Eight reasons to be excited about West Coast in 2020
Forget the failed premiership defence. West Coast won the off-season by adding Tim Kelly and are in prime position to challenge for another flag. These are the eight reasons to have Eagles fans excited.
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It was far from a happy premiership defence for West Coast, with the defending champions dumped in the second week of the finals.
But that is all in the rear vision mirror after the Eagles added a superstar in the trade period to give the club one of the scariest midfield groups ever assembled.
Will that alone be enough to lift them to another level in 2020?
Check out the eight reasons to be excited about West Coast this year.
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TIM KELLY
This could easily be the first, second, third and fourth reason for Eagles fans to be excited about 2020. Tim Kelly is an Eagle. What a boost for the 2018 premiers, and equally what a nightmare for opposition sides. Clubs were already having enough trouble stopping their quality midfield before the now former Cat’s decision to head home to Western Australia. He’ll slot right in and have an immediate impact at his new home, which will make the Eagles increasingly difficult to beat in 2020.
THE STAR-STUDDED MIDFIELD
The midfield was already flush with Andrew Gaff, Elliot Yeo and Luke Shuey, and then they added Kelly in the off-season. That makes for a seriously dynamic engine room, which is the best in the competition according to some. Champion Data recently released their rankings and they rated the Eagles midfield 11th in the league. It surprised a few people given the talent that resides in the middle. Time will tell how effective their midfield will be in 2020, but right now there’s plenty to like for West Coast supporters.
THE NEW SKIP
It’s a new year and there’s a new skipper at the Eagles. Luke Shuey takes over from premiership captain Shannon Hurn, who has stepped down after five years at the helm. Shuey enters 2020 at arguably the peak of his career after coming off a career best season in 2019. He won the club’s best and fairest award last season and many have tipped the 2018 Norm Smith Medallist to go to another level next season. The big question is how he will handle the extra responsibilities that come with the captaincy.
A FIT NIC NAT
Surely this is the season that it all comes together for Nic Naitanui. Nic Nat returned from his second knee reconstruction late in 2019 and played five games for the season, including both finals against Essendon and Geelong. However, he didn’t get a good crack at it, and he hasn’t for a number of years. The 29-year-old, who missed the 2018 premiership, has played only 20 games since 2016, but a full pre-season should give him the opportunity to produce the goods in the first year of the new decade.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
The Eagles have been up for a while now and their premiership clock is as close to midnight as possible. However, they have also been quietly building for the future at the same time. In 2017, a year before their premiership triumph, they drafted key-position players Jarrod Brander (pick No. 13) and Oscar Allen (pick No. 21). They also nabbed draft slider Josh Rotham at pick No. 37 a year earlier in 2016. They should be well and truly firing by the time the likes Will Schofield and Josh Kennedy hang up the boots.
SILVER LININGS IN HORROR DRAW
There’s no sugar coating it, the Eagles’ draw is tough. How tough? Well, the toughest in the league, according to Champion Data. West Coast play top sides Collingwood, Richmond and Geelong twice. They’ll travel about 71,000 kilometres for their 10 away trips in 2020. That’s a lot of frequent flyer miles, but there are a few positives and particularly if you live in Victoria. Melbourne-based fans will have the chance to watch the Eagles play on six occasions, including a Friday night blockbuster Round 16 when Kelly returns to the cattery.
THE NEW DRAFTEES
The Eagles were never going to be big players in the 2019 national draft after coughing up picks No. 14 and 24 in the mega deal for Kelly. Although they were still happy with their lot after nabbing two local boys in 202cm ruckman Callum Jamieson (pick No. 49) and defender Ben Johnson (pick No. 58). Jamieson will be given time to develop, but he looms as a potential long-term replacement for Naitanui and Tom Hickey. Johnson is a lightly built defender who likes to provide dash off halfback.
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RETURN OF THE HUNGER
It was a limp premiership defence from the Eagles in 2019. A shock final round loss at home to Hawthorn cost them a top four spot and thrust them into a cutthroat elimination final in the first week of September. They easily accounted for Essendon, but their season ended with a 20-point loss to Geelong in the first semi-final. The talk from the west so far this summer is that the hunger in the belly has been reignited and they’re primed for 2020. Oh, and did we mention Tim Kelly?
HOW YOUR CLUB IS TRACKING
2015: 2nd
2016: 6th
2017: 5th
2018: Premiers
2019: 5th
TAB ODDS
Premiership: $6
Top 8: $1.25
Top 4: $1.65
Originally published as Eight reasons to be excited about West Coast in 2020