The finger-pointing is well and truly underway after West Coast were humiliated in a 116-point thrashing at the hands of the bottom team.
The injury-hit Eagles didn’t score a goal in the second half on Sunday in Launceston, as Hawthorn ran riot with Mitch Lewis kicking a career-high six goals.
The 22.10 (142) to 4.2 (26) result, dubbed pre-round as the battle for the wooden spoon, leaves the Eagles last with one win and a percentage of 55.
“Extremely disappointing. Not good enough. Unacceptable. We’re going to have to do a lot of work in a short space of time,” West Coast coach Adam Simpson said.
“We didn’t bring the pressure. We got beaten on the inside, they were too quick. We got beaten on the outside.
“The effort wasn’t the same as it had been in the past when we’ve put up reasonable performances. It wasn’t there.”
But some are calling for Simpson’s sacking, including Glen Jakovich, which didn’t make sense to Channel 7’s Anna Hay.
“Short term, you might get some slight improvements but if they want to play the long game, keeping Adam Simpson is probably the way to go,” Hay told Clairsy & Lisa on Monday, adding that “Sacking Adam Simpson isn’t going to bring back Luke Shuey, Jeremy McGovern…”
Hay could’ve also added Tom Barrass, Jack Darling, Nic Naitanui, Elliot Yeo, Jamie Cripps, Liam Ryan, Shannon Hurn and Tom Cole to that list.
During Sunday’s game, Jamaine Jones left the field in the second quarter with an ankle problem that could keep him out for weeks. Liam Duggan had a knock to the neck while Oscar Allen had a hit to the knee.
Simpson was hopeful to get players back in the next month.
“I don’t think we can point the finger at the 18-year-olds (for the loss) but collectively we weren’t good enough,” he said.
Regarding injuries, Lisa questioned the team responsible for the player’s physical fitness.
“Why are there so many injuries, don’t they have people who’s job it is to make sure that not everyone’s injured?”
Hay agreed that would be something that would be looked at by West Coast.
“Either now or at the end of the year, but something is going to have to change because there can’t be that many injuries.”
Listen to the full chat here:
