West coast in crisis talks between players and coaches

[Altum Volantes]

And now their captain and life long fan boi walks out on them after statistically the worst season in AFL history for 38 years.

Oh how the mighty have fallen

Alright Sandra Sully, thanks for the update.

You better get settled in for your game - good luck today! - I think your boys will win

 

[Altum Volantes]

They are trimming all their senior experience then whining when their other senior players get injured.

Letting Allan and Ryan walk this year after the career ending injuries to Sheed and McGovern, as well as the unknown with Yeo, is absolute madness.

Couple that with them offloading Barrass and Darling last year.

There’s a real risk some of their younger talent will develop properly without the right senior group around them.

So...you've seen Oscar Allen play the last 2 seasons (well...briefly anyway) and believe right now is a good time for the Eagles to give him the long term big money deal he thinks he deserves?

...and Ryan - nearing 30 and wants another 3 years, despite barely firing a shot since 2020?

Are these good deals for a rebuilding club?

Those 2 specifically.

Please do advise.

 

[Shueygod]

And now their captain and life long fan boi walks out on them after statistically the worst season in AFL history for 38 years.

Oh how the mighty have fallen

You act as if he wasn’t pushed.

 

[Rich01]

So...you've seen Oscar Allen play the last 2 seasons (well...briefly anyway) and believe right now is a good time for the Eagles to give him the long term big money deal he thinks he deserves?

...and Ryan - nearing 30 and wants another 3 years, despite barely firing a shot since 2020?

Are these good deals for a rebuilding club?

Those 2 specifically.

Please do advise.

I think you’ve dug yourself into a hole by letting Barrass and Darling go last year. I don’t think the draft picks were worth losing that experience.

McGovern and Sheed injuries compound this further.

Take Allen and Ryan out and you are relying on Waterman and Yeo to lead the charge from the experienced brigade and there are questions on whether both will be able to get back to their best. In Yeos case it’s getting back from injury at his age and with Waterman it’s whether he’s a one season wonder or not.

Allen’s obviously had his injury issues but Brisbane wouldn’t offer him a 6 year contract if they think he’s going to sit in rehab.

For pick 2 though, you sort of have to trade him don’t you?

And Ryan’s 28 now, but been a mainstay of your forward line and a goal kicker. Would you take the saints second rounder for him in this years draft or keep him for another 3-4 years? I’d be doing the latter.

The Eagles desperately need experience to protect the kids and assist their development. But they seem happy letting these guys go to get draft picks.

They will need to top up with retreads over the next couple of years like North have done to sustain the team, otherwise the doom spiral will continue.

 

[Altum Volantes]

I think you’ve dug yourself into a hole by letting Barrass and Darling go last year. I don’t think the draft picks were worth losing that experience.

McGovern and Sheed injuries compound this further.

Take Allen and Ryan out and you are relying on Waterman and Yeo to lead the charge from the experienced brigade and there are questions on whether both will be able to get back to their best. In Yeos case it’s getting back from injury at his age and with Waterman it’s whether he’s a one season wonder or not.

Allen’s obviously had his injury issues but Brisbane wouldn’t offer him a 6 year contract if they think he’s going to sit in rehab.

For pick 2 though, you sort of have to trade him don’t you?

And Ryan’s 28 now, but been a mainstay of your forward line and a goal kicker. Would you take the saints second rounder for him in this years draft or keep him for another 3-4 years? I’d be doing the latter.

The Eagles desperately need experience to protect the kids and assist their development. But they seem happy letting these guys go to get draft picks.

They will need to top up with retreads over the next couple of years like North have done to sustain the team, otherwise the doom spiral will continue.

I don't really think you know enough about our team mate - I can see what you are getting at, but the fact that you think retaining Jack Darling (!) would have been the better idea last year is not holding water.

Barrass bailed on the club because he wasn't up for a rebuild - that was pretty obvious - he spent 2 seasons trying to leave.

Brisbane are backing themselves to get the best out of Allen (Joe Daniher style) and are paying high end to pry him out of the club he was (supposedly) captain of....but you said it yourself, the system will likely compensate WCE with Pick 2 - we'd be even more of a basket case if we turned that down in favour of giving Allen a big money contract, based on his injury history, his 100 games in 7 seasons and frankly his 2025 season, which was absolutely trash, bar a 1 quarter cameo against Geelong.

Ryan is neither here nor there - if he wants out, they should get him the hell out of the club because his attitude and effort isn't the best at any time, let alone when he'd rather be elsewhere. If he wants to stay, I would be happy with a 2 year extension but if there is something of quality to be had and he wants out, send him on his way.

You are right, we may need to bring in some better suited 'retreads' - plenty of teams have a host of players brought in from other clubs - that is part of building a list.

 

[Shane Heard]

Shane Kersten did something no one had the balls to do, Stand up to Ross Lyon. LoL

Legend has it that Shane Kersten told Ross Lyon to f**k off. Ross Lyon was sacked shortly after lol

That’s just the thing a delusional bunch of Freo nuffy buddies would crap on about as gospel after drinking 23 great norfins..

 

[Obeanie1]

I think you’ve dug yourself into a hole by letting Barrass and Darling go last year. I don’t think the draft picks were worth losing that experience.

McGovern and Sheed injuries compound this further.

Take Allen and Ryan out and you are relying on Waterman and Yeo to lead the charge from the experienced brigade and there are questions on whether both will be able to get back to their best. In Yeos case it’s getting back from injury at his age and with Waterman it’s whether he’s a one season wonder or not.

Allen’s obviously had his injury issues but Brisbane wouldn’t offer him a 6 year contract if they think he’s going to sit in rehab.

For pick 2 though, you sort of have to trade him don’t you?

And Ryan’s 28 now, but been a mainstay of your forward line and a goal kicker. Would you take the saints second rounder for him in this years draft or keep him for another 3-4 years? I’d be doing the latter.

The Eagles desperately need experience to protect the kids and assist their development. But they seem happy letting these guys go to get draft picks.

They will need to top up with retreads over the next couple of years like North have done to sustain the team, otherwise the doom spiral will continue.

Pretty sure you've been frothing with excitment and positive spin over Richmonds list turn over last season and bringing in multiple 1st round kids.

Eagles do the same over two or three trade periods and your not sure if its the right call?

Eagles will continue turning over the old players and replace with kids and mature talent. Use their natural picks on kids.

Retaining Darling was not an option.

Just like signing an injury prone Oscar long term is not viable for a club at the bottom of the ladder.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Was James Hird correct this week when saying they can access additional soft cap expenditure but have to pay a sur-tax on it?

I mean, as a rich club wouldn't this be a wise use of the money their members are currently forking out for no return on their investment?

 

[jdisc]

Was James Hird correct this week when saying they can access additional soft cap expenditure but have to pay a sur-tax on it?

I mean, as a rich club wouldn't this be a wise use of the money their members are currently forking out for no return on their investment?

its a 100% tax on anything over the soft cap, which goes up to 150% in year 2 and 200% in year 3

so hiring one guy on 100k over the cap would balloon out to a quarter of a million pretty quickly

not sure how Hird imagines the club would strategically breach the limit, nor how Pyke would get it past the board and the AFL

 

[jdisc]

I think you’ve dug yourself into a hole by letting Barrass and Darling go last year. I don’t think the draft picks were worth losing that experience.

McGovern and Sheed injuries compound this further.

Take Allen and Ryan out and you are relying on Waterman and Yeo to lead the charge from the experienced brigade and there are questions on whether both will be able to get back to their best. In Yeos case it’s getting back from injury at his age and with Waterman it’s whether he’s a one season wonder or not.

Allen’s obviously had his injury issues but Brisbane wouldn’t offer him a 6 year contract if they think he’s going to sit in rehab.

For pick 2 though, you sort of have to trade him don’t you?

And Ryan’s 28 now, but been a mainstay of your forward line and a goal kicker. Would you take the saints second rounder for him in this years draft or keep him for another 3-4 years? I’d be doing the latter.

The Eagles desperately need experience to protect the kids and assist their development. But they seem happy letting these guys go to get draft picks.

They will need to top up with retreads over the next couple of years like North have done to sustain the team, otherwise the doom spiral will continue.

Darling was out of the team and surplus to needs, no one predicted Allen and Waterman would both go down but its allowed us to blood Archer Reid and Shanahan this year which will be good for the clubs development

Same on the Barrass front, no one predicted McGovern would be medically retired but we saw Harry Edwards grow into the role after being permanently stuck behind both Barrass and McGovsdn for years. Brock has also been a handy pick up and Ginbey has been overlooked by the bulk of the media.

The criticism has always been we've hung onto our older players for too long and not developed players properly, this is doing the opposite

If Brisbane want to pay 800k for a perma injured forward thats on them, Im not going to judge their list decisions. Oscar has been poor this year and has been surpassed by Waterman in form. Talls are selling for a premium in the current market and the club is clearly cashing in. Time will tell if Brisbane have made the correct decision.

Ryan is past his prime and due to injuries can't be the power forward you remember him being, his days of regularly flying for every mark are done. I still rate his work up the ground significantly but he's prone to brain fades with his disposal. He has one year on his current contract and after I'd be putting him on one year deals, I dont see him being in significantly good form 4 years from now.

Saints also dont have a 2nd rounder in this years draft, the trade will likely include future picks.

I agree we need experience, this was part of the rationale behind bringing in Baker and Graham. Our list still does have a lot of experienced heads in it but what we really need is young talent, thats the thing that we lacked in the build up to our decline. We did not develop much young talent in the late Simmo era.

 

[The_Reaper]

Was James Hird correct this week when saying they can access additional soft cap expenditure but have to pay a sur-tax on it?

I mean, as a rich club wouldn't this be a wise use of the money their members are currently forking out for no return on their investment?

Given the 200% tax do you think the owners of West Coast (the WAFC) would allow that?

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Given the 200% tax do you think the owners of West Coast (the WAFC) would allow that?

What does 200% mean in real $? Hypothetically say they secured additional coaching resources worth $750k per annum. Does that mean they pay an additional $1.5m to the AFL? And where do their profits go?
Would being competitive make it worth the expenditure?

 

[The_Reaper]

What does 200% mean in real $? Hypothetically say they secured additional coaching resources worth $750k per annum. Does that mean they pay an additional $1.5m to the AFL? And where do their profits go?
Would being competitive make it worth the expenditure?

If we broke the soft cap by $750,000 we would have to pay the AFL 1.5 million so that extra resource would cost us 2.25 million a year.

If West Coast were member owned we would probably go for it.
From the WAFC perspective thats lets money for what ever they need it and West Coast fans are still buying memberships so there is no pressing need for a quick turnaround.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

If we broke the soft cap by $750,000 we would have to pay the AFL 1.5 million so that extra resource would cost us 2.25 million a year.

If West Coast were member owned we would probably go for it.
From the WAFC perspective thats lets money for what ever they need it and West Coast fans are still buying memberships so there is no pressing need for a quick turnaround.

I feel like any competent governing body should be able to spin it as a 'power move', given West Coast's money making capacity compared to smaller clubs who depend on AFL handouts for survival.

 

[The_Reaper]

I feel like any competent governing body should be able to spin it as a 'power move', given West Coast's money making capacity compared to smaller clubs who depend on AFL handouts for survival.

I think West Coast should consider anything we can legally do to get better.

but it’s definitely not as simple as Hird claims.

 

[Quinten Kennedy]

I think you’ve dug yourself into a hole by letting Barrass and Darling go last year.

Said nobody ever.

 

[Goosecat]

I'd like to thank that epitome of AFL supported, example of good character, shining light of decency that is James Hird and the likes of West Coast state rival Peter Bell, for effectively guaranteeing the AFL will grant some form of assistance to West Coast.

Suggesting West Coast deliberately break AFL rules around the soft cap is confirmation of the dire need.
Both these individuals are supported by the AFL and I'm sure the organisation is over the moon with suggestions of deliberately breaking rules.

It's as if these bright sparks have no idea the rule is in place because the organisation doesn't want any team doing the suggested.
The "Soft Cap" penalty system or "Tax" was introduced as a control mechanism that doesn't involve losing draft picks etc, which has in the past proven to be almost club destroying.

These idiots seem to interpret that as meaning the AFL will be happy if teams just start breaking the "soft cap" rules and copping the fine. Can no-one foresee the repercussions once a team does this? Sometimes I'm amazed at the level of stupidity masquerading as intelligence within the football community.

When will the AFL ever wake up to the almost maniacal crazy ****-wit that actually is James Hird? Just how much damage do they want?

 

[Piggy Smalls]

I'd like to thank that epitome of AFL supported, example of good character, shining light of decency that is James Hird and the likes of West Coast state rival Peter Bell for effectively guaranteeing the AFL will grant some form of assistance to West Coast.

Suggesting West Coast deliberately break AFL rules around the soft cap is confirmation of the dire need.
Both these individuals are supported by the AFL and I'm sure the organisation is over the moon with suggestions of deliberately breaking rules.

It's as if these bright sparks have no idea the rule is in place because the organisation doesn't want any team doing the suggested.
The " Soft Cap" penalty system or "Tax" was introduced as a control mechanism that doesn't involve losing draft picks etc, which has in the past proven to be almost club destroying.

These idiots seem to interpret that as meaning the AFL will be happy if teams just start breaking the "soft cap" rules and copping the fine. Can no-one foresee the repercussions once a team does this? Sometimes I'm amazed at the level of stupidity masquerading as intelligence within the football community.

When will the AFL ever wake up to the almost maniacal crazy ****-wit that actually is James Hird. Just how much damage do they want?

On a ****wit level I'd have him much lower than Pyke, the guy with the keys to the Eagles.

 

[Altum Volantes]

On a ****wit level I'd have him much lower than Pyke, the guy with the keys to the Eagles.

Other than the fact that you don't like the Eagles, what could you possibly be basing that on?...

 

[King Patty]

With Harley Reid Resigned, West Coast need to get Elliot YEO

6

Elliot Yeo

Age

32

Ht

191cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.5

5star

K

11.7

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.5

5star

CL

3.0

4star

D

18.9

4star

K

10.9

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

2.1

2star

T

5.8

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

16.6

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.6

3star

CL

1.4

4star

fit. get him attracting the tagger and let Reid shine.

I also would like to see Ginbey moved back into the midfield. Baker was a good get, Eagles need more durable experienced players to help out. Warner, probably if they can get him for Pick 1 is probably worth it, throw in his brother too as steak knives.

2026 starting midfield
Warner, YEO, REID
then Ginbey, Hewett, Baker

 

[Andyy]

So...you've seen Oscar Allen play the last 2 seasons (well...briefly anyway) and believe right now is a good time for the Eagles to give him the long term big money deal he thinks he deserves?

...and Ryan - nearing 30 and wants another 3 years, despite barely firing a shot since 2020?

Are these good deals for a rebuilding club?

Those 2 specifically.

Please do advise.

You are so on the money here.

Ryan has been modest for 4 years running.

Allen has played a season of modest footy over two seasons.

Get rid of them both and focus on the future.

 

[Andyy]

With Harley Reid Resigned, West Coast need to get Elliot YEO fit. get him attracting the tagger and let Reid shine.

I also would like to see Ginbey moved back into the midfield. Baker was a good get, Eagles need more durable experienced players to help out. Warner, probably if they can get him for Pick 1 is probably worth it, throw in his brother too as steak knives.

2026 starting midfield
Warner, YEO, REID
then Ginbey, Hewett, Baker

Just my take, but:

• Reid will get the tag, fit Yeo or not
• Ginbey has been a backline revelation, I wouldn't move him
• Baker was a good get indeed, we agree on this one
• Warner, came off the boil this year, I'm not sure WCE should do it tbh. Take 1-2 to the draft and get CDT + Duursma

 

[jdisc]

in what world would a 750k expense fix our list anyway?

 

[jdisc]

With Harley Reid Resigned, West Coast need to get Elliot YEO fit. get him attracting the tagger and let Reid shine.

dont worry, reports are he's only 4 to 5 weeks away

 

[bzparkes]

in what world would a 750k expense fix our list anyway?

it wouldn't.

Like MCQualter said earlier in the year - you need the right people in place to help you improve, it's not a simple case of just adding more.