SEN WA Breakfast’s Scott Cummings and Tim Gossage have identified the five things they want to see from West Coast in season 2024.
In order for the Eagles to improve on their disastrous last two seasons, they’ll need to get plenty right both on and off the field.
Cummings and Gossage have touched on specific players, improvement in certain areas and some more quirky aspects in their assessments of the Eagles.
Cummings’ Top 5 for West Coast
1 - Fit players
“I want to see a fit list so we can actually judge them accurately.”
2 - Accountability for poor form
“The flow-on from that is accountability for poor form.
“That means older players, premiership players, heroes from six years ago when they won a flag, I want to see them fighting for their spot in the side.
“So that might mean I see them in the WAFL, and so be it, because of young players aren’t coming through they’re in a lot of trouble.
“If Dom Sheed or Andrew Gaff are playing every week they’re in trouble. Neither of their bodies will let them do that, but if they’re being picked ahead of the younger player then the Eagles are in trouble.
“I want to see some serious accountability for poor form and if it is to happen again, lack of effort.”
3 - Defenders playing on someone
“Mainly Tom Barrass is the one I went after last year, because he just refused to play on his man.
“He’d stand there and just let them lead.
“I want to see the defenders play on someone. Stop their man first, stop a key forward kicking bags of goals on them.”
4 - Hold your horses on contracts
“I want to see them resist all their natural urges to extend anyone’s contract who is over 28.
“They have a tendency to do it. Just hold your horses.
“If they’re out of contract this year, just let them play the year out. They’re not going to go anywhere.
“Just resist all your previous natural urges to keep extending player’s contracts because they won you a flag six years ago.”
5 - Harley Reid
“I want to see Harley Reid. I want to see him play.
“He seems like a ripper. He’s taken everything in his stride. The word out is that the hype is absolutely real.
“I’m really excited to see what this young fella can do, but also tempering it in the way that he hasn’t played a game of footy yet.
“I’m really interested to watch him play.”
Gossage’s Top 5 for West Coast
1 - Bring back the old song
“I believe the Eagles have lost their way with their image and I think they need to get back to where it all began.
“The old song has more crowd participation. Let’s go back to the original team song.”
2 - Win at least five home games
“They got to win at least five home games.
“They’ve got to make Optus Stadium again some form of fortress. With better personnel they will win games here in Perth.
“They’ve got to make coming to Perth tough again for opposition clubs.”
3 - Win a Derby
“I believe they’ve got to win a Derby.
“They’ve lost their last five Derbies. That has coincided with the tough patch of injured players, COVID and unavailability, I get it.
“No more excuses. They’ve got to win at least a Derby.”
4 - Three Rising Star nominations
“They’ve got to get at least three Rising Star nominations.
“It can’t just be Harley Reid and then a gap. There’s a couple of other good kids on their list and they have to get themselves a couple more Rising Star nominations.
“It’s not a huge judgment on whether they’re going in the right direction, but I think it gives off the perfect image and vibe, that people believe they’ve got kids for the future.”
5 - Bring back the banner
“It pains me to say it, but bring back the banner.
“The inflated eagle, it’s time to go. The tunnel doesn’t add anything, it is strange.
“Put a banner up, get it back to the grassroots.
“Banner in. Inflatable eagle out.”
Listen to Scotty and Goss on the Eagles below: