Master-coach Alastair Clarkson had a simple strategy going in to his successful premiership reign at Hawthorn – “recruit people who can kick”.
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So it should be no surprise new Eagles coach Andrew McQualter turned to prized draftee Reuben Ginbey to head down back and shore up a leaky West Coast defence.
Ginbey, a top 10 draft pick once described as “Fyfe-esque” in his junior days, is as composed as they come – especially for someone at just 20 years of age.
His career disposal efficiency sits at a rate higher than that of some of the best in the game – including the likes of Lions premiership winner Dayne Zorko, Pies’ rising star Nick Daicos and two-time Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps.
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And the kid can run.
Ginbey was the winner of West Coast’s first running trial of the season and described by teammates as the “benchmark” for fitness standards.
“He’s a backman – let’s just get it straight,” Fox Footy’s Will Schofield said of Ginbey.
“I think he was played out of position in the midfield. Given the changes across the backline at West Coast, I think he’s going to fit in nicely.”
“He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s fit, and it gives him a great starting point, but whether he plays tall or small might be week-to-week dependent,” McQualter added of Ginbey in defence.
And it seems Ginbey will be joined down back by 2023 mid-season recruit Ryan Maric as West Coast look to cover the void left by now-Hawk Tom Barrass.
Maric is no slouch with the Sherrin either, as his career disposal efficiency sits above 75 per cent.
“When I came into the club, it was always a conversation I could potentially be thrown back in defence, but it’s never really come about,” he said.
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“In my exit meeting at the end of the year we had an open conversation about my position … I feel like I’ve always been pretty open to being pretty versatile.”
And he’s found a fan in one of the greats – Eagles premiership skipper and star defender Shannon Hurn, who returned to the club as a development coach.
“Ryan’s been fitting in quite well,” Hurn said of Maric’s defensive shift.
“He’s got some nice attributes to his game – physicality and his run, he’s brought that into the backline. He’s still learning his craft a little bit, but certainly what he provides will be great for us. He’s been picking it up quite well.”
There’s no doubt 2025 will continue to be a challenging year for the rebuilding Eagles – injuries are already mounting with Dom Sheed ruled out for the season and Elliot Yeo facing another delayed start.
But they’ve recruited experience in Jack Graham and Liam Baker, and they’ve still got a kid by the name of Harley Reid, who can spark teammates and the crowd like no other, and who enters his second AFL season already as one of the most tenacious ball-winners in the land.
And while Reid will be one of the faces of the competition for the next decade-plus, uncertainty about his long-term future in Western Australia will continue to linger as his contract cessation nears.
The soon-to-be 19-year-old’s rookie deal runs through the 2026 season, but the midfielder’s intentions beyond then are up in the air as rivals prepare to launch big-money bids.
The 2023 No.1 draft pick hails from the rural Victorian town of Tongala and played his junior footy with the Bendigo Pioneers, with Melbourne-based sides readying lucrative ploys to lure him back east.
Rivals are reportedly likely to extend offers of $20 million over 10 years to Reid, who averaged 18.5 disposals and 5.0 clearances across 20 outings for the Eagles last year.
West Coast will surely have to match an offer in that realm to have any chance of retaining the young star’s services.
Further, his partner, AFLW star Yasmin Duursma, cemented her move to Carlton in the 2023 off-season — and while she has spent this off-season with Reid in WA, she will obviously be Melbourne-bound once her own 2025 campaign nears.
The temptation for Reid to be close to home and nearer to the Duursma clan — which also includes Essendon wingman Xavier and North Melbourne youngster Zane — will remain of some concern to Eagles powerbrokers as long as no new contract is signed.
The Eagles may have only recorded 10 wins in the past three years – half of those coming last year alone – but there’s upside, according to new recruit Baker.
“The facts are we are a younger list – we’re not quite there yet,” he said.
“We’re growing – that’s the exciting thing. We’re only going to get better and better as the younger boys get older.
“Being part of a group that’s changing, new style, new coaches, new players … I want to ride that wave.”
STRENGTHS
Firepower forwards, young guns on the rise. West Coast has struggled in recent years but they’ve got a forward line that possesses firepower – when in form. Jake Waterman enjoyed a breakout 2024, after defying illness to return to the game. Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna described Waterman’s last season as “phenomenal” and praised the fact “he’s providing them a real target”. You add in skipper Oscar Allen – who spent 2024 on the comeback trail after missing the entire 2023 season, high-flyer Liam Ryan and new recruit Matt Owies – who finished only behind Carlton tall timber Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow for the Blues’ goals scored in 2024, and there’s some serious weapons in their attack end. Tyler Brockman has the skills at AFL level – and showed it with his three goals in West Coast’s practice match against Richmond. But consistency and off-field drama hasn’t helped the former Hawk cement his spot in the side. Tyrell Dewar dazzled in that same match as he took to the skies time and time again while working forward from the wing. Noah Long returns from injury after missing all of 2024, as does Elijah Hewett who Schofield says will be like “a new recruit”. There’s no doubt the Eagles have young talent, but it’s just keeping them on the park.
WEAKNESS
A dominant ruck, injuries, defence. It should be no surprise that the Eagles have struggled to win games from around the same time Nic Naitanui retired. Without a succession plan in place, West Coast are yet to lock in a big man who can steer the midfield around. Year on year speculation of a big money offer to Bulldog Tim English is yet to lure the star ruckman home. Bailey Williams has tried hard but hasn’t ever dominated, and the decision to recruit Matt Flynn from GWS is yet to reap reward. “It feels like they want Flynn to be that person (as number one ruck), but he hasn’t been able to play enough footy over recent seasons to be able to lock him in to that spot just yet,” Fox Footy’s Adam Papalia said. “They are still searching for who that number one ruck is,” Will Schofield said. Injuries are another worry for the Eagles and already in 2025 the list is growing. Dom Sheed won’t play in 2025, Elliot Yeo will miss the start of the season, Harley Reid has endured a disrupted pre-season, Rhett Bazzo and Callum Jamieson are both working back from respective surgeries. Injuries are nothing new for the side, cruelling West Coast over the past couple of years. While questions have been asked over their training facility turf, whatever the issue is needs to be sorted fast. Defensively, there’s a massive hole in that Eagles backline that won’t be filled overnight. Tom Barrass was a key part of that defensive unit, and Harry Edwards is still learning his trade. There was reports Adam Tomlinson could be on the radar, but so far, that hasn’t progressed. Even footy boss Gavin Bell admits it’s an area of concern, stating: “We’re lacking some depth in the key defensive posts”.
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PREMIERSHIP CLOCK
2pm: The Eagles are in their second official year of a rebuild so no one is expecting miracles. While West Coast were able to pull off upset wins over then-second placed Fremantle and then-fourth placed Melbourne in 2024, there hasn’t been much to cheer about. But the tide is turning – and they’ve picked up plenty of young talent. Fox Footy’s Will Schofield believes the additions of Jack Graham and Liam Baker fills the “middle” void West Coast were missing. A new game plan and faster style will only aid the Eagles as they look to climb out of the ladder cellar.
PREDICTED LADDER RANGE
15th-18th
PREDICTED ROUND 1 TEAM
B: Liam Duggan, Harry Edwards, Brady Hough
HB: Reuben Ginbey, Jeremy McGovern, Ryan Maric
C: Jack Graham, Liam Baker, Elijah Hewett
HF: Bo Allan, Jake Waterman, Jamie Cripps
F: Matt Owies, Oscar Allen, Liam Ryan
FOLL: Matt Flynn, Tim Kelly, Harley Reid
I/C: Tyler Brockman, Tom Cole, Jack Hutchinson, Jayden Hunt, Jack Petruccelle (sub)
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