Unhappy hi-five as decimated Eagles count the cost

Perth Now

8 hours ago

West Coast's struggles could get a whole lot tougher as they prepare to be without five of their most important players when they re-emerge from their mid-season bye.
The last-placed Eagles (1-13) took a step backwards on Sunday when they conceded 10 of the first 11 goals of the match in a 34-point loss to Carlton in Perth.
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter labelled his team's early efforts in the contest as pathetic, and the Eagles were left counting the cost on the injury front as well.
Co-captain Oscar Allen looks set for an extended stint on the sidelines after crumpling to the turf with a leg injury while running behind the play.
West Coast are optimistic the injury isn't a worst-case scenario, but scans will determine the severity.
Defender Harry Edwards, who had hit career-best form in recent weeks, will also undergo scans after injuring his shoulder and hamstring.
Edwards' importance to the side has sky rocketed on the back of Jeremy McGovern's career-threatening concussion issues.
McGovern fronted an independent concussion panel last week, and he is set to find out in the coming days whether he can continue his decorated 197-game career or not.
Star forward Jake Waterman has already been ruled out for the rest of the campaign after undergoing surgery on his dislocated shoulder.
And gun midfielder Elliot Yeo, who is still yet to play this season after a serious ankle injury over the summer, is still about a month away from resuming at any level.
McGovern and Waterman were West Coast's only All-Australians last year, while Yeo is the team's best clearance player.
Allen's form has been up and down this season, but he is a proven goalkicker and regained his mojo a fortnight ago with a four-goal haul against Geelong.
If Edwards is ruled out for any length of time, it would leave a massive hole in West Coast's already-depleted defence.
On top of those five key players, premiership defender Tom Cole will miss for a yet-to-be-determined period after picking up a hamstring injury earlier this month.
West Coast, who are two wins adrift of their nearest rivals Richmond, are hot favourites to collect their second wooden spoon in the space of three years.
But there was at least one huge positive for the Eagles out of their loss to the Blues - the stunning debut of No.1 mid-season draft pick Tom McCarthy.
The 24-year-old was playing suburban footy two years ago, but the rebounding defender tallied a whopping 31 disposals to go with 571m gained against Carlton.
Remarkably, it marked the first time this year an Eagles player had racked up 30 disposals or more, and was the most disposals on debut ever by a West Coast player.
"He was exceptional. That was a really impressive game," McQualter said.
"But to be fair, everything we've seen of Tom is that - just unbelievably calm, nothing flusters him, clean with the ball, works hard.
"He was a real shining light for us."
West Coast take on premiership fancies Collingwood at Marvel Stadium when they return from their bye in round 16.