“Don't point the finger”: Hodge slams West Coast’s leaders amid Simpson unrest reports

Four-time premiership player Luke Hodge has slammed West Coast’s players after reports emerged that some of the playing group wanted coach Adam Simpson replaced.

As revealed by SEN’s Sam Edmund before West Coast’s 112-58 loss to Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, Simpson was under significant pressure to keep his job after losing support from portions of the playing group.

With the loss compounding those woes, a call on Simpson could be made as early as this week, but Hodge doesn’t think it’s the coach that’s the problem at the club that sits 16th with a 3-13 win-loss record.

A report in the West Australian suggested that some players sent text messages saying they wanted Simpson sacked after their 33-94 Round 16 loss to Hawthorn, and Hodge wasn’t pleased to hear of that unrest.

The Hawks great believes that the players are more to blame for the club’s woes as they’ve won just eight games over the last three seasons.

He doesn’t feel that the players should be outing their coach given that only a handful of them have lived up to expectations themselves.

“There's always unrest,” Hodge said on SEN’s Crunch Time.

“There's unrest in teams that are going well with the blokes who are on the fringe, who aren't getting games. 

“If the team is sitting in the top four and they're not getting a game, there's unrest there, but they don't mention it because you look selfish because the team is going well.

“The only thing that I'm saying is, which player at West Coast over the last three years can put their hand up and say, ‘Hey, I've lived up to my expectations as well’?

“If the coach is going to go, I’ll tell you what, half of those players should pack up and go as well.

“Those players that have the unrest, put your hand up or actually name who you are.

“I reckon I can count on one hand who could sit there and say, ‘Tell you what, I've lived up to my contract this year’.”

If the players that are sending texts and leading the reported revolt are senior figures, Hodge called on them not to point the finger and instead look introspectively at what they’re doing to help the club.

Hodge doesn’t think that the underlying issue is that of club culture, which he puts on the shoulders of the playing group’s leaders instead of the coaching staff.

“If they're senior players that have the unrest, they should ask themselves, ‘What have I done to help this team develop?’,” Hodge said.

“Some of the stuff that I've heard from West Coast, as far as the feedback among leaders, the feedback among helping develop the young guys, is poor or is not there.

“If you're going to have a go at the coach and you're a leader of that football club, I’d be looking at ‘What am I doing to help develop this list?’.

“We saw when Harley Reid played really well and Elliot Yeo was in there (playing well) that they've actually got an okay list.

“It's the inconsistency of a young side getting better. They're not going to replace the coach and be a top-eight team, they’re going to have ups and downs while they continue to get high draft picks.

“Don't point the finger. Look at yourself as a player and see what you can do before you start blaming the coach and sending messages out.

“If it is a leader who's sending those messages, it comes down to the culture and I'd be looking at those players first before I look at the coach.”

The Eagles next face the Lions at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon.