Keys
Looking for a cloud to yell at
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After a tumultuous week in the history of the West Coast Eagles, that saw our third ever premiership coach part ways with the club 16 games into his 11th season in charge, we take on a surging Brisbane Lions at Optus Stadium.
Hopefully, or maybe not, Brisbane can find their way to the Stadium having not played West Coast there. Ever. Not once since it was opened in 2018
In another first, West Coast will have an interim senior coach, Jarrad Schofield, guiding the team for the first time having not terminated a coach’s tenure mid season before now
Fans will get the chance to farewell Simmo and thank him for the good times he brought to the club in a pre-match appearance that will include tossing the coin
Then the lads have a game to play
For his first game in charge, Schofield has tweaked the magnets rather than flip them.
There was one forced change with Harry Edwards coming in to replace the injured Jeremy McGovern who suffered a fractured rib and a minor punctured lung. The injury prevented him from flying home after the Melbourne game so he’s done the totally normal thing and driven back to Perth to lend his support to the club, and Simpson, after a big week. It’s a gesture that speaks volumes to the esteem he holds Adam Simpson in
Schofield made three other unforced changes that had the dual outcomes of lowering our average age and height. Rotham, Chesser and in a big statement, Darling, were all omitted to be replaced by Luke Edwards, Maric and Zane Trew
On paper it looks a more balanced side with a better mix of youth and experience plus more running power
Less than two months ago, after R10, this matchup looked like it might be a sneaky chance of a win. West Coast had just defeated Melbourne for our third win of the season whilst Brisbane were sitting in 12th with 4 wins and a draw after a spluttering start to the season. Since then, however, we’ve gone winless as Brisbane have roared back to life with 5 wins from their last 6 games. A win will have them either in the top 4 or on its doorstep
So we have the opportunity to do something really funny and win which would see Brisbane likely finish the round in 9th
To do that though we must compete against a powerful Brisbane engine room of Neale, McLuggage, Berry, Dunkley and the recently returned Will Ashcroft fed by McInerney. A scary proposition after our mids have been recently pantsed by Hawthorn and Melbourne
We need Yeo and Reid to rediscover their Batman and Robin mojo from earlier in the year with support from Kelly, Ginbey and Trew who it is hoped will finally be given a run in his preferred inside mid role
Daniher and Hipwood have found form in recent weeks with good support from first year player Logan Morris. It’s a daunting task for Edwards who with Barrass will need to quell the two Lions talls. Hough likely gets Charlie Cameron, who’s been a bit down on form but remains a threat.
Up forward, our future forward line gets a run with dual focal points, Allen and Waterman supported by new Jack (Williams) replacing old Jack (Darling)
With Schofield in charge, might we see a throwback to his days coaching Subiaco and leaving Ryan one out from the goal square at times. It would be fitting in Flyin’s 100th game
Hopefully we also get to see two of the competition’s rising stars, Harley and Prince Charming, go head to head in the midfield in what could be the first of many battles between the pair
Given the respective form lines of the two teams it’s hard to make a case for an Eagles win but maybe the players can rise from a difficult week and give their old, and new, coach something to smile about
Danger game. West Coast by two HJ’s franchises
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