Luke Shuey has finally lifted the lid on West Coast’s disaster 2022 season, admitting the Eagles weren’t as fit as they could have been.
Shuey’s side was blasted by injuries, then COVID dramas, then form issues throughout the season when slumping to a club-low two wins.
After being reappointed to the captaincy for a fourth-consecutive season, it was put to the midfielder that the club may have suffered fitness issues last year.
“Yeah, yeah … look when there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Shuey replied when questioned if the club had requested players to return to pre-season training in better shape.
“A lot of people externally were calling us ‘unfit’ last year – and they probably weren’t completely off the mark with that suggestion.
“But internally we were always going to figure out once we reviewed the season what we needed to get better at – and you can‘t do anything unless you’re fit in this game anymore. So our first step over the off-season was making sure we came back in good shape.
“Our strength and conditioning staff did a hell of a job putting together a program that was different to years gone by. The playing group was certainly more driven, more numbers training together every week.
“It was a really enjoyable off-season … It was hard work, but I think we‘re starting to reap some rewards.”
While Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy interpreted Shuey’s comments to refer to the Eagles’ injury run on SEN Sportsday, Kane Cornes instead suggested it pointed to the club’s mindset during the 2021 off-season.
The Port Adelaide great had been vocally critical of the Eagles in 2022 and their supposed fitness issues, forcing Adam Simpson to describe Cornes’ opinion as “irrelevant”.
Cornes appreciates the sentiment from Shuey as the Eagles look to rebuild, but stated he’ll continue to give clubs that turn up out of shape “no leeway”.
“It’s great honesty from Luke and I’m glad they finally admitted it after denying it for all of the season, Adam Simpson, Trevor Nisbett (CEO), the club and the players,” Cornes said.
“This is where I give clubs no leeway. Turn up fit, that is a basic measure of a full-time professional athlete, turn up fit as an individual and as a collective, and the Eagles took liberties last year, there’s no doubt about it.
“I think you can look at a player and see that they’ve taken liberties in terms of their body shape… I don’t think enough players take it seriously now.”
Shuey and his troops will have their first chance to display their improved fitness when taking on Port Adelaide in match simulation on February 24.