Interim West Coast coach Jarrad Schofield admits the Eagles “didn’t really turn up” in Sunday’s 65-point belting at the hands of a Carlton side missing at least half their best team.
The Blues were forced to conjure up a makeshift forward line in the absence of injured Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow, Jack Martin, Jack Silvagni and Tom de Koning – yet they still took 15 marks inside 50 for 14 goals.
The Eagles meantime managed just four – including a scoreless disastrous second term where West Coast’s effort and willingness to compete was once again questioned.
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Speaking post-match, Schofield said the club was “really disappointed” in the output for veteran Andrew Gaff’s 250th match and their final home game of the season.
“It just shows that this game is brutal,” he said.
“Our best is good enough – and then when you’re off and not committed to it through choices you make, whether that’s through work rate, being clean around the contest. If you collectively don’t have the numbers to get it done, you get exposed.
“It just shows we’ve got a lot of work to do as this football club.”
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Schofield hit out at “individuals” who were unable to get their job done against the understrength Blues.
“We’re not shying away from the fact collectively we weren’t good enough today,” he said.
“You go into a game thinking you’re well prepared.
“We gave tasks to individuals and they didn’t follow.
“When you give a task to someone and they don’t execute their role, then you’re searching for other players to step up in that space that shouldn’t have to.
“That’s the accountability for that individual.
“At the end of the day, certain individuals need to take ownership of messaging and performances from that game.”
The interim coach conceded there were players “playing for list spots” in an Eagles side that remains in the AFL doldrums, despite their powerhouse standing.
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The Eagles now have just one game to play – against Geelong in Geelong – to see out 2024.
Their five wins so far in 2024 are equal to their combined efforts of the dismal 2022 and 2023 campaigns where West Coast finished second last and last respectively.
West Coast are guaranteed to finish third last this season, with only fellow battlers North Melbourne and Richmond below them.
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