West Coast coast Adam Simpson opens up on Tyler Brockman’s return to the AFL side

Tyler Brockman hasn’t played for the Eagles since being suspended and subsequently charged by police over a car accident in May. But after a long journey back, that all changes this weekend.

Tyler Brockman is back in West Coast’s team for the first time in two months.

It is a down-payment made with ability on the promise of better off field commitment to football to come.

Brockman, suspended by the club and subsequently charged by police over a one vehicle accident in Geraldton in May, has not played for West Coast since the April 28 clash with the Suns on the Gold Coast in round 7.

But he will play against Essendon on Sunday, declared a certain starter by coach Adam Simpson and also declared as a player who sits in West Coast’s “best 22”.

Tyler Brockman is back for the Eagles. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

Brockman had attended a funeral in Geraldton after the match against Gold Coast and was subsequently stood down by the club after details of his accident came to light.

He was charged with careless driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

He subsequently was told by the club to undergo a well being and education program.

He has since played three games in the WAFL – the last being on June 8 when he had 16 disposals, laid four tackles and kicked a goal in a 65 point loss to Subiaco, his club of origin.

“He is working through some stuff. He made a mistake and he needs to suffer the consequences for that when the time is right. But within the four walls we need to take care of him and try and get him a career that gives the club as much as we give him and it is just the start of that really,” Simpson said on Friday.

Simpson said that Brockman had made significant progress in meeting club standards in “getting him available and ticking some things off from a training point of view and a standard point of view and a performance point of view.”

“He has done that pretty well. And then there is some off field stuff we are going to work on and that will take years.”

Brockman has not played since round 7 after being suspended by the club. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos

Brockman had played 26 games over three seasons at Hawthorn before being traded to the Eagles for two lower order draft picks at the end of the 2023 season and was expected to take his place in the Eagles’ best side at the start of the season.

And he was. But he also averaged nine disposals a game and was goalless as a forward/midfielder in his six games this season.

“There was a lot going on. It was a combination of all things,” Simpson said of Brockman’s off field issues.

“I am really pleased with what he has done – the football side of things.”

“The metrics we needed him to hit before he would become available – he has done that and that is just work ethic – the GPS profile we need from him – and the standards around the gym and that sort of thing. That has been something he has worked really hard on.”

“I think he was our trademark player for our WAFL Eagles a couple of weeks ago which told us that the players have accepted he is doing everything that he can to be better and we think he is in our best 22 so he will get a chance this week.”

Originally published as West Coast coast Adam Simpson opens up on Tyler Brockman’s return to the AFL side