The West Coast has been criticized for a “right environment” that has seen the Eagles lose more than 50 points in 10 of their last 20 games.
Jon Ralph believes there has been a “significant drop” in the immediate return of Jack Darling to the senior team following his personal choice not to be vaccinated during the preseason.
Darling was expelled from the club until he finally chose to meet the health and safety requirements of the AFL on the eve of the season.
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Fox Footy analyst Jonathan Brown said the Eagles senior players would have “lost respect” for Darling after his backflip.
“I would have had empathy as a senior player for Darling’s situation. I think everyone has a choice. It’s a personal choice, take a stand on the vax,” On the Couch said.
“But on the eve of the season, the shadow that you will lose your paycheck and suddenly get vaccinated appears, I’m automatically losing a lot of respect for my senior teammate.
“If I’m this senior player teammate looking at Jack, I’ll say, ‘Damn, I’m not sure I want to be in the trenches with you. I’ve lost a fair amount of respect and it’s a long way off. ‘
“The more you look at it? Why didn’t he defend something until the end? “
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Ralph believes the Darling saga, combined with the Covid nightclub test and the club’s selection policy, has created a “divided” playgroup.
“(The Darling proveal) split the playgroup: some players wanted to support him, others were furious. They felt abandoned, they thought it was the worst possible moment,” Ralph said.
“I think if you broke your ass and (Darling) goes back to round 2 with limited preparation, you’re a young player and your place is stolen or you’re a senior player and you’re not fired … these scenarios make you a player very angry “.
But coach Adam Simpson refuted those claims on the AFL360 on Monday night, believing he had a “united” team.
“I really think the group is united. And I don’t see any fractures within the four walls, no accusations or pointing fingers,” he said.
“We are all together. We are working as hard as we can to get out of it right now.
“The leadership group I have has probably handled this as I might expect. I think we’re galvanized.”
Ralph said that in the days following the Eagles’ only win for 2022 (the fourth-round win over Collingwood) some of the younger players were left “dirty.”
Experienced players Jamie Cripps, Tim Kelly, Elliot Yeo and skipper Luke Shuey returned to the field “significantly undone”.
West Coast Press Conference | 09:03
“I think there were some younger players who were dirty that got lost as a result of the players coming in,” he said.
Nick Riewoldt described West Coast’s sad start to 2022 as the result of a “problem soup manifesting itself” at the club, while Garry Lyon said he was concerned about feeling right in the playgroup. .
“There was spirit, there were little kids who had a crack (in the victory over Collingwood),” he praised.
“Suddenly there is Shuey, Yeo coming in again. I think that would cause some problems.
“Are you talking about a legal environment? “I have the right to play senior football as soon as it is available,” and that has been made easier.
“They have been the kings of this city. Kings of that city from the day.
The West Coast is currently the last on the AFL scale, with only one victory in 11 rounds.
They have only won three of their last 20 games, including 10 games in which the margin was more than 50 points as the club struggles with Covid’s injuries and early setbacks.