West Coast is far from the finished product but coach Adam Simpson could see promising signs in Sunday’s uplifting 19-point win over Greater Western Sydney.
The Eagles tasted victory at Optus Stadium for the first time since round 15 last year against Essendon, giving the blue and gold faithful plenty to cheer about in the opening home game of the campaign.
Coming off a disappointing loss to North Melbourne when the Eagles were beaten around the contest and clearances, there was a clear lift in those areas in round two, and everything clicked during a dynamic eight-goal second term.
“We’ve been working pretty hard and not getting a lot of reward,” Simpson said post-match.
“We were disappointed last week, but I suspect there’s 18 clubs who have been disappointed with a half here, a quarter there. Not many have got through with eight quarters of brilliance.
“I get the connection to last year and where we’re at and what we’re doing and we’re nowhere near the finished product, but I think we’re a different side.
“The reflection on when we have a bad game, a bad quarter, it’s easy to compare with last year and we understand it and accept it but different personnel, different side, different fitness, hopefully a different style of play.
“So they (players) got rewarded with a bit of effort today and it all started around winning the ball, which I’ve been talking about a bit.”
Mobile forward Jake Waterman took full advantage during the second stanza, booting three of his four majors in a career-best outing when he also pinch-hit in the ruck behind a competitive Bailey Williams.
“He’s been coming back from a knee injury and he was just a week off last week. He played a pretty good WAFL game,” Simpson said of Waterman.
“He’s been fast-tracked really. He earned his spot and he got rewarded with some good ball movement up the ground.”
West Coast was well-served by gun Tim Kelly (32 disposals, one goal) in midfield, while Jamaine Jones had 27 touches in his best game for the club and recruit Jayden Hunt provided a spark with two goals from a wing.
“Tim (Kelly) did set the standard. I thought Bailey lifted from a ruck point-of-view. We really respect the Giants and they are missing a few soldiers and were coming off a pretty tough game, but the boys got to work," Simpson said.
“We played four teenagers today ... that combined with some good back-up transition – Jamaine Jones down back was pretty good – we got some flow in our game.
“The first half last week was a real good reality check about what the game is telling us and we got to turn the tables a little bit today with the stoppages between the arcs and those sort of things.”
The Eagles face winless Fremantle in an ‘away’ RAC Derby next Sunday.
