Harley Reid took the footy world by storm last year and promises to light things up again in 2025. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

WEST COAST
2024 record: 5 wins, 18 losses (16th)

THE INS
Liam Baker (Richmond), Jack Graham (Richmond), Matt Owies (Carlton), Sandy Brock (Gold Coast), Bo Allan (Peel Thunder), Jobe Shanahan (Bendigo Pioneers), Tom Gross (Oakleigh Chargers), Lucca Grego (Western Jets), Hamish Davis (Claremont), Malakai Champion (Subiaco)

THE OUTS
Tom Barrass (Hawthorn), Jack Darling (North Melbourne), Andrew Gaff (retired), Josh Rotham (delisted), Alex Witherden (delisted), Luke Edwards (retired), Jamaine Jones (delisted), Jai Culley (delisted – Melbourne), Coby Burgiel (delisted), Zane Trew (delisted), Jordyn Baker (delisted)

THE STRENGTHS
Despite enduring another awful season, West Coast still enjoyed a pair of bright spots last year in Jake Waterman and Jeremy McGovern both earning All-Australian selection in a five-win team. Waterman’s story is particularly inspirational. In 2023, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, which threatened to end his career. But he fought back and exploded last year, booting 53 goals in a bottom-three side. But perhaps the brightest spot of all is Harley Reid. The former No.1 pick didn’t waste much time showing the footy world what all the hype was about. Some of the plays and highlights he produced last year were downright jaw-dropping. Brady Hough is coming on in leaps and bounds down back, Tim Kelly continues to be a consistent contributor in the midfield, Elliot Yeo wound the clock multiple times in 2024 and Oscar Allen is a great target in attack alongside Waterman. The recruits of premiership Tigers Liam Baker and Jack Graham, along with former Carlton goalsneak Matt Owies, should help the Eagles pinch a few more wins this year. West Coast also has quite a few youngsters worth getting excited about such as Reuben Ginbey, Noah Long, Elijah Hewett, Campbell Chesser, Tyrell Dewar and Harvey Johnston.

THE WEAKNESSES
The Eagles enjoyed slight improvement last year, winning five games for the first time since 2021, but the worst period in the club’s history rolled on full steam ahead. West Coast has now won just 10 of its last 68 matches to be a shadow of the powerhouse club it once was. It was a protracted stretch of horrible form that premiership coach Adam Simpson just could not survive in the end. And his successor Andrew McQualter has a massive job to try and right the ship. With the second-worst attack and the 16th-ranked defence, his Eagles are starting from a very long way back. They just can’t get their hands on the ball, which is a pretty fundamental issue impeding a team’s desire to win games. In 2024, they were 18th for disposals and third-last for marks. Their midfield was once again weak as water, coming in last for clearances, contested possessions and hitouts, 17th for centre clearances, and third-bottom for inside 50s. You’re just not going to win very often when your on-ball brigade puts up minimal resistance like that and provides little to no protection for the backline. It is hoped that the likes of Baker and Graham will offer some assistance in that department, but it’s going to take a lot more than those two to cure the significant issues afflicting West Coast’s midfield. The knock-on effect is that the Eagles were 16th for marks inside 50. With Waterman and Allen up forward, they just have to find a way to ramp up supply. But it’s not just the midfield that’s to blame. The Eagles’ overall urgency and desire was completely lacking once again as they ranked 17th for tackles, despite hardly ever having the ball in their possession. That is completely unacceptable. Unsurprisingly, for a bottom team, West Coast’s skill level leaves a lot to be desired as well as it came in 15th for both turnovers and intercepts. The Eagles were also a dismal 13th for contested marks, and with two of their top four players in that department – Tom Barrass and Jack Darling – departing, they’ve got an uphill battle to get themselves out of the bottom six in those rankings. With the third-youngest and second-least experienced list in the AFL, there’ll be plenty more pain in store for West Coast fans this year. Sadly for Dom Sheed, his season ended before it began due to an ACL injury, while Yeo remains at least a month away due to knee and ankle complaints.

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ONE TO WATCH
Who else, but Harley Reid? The freakish teenager burst onto the scene last year and left the footy world wanting more. Some of the goals he kicked and marks he took made you think that he had actually been playing at the highest level for a decade. But his career is only 20 games old. Last year he averaged 19 disposals (10 contested), five clearances (two centre), five score involvements and 289 metres gained, while also kicking 10 goals. His brute strength, burst of speed and sensational skills suggest he has all the makings of a generational talent and is sure to give Eagles fans much needed smiles in what looms as another tough season.

UNDER THE PUMP
Liam Ryan is contracted until the end of next season, but he is coming off a fairly disappointing year by his lofty standards. With just 13 goals from 16 games, he failed to have the kind of impact footy fans have become accustomed to. Of course, being a forward for West Coast is a tough gig (unless you’re Waterman), but the Eagles really need a player of Ryan’s calibre to fire on all cylinders if they’re to be consistently competitive this year.

BEST 23
B: Tom Cole, Brady Hough, Harry Edwards
HB: Liam Duggan, Jeremy McGovern, Harvey Johnston
C: Jayden Hunt, Tim Kelly, Jack Hutchinson
HF: Liam Baker, Oscar Allen, Jack Graham
F: Liam Ryan, Jake Waterman, Jack Williams
R: Bailey Williams, Harley Reid, Elliot Yeo
Inter: Reuben Ginbey, Jamie Cripps, Matt Owies, Campbell Chesser, Noah Long
Emerg: Rhett Bazzo, Elijah Hewett, Jack Petruccelle

It will not be surprising to see youngsters like Harvey Johnston and Jack Hutchinson get more of a go this year, and the Eagles will also be keen to get full years out of Noah Long and Elijah Hewett. Rhett Bazzo will also ensure competition for those key defensive spots is hot. For now, Ryan Maric, Tyler Brockman and Tyrell Dewar are on the outer, but they should get their fair share of game time throughout the year.

*all team stat rankings mentioned are based on differentials, not totals (apart from overall offence and defence).