West Coast’s senior players have come under intense scrutiny after another lifeless start led to a 34-point home defeat against Carlton, a result that belied just how poor the Eagles were early.
First-year coach Andrew McQualter labelled the opening quarter “pathetic in the contest” as the Blues stormed to a 39-point lead, leaving pundits asking whether the team’s experienced core has the hunger to lift a struggling side.
Veteran apathy blamed on guaranteed deals
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley didn’t hold back, suggesting that lucrative contracts might be fuelling complacency.
“That’s what happens when you’ve got fat cats,” Buckley said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch. “They’re getting good money regardless of what they do. Clubs have got to think long and hard about who they give guaranteed contracts to, because you give a guaranteed contract to a player, you’ve got to know that he’s not motivated by money.”
Underperformers were named and shamed. Tim Kelly, co-captains Liam Duggan and Oscar Allen, Jamie Cripps, Tom Cole and Liam Ryan all rank outside the AFL’s top 150 players, according to Champion Data.
Four-time premiership great Jordan Lewis was equally damning: “The core group of senior players that have been there for a long time under Adam Simpson should’ve been refreshed when Andrew McQualter came over, but they have been anything (but).”
West Coast are rock bottom for clearances, contested possessions and inside 50s. With effort in question and numbers so damning, the “fat cat” label is starting to stick, and there’s no quick fix.