West Coast Eagles state of play: When sacking coach Adam Simpson becomes realistic in AFL 2024

Coach: Adam Simpson.

Captains: Oscar Allen and Liam Duggan.

Ins: M. Flynn (GWS), T. Brockman (Haw), H. Reid, A. Reid, C. Hall, H. Johnston, L. Rawlinson, C. Livingstone (all draft).

Outs: L. Shuey, N. Naitanui, S. Hurn (all retired), X. O’Neill, G. Clark, L. Foley, S. Petrevski-Seton, C. West, I. Winder (all delisted).

Best 23 for Round 1

B: B. Hough, T. Barrass, T. Cole.

HB: H. Reid, J. McGovern, L. Duggan.

C: J. Hunt, T. Kelly, L. Edwards.

HF: J. Cripps, J. Darling, N. Long.

F: T. Brockman, O. Allen, J. Waterman.

Foll: B. Williams, E. Yeo, R. Ginbey.

Int: C. Jamieson, J. Petruccelle, R. Maric, A. Gaff. Sub: J. Jones.

Notable absentees: D. Sheed (foot), M. Flynn (hamstring), L. Ryan (hamstring), E. Hewett (foot), J. Rotham (groin), H. Edwards (finger).

First five games

Round 1: v Port Adelaide, Adelaide.

Round 2: v GWS, Optus Stadium.

Round 3: v Western Bulldogs Marvel.

Round 4: v Sydney, Mt Barker, Adelaide Hills.

Round 5: v Richmond, Optus Stadium.

Stop the rot before you start the comeback

Finals seem highly unlikely for West Coast in 2024. Anything other than a repeat of the carnage of 2022 and 2023 will be highly unlikely unless the Eagles can get more players on the park more often. Foot problems for Elijah Hewett and Dom Sheed and hamstring tendon injuries to ruckman Matt Flynn and forward Liam Ryan in the pre-season are not a great sign.

But it appears that Elliot Yeo has now come through two high intensity practice matches without soft tissue damage. That is a plus. Less is more. That is, less injuries equals more chance of at least some wins. Jeremy McGovern also played against Adelaide and got through uninjured.

The great white-haired hope

Rarely has a player been the subject of more hype before his AFL debut than No.1 draft pick Harley Reid. He has dominated the back page of the local paper, his every move at training watched and scrutinised. Everyone thinks Reid can be a star and there were good signs against Adelaide. Realistically in 2024, the Eagles need a solid season from Reid, plus some indications he is going to be a very good player, and they need him to get through the season unscathed. Adam Simpson has declared he will use him off half-back and through the midfield. Reid has shown strong form in match simulation and had 20 disposals and five clearances against the Crows. Hopefully the kid grows into the season.

The ideal game style

Win the contest, win clearances, play forward-half football. That is the bold aim of Simpson, whose clear message to his players this pre-season is that the comeback starts at the contest. There were brief periods where it was achieved against Fremantle but not much evidence of it against Adelaide. With a young list, sustaining the strength and energy required for it will be difficult even if the more experienced players stay out there; and it will be almost impossible if they don’t.

Is the coach under pressure?

It is said that the size of the two-year payout the club faced if they parted company with Simpson was a major factor in him keeping his job after five wins from 45 matches in two seasons. The payout wouldn’t diminish significantly if he was sacked early this season, so it’s hard to see the board moving on him before the mid-season bye. But the results need to be better and the team needs to be more competitive, or it is very difficult to see how the 2018 premiership coach remains at the helm for the last year of his contract in 2025.

Prediction: Bottom four

If Simpson can get better durability from his key veterans like Yeo and McGovern, it is possible to see the Eagles cobbling together half a dozen wins and threatening a few teams when they play at home. If the oldies break again, then a second consecutive wooden spoon and the end of his coaching tenure looms large.