West Coast Eagles’ powerful board will do more to shape fallen powerhouse than players, coaches in immediate term

These are some of the leading figures who will sit in judgement of fallen AFL powerhouse West Coast, who will almost certainly miss the finals for a third year in a row for only the second time in the club’s history.

And they will be joined in judging the Eagles, coach Adam Simpson and chief executive Trevor Nisbett, by Nisbett himself. Nisbett has sat on the board for 20 years.

The Eagles have long believed players should be written about, not board members. But, given the on-field plight of the team, the board will arguably have a bigger influence in determining West Coast’s path than the footballers themselves in the immediate future.

Paul Fitzpatrick (chairman)

He is the brother of former Carlton Premiership captain and AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and has built a reputation as one of the leading sports lawyers in WA. People viewed his appointment as the chairman as a “steady as it goes” appointment, although Code Sports sources suggest he may be a quiet proponent of change. Quietly spoken and considered. He is a former Senior partner at law firm Clayton Utz. He was named Competition lawyer of the year in Perth in 2013 and is a long serving Eagles board member. Has previously advised the WA Football Commission and the West Australian Institute of Sport. He was appointed as West Coast’s 11th chairman in November 2022, succeeding Russell Gibbs.

Elizabeth Gaines (deputy chairman)

Arguably the leading businesswoman in WA. She was executive director of Fortescue Metals Group from 2017 to 2022 and was the CEO of the company from 2018 to 2022. She remains a non-executive director of the company. Was added to the board last year. The Eagles had copped flak for their approach to their AFLW program and there was a push to add strong female voices to the board. At one point in 2022 she was considered a candidate to be the club’s chairperson with backing from powerful figures at Seven West Media but in the end it is not clear whether she strongly sought the position. Appears happy to sit on the board and gain more football experience.

Ben Wyatt

Was the first Indigenous Australian appointed as a state government treasurer when Labor won the WA state election in 2017. Like Gaines, he was considered an early contender to succeed Russell Gibbs and chairman but work commitments eventually ruled him out of the running. He has Yamatji heritage and a background in law, working as counsel for the WA Director of Public Prosecutions before entering parliament in 2006 representing Victoria Park, the suburb adjacent to West Coast’s home base at Mineral Resources Park. He had previously graduated from Duntroon Military College, served as an officer in the Australian Army and sat on the National Board of Indigenous Business Australia.

Trevor Nisbett

The Eagles CEO since the 1999 season and has sat on the board for a considerable period of his tenure as CEO. Has a strong football background and is one of two strong football voices on the board. Came from powerful country football club South Bunbury, did a Bachelor of Physical Education at the University of WA while playing WAFL football at East Perth. He then had successful stints at East Perth as a football manager and Subiaco as a general manager before he became the football manager at West Coast at the end of 1989. He, former CEO Brian Cook and coach Mick Malthouse are the three men most credited for the rapid rise of the Eagles to a position of power in the AFL. Nisbett succeeded Cook as CEO after the 1998 season with a strong push from club powerbrokers in support of him.

Rowan Jones

Alongside Nisbett is the other strong football voice on the board when footy matters are addressed. He played 158 games for the Eagles including the 2006 premiership team when he famously halved a critical contest in the centre square when, if Sydney had won possession would have opened the entire centre corridor to the Swans in the dying minutes of a cliffhanger. He is also credited by 2004 Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd as the selfless midfielder who blocked and created space around stoppages as rival clubs employed strong tagging measures to try and limit Judd’s impact on games. Has a strong business background as the head of Entrust Wealth Management after graduating from Curtin with a Bachelor of Commerce and an Applied Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.

Justin Langer

One of WA’s most popular sporting figures, Langer has become a sounding board for coach Adam Simpson. He was appointed to the Eagles board in 2017. As a cricketer the left handed opener had formed one of the most successful opening combinations In Australia’s history with Matthew Hayden. He played 105 tests for Australia and scored 7696 runs. He later coached the WA and Australian teams, inheriting both jobs in times of crisis, forging a reputation as a person capable of reforming sloppy disciplinary cultures. His hard-nosed approach eventually wore thin on a section of the Australian national team who agitated for his removal. He is a lifelong West Coast supporter.

Terry Bowen

Head of the Operations Group at Capital Equity company BGH. Prior to that he had served as the Finance Director at Wesfarmers, as an executive director on the Wesfarmers Board, as a finance director at Coles, and as a Managing Director at Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety. He holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of South Australia and is a Non Executive Director at BHP Billiton, a major sponsor of the Eagles.

Nicole Moody

Moody joined the Eagles board in May 2021. Is a Communications professional and a former journalist. Currently the Managing Director of Perth based communications consultants Hunter Communications. Has had a background in football through her work with the WA Football Commission. She has also served on boards and committees at Perth Zoo, Lifeline, Perth Business Events and the Australia Day Council. Is a member of the Committee for Perth and the Public Relations Institute of Australia.