West Coast Eagles release statement on coach Adam Simpson’s future after Sydney thrashing

The West Coast Eagles have released a strongly-worded statement about their head coach, Adam Simpson.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson during the Round 15 AFL match between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles at the SCG on June 24, 2023. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only - **NO ON SALES** - ©Phil Hillyard )

West Coast have broken their silence following their extraordinary defeat at the hands of Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night.

The 171-point mauling was by some margin the largest loss in West Coast’s history, the 171-point smashing beating out the previous mark of 142 points set at Windy Hill against Essendon in 1989.

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The Eagles’ 31.19 (205) to 5.4 (34) drubbing saw records rapidly tumble under the Sydney twilight, seeing the highest score conceded in West Coast’s history, Sydney’s highest-ever three-quarter-time score, Sydney’s equal-highest winning margin, and just the third time the Swans have ever reached the double ton.

It is the first time an AFL club has reached 200 points since 2011.

The Eagles were wretched on Saturday. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Following a weekend where the club was savaged on social media amid calls to sack Simpson, Paul Fitzpatrick, chair of the West Coast board, released a statement on Sunday night.

“Yesterday’s defeat at the Sydney Cricket Ground was one of the darkest days in the history of the football club,” the statement read.

“Losing in the way that we did to Sydney was unacceptable. The 171-point margin aside, what we produced on the field was not representative of what the West Coast Eagles has stood – and still stands – for.

“We know our members and fans are hurting and so is everyone inside the football club. We all take a degree of responsibility for where we sit currently and equally we are all committed to fighting our way through this situation.

“It is important to get games into young players and fast track their development. We had nine players under the age of 21 take the field against the Swans and we expect them to be very good AFL players.

“But we need our senior players to set a better example for them. With a couple of exceptions many of the experienced players were well down yesterday.

“Obviously Adam Simpson and his coaching staff have been limited with what they can do with such a long injury list, but regardless we cannot tolerate performances of that nature and we expect a strong response against St Kilda next Sunday.

“We do have faith that Adam can take this team forward and we also believe in the path we need to take to fight our way back.

“It will take time because the long-term strategy revolves around bringing in more high-end young talent through the draft to lay solid foundations for the next era.

“In closing, we do hear you and we urge you to stick with us through this. We need you more than ever. It will turn because everyone at the club is prepared to roll up their sleeves and get it done.

“We can do it together.”

Originally published as West Coast Eagles release statement on coach Adam Simpson’s future after Sydney thrashing