West Coast will continue bringing through young players and exploring its playing list amid the unprecedented challenges facing the club so far this season, senior coach Adam Simpson says.
The Eagles are grappling with a lengthy injury list and more players have entered Health and Safety Protocols – with defenders Jackson Nelson and Alex Witherden ruled out of the trip to face Brisbane.
While the club will replenish its young talent through the drafts at the end of the year, there is still plenty of football left to be played in 2022 and ample opportunity for youngsters to show their wares.
“To really assess where we’re at it’s not the normal ‘OK, we’re in a rebuild, we’re in transition’ or whatever you want to call it, we’ve confronted some unique things this year,” Simpson told Sportsday WA.
“Our availability with COVID and with injuries has forced our hand a little bit. We’ve played 37 or 38 of our listed players, gone through what we’ve gone through and we’re still missing eight or nine of our starting 22.
“Having said that, there’s no doubt we need to get to the draft, get some youth and talent through and see where our list is at by the end of the year – and we’re going to get that opportunity obviously.
“But to give you an indication of how long things take to get back to your best and where you’re truly at, that’s a challenge at the moment. Even our style of play we’re really trying to find out where we’re at with what we’ve confronted pretty much from the start of the year.
“It’s not your standard decline, but we also acknowledge we having been at our best and we’re not where we want to be.”
The Eagles dropped to 18th on the ladder for the first time after Friday night’s thumping 109-point loss to Richmond and face a tough fortnight against premiership fancies Brisbane and Melbourne.
“Really disappointing game, again. Unfortunately we didn’t really provide any real challenge to Richmond from the start, so we’ve got plenty of work to do and we’re not hiding from it,” Simpson told Channel Seven.
The Eagles are hopeful full-back Tom Barrass (hamstring) will be available for the trip to the Gabba after he was a late withdrawal from the Tigers loss.
Midfield bull Elliot Yeo (concussion) won’t play, while Willie Rioli (hamstring), Xavier O’Neill (knee) and Zac Langdon (foot) suffered injuries at the weekend.
“It’s going to be a challenge (against Brisbane). They were really good yesterday. They’ve got a healthy list and they’re in a really good space,” Simpson said.
“We’ve got to be up for the fight, we need to go over there with full expectations of performing well, throw the kitchen sink at them and see how we go.”
