West Coast season launch: New coach Andrew McQualter embraces challenge of lifting Eagles off canvas

New coach Andrew McQualter has his eyes set firmly on lifting the Eagles back into contention. Go inside his inspiring address at West Coast’s season launch.

The dawn of a new era featuring a heavy nod to the past, West Coast’s 2025 season launch on Thursday morning promised progress and improvement.

New coach Andrew McQualter spoke excitedly about his new game plan as chief executive Don Pyke asked two tables of life members to stand so the 850-strong crowd could acknowledge their contribution to the club.

Co-captain Oscar Allen revealed an internal review had established four new pillars of the football club – elite standards, shared ambition honesty and belonging – as Zac Mainwaring presented his late dad Chris’ #3 guernsey to new recruit Liam Baker.

There’s no doubt the winds of change have blown through Mineral Resources Park in the last 12 months. A football department restructure has resulted in a new head of football, a new head of development, a new player development manager, nine new players, two new assistant coaches, and two new recruiting staff.

The Eagles have turned over nearly 30 per cent of their playing list and 40 per cent of their coaching staff, headlined by new senior coach McQualter who captivated the crowd in his first senior address as coach.

The man they call ‘Mini’ acknowledged where the Eagles were coming from, including three consecutive bottom-four finishes, but promised that the next chapter would be a memorable one.

Andrew McQualter has taken the reigns at West Coast. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“I’ve said to the players all pre-season ‘You only get confidence through your actions,’” McQualter said. “The actions our players and football department have shown all of this pre-season fuels us with belief that we’re on the right track.

“We’re ready to improve and compete with a spirit that will make our people proud.

“We believe we’ve recruited the right people, the right players and we’re coaching the right game plan.

“We’re going to play a different way. I’m of the strong belief this plan will work. It will set us up to win games and win games of finals.”

McQualter did preach cautious optimism, conceding that the Eagles will need time to get back to premiership contention.

“With that change also brings challenge,” he said. “We have to lean into this challenge.

“We have to embrace the fact that we’re not going to be perfect. We’re going to make lots of mistakes and that’s okay as long as we’ve got the desire to improve.

“To quote the late Kobe Bryant, ‘We can always be average and do what’s normal. But we’re not here to be normal.’

“Under Elizabeth (Gaines) and Don (Pyke), we’ve got the chance to write the next pages of this book.

“The chapters that were written before us were built on our hard work and fierce competitiveness. The people that walked in our shoes started in the trenches. They built this club from the ground up.”

West Coast’s list now includes 22 players under the age of 21.

At 25, Allen is the perfect conjugate between generation next and the Eagles premiership veterans.

The co-captain espoused his belief in the direction of the club but like McQualter, admitted time was the Eagles’ biggest obstacle.

“Everyone I meet, whether they’re friends or strangers, has one question for me,” he said. “What can we expect this year? And my answer is simple. Progress.

“We want our identity as a side to be tough, fast and a dynamic football team that plays in a way that makes our people proud. We will do this by creating turnovers as quickly as possible and playing the game in our front half. It sounds really simple but it’s bloody hard to execute.

“From day one, Mini has brought an insatiable urge to improve. His ability to relate and build relationships with everyone at the club has been outstanding.”

Pyke and new chair Elizabeth Gaines also signposted the start of a new era.

“The next chapter of the club’s history is up to us in the room,” Pyke said.” How far we’ve come? I don’t know but we’ll find out in 10 days against Gold Coast.

Added Gaines: “We all recognise that 2025 signifies a new chapter in the history of our football club.”

Long-time West Coast Eagles supporter and Hungry Jacks owner Jack Cowin was announced as the No. 1 ticketholder for the next two years, taking over from board member Jan Cooper.

Originally published as West Coast season launch: New coach Andrew McQualter embraces challenge of lifting Eagles off canvas