Taking on Fremantle’s dominant ruck duo is the “biggest challenge in the AFL” and will take a collective midfield effort for West Coast to overcome, coach Adam Simpson says.
The Eagles enter RAC Derby No.56 without talismanic big man Nic Naitanui (Achilles) while emerging tall Callum Jamieson (ankle) has also been ruled out for this weekend.
It leaves Bailey Williams and a pinch-hitter – possibly 192cm forward Jake Waterman – to take on the Dockers’ star pair Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson in Sunday’s crosstown clash.
“It’s probably the biggest challenge in the AFL. They’re number one for hitouts. I’m pretty sure we’re not number one or in the top four. It’s the collective, so it’s how we handle it (that counts),” Simpson said.
“I thought last week we handled it pretty well, albeit the Giants had a young ruckman and a second-stringer that’s a bit like ours. It’s a bit different this week, though.
“It’s something we’ve got to deal with while Nic’s not available and we’ve got some young rucks coming through.”
Waterman returned with a bang against Greater Western Sydney, booting four goals and picking up 16 touches in a career-best performance following an interrupted summer due to knee surgery.
The mobile tall and the rest of West Coast’s forwards were well served by some electric ball movement, as the Eagles’ efforts to transform their gamestyle bore fruit after a tough round one loss to North Melbourne.
“We didn’t change anything from game-to-game, we just doubled down on what we’ve been training and what we’ve been trying to replicate from training to in-game,” Simpson said.
“It was pleasing the guys performed pretty well. We’ll try our best to do it again this week.
“We’re going to have some ups and downs with it all. You can’t do a lot unless you win the ball.
“I’ve said this a number of times, if you win the contest and get your fair share of clearances the rest of your game will flow – and that’s what we just hadn’t got right round one.”
The Eagles enter the RAC Derby as rank outsiders against the Dockers, who are winless following two close defeats but expected to respond in front of their fans in West Coast’s ‘away’ Derby.
“It’s going to be on. The same as every Derby. I don’t think there’ll be too many surprises in terms of what’s at stake in terms of the win,” Simpson said.
“I don’t think we’re going to get surprised too much. I think they’re going to come pretty hard.
“It is another game. It does settle down. Motivation lasts you 10 seconds, then it’s your standard game, albeit there’s a lot at stake within the town.”
