Damien Hardwick says new West Coast coach Andrew McQualter is going to be great despite shocking opening game

High hopes for West Coast fell flat after a shocking opening effort, but there was still strong support for the rookie coach from a familiar face.

Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has thrown his support behind rookie West Coast mentor Andrew McQualter after a horror debut effort sparked fears of another long year for the Eagles.

In the final game of round 1, the Suns demolished West Coast in Perth by a mammoth 87 points, recording their biggest ever win.

McQualter was given the job of lifting the Eagles, who have won just 10 games in the past three seasons, out of the mire as Adam Simpson’s replacement.

But instead the Eagles, with superstar young gun Harley Reid in his second season and having recruited Richmond premiership players Liam Baker and Jack Graham, were insipid, kicking just two opening-half goal and the second lowest score of the round.

McQualter moved to the Eagles having been an assistant at Richmond under Hardwick, taking his place after the premiership coach quit early in 2023, before Adem Yze was appointed to the role.

Hardwick knows what McQualter brings as a coach and despite the rough opening was adamant the Eagles were in good hands.

“He’s going through the journey that every new coach goes through,” he said.

It was a horror start for Eagles coach Andrew McQualter. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“What West Coast have got to understand, they’ve got an absolute cracker. This kid’s a star. He’s going to be very, very good, and the players will get great growth and learnings.

“He’s that sort of guy.

“They’ll get a really good understanding. They’ll get a hell of a lot better next week as well because they’ll see some things that they challenged us at various stages as well.

“That last quarter, when they started to run forward and get the game up and going, what they’re going to be, it’s a challenge to defend against.

“You sort of got to take the scoreboard out of it, and he’ll get a process. He’s got a strong understanding of that.

“He’s a wonderful coach.

“He’ll be fine. They’ll be fine.”

The Eagles went forward 11 times in the final quarter, more than any of the previous three. They kicked 2.2.

Former Richmond players Graham and Baker were the Eagles’ highest possession winners.

Former Carlton forward Matt Owies kicked his first goal for the club in that final quarter.

Originally published as Damien Hardwick says new West Coast coach Andrew McQualter is going to be great despite shocking opening game