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

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


West Australian
19 minutes ago
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers defender Brennan Cox is flying blind after never playing on West Coast's young key forwards
Fremantle defender Brennan Cox's derby preparations have gone down an unconventional path with the experienced backman having to thoroughly research all of West Coast's key forwards due to the changes at the Eagles this season. The Eagles have named Jobe Shanahan and Archer Reid as their main key forwards to take on the Dockers, which is vastly different to what Cox has usually experienced in derbies when Oscar Allen, Jake Waterman, Jack Darling and Josh Kennedy were the club's obvious focal points. Shanahan is making his derby debut in his fifth AFL game while Reid has come back into the team for the first time since round 13 and will be playing his 12th match. Cox usually has detailed knowledge of his opponent which has been built up through repeated clashes. He said Saturday would pose a totally different type of challenge. 'I haven't played on any of their tall forwards so I'll watch a bit of vision and see what their little tricks are and what they like to do. It'll be interesting,' he said. 'You obviously do learn a bit (during games). Whoever you play on you always keep a little memory of how they went about it, what they didn't like and what they tried to do. It'll be new but it'll be exciting. I'm looking forward to it.' Cox has already had to make plenty of adjustments this season after moving to full-back when captain Alex Pearce's leg injury forced him out of the team. The South Australian has been influential as an intercept marker during his career, but assistant coach Jade Rawlings asked Cox to switch his focus to locking down on the opposition's most damaging key forward. 'It can be a bit nerve-racking playing closer to goal but I enjoy the challenge of coming up on the best forwards in the game and playing deeper. You hope there's heaps of pressure on the ball and they don't get too many looks,' Cox said. 'I'm happy with how I've played. It's been a bit different to other years where we've had Pearcey playing and i was on the second key forward. With him going down and since Twig (Rawlings) came in, he's trusted me with those key roles. 'I wasn't playing with a whole lot of body but since he's come in I've tried to play with more body and make it a really hard day for the forward. Now that I've adjusted to that I'm trying to find the balance between running, jumping and spoiling.'


West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
West Coast Eagles fans lash AFL.com article for snubbing Mark LeCras' 12-goal haul at Marvel Stadium
Angry West Coast fans - and even a former player - have lashed out at an AFL article for snubbing Eagles favourite Mark LeCras' career-best 12-goal haul at Marvel Stadium in 2010 as part of the venue's 25th birthday celebrations. released an article on Friday celebrating the 10 best games ever played at Docklands/Telstra/Etihad/Marvel Stadium. But West Australian fans were quick to point out the article's fatal flaw. In round 16, 2010, Lecras produced a performance for the ages, kicking goals from all angles as he led the visiting Eagles to a 32-point win over Essendon. In the club's first wooden spoon season at that. However, the superb performance, which remains the venue's benchmark, was not good enough to warrant a mention in the article that included Lance Franklin's seven majors in the 2007 elimination final and Mac Andrew's after-the-siren goal to take down Essendon last season. Fans, including former Eagles midfielder Callum Chambers, took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their dismay. 'Mark Lecras is the only name you need right here,' Chambers wrote. An account named Tax Guy wrote: 'Mark LeCras killed 12 goals. Probably deserved a mention. Wonder why you didn't?' Justo said: 'Mark Lecras wants to know where his 12 goals is? Most ever at Marvel in a game?? Vic bias.' One fan, who uses a headshot of Harley Reid for their account picture, even went as far as to post the VFL logo with the caption 'For a second there I almost forgot it's still the VFL. Thanks for reminding us'. Another fan simply posted the highlights of LeCras' 12 goals. Charles Bawden labelled the list 'laughable' for not including the crafty small forward's bag full. Ernie Hyde made his frustrations very clear. 'Mark LeCras exists. 12 goals on the guy YOU put in the team of the 21st century so far, Dustin Fletcher. In a wooden spoon side. Viva la VFL!' is planning a series of articles to celebrate Marvel Stadium reaching the quarter-century mark.


Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Fans, former player lash AFL for Mark LeCras snub
The AFL star has shut down any talk that he wants out of Carlton. Angry West Coast fans - and even a former player - have lashed out at an AFL article for snubbing Eagles favourite Mark LeCras' career-best 12-goal haul at Marvel Stadium in 2010 as part of the venue's 25th birthday celebrations. released an article on Friday celebrating the 10 best games ever played at Docklands/Telstra/Etihad/Marvel Stadium. But West Australian fans were quick to point out the article's fatal flaw. In round 16, 2010, Lecras produced a performance for the ages, kicking goals from all angles as he led the visiting Eagles to a 32-point win over Essendon. In the club's first wooden spoon season at that. However, the superb performance, which remains the venue's benchmark, was not good enough to warrant a mention in the article that included Lance Franklin's seven majors in the 2007 elimination final and Mac Andrew's after-the-siren goal to take down Essendon last season. Fans, including former Eagles midfielder Callum Chambers, took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their dismay. 'Mark Lecras is the only name you need right here,' Chambers wrote. An account named Tax Guy wrote: 'Mark LeCras killed 12 goals. Probably deserved a mention. Wonder why you didn't?' Justo said: 'Mark Lecras wants to know where his 12 goals is? Most ever at Marvel in a game?? Vic bias.' One fan, who uses a headshot of Harley Reid for their account picture, even went as far as to post the VFL logo with the caption 'For a second there I almost forgot it's still the VFL. Thanks for reminding us'. Another fan simply posted the highlights of LeCras' 12 goals. Charles Bawden labelled the list 'laughable' for not including the crafty small forward's bag full. Mark LeCras of the West Coast Eagles celebrates one of his 7 first half goals. Credit: Darrian Traynor / The Slattery Media Group Ernie Hyde made his frustrations very clear. 'Mark LeCras exists. 12 goals on the guy YOU put in the team of the 21st century so far, Dustin Fletcher. In a wooden spoon side. Viva la VFL!' is planning a series of articles to celebrate Marvel Stadium reaching the quarter-century mark.