Luke Shuey has attributed to West Coast’s improvement this season to a crop of up and coming Eagles.
Having dispensed with Port Adelaide and currently sitting second on the ladder, West Coast's strong performances have surprised critics across the country who had predicted a lowly finish for the WA-based team.
Shuey is quick to credit his younger team members for the club's progress so far.
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“I think the maturity of the really young kids, the 18, 19, 20-year-olds coming through, they’re still young kids, but they’re playing like men,” Shuey told SEN on Monday night.
“Dom Sheed is only in his second year, and he’s second or third for contested possessions at the club.
“He’s a hard nut, he’s going to play a lot of footy for us. And he’s just one.
“[Jeremy McGovern] has only played 15-odd games, so there’s plenty of development left in him, but he’s nearly been our best player this year so far.”
Shuey also made mention of last year’s crop of draftees, three of which have already made their AFL debuts.
Both Liam Duggan and Jackson Nelson have lined up for five games this season, while Tom Lamb, who played his first match in round one, has been sidelined with a knee injury.
“I think we drafted really well last year,” Shuey said.
“[Liam Duggan] is going to be pretty special I think. He’s obviously in his first year, so he’s only played a handful of games... but you can’t ask for much more from an 18-year-old playing at senior level, particularly in games like Sunday.
“To have that many young kids playing in a team that played really well on the weekend and beat Port Adelaide, a super team themselves, it’s a credit to the young kids.”
Click on the link below to listen to Luke's full interview with SEN
