EVIDENCE is stacking up that a reinvigorated West Coast Eagles are headed back into finals this year. Sure, it’s an early call to declare an outfit that finished 13th last season with just nine wins and plummeted from pre-season premiership favourites and lost their last three games by an average of 12 goals will make it back into finals in probably the tightest title battle in the AFL since the league was formalised in 1990. But distinct degrees of improved skill execution, a clearly renewed game style and injection of important depth of class and ball-winning capability around the critical midfield as well as early indication of a much healthier squad this year after a horrid injury toll last season lends genuine potential to a finals campaign for the Eagles. The new look West Coast also has a highly favourable fixture draw with potential to start the season with three early wins over anticipated strugglers this season with the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and St Kilda. West Coast should bank on winning in the vicinity of 12 or 13 games that would most likely earn a final spot somewhere in the bottom half of the top eight in September. An extra win or few and a home-final fifth or six is even on the cards for West Coast come September. With clear top-of-the-table standout contenders Hawthorn, Sydney as well as probably Fremantle and Geelong, this season’s premiership chase will be highlighted in a heavy congestion for finals spots with Collingwood, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Richmond, Port Adelaide, Carlton, Essendon and even a fledgling Gold Coast in a genuine hunt to play finals. West Coast is a definite contender to be in that cluster of outfits looking for a berth somewhere in the bottom rungs of the eventual final eight. Recent history also supports an Eagles finals campaign in September under a new and rookie coach Adam Simpson, who took over West Coast after a 12-year reign from club legend John Worsfold. Imposing ruck force Nic Naitnaui is on the verge of a playing return after an exhaustive summer long recovery program to overcome his repetitive groin injury as well as important sharp-shooter Mark LeCras and midfielders Luke Shuey, Sharrod Wellingham, Shannon Hurn and Matt Rosa all back and so far injury-free. Between them they missed around 60 games last season. It’s a long shot, but West Coast is primed for a ladder climb in 2014.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Mar 2014 23:59:26 +0000
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