In an exciting off-season cycle for the WAFL Eagles, there has been a number of significant changes to the playing group and coaching staff for the upcoming season.

Former Subiaco star and five-time WAFL premiership player Kyal Horsley has taken over from Rob Wiley as head coach.

Horsely played 207 games with the Lions, winning four club Best and Fairest awards, and was awarded the Simpson Medal for his best-on-ground performance in the 2018 Grand Final victory over West Perth.

The three-time runner-up Sandover Medallist was drafted to Gold Coast Suns in the 2012 Rookie Draft, before his AFL career was cut short after suffering an ACL injury.

“It’s an awesome opportunity and I’m really excited to take on the role,” Horsley said.

“We’ve got a really good crew around us and a great group of players who just want to get better and want to make their families and West Coast proud.

“Rob did a fantastic job, he created really good standards and behaviours for the players, it was really focused around allowing them to take control of that.

“It’s a really young group but we’ve allowed them to problem solve and work their way through some things and we’ve seen some real growth across the whole group, so it’s been exciting and encouraging.”

Horsley will be supported by Jacob Brennan as forwards coach, taking over from Mark Nicoski who has taken up a new position with the Eagles in the Southwest.

Brennan played for West Coast between 2011 and 2014, notching up 28 AFL games and 67 games with East Fremantle in the WAFL.

Experienced development coach Tom Morrison returns to lead the backline.

After a tough 2023 campaign, the club has gone to great lengths to strengthen to WAFL squad this off-season.

Former Collingwood defender and Perth local Trey Ruscoe has returned to WA, joined by former Greater Western Sydney midfielder Jason Gillbee.

Harley Sparks (East Perth), Kye Barker (South Fremantle), Oscar Armstrong (South Fremantle), Tyler Mourits (West Perth) and Rory Charles (Claremont) have all made the move across to the Eagles, while East Fremantle has agreed to loan James Spadanuda and Luke Yeo (cousin of Elliot Yeo) as part of their development.

Revis Alone, Allan Narkle, Mitch Anderson and Ben Avery will also don the blue and gold, joining the team from the local Perth Football League.

Complete team list: