It has felt like someone has leaned on the ‘increase speed’ arrow on a treadmill this week, the legs rotating out of control, trying to keep up the pace.
In today’s breakneck world the news cycle moves at a similar rate. It’s wild and crazy.
On Tuesday morning at the West Coast Eagles the throttle was at full speed before we had time to finish our first coffee.
Within a few hours of having a conversation with senior coach Adam Simpson, who had agreed mutually with the club to close a rewarding 11-year relationship, he was fronting a packed media conference.
As always he handled the situation with class and eloquence. His family was in the room, so were all the staff and players. It ended with a standing O.
Through his decade-long journey at the club there were many highlights and one moment in particular that will forever wed him to this club. The 2018 premiership. A glorious day when the Eagles gave Collingwood a five-goal start and snatched the Cup with a Dom Sheed dart.
A great moment for our club, but also one of the great Grand Finals in the history of the game.
But just like that, the Simmo era was done. A 20-minute press conference, a couple of hugs, a few handshakes and … gone. In just half a day.
His departure serviced the news cycle for 12 to 24 hours. Then they moved to the next phase. Who would be interim coach? Who would be on the shortlist to replace Simpson for 2025 and beyond? What selection moves would be made?
It seemed so disrespectful; almost brushing the hands and getting on with it. But that seems to be the way of the world; it has the attention span of a six-year-old.
I get that we have to move on. That we need to look forward and plot the course to our next premiership. But can we pause the racing treadmill for a moment? Just for a second to reflect on the achievements of Simmo.
When he took on this gig for the 2014 season, I’m not sure he appreciated the size and reach of the West Coast Eagles. Just how big the club is.
Coming in after John Worsfold, one of the most ubiquitous and revered figures in club history, was surely daunting.
But Simpson quickly set his own direction. And I will never forget the first day when he hammered a stake into new ground.
Pre-season started on this November morning in 2013 at McGillivray Oval. The younger players, as is tradition, were back to the grind a week or two ahead of the senior players. Among them was Jeremy McGovern.
An exciting young key position prospect McGovern had been promoted off the rookie list into the senior squad at the end of the 2013 season. No doubt he was pretty content with the elevation and being in his football infancy might have mistaken that for the destination rather than the start of a journey.
As the players endured what was a typically arduous start to the pre-season block, McGovern struggled to keep up.
Simpson called him aside. ‘We might be mates one day, but not right now,” he said.
McGovern was banished to training privately with development coach Mark Nicoski until he met AFL standards. It was probably six weeks before he could join the rest of the squad.
They might not have been on the best of terms on that particular day, but they grew a mutual admiration. So much so that McGovern drove back from Melbourne this week to be here for tomorrow’s match with Brisbane.
Gov punctured a lung last week against Melbourne and was unable to travel by air.
There is a slight irony in that situation given McGovern played in the 2018 Grand Final with damaged ribs. He was going to miss the street parade because he was tender and needed medical care to make game day.
But the AFL insisted he had to sit in the back of Hilux and do his bit to promote the game. Not only did he play, he was outstanding. Fearless. Perhaps even recklessly brave.
No doubt McGovern will be among those who warmly embrace Simmo tomorrow. And after some post game reflections the treadmill will kick back into life.
