The West Coast coaching group will sit down for a “proper match committee” later this week ahead of Round 1 against Port Adelaide, the first time such has occurred in two years, Adam Simpson believes.
Injury ravaged for two years and finishing 17th on both occasions, there is light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the Eagles’ availability heading into the new home and away season.
It’s still a hefty list, with more than half a dozen names unfit for Round 1. The likes of Liam Ryan, Dom Sheed and Eljah Hewett headline those unavailable.
But for Simpson, he’s simply looking forward to having options for the first time in 24 months.
“I don’t know if we’ve had a proper match committee for two years really, it’s been a real challenge to put pressure on with (AFL) form and good WAFL (form),” Simpson said on Tuesday morning to SEN WA Breakfast.
“We’ve got some good conversations to have later in the week. I think we get three of four players back who didn’t play in Adelaide (in the Community Series against the Crows), some of the younger players pushing for selection as well.
“For the first time in a fair while there’s some good heat on some positions inside.
“As much as some senior players have been underperforming for various reasons it’s been really hard to challenge their positions given what’s underneath, there hasn’t been a lot available.
“But clearly as I said before, there will be guys who will play (Round 1) based on their pre-season, not their history.”
COVID flattened the Eagles ahead of the 2022 season, while a string of soft tissue injuries have wreaked havoc on their past two campaigns.
But as it stands, only two Eagles (Ryan, hamstring and Rhett Bazzo, groin) are battling soft tissue concerns.
A new fitness boss and a new attitude have led to the changes, with Ryan perhaps emblematic of his club’s apparent turnaround.
Simpson suggested his premiership small forward – who only played the first three games of 2023 before dealing with a hamstring injury – wasn’t as professional as he could have been in recovering from last year’s injury.
But in 2024, it’s a different story after going down early in pre-season.
“I still think there is plenty of footy left in Liam. He hasn’t handled the injuries too well over the last year, it was a difficult one for him with the operation,” Simpson added.
“But this one, he’s handled really well, he’s been really positive and surprisingly is back on the track pretty quicky and is in front in terms of his rehab.
“We’re hoping to play some WAFL form for him which is something we haven’t been able to do either over the last couple of years… hopefully the guys that come back now can get some form before they play senior footy.”
Ryan is seen as 3-5 weeks away from full fitness.
The Eagles begin their journey to leaping out of the bottom two on Sunday at Adelaide Oval against the Power.
