New Eagle Patrick Naish says the freedom to just play footy granted by coach Adam Simpson helped him settle into West Coast’s team last Sunday as he put his best foot forward and earned a spot on the club's rookie list.
Meanwhile, Tom Joyce (main picture) believed nobody would be happier than his Mum – a long-time Eagles fan – after he also joined the club during the Supplemental Selection Period, alongside fellow East Fremantle products Hugh Dixon and Luke Strnadica.
Ex-Richmond wingman Naish’s whirlwind trip to Perth once the WA border opened gave him the opportunity to suit up for the Eagles, just days after wrapping up a training stint with St Kilda.
Running out on Optus Stadium for the first time in the AAMI Community Series clash with Fremantle capped a remarkable five months since he was let go by the Tigers after playing nine games in three seasons – including five games last year.
After failing to find a new AFL home, Naish then signed for SANFL club Norwood, where he trained for six weeks before trialling with the Saints and West Coast.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Naish told SEN WA.
“I’m pretty excited with the Eagles.”
Coming on for the second half against the Dockers, Naish collected 14 disposals and booted a classy goal late to stamp an assured performance.
“Simmo helped a fair bit with that as well. He was pretty – not relaxed – with me but he just wanted me to go out and play footy,” Naish said.
“He felt my strengths were good enough to be on the list in the end. I saw it as an opportunity to just go play footy, and I felt like I did play my role for the team on Sunday night
“Obviously I’d been there three days. He was keen for me to go play footy and have fun, which I did.
“I loved Sunday night.”
Unlike Naish, fellow SSP recruit Joyce had been training with the Eagles for a number of weeks and also took his opportunity against the Dockers, finishing with 17 disposals and two clearances to earn his spot.
“I’m absolutely over the moon to be really honest. I feel like I had to work pretty hard to get this one and I’m really grateful to West Coast for giving me the second chance,” Joyce said.
“The first call was to Mum and Dad – they were absolutely delighted. Mum has been a West Coast fan for, she doesn’t like to admit it sometimes, for a very long time, so nobody was happier than Mum.”
The rugged midfielder – like Naish and Dixon – appears to be in the mix to face Gold Coast in the Eagles’ home season-opener on March 20, while Strnadica is working his way back from a foot concern.
Joyce, 22, spent three seasons on Brisbane’s list without playing after being drafted via pick 40 in 2018, with injuries and the lack of second-tier football curtailing his bid to debut before he was delisted last year.
“I didn’t think about giving up at all, really. At the end of the day I wanted to get the best out of myself and I felt like I wasn’t done doing that yet,” Joyce said.
“I was lucky enough to get the call up to go train-on at West Coast, but if it wasn’t going to happen there I was ready to have a year at East Fremantle and have another crack at it.”
