Ben Cousins says West Coast would get a big morale boost from another win in Richmond clash

West Australian

7 days ago

Ben Cousins says celebrating another win before the end of the season would be good for a young West Coast's morale as their 2025 draws towards a close.
The Eagles' clash against Richmond at Optus Stadium on Saturday night looms as the best chance for first-year coach Andrew McQualter to avoid an unwanted piece of history.
West Coast have only the one win so far this year and while a third wooden spoon is seemingly already locked in, unless they can claim another victory in their remaining six outings they will finish 2025 with the worst home-and-away record in club history.
The Eagles will start as $1.65 favourite against the 17th placed Tigers in what could be their final chance to get another win this season with tough games against Fremantle, Melbourne, Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and Sydney to round out their season.
They nearly beat the Tigers in round nine at the MCG, with first-year midfielder Tom Gross run down opponent Tom Brown as he tried to kick what would've been the match-winning goal in the dying stages of the two-point defeat.
It has left them with just the 28-point victory over St Kilda the following week for the Eagles to hang their hat on this season.
Brownlow medallist Cousins said it was a winnable game for the Eagles and that should be the mindset they take in.
'West Coast are slightly more experienced and with Liam Ryan and Jamie Cripps they have a slight advantage up forward,' he said.
'Hopefully they can square things up in the middle and give their forwards enough opportunity.
'While it doesn't change the context of their season, it's good for morale when players, supporters and the whole club get to celebrate a win especially when they're hard to come by.'
Young Eagles midfielder Clay Hall has played in only two wins from the first 10 games of his career but none under McQualter, a milestone he would like to tick off sooner rather than later.
'It would mean a lot. It would definitely boost the morale even though it's quite high at the moment,' he said.
'The energy is quite high at the club which is great. It would be great to get another win for Mini (McQualter), I would love that.
'He's unreal with what he's given us this year. Learning a whole new gamestyle throughout the pre-season isn't the easiest thing but he's put in so much work making it so easy for us. He does it week-in, week-out, providing us information that we need to hopefully try to get the four points each week.
'If we keep doing that a win will come eventually, so when I get my first one with him I'll be very happy about that.'
West Coast have made three changes from the side that lost to Port Adelaide last weekend, recalling midfielder Tim Kelly as well as forwards Liam Ryan and Jack Petruccelle.
Third-year midfielder Elijah Hewett has been managed, while Noah Long and Malakai Champion have been omitted.