Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter says he’s confident the Eagles have the core of a list to contend for a premiership despite ending 2026 on an 11-game losing streak.
But he’s declared the club will be active in the trade and free agency space in the coming months to ensure they find the right players to complement the young talent they’ve drafted in recent years.
The Eagles finished the season with a 4-19 record and did not claim victory after late May, limping to the line in a disappointing 16.11 (107) to 6.9 (45) defeat to premiership contenders Hawthorn at Optus Stadium on Sunday evening.
McQualter will head into 2027 out of contract at this stage and under pressure to show significant improvement, with the fan base restless after only 15 wins in the past five seasons.
Asked if they have the basis of a list to contend sooner rather than later, McQualter said: “The core of this group, we’ve deliberately gone backwards to go forward with how we’ve done this build.
“We didn’t have anywhere near the list of what premiership lists look like, so we had to go and do research on that, how to do it and we’ve been able to bring in a huge amount of the right types and level of player and now we’ve got to get to work and develop and help these guys become what we expect them to become.”
Last off-season the Eagles brought in dual Brisbane premiership defender Brandon Starcevich as a free agent and Richmond defender Tylar Young in a trade, while they also grabbed three first-rounders in last year’s draft including No.1 pick Willem Duursma.
McQualter said he expected the Eagles to once again be busy in the coming months to bolster their list.
“Absolutely. I expect we’ll be (active). We’re desperate to get better, and we’ll do whatever it takes and work whatever angle we can to try to help our club and our list improve,” he said.
McQualter conceded the second half of the season didn’t go the way they wanted, but backed the group to do the work in the off-season to rectify it in 2027.
“I’ve got an enormous amount of belief in this group that they’re up for the fight and willing to do the work,” he said.
“We’re being driven by our young core of hard-working people, which is what this group did last off-season. They worked incredibly hard, we had guys in two days’ time from today last year training.
“We’re just not happy with where we are at which is expected, but these guys will work. I think we’ve become a pretty good running team this year, the next step is to get our fundamentals better, our system better.”
The Eagles may start next year without superstar Harley Reid, though with the star sweating on a verdict from the match review officer for a dangerous sling tackle on Hawthorn’s Jai Newcombe in the final quarter.
Harley Reid could face MRO scrutiny for a sling tackle on Hawthorn midfielder Jai Newcombe.
“I look at it, and Jai got up and kicked the goal from 50 and played the game out,” McQualter said.
“I know that part; I cannot really speak to the rest of it. I guess it will be played out in the next few days, but it was pleasing that he was able to finish the game.”
