Former Eagle Connor West has named his two leading contenders to take over the West Coast captaincy going forward.
With Luke Shuey retiring at the conclusion of the 2023 season, the position he’s held since the end of 2019 is now vacant.
West, who played 28 games for the West Coast Eagles including nine in 2023, believes Oscar Allen and Tom Barrass are the leading contenders.
“It’s a tough one actually, there’s a few boys who have been doing their apprenticeship the last couple of years,” he told SEN WA’s The Run Home.
“The big Oz (Allen), I’d love to see him get it. Whether it’s now or in a couple of years, because he’s still got another 10 years hopefully, touch wood.
“But even someone like TB (Barrass), who is near the backend of his career, it’d be good to see him have a shot at it for a couple of years.
“There’s a few guys who they could pick from.”
Barrass and Jeremy McGovern were Shuey’s deputies in 2023.
But Allen proved West Coast’s most important player with 53 goals in 2023 and is coming into his own at 24 years of age. Barrass has experience on his oside and at 28, could take the role for several years to come.
But regardless of who West Coast goes with next year, West sees a bright future for the Eagles.
“Some of the guys that have come through, especially last year, some of the raw talent they have, they’ve got very bright futures,” he said.
“I think if they get the right people around them and they can really build on this next generation, I think they’ll be good in the next couple of years.”
West is also backing the current coaching system, led by Adam Simpson, who has been given the keys to another year despite the horror on field of 2023.
That’s despite former Freo great Paul Hasleby admitting he was “surprised” at the lack of turnover in West Coast’s coaching ranks.
“I think they are the right people,” he said.
“I suppose it’s a hard one. They’ve been around for so long and it’s worked in the past, so I guess the club is loyal in that sense and trusting in the gameplan.
“Obviously the signs that we showed last year were enough to get them the backing.”
West has signed with West Perth for next year’s WAFL season.