News Offseason Staffing Changes - 2025 Edition

[Keys]

FYI - This is/was the 2025 coaching panel

• Senior Coach- Andrew McQualter

Andrew Mcqualter

Age

39

Ht

179cm

Wt

74kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.9

3star

K

5.6

2star

HB

7.2

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.6

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.2

3star

• Midfield Coach - Jarrad Schofield

Jarrad Schofield

Age

51

Ht

178cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.0

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.5

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.6

2star

T

0.8

3star

• Backline Coach - Luke Webster

Luke Webster

Age

43

Ht

186cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.8

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.0

4star

• Forwards Coach - Marco Bello
• Stoppage Coach - Luke Shuey

13

Luke Shuey

Age

35

Ht

184cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.7

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

10.7

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

4.9

5star

CL

5.6

5star

D

18.7

4star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.8

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

4.3

5star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.2

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.4

4star

• Ruck Coach - Ryan Turnbull

• Head of Development - Jamie Maddocks
• Development Manager - Steve Trewhella
• WAFL Coach - Kyal Horsley

Kyal Horsley

Age

38

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

9.0

3star

HB

7.6

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

4.5

5star

CL

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

19.6

5star

K

11.6

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

4.2

4star

T

7.2

5star

CL

3.0

5star

• Development Coach (Forwards) - Jacob Brennan

Jacob Brennan

Age

36

Ht

188cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.2

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.8

2star

M

3.1

3star

T

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.2

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

2.6

3star

T

1.6

4star

• Development Coach (Game Fundamentals) - Shannon Hurn

25

Shannon Hurn

Age

38

Ht

187cm

Wt

95kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

15.7

5star

HB

5.2

4star

M

7.0

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

389.5

5star

D

16.1

4star

K

12.1

5star

HB

4.0

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

1.0

2star

MG

271.6

4star

D

19.0

5star

K

11.6

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

6.8

5star

T

1.6

4star

• Indigenous Player Development Manager - Chance Bateman

Chance Bateman

Age

44

Ht

175cm

Wt

75kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.1

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

6.3

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.1

4star

CL

1.1

3star

No current season stats available

D

18.6

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

• High Performance Manager - Mat Inness

New appointments for 2026:

• Sam Radford - Midfield Coach
• Mitch Duncan - Backline Coach
• Phil Merriman - High Performance Manager

 

[Bender_]

I don't love it. But I don't hate it either.

 

[EagleMutt]

Elijah Holland's confirmed then

 

[Byron_Clanger]

I don't love it. But I don't hate it either.

I mean...I don't mind it...having someone with senior coaching experience next to a new coach during a game would be pretty valuable..

At least West Coast has woken itself up from its slumber and started trying to do something..here I was thinking we were the stop and go for other clubs in the league.

 

[Keys]

From 10 News - 'Less than a week after getting the sack from Melbourne, Simon Goodwin has been linked to a role with West Coast. The Eagles already making changes to their coaching department with Luke Webster departing this week and are expected to add some experience around Andrew McQualter...'

Astro7 posted this last Friday that CH10 ran a story on Goodwin being approached by us

So the Cleary mention is not the first time it’s been reported meaning there is likely some substance to it

His wife being based in Sydney isn’t ideal given we’ve just lost our High Performance Manager due to the difficulties he faced being away from family

We’d also need to keep him well stocked with umbrellas to keep the rain away

If he did come across that would make three coaches hired from Melbourne joining McQualter and the recently appointed Radford albeit McQualter was only at Melbourne for a single season

At a minimum, Goodwin would add significant experience to what is a pretty young coaching group

 

[Elite Pete]

 

[Barrybran]

If we were looking for more assistants, Stephen King wasn't It

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

If we were looking for more assistants, Stephen King wasn't It

Would have been fitting though, after this horror season.

 

[KERRPOW]

Astro7 posted this last Friday that CH10 ran a story on Goodwin being approached by us

So the Cleary mention is not the first time it’s been reported meaning there is likely some substance to it

 

[frenchconnection]

If he was so good and successful as an assistant and so well liked by the players then why was he let go. ?

Due to Mini wanting to bring in his own support staff I would imagine.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Eagles land Merriman as new High Performance Manager

Phil Merriman will officially commence in the role on November 1

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Didn’t have to wait long or look far to replace Innes.

Fairly impressive resume, detailed by the Dockers when they hired him: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/836836/fremantle-appoint-new-high-performance-manager

 

[NeedForTheReids]

Eagles land Merriman as new High Performance Manager

Phil Merriman will officially commence in the role on November 1

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Didn’t have to wait long or look far to replace Innes.

Good signing. Done previous work with the hawks and dees lot of experience under his belt + doesn’t have to move far. Already used to WA

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Eagles land Merriman as new High Performance Manager

Phil Merriman will officially commence in the role on November 1

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Didn’t have to wait long or look far to replace Innes.

Nice. Essendon's high performance boss was looming

 

[s_wd6]

Eagles land Merriman as new High Performance Manager

Phil Merriman will officially commence in the role on November 1

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Didn’t have to wait long or look far to replace Innes.

Fairly impressive resume, detailed by the Dockers when they hired him: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/836836/fremantle-appoint-new-high-performance-manager

Very good signing unfortunately. Went into the last round of the year with only a couple fringe players on the injury list and have had pretty decent track record during his time here.

Can't understand why we let him go.

 

[RustyShacklefordFalcon]

Eagles land Merriman as new High Performance Manager

Phil Merriman will officially commence in the role on November 1

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Didn’t have to wait long or look far to replace Innes.

Fairly impressive resume, detailed by the Dockers when they hired him: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/836836/fremantle-appoint-new-high-performance-manager

I guess they couldn't spare any more pixels in the file photo they included of him

 

[wirra44]

Very good signing unfortunately. Went into the last round of the year with only a couple fringe players on the injury list and have had pretty decent track record during his time here.

Can't understand why we let him go.

Was he sacked?

 

[RustyShacklefordFalcon]

Worked at Arsenal, that's no small feat. Also worked closely under Darren Burges. Very good signing

 

[Mop]

Eagles land Merriman as new High Performance Manager

Phil Merriman will officially commence in the role on November 1

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

Didn’t have to wait long or look far to replace Innes.

Fairly impressive resume, detailed by the Dockers when they hired him: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/836836/fremantle-appoint-new-high-performance-manager

Not a huge shock, but seems to be a good fit with a good CV and is already local so no go home risk.

Nice one. Welcome to the Nest

 

[s_wd6]

Was he sacked?

Word is (unverified) that he wanted to stay but we didn't renew his contract.

Also the way it was worded was that he agreed to mutually part ways, implying that the club initiated it.

 

[ghostbat12]

Worked at Arsenal, that's no small feat. Also worked closely under Darren Burges. Very good signing

As a supporter of arsenal, injuries to players are part and parcel of the club. It is no feather in cap to be a high performance manager at arsenal.

Can’t say I am excited, anything Fremantle coming is depressing. he couldn’t manage injury to Hayden young.

However it’s a miracle that Pearce is now reliable, a guy who broke his leg just running.

He gets around and I am not sure that’s a good sign

Mixed feelings. Would have preferred whoever hawthorn have.

 

[TY24]

Worked at Arsenal

With our injury record I'd probably leave that one off the CV

 

[RustyShacklefordFalcon]

As a supporter of arsenal, injuries to players are part and parcel of the club. It is no feather in cap to be a high performance manager at arsenal.

Can’t say I am excited, anything Fremantle coming is depressing. he couldn’t manage injury to Hayden young.

However it’s a miracle that Pearce is now reliable, a guy who broke his leg just running.

Mixed feelings. Would have preferred whoever hawthorn have.

Also a supporter, however its not like he was head of high performance there and you don't work your way to such a high level sport by fluke. He would have learned a shitload in the EPL.

 

[Elite Pete]

Linked to the Giants yesterday.

GWS IN MIX FOR FITNESS BOSS​

GREATER Western Sydney is in the mix for ex-Fremantle fitness boss Phil Merriman as he looks at a new role.

Merriman left the Dockers this year after a five-year stint at the club, with Fremantle to pick up the search for his replacement.

He is weighing interest from multiple clubs, with the Giants among those with interest to add to their fitness ranks.

Already it has been an off-season of change in the high-performance space, with Essendon moving on from Sean Murphy and replacing him with West Coast fitness boss Mathew Inness. – Callum Twomey

 

[ghostbat12]

Also a supporter, however its not like he was head of high performance there and you don't work your way to such a high level sport by fluke. He would have learned a shitload in the EPL.

Maybe. But why didn’t freo want to keep him if he is so fantastic?

It would cheer me up if they get kofoed.

 

[Keys]

Worked at Arsenal, that's no small feat. Also worked closely under Darren Burges. Very good signing

It was Darren Burgess who worked at Arsenal, not Merriman.

Merriman worked with Burgess at Melbourne which is where the Arsenal reference comes from

Hawthorn 2011-17, Melbourne 2018-20, Fremantle 2021-25 and now West Coast

It’s a good resume. He will also understand WA conditions and the impact of travel so no need to learn how to deal with that

Doesn’t have to relocate either so no lag between this appointment and him getting to work

There’s a possibility that Fremantle letting him go has meant he fell into our lap to an extent but pleased we haven’t ****ed about finding a replacement for Inness

Plenty of reasons to be pissed at the club of late but this is a step in the right direction

 

[Keys]

Even better, if the Eagles take the obvious option/replacement presented to them on a platter, it will be an upgrade. And Inness is good, not many better.

Was Merriman the obvious option you referred to here, or did you have someone else in mind