After paying the price for his derby brain fade, West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey is expected to front the Eagles’ player group to apologise for his actions.
Shuey was handed a one-match ban for last Sunday’s off-the-ball hit on Fremantle’s Paul Duffield, ruling the star Eagle out of Sunday’s clash with Brisbane at the Gabba.
West Coast defender Will Schofield apologised to his teammates earlier this year after copping a two-match ban for striking Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt.
Eagles coach John Worsfold expects Shuey will do the same.
“It’s disappointing that he’s unavailable. You pay the price of missing a game but you also pay the price of losing a potential good behaviour discount and carrying a loading for 12 months,” Worsfold said on Wednesday.
“There was no need for the action.
“Really he’s missing a game and carrying a penalty that indirectly does affect the team for the next 12 months.
“Luke will address it with the team if he feels as though he’s let them down or he wants them to learn from what he’s done. He’ll explain why he thinks they can learn from it.
“Whenever we can help each other learn and become better we grab those opportunities. It’s not always that they’ve done something wrong; we do get players that talk about good things, too.”
Koby Stevens is the frontrunner to replace Shuey this week but Ashton Hams and Tom Swift could also come into calculations.
Defender Sam Butler (hamstring tightness) will be assessed this week, while fellow backman Ash Smith (ankle) is a chance to return.
West Coast (8-1) sit on top of the table, and are hot favourites to defeat a Lions outfit who will be missing the services of key midfielder Simon Black (knee).