Time for excuses at Eagles is over: Carey

Wayne Carey says it’s time for West Coast to put up or shut up, claiming the Eagles risk being AFL also-rans if they can’t beat struggling Hawthorn at the MCG.

West Coast have lost four of their past five matches at the MCG, including an 11-point loss to Richmond a fortnight ago.

Sunday’s match against Hawthorn will be the last time West Coast play at the MCG before finals, placing extra importance on the game.

Carey said the time for excuses at West Coast are over.

“I obviously played with Simmo for a long time and he’s done a very good job at West Coast,” Carey told Triple M radio.

“(But) he gets very, very defensive when West Coast’s away record (comes up). He gets his back right up.

“Well it’s time to put up or shut up, I reckon.

“If they get beaten by Hawthorn on the weekend, you know what Simmo? No more of this, ‘oh we’re not that bad away’.

“You know what Simmo? You’re crap away.”

Simpson refused to hit back at his former Kangaroos teammate, and denied the MCG had become a hoodoo ground for the Eagles.

“He’s paid to make comments. I’m not going to get involved in Duck’s commentary,” Simpson said.

“We haven’t got a leg to stand on when we lose, so all we can do is play at our best.

“I don’t think winning and losing is the issue for us when we travel. We’ve actually had some pretty good wins interstate in the last five times we’ve played.

“It’s just we haven’t played at our best consistently enough.

“I’ll let Wayne continue his commentary. Good for him.”

Hawthorn sit last on the table after opening their season with four-straight losses.

But Simpson, who served as an assistant at Hawthorn until 2013, said Alastair Clarkson’s side remained formidable.

“I’m looking at the Hawthorn side, and looking at their forward line in particular, and they’re all still potentially in the peak of their careers,” Simpson said.

“There’s probably a combination of 20 premierships in that forward line, and five All-Australians, and they’re all under 30.

“So it’s not a matter of it’s gone past them, it’s just when are they going to get back to their good form.”

The Eagles were dealt a blow this week when star midfielder and former Hawk Sam Mitchell was ruled out of Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.

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