Plenty of Work Ahead: Eagles Coach Andrew McQualter Stresses Commitment to Long-Term Solutions Amidst Challenging Start

Andrew McQualter is determined to prevent West Coast from becoming a club that seeks “short-term fixes,” as his players grapple with a dismal start to the season.

The Eagles are one of only two teams in the league that are yet to claim a victory in the early rounds, failing to surpass the 80-point mark during their five heavy losses.

A crushing defeat against Carlton marked the third time this season that the club has suffered a loss by 71 points or more, highlighting a concerning beginning to McQualter’s coaching stint.

McQualter deployed a youthful midfield during Saturday’s game, which struggled to contend with Carlton’s more experienced side; however, the coach expressed minimal concern regarding the group’s current challenges.

Instead, the 38-year-old voiced his worries over the poor performance metrics produced by his out-of-sorts players.

In the match, West Coast suffered a significant loss in contested possessions, with Carlton dominating 136-77, while the clearance count was a staggering 40-18 in favour of Carlton.

While McQualter expressed cautious optimism about his team’s potential to improve soon, he firmly stated that he would avoid seeking transient fixes.

“There’s a delicate balance between short-term solutions and long-term strategies,” he remarked following the 71-point defeat to Carlton.

“We could easily opt to slow the game down and play defensively by crowding the backline.

“However, I don’t think that’s the right approach to teach our players, nor do I believe it’s a sustainable way to become a winning club.

“We’ll keep identifying manageable solutions that can bring us quicker results, but we won’t fall into the trap of becoming a club focused on short-term fixes.”

McQualter suggested that additional alterations to his lineup might be on the horizon as he aims to reward players ready to step up.

“We will acknowledge those who are currently performing well and provide guidance to those who are struggling,” McQualter stated.

“This will be our focus moving forward, and at present, we have more players out of form than in form.

“We’re very aware of our current situation. We have significant work to do, and there’s only one way to achieve that progress.

“We must continue improving and discovering ways to enhance our players and systems.

“Form cannot simply be purchased; it requires hard work within our game to foster improvement.”

McQualter reinforced that no player, including experienced ones like Oscar Allen and Liam Duggan, would be exempt from being dropped if necessary.

“Regardless of whether it’s our captain or anyone else, we remain transparent about who is performing or underperforming. Our selections will be based on this assessment and the overall team balance,” he remarked.

“We will keep supporting our players, as that is our current position. We recognise the circumstances we are in.

“However, there are some players feeling very deflated right now, which is to be expected.

“This is AFL football—it’s tough.”