Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton thinks West Coast could actually be worse in 2024 than they were in 2023.
After winning just two games in 2022, the Eagles won just three in 2023, but this time at a worse percentage which came in at 53.03 per cent compared to 2022’s percentage of 59.82.
While many think the Eagles hit rock bottom last season, Brereton is certain the worst is yet to come as they lost the likes of Shannon Hurn, Nic Naitanui and Luke Shuey to retirement in 2023.
With a younger list at their disposal, Brereton can’t see the Eagles instantly improving and he expects the side to take some “awful punishment” next campaign.
“You know what? They'll go worse this year than last year,” Brereton said on SEN The Run Home.
“They're younger again. How can you improve if you're younger?
“You know what, for long-term view, it’s great what they're doing.
“But by God, they're going to take some hurting. By far (they’ll be bottom of the ladder). It’ll be daylight to 18th.
“They're going to take some awful punishment.”
While Brereton is predicting some more tough times for the Eagles, he thinks it’s something the club must go through to improve in the long run as they get games into their younger players.
Brereton thinks the Eagles could follow Hawthorn’s path after the Hawks shed some older players at the end of 2022 which helped several young stars blossom in 2023 despite the team sliding three spots on the ladder.
“But I'm not saying, ‘Oh, that's dreadful’, that’s what they have to do,” Brereton said.
“Hawthorn is a great example to the West Coast Eagles.
“We (Hawthorn) have taken some real pain and real punishment like that.
“We've been punished in some games - not as much as they were, but you have to find the next generation of players.
“If you've given away all your senior players … they've got to find some new young players.”
While some expect both Hawthorn and North Melbourne to also be near the bottom of the ladder with West Coast, Brereton expects those two sides to improve on-field even if it doesn’t show in terms of ladder position.
“I mentioned the Hawks and North Melbourne, those two teams will improve,” Brereton said.
“But they could still stay 17th and 16th. They could win more games or they could stay in games longer (but stay in those positions).
“You can actually improve (but not move up the ladder).”
West Coast kick-off their 2024 campaign with a Round 1 clash against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday, March 17.
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