West Coast’s hopes for 2018 could very well hinge on a knee – Nic Naitanui’s reconstructed left knee to be exact.
The Eagles have been widely tipped to miss the finals this season, with the retirements of Brownlow medallists Sam Mitchell and Matt Priddis leaving a massive hole to fill in the midfield.
West Coast possessed the oldest list in the league last year, but they will enter 2018 with the eighth youngest following a big end-of-season cleanout.
Joining Mitchell and Priddis out the door were experienced campaigners Drew Petrie, Sam Butler, Josh Hill and Sharrod Wellingham.
But don’t be fooled – West Coast aren’t in the midst of a full-blown rebuild.
Their forward line is still stacked with talent, and their backline rates amongst the best in the league.
But where they have fallen drastically short in recent times is through the midfield.
The presence of Naitanui has papered over the cracks for years.
But with Naitanui missing all of last season with a knee injury, the midfield deficiencies were plain to see.
The phrases ‘slow’ and ‘one-dimensional’ were often used to describe West Coast’s engine room last season.
But if Naitanui can make a successful return this year, the X-factor he provides has the potential to transform West Coast’s midfield into a more competitive outfit.
However, the Eagles can ill afford to put all their eggs into the Naitanui basket.
It takes time for any player to regain their best form following a knee reconstruction – let alone a 201cm, 110kg ruckman.
While Naitanui takes time to regain his mojo, either Scott Lycett or Nathan Vardy will need to shoulder the bulk of the ruckload.
Coach Adam Simpson isn’t buying into the outside talk that West Coast’s fate rests largely on how Naitanui returns.
“Honestly, I don’t care about what people think. I don’t think our players do either,” Simpson said.
“Look, Nic’s important. Take one of the best players out of any side (and it hurts). And chuck in Josh Kennedy as well (who is recovering from injury) – those two players make a difference. We can’t deny that.
“At the moment we haven’t got them, and we’ve got an opportunity to grow in other areas. If we get everyone back, I think we’ll be pretty dangerous.”
The likely addition of Elliot Yeo into the midfield group will give the Eagles an extra line-breaker, complementing Luke Shuey.
Jack Redden and Liam Duggan are others who will need to step up to help fill the void left by Mitchell and Priddis.
In defence, West Coast boast powerhouse interceptors Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass, with former Swan Lewis Jetta set to become a rebounder off half-back.
West Coast could boast one of the most exciting attacks in 2018 after adding livewire forward Liam Ryan to the mix.
Ryan booted 73 goals for WAFL side Subiaco last year, and his amazing highlights reel that features numerous hangers has already made him a cult hero at West Coast.
And with fellow speedster Willie Rioli set to join him after overcoming the hamstring injuries that plagued him last year, West Coast finally boast enough fleet-footed forwards to cause damage at ground level.
Spearhead Kennedy is an out-and-out star, but he could miss the start of the season while he recovers from ankle surgery.
West Coast scraped into the finals by only 0.49 of a percentage point last season.
They then sunk Port Adelaide in an extra-time elimination final thriller courtesy of Shuey’s after-the-siren goal.
But West Coast’s 67-point loss to GWS in the semi-final showed just how far back they are from the competition’s elite, and the Eagles face a battle to avoid a significant slide down the ladder this year.
WEST COAST
Coach: Adam Simpson
Captain: Shannon Hurn
Last five years: 13-9-2-7-6
Premierships: 3 (1992, 1994, 2006).
Key five: Nic Naitanui, Jeremy McGovern, Josh Kennedy, Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo.
One to watch: Liam Ryan. The 179cm small forward was a human highlights reel over the past two seasons at WAFL club Subiaco, booting 73 goals last year alone. His spectacular pack marking and silky skills at ground level will ensure he becomes a crowd favourite.
Ins: Brendon Ah Chee (Port Adelaide), Brayden Ainsworth (Subiaco, WAFL), Oscar Allen (West Perth, WAFL), Jarrod Brander (Bendigo U18), Hamish Brayshaw (Sandringham U18), Ryan Burrows (South Fremantle WAFL), Callan England (Claremont, WAFL), Tony Olango (NT Thunder, NEAFL), Jack Petruccelle (Northern U18), Liam Ryan (Subiaco, WAFL).
Outs: Paddy Brophy (delisted), Sam Butler (retired), Jonathan Giles (retired), Tom Gorter (retired), Josh Hill (delisted), Tom Lamb (delisted), Sam Mitchell (retired), Drew Petrie (retired), Matt Priddis (retired), Jordan Snadden (delisted), Simon Tunbridge (delisted), Sharrod Wellingham (delisted).
Best line-up:
B: Brad Sheppard, Tom Barrass, Jackson Nelson
HB: Liam Duggan, Jeremy McGovern, Shannon Hurn
C: Andrew Gaff, Elliot Yeo, Lewis Jetta
HF: Willie Rioli, Jack Darling, Liam Ryan
F: Mark LeCras, Josh Kennedy, Jamie Cripps
R: Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, Jack Redden
I: Scott Lycett, Brendon Ah Chee, Dom Sheed, Daniel Venables
Predicted finish: 12th
Betting (William Hill)
To win the flag: $41
To make the top eight: $2.50
