West Coast coach Michael Prior says his comments on the AFLW fixture were ‘unacceptable’

West Coast AFL Women’s coach Michael Prior sensationally hit out at the league’s fixturing after being smashed by Melbourne, but he’s since admitted he went too far.

West Coach AFLW coach Michael Prior. Picture: Getty Images

West Coast coach Michael Prior has labelled his own questioning of the AFLW fixture as “unacceptable” and conceded his sensational lashing out after being drawn to play reigning premier Melbourne was due to frustration.

Prior, who has coached the Eagles since 2022, lambasted the league fixture after a 70-point thrashing at the hands of the Demons on Sunday, declaring “I just don’t understand” why his battling side had to play Melbourne given there are only 10 rounds in the season featuring 18 clubs.

“That’s a team that won the grand final last year against a team that finished last (third-last),” he said post-match.

“With 18 teams in the comp and only 10 games, how we play that team is beyond me.

“That’s (a 70-point blow out) what you get when you get fixturing like that.”

Prior questioned why his team had to play the dominant Dees. Picture: Getty Images

But while Prior didn’t apologise for his comments in a lengthy statement issued by the Eagles on Monday, he deemed them “unacceptable”

“It was a disappointing performance (by the team) and I was frustrated but that does not excuse my comments and they do not reflect the club’s position. I take full responsibility,” he said.

“Narrm (Melbourne) are the benchmark in AFLW and credit to them for the way they played.

“As one of the youngest lists in the competition, taking on the reigning premier was a challenge our squad will learn from as we aspire to climb the AFLW ladder and there were positives from many of our developing players like Charlie Thomas and Ella Roberts.

“I assure West Coast members and supporters that our players, coaches and staff are working incredibly hard behind the scenes to fast-track our growth and drive the elite standards that will take our group to the next level.”

Prior’s Eagles are second last on the ladder. Picture: Getty Images

West Coast’s first six games of this season have been against non-finalist teams from last year.

The league had a conference system until it was scrapped in 2021 which adopted a “snaking allocation” based on previous finishing positions.

That was ditched in favour of a traditional ladder system, though with only 10 games not every team plays one another, with some teams still yet to face each other despite being in the competition for a number of seasons.

The Eagles went scoreless in the second half of the clash at Mineral Resources Park in Perth, with the Demons delivering a punishing seven unanswered goals.

West Coast sits 17th on the ladder, having won just once so far this season.