Garry Lyon is worried about where the Eagles are at, following their Round 1 loss to wooden spooners North Melbourne.
After a two-win 2022 season and still holding the fifth oldest list in the competition, Lyon fears for the club’s immediate future if they don’t turn things around.
“They had a two-win season last year. Now, there were some mitigating circumstances, but I think the circumstances that were mitigating have been taken too far, and we let them off the hook a bit last year, but teams that have won two games over the last 30 years, every single coach ended up getting sacked,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“Adam Simpson won’t because of those circumstances, but it is still a two-win season and you have six months to get it right. Six months to reflect on a two-win season, six months to reflect on where the brand of this football club is.
“They’re not feared. Right now nobody fears the West Coast Eagles. It used to be the worst trip ever trying to go over there.
“What happens? They go over there against a North Melbourne side, who are the youngest team of the year, they’re the fifth oldest, and they lose contested possessions by 37.
“That says nothing has changed. They’re inoffensive. They’ve become good at losing. They’ve become accepting of losing.
“We know where Hawthorn are at. They’ve sold their situation to everyone. They cleared everyone out. West Coast still has pain to come. They’re the fifth oldest and they’re down in the Hawthorn category … Where is West Coast going?”
Lyon doesn’t believe West Coast’s game style has evolved to keep pace with modern football in 2023.
“2023 footy is go forward and go forward quick. That’s the trend over the last two years,” Lyon said.
“That is not the way the Eagles have played historically. They possess the footy, they go sideways, they go slow.
“It kind of looked like they wanted to (go fast), but they didn’t get anywhere near it.
“This is not a cheap attempt to try and get a headline. I am a massive admirer of the Eagles, what they stood for – what do you reckon John Worsfold and Karl Langdon and Chris Lewis think watching their club go through the motions right now and not take a stand?
“Not one player stood up against North Melbourne and said ‘this is not happening’.”
West Coast has a chance to show their mettle in Round 2 when they host GWS at Optus Stadium on Sunday night.