisation for most of its time in the competition.
Not good enough to threaten and not bad enough to demand any attention from the AFL or the media.
West Coast are an extremely powerful organisation. As bad as they are they simply will not be down forever. Even as bad as they are they still are in the top 5 crowd drawing sides in the comp – say what you will about their fans, they keep turning up, which has to be admired.
With another derby upcoming in a few weeks time, it’s hard to think of one that will be more underwhelming in the history of this fixture. A Freo side basking in constant mediocrity versus a West Coast side that’s truly a basket case. A once classic rivalry turned into a Sunday afternoon time filler for Fox Footy.
WA is the second strongest football state in the country. Perth is even talked about as the most likely landing place for the 20th AFL side (god forbid it ever happens) and yet you could argue that in season 2023 it’s been home to the two most disappointing sides of the season.
So what needs to change? I think most people suspect Adam Simpson will go at the end of the year, he’s much respected at West Coast but it’s becoming clear change might be good for both parties.
(Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The future of Longmuir is more cloudy – he may have enough credits in the bank after a finals appearance last season but frankly a more ruthless club would look elsewhere.
I’m undecided at this stage – I think if an opportunity came up for a better coach Freo should take it.
Captaincy as well is possibly something that both clubs should change. Caleb Serong and Oscar Allen are both young stars that are the future of their respective clubs and it would make sense to see both take the mantle moving into next season.
As much as myself, being a mad Freo fan, would normally love seeing West Coast struggle, I think it’s even more depressing for such a proud football state to have two sides both performing so poorly.
Beyond this West Coast in particular need to sort out their dismal WAFL deal. They should align with fellow WAFL battlers Perth given they already share Lathlain Park.
The AFL needs a strong Western Australian contingent and they’ve mostly always had that. West Coasts only other small down period coincided with Ross Lyon’s Fremantle being strong and apart from this blip the Eagles have always been the superpower from out West.
Optus Stadium is usually a fortress but this season has become a place for average sides to come steal 4 points and a healthy percentage.
This cannot continue and we can only hope the powers that be at both clubs make strong decisions off season to try and turn things around.
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