This is a good article. Click here for more information.

2020 West Coast Eagles season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

West Coast Eagles
2020 season
CoachAdam Simpson
(7th season)
Captain(s)Luke Shuey
(1st season)
Home groundOptus Stadium
AFL season5th
Best and FairestNic Naitanui
Leading goalkickerJosh Kennedy (34)
Highest home attendance32,865 vs. Collingwood (Elimination Final)
Lowest home attendance0 vs. Melbourne (Round 1)
Club membership100,776
← 2019 2021 →

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football team based in Perth, Western Australia. Their 2020 season was their 34th season in the Australian Football League (AFL), their seventh season under premiership coach Adam Simpson, and the first season with Luke Shuey as captain. The West Coast Eagles finished the season with 12 wins and 5 losses, placing them fifth on the ladder, qualifying for the 2020 AFL finals series, in which they were eliminated in the first round by eighth-placed Collingwood. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on their season, with the team forced to hub in Queensland for much of the season due to restrictions on travelling to Western Australia from other states.

Nic Naitanui was West Coast's best and fairest player, winning the John Worsfold Medal. Previously his highest place for the medal was fifth, in 2010. Josh Kennedy, who kicked 34 goals was the club's leading goal-scorer for the seventh time in his career. Naitanui, Liam Ryan and Brad Sheppard were selected for the 2020 All-Australian team.

2020 was the first year for West Coast in the AFL Women's competition, in which they finished seventh. In addition, West Coast withdrew from the West Australian Football League competition in 2020 due to COVID-19 after fielding a team for the first time in 2019.[1]

Background[]

Male footballer in guernsey and shorts jogging
Male football coach walking
Luke Shuey (captain) and Adam Simpson (coach)

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football team based in Perth, Western Australia, that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL). They ended the 2019 home-and-away season fifth on the ladder after spending the majority of the season in the top four.[2][3][4] Their season ended after being beaten by Geelong in the semi-finals.[5][6]

In December 2019, Luke Shuey was named captain of the West Coast Eagles, after Shannon Hurn stepped down from the role.[7] Josh Kennedy remained one of the vice-captains, joined by Jeremy McGovern, who replaced Luke Shuey. Jack Darling, Andrew Gaff, Nic Naitanui and Elliot Yeo rounded out the leadership group.[8]

Adam Simpson was head coach for a seventh season. Some of the assistant coaches changed roles; Jaymie Graham swapped from the forward line to the backline, Luke Webster swapped from the WAFL coach to the forwards coach, and Daniel Pratt swapped from backs to stoppages coach. Nathan van Berlo retained his position as midfield coach. The development coaches were (head of development), Chance Bateman (forwards), Matt Rosa (midfield) and Mark Nicoski (backs).[9]

In February 2020, as part of West Coast's overall rebrand over the past few years, they released a new version of their club song. The song, which contains a didgeridoo and clapstick intro was written, composed and produced by Ian Berney, and sung by Ian Kenny, both from Perth band Birds of Tokyo.[10][11][12]

West Coast's major sponsors for 2020 were fast food outlet Hungry Jack's and online mortgage broker .[13] The club had 100,776 members in 2020, an 11.4% increase on 2019 membership numbers, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The membership was the highest in the AFL, the first time this happened to a club outside of Victoria.[14]

Playing list[]

2019 off-season changes[]

Male athlete in an Australian rules football game
Tim Kelly joined West Coast in the off-season trade period from Geelong

At the end of their 2019 season, West Coast delisted premiership eagle Chris Masten, Fraser McInnes, Kurt Mutimer and Matthew Allen. In addition, Brodie Riach, Patrick Bines, Keegan Brooksby and Josh Smith from the rookie list were delisted.[nb 1] Brendon Ah Chee and Hamish Brayshaw were also delisted from the primary list, with the Eagles citing it as preparation for the draft.[19] Ah Chee and Brayshaw were later drafted in the 2020 rookie draft.[20]

West Coast's only trade in the 2019 trade period involved receiving Tim Kelly and a 2020 third round pick from Geelong, and pick 52 from Essendon, in exchange for picks 14, 24 and a 2020 first round pick going to Geelong, pick 33 going to Essendon, and Essendon and Geelong exchanging pick 37 and 57. The trade came after Kelly was overlooked by West Coast as a draft pick for five years, instead being drafted by Geelong, where he played the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The trade occurred due to Kelly's desire to return to Western Australia, having previously wanted to trade in the 2018 trade period. Kelly signed a six year deal with West Coast, worth approximately $5 million.[21][22][23]

In the 2019 national draft, (pick 49) and (pick 58) were drafted, both of whom are from Western Australia.[24] Francis Watson was elevated from the rookie list, signing on for another year.[25] Anthony Treacy (pick 11), Mitch O'Neill (pick 25), Brendon Ah Chee (pick 33) and Hamish Brayshaw (pick 39) were drafted in the 2020 rookie draft.[20] Nic Reid and Jamaine Jones were added to the rookie list in the supplementary selection period. Jamaine Jones previously played for Geelong in 2018 and 2019, but was delisted at the end of that year.[26]

Removals from playing list
Player Reason Games played Ref.
Chris Masten Delisted 215 [15]
Fraser McInnes Delisted 14 [17]
Brodie Riach Delisted 0 [17]
Patrick Bines Delisted 0 [17]
Kurt Mutimer Delisted 4 [16]
Matthew Allen Delisted 0 [16]
Keegan Brooksby Delisted 14 (0 at West Coast) [16]
Josh Smith Delisted 34 (2 at West Coast) [18]
Hamish Brayshaw Delisted[nb 2] 0 [19]
Brendon Ah Chee Delisted[nb 2] 36 (9 at West Coast) [19]
Additions to playing list
Player Acquired Former club Former league Ref.
Tim Kelly Traded from Geelong Geelong AFL [21]
No. 49, 2019 national draft Claremont WAFL [24][27]
No. 58, 2019 national draft West Perth WAFL [24][28]
Francis Watson Rookie elevation West Coast AFL [25]
Anthony Treacy No. 11, 2020 rookie draft Claremont WAFL [20][29]
Mitch O'Neill No. 25, 2020 rookie draft Tasmanian Devils NAB League [20][30]
Brendon Ah Chee No. 33, 2020 rookie draft West Coast AFL [20]
Hamish Brayshaw No. 39, 2020 rookie draft West Coast AFL [20]
Nic Reid Supplementary selection period West Coast WAFL [26]
Jamaine Jones Supplementary selection period Geelong AFL [26]

Statistics[]

West Coast used 37 players from the 45 on its playing list, six of which were debutants. They were Harry Edwards (round 9), Nic Reid (round 12), Xavier O'Neill (round 13), Bailey Williams (round 14), Hamish Brayshaw (round 17) and Luke Foley (round 18). Tim Kelly (round 1) and Jamaine Jones (round 4) also played their first games for West Coast, after having previously played for Geelong.[31] Six players played every match of the season. They were Tom Barrass, Jack Darling, Andrew Gaff, Tim Kelly, Liam Ryan and Brad Sheppard.[32]

In February 2020, Daniel Venables was ruled out for the entire 2020 season due to concussion as a result of a head knock he suffered in round nine of 2019.[33] Willie Rioli also did not play at all during the 2020 season, having been provisionally suspended for the entire season due to allegedly tampering with two urine tests in August and September 2019. He was eventually sentenced in March 2021 to a two year backdated suspension, starting in August 2019.[34][35]

Playing list and statistics[36]
Player No. Games Goals Behinds Kicks Handballs Disposals Marks Tackles Notes/Milestone(s)
Liam Ryan 1 18 26 16 140 54 194 66 32
Jake Waterman 2 10 9 2 78 25 103 51 8
Andrew Gaff 3 18 5 4 251 186 437 81 42 200th AFL game (round 3)[37]
Dom Sheed 4 17 8 3 172 164 336 55 40
Brad Sheppard 5 18 2 0 194 92 286 112 34
Elliot Yeo 6 10 0 1 107 85 192 22 56
Jack Redden 8 13 1 1 98 106 204 44 31
Nic Naitanui 9 17 5 4 109 83 192 13 40
Jarrod Brander 10 8 0 1 67 22 89 36 12
Tim Kelly 11 18 5 4 208 153 361 46 75 West Coast debut (round 1)
Oscar Allen 12 15 18 8 86 46 132 44 41
Luke Shuey 13 13 1 1 144 102 246 33 45
Liam Duggan 14 17 0 2 211 70 281 98 31
Jamie Cripps 15 14 9 7 94 73 167 36 45
Tom Hickey 16 3 0 0 6 10 16 5 3
Josh Kennedy 17 17 34 22 96 23 119 69 16 250th AFL game (round 7)[38]
Daniel Venables 18 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Long-term injury (concussion)[39]
Nathan Vardy 19 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Jeremy Mcgovern 20 12 0 0 114 43 157 72 14
Jack Petruccelle 21 6 2 5 22 20 42 9 7
Hamish Brayshaw 22 1 0 1 3 2 5 1 1 Rookie, AFL debut (round 17)
Lewis Jetta 23 6 1 2 62 24 86 22 16 200th AFL game (round 4)[40]
Xavier O'Neill 24 5 1 1 25 24 49 9 9 AFL debut (round 13)
Shannon Hurn 25 17 0 0 205 66 271 87 26
Francis Watson 26 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Jack Darling 27 18 30 12 112 57 169 64 35 200th AFL game (round 4)[41]
Tom Cole 28 15 3 0 95 62 157 48 30
Luke Foley 29 1 0 0 3 0 3 2 1 AFL debut (round 18)
Jackson Nelson 30 15 0 0 150 54 204 61 31
Will Schofield 31 4 0 0 12 10 22 3 8
Bailey Williams 32 3 1 1 10 11 21 5 5 AFL debut (round 14)
Brayden Ainsworth 33 9 3 1 44 33 77 26 12
Mark Hutchings 34 3 0 0 15 9 24 5 4
Josh Rotham 35 10 0 0 90 17 107 52 13
Tom Barrass 37 18 0 0 144 37 181 94 4
38 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Jarrod Cameron 39 5 2 1 16 8 24 5 11
40 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Brendon Ah Chee 41 16 6 5 77 78 155 36 26 Rookie
Harry Edwards 42 1 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 Rookie, AFL debut (round 9)
Anthony Treacy 43 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rookie
Willie Rioli 44 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Did not play due to ASADA investigation[34]
Mitch O'Neill 45 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rookie
Nic Reid 46 3 1 1 8 13 21 1 8 Rookie, AFL debut (round 12)
Jamaine Jones 47 2 0 1 13 8 21 5 8 Rookie, West Coast debut (round 4)

Season summary[]

The original fixture for the 2020 season was revealed by the AFL in October 2019. West Coast would have played 22 matches, facing Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong, Richmond and Port Adelaide twice, and all other teams once.[42] As part of their pre-season, West Coast faced Essendon and Fremantle in the Marsh Community Series, ending up beaten by both teams.[43][44] The match against Essendon was originally scheduled for 28 February, but it was rescheduled to the day prior so that it did not occur at the same time as the State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match.[45]

West Coast played their first game of the regular season on 22 March against Melbourne at Optus Stadium. Melbourne were soundly beaten by 27 points in that match, which was Tim Kelly's first game for the Eagles. The match was played with no spectators present, and occurred just hours after AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan announced that the 2020 AFL season would be suspended until at least the start of June, due to restrictions on interstate travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[46][47] The Eagles' round 1 match would be the last AFL match to be played for over two months.[48]

On 25 May, the AFL revealed the revised fixtures for rounds 2 to 5. West Coast were to go into a hub on the Gold Coast for at least four weeks, completing matches only in Queensland for that time.[49] On 8 June, the West Coast team arrived at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.[50] Their first match after the AFL season continuing was against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, on 13 June. The Suns thrashed the Eagles by 44 points in an upset, giving the 2019 wooden spooners their first win in 426 days.[51] In round 3, West Coast played the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, in which the Lions beat West Coast by 30 points. That was West Coast's first match with crowds attending, with 1,965 spectators at the game.[52] West Coast then played Port Adelaide, the eventual minor premiers at Metricon Stadium, in which the Eagles were beaten 13.11 (89) to 6.5 (41). That game making it three losses in a row for the Eagles, continuing their horror run in the Queensland hub and placing them 16th on the AFL ladder. Jamaine Jones made his West Coast debut that game, and Will Schofield was suspended for one match after headbutting Zak Butters.[53][54]

Male athlete in an Australian rules football game
Tom Barrass took Mark of the Year contenders in rounds 5 and 6

West Coast were scheduled to play Richmond on round 5, but due to Queensland's latest quarantine requirements, West Coast would have had to quarantine for 14 days following a match against a Victorian side. This resulted in the Eagles playing Sydney instead, at Metricon Stadium.[55][56] West Coast got their first win in the Queensland hub against Sydney, beating them by 30 points. Tom Barrass took a mark of the year contender, and Luke Shuey injured his hamstring, causing him to miss two games.[57] The following round, West Coast beat the winless Adelaide by 33 points at the Gabba, in their last game in Queensland before heading home for 7 weeks.[58][59] During the week prior, Crows ruckman Reilly O'Brien accidentally tweeted that Nic Naitanui was "lazy and unfit", among other notes about the Eagles ruckman. This incident gained notoriety in the days surrounding the round 6 match.[60][61]

Male athlete in an Australian rules football game
Josh Kennedy kicked the most goals for West Coast, with 34, finishing 3rd in the Coleman Medal.

West Coast's first game at Optus Stadium since round 1 was a Western Derby against Fremantle. The Eagles won 9.8 (62) to 5.2 (32), giving them the longest ever Western Derby winning streak, with 10 wins in a row against Fremantle. Josh Kennedy on his 250th AFL game won the Glendinning–Allan Medal. The game had the largest crowd of any Australian sporting event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.[62][63] In round 8, West Coast beat Collingwood by 66 points. West Coast's 18.3 (111) was the largest score of the season at the time, against Collingwood's 6.9 (45). Josh Kennedy kicked 7 goals in the match.[64] The next round, West Coast beat Geelong by 9 points, putting West Coast fourth on the ladder. The Eagles were behind by 21 points during the 3rd quarter, but were able to make a comeback. Josh Kennedy kicked 4 goals, putting him first in the Coleman Medal race. In round 10, West Coast had a bye.[65][66]

Following the bye, West Coast had three more games in a row at Optus Stadium, of which they won all three. The games were against Carlton, with a margin of 22,[67] Hawthorn, with a margin of 32,[68] and Greater Western Sydney, with a margin of 12.[69] Elliot Yeo developed a groin injury against Carlton, resulting in him missing the rest of the season.[70][71] At the end of those three rounds, West Coast had the longest winning streak of the season, with eight wins in a row, and were fourth on the ladder. The round 13 Greater Western Sydney match was the first match in a series of five for West Coast over 19 days, from 23 August to 10 September. On 25 August, the team flew over to Queensland for their second hub in that state. The Eagles stayed Sanctuary Cove resort, on the Gold Coast for their hub.[72]

West Coast's first match in their second Queensland hub was against Richmond at Metricon Stadium on Thursday, 27 August. Richmond beat West Coast by 27 points, ending their eight game winning streak. Josh Kennedy received a concussion, causing him to miss out on most of the Richmond game and West Coast's next game.[73][74][75] The following Tuesday, West Coast faced Essendon, beating them by 15 points, with Liam Ryan kicking four goals.[76][77] In round 16, after West Coast's second 5 day break in a row, they faced Western Bulldogs, who beat the Eagles in an upset. The margin was 2 points, and the result eventually caused West Coast to miss the top four.[78]

West Coast were forced to make 6 player changes for their round 17 game against St Kilda, due to injuries. At the time, Brendon Ah Chee, Mark Hutchings, Lewis Jetta, Jack Redden, Dom Sheed, Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo were injured, and Jamie Cripps couldn't be selected due to personal reasons.[79][80] Despite this, the Eagles won against St Kilda by 15 points, guaranteeing them a finals spot, however Jeremy McGovern injured his hamstring, leaving him out for the final match of the home-and-away season, against North Melbourne.[81][82][83] West Coast won their round 18 match against North Melbourne by 15 points, giving them a small chance of a top 4 finish,[84] but neither Richmond or Geelong lost their matches,[48] causing West Coast to finish 5th at the end of the season, setting them up for an elimination final against Collingwood.[85]

West Coast's elimination final against Collingwood occurred on Saturday, 3 October. The Eagles went into the match as favourites, due to having beat the Magpies by 66 points earlier in the season, having won all games at home during the home-and-away season, and being higher on the ladder than the Magpies. However, after several lead changes in the match, Collingwood ended up winning the elimination final by 1 point, ending West Coast's 2020 season. This was the first year since 2016 where West Coast did not progress beyond the first week of the finals.[86][87]

Results[]

Marsh Community Series results
Game Day Date Result Score Opponent Score Ground Attendance
G B T G B T
1 Thursday 27 February Lost 13 9 87 Essendon 14 11 95 Mineral Resources Park 4,302
2 Saturday 7 March Lost 7 12 54 Fremantle 8 7 55 HBF Arena 10,384
Regular season results[48]
Round Day Date Result Score Opponent Score Ground Attendance Ladder
G B T G B T
1 Sunday 22 March Won 12 6 78 Melbourne 7 9 51 Optus Stadium H 0 3rd
2 Saturday 13 June Lost 6 10 46 Gold Coast 14 6 90 Metricon Stadium A 0 12th
3 Saturday 20 June Lost 6 8 44 Brisbane Lions 10 14 74 Gabba A 1,965 15th
4 Saturday 27 June Lost 6 5 41 Port Adelaide 13 11 89 Metricon Stadium A 450 16th
5 Saturday 4 July Won 11 11 77 Sydney 6 7 43 Metricon Stadium H 2,238 15th
6 Saturday 11 July Won 10 7 67 Adelaide 5 4 34 Gabba H 210 11th
7 Sunday 19 July Won 9 8 62 Fremantle 5 2 32 Optus Stadium A 25,306 8th
8 Sunday 26 July Won 18 3 111 Collingwood 6 9 45 Optus Stadium H 24,824 5th
9 Saturday 1 August Won 11 7 73 Geelong 10 4 64 Optus Stadium H 26,211 4th
10 Bye 6th
11 Sunday 9 August Won 11 6 72 Carlton 7 8 50 Optus Stadium H 19,092 4th
12 Sunday 16 August Won 12 9 81 Hawthorn 7 7 49 Optus Stadium H 22,780 4th
13 Sunday 23 August Won 9 7 61 Greater Western Sydney 7 7 49 Optus Stadium H 27,339 4th
14 Thursday 27 August Lost 9 7 61 Richmond 14 4 88 Metricon Stadium A 3,628 5th
15 Tuesday 1 September Won 9 6 60 Essendon 6 9 45 Gabba H 1,932 5th
16 Sunday 6 September Lost 7 5 47 Western Bulldogs 6 13 49 Metricon Stadium A 532 5th
17 Thursday 10 September Won 9 11 65 St Kilda 6 14 50 Gabba A 1,925 5th
18 Thursday 17 September Won 7 7 49 North Melbourne 4 10 34 Metricon Stadium A 724 5th
EF Saturday 3 October Lost 11 9 75 Collingwood 12 4 76 Optus Stadium H 32,865 N/A
Key
H Home game
A Away game
EF Elimination final

Ladder[]

Pos Team
 Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 Port Adelaide 17 14 3 0 1185 869 136.4 56 Finals series
2 Brisbane Lions 17 14 3 0 1184 948 124.9 56
3 Richmond (P) 17 12 4 1 1135 874 129.9 50
4 Geelong 17 12 5 0 1233 901 136.8 48
5 West Coast 17 12 5 0 1095 936 117.0 48
6 St Kilda 17 10 7 0 1159 997 116.2 40
7 Western Bulldogs 17 10 7 0 1103 1034 106.7 40
8 Collingwood 17 9 7 1 965 881 109.5 38
9 Melbourne 17 9 8 0 1063 986 107.8 36
10 Greater Western Sydney 17 8 9 0 1007 1053 95.6 32
11 Carlton 17 7 10 0 1017 1078 94.3 28
12 Fremantle 17 7 10 0 866 924 93.7 28
13 Essendon 17 6 10 1 938 1185 79.2 26
14 Gold Coast 17 5 11 1 996 1099 90.6 22
15 Hawthorn 17 5 12 0 1004 1194 84.1 20
16 Sydney 17 5 12 0 890 1077 82.6 20
17 North Melbourne 17 3 14 0 858 1205 71.2 12
18 Adelaide 17 3 14 0 826 1283 64.4 12
Updated to match(es) played on 21 September 2020. Source: AFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers


Impact of COVID-19[]

Main article: 2020 AFL season § Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

During the week prior to the 2020 season starting, the AFL announced that the season would be shorted from 22 matches per team to 17 matches per team, with each team playing each other once. This meant 2020 was the first year where only one Western Derby took place. At the time, the AFL said the first four rounds of the season would remain as previously fixtured, with the remaining rounds to be refixtured. It also announced that there would not be any spectators at games for the first time in the league's history, and that each quarter would be only 16 minutes long, to facilitate shortening the breaks between each game.[88][89] Round 1 went ahead as originally fixtured, however the AFL announced on the Sunday of round 1 that the league would be postponed until at least the start of June. The remaining matches of round 1 occurred, including the West Coast match, but no more matches occurred for over two months.[47]

On 12 May 2020, the AFL ruled that AFL players are not allowed to play in state leagues as part of strict protocols implemented due to COVID-19. This resulted in West Coast withdrawing from the West Australian Football League for 2020.[1] Western Australia's COVID-19 border restrictions meant that any travellers from interstate would have to quarantine for 14 days. This made it impractical to hold AFL matches in Perth. In order to get the season back up and running, West Coast stayed in a hub on the Gold Coast for five weeks, playing matches at Metricon Stadium and the Gabba. The season resumed on 11 June.[90][91][92] From round 3 onwards, matches in Queensland were allowed to have small crowds.[93]

From rounds 7 to 13, West Coast were back in Perth, playing consecutive games at Optus Stadium. To get around the interstate travel quarantine requirement, two interstate teams would go to Western Australia, and play each other for their first week in the state, under strict quarantine while doing so. After the 14 day quarantine period, then they played West Coast and Fremantle, before heading over east again. The first two teams to do this were Collingwood and Geelong, followed by Carlton and Hawthorn, and finally Sydney and Greater Western Sydney.[94][95][96] Initially Optus Stadium was meant to be at its full capacity of 60,000 spectators, but the Western Australian government restricted it to 30,000 spectators after a spike in virus numbers in Victoria.[97][98][99] Due to West Coast having already played Sydney, they flew back over to Queensland after playing Greater Western Sydney for a second hub on the Gold Coast.[100]

West Coast played their remaining six matches of the home-and-away season at Metricon Stadium and the Gabba. Rounds 13 through to 17 were condensed in order for the season to finish sooner. This resulted in the Eagles playing five matches over 19 days.[101] West Coast negotiated with North Melbourne to buy the rights from them to host their round 18 game in Perth. The deal would have meant West Coast pay North Melbourne between $700,000 and $800,000, however the AFL did not allow that deal to go ahead. The match was played at North Melbourne's preferred ground of Metricon Stadium.[102][103]

West Coast went back home for their preliminary final against Collingwood, which they hosted at Optus Stadium.[104][105] Prior to the match, West Coast quarantined in Perth for 14 days, and Collingwood quarantined for 7 days. Due to the Magpie's short quarantine period, it was initially believed that the Eagles would have to quarantine for 14 days if they lost, but it was later confirmed that they would quarantine for 7 days.[106][107] The Western Australian government increased the allowed capacity of the stadium to 35,000, including staff and officials, meaning that approximately 33,000 spectators were allowed to attend the game.[108]

Awards[]

Male athlete jogging
Nic Naitanui won the 2020 John Worsfold Medal

Nic Naitanui, Liam Ryan and Brad Sheppard were all selected in the 2020 All-Australian team. Andrew Gaff was in the 40-man initial squad but was not selected for the final team. West Coast had the equal highest number of players in the 2020 All-Australian team that year, with three. 2020 was the first time Liam Ryan and Brad Sheppard were selected in the All-Australian team, and the second time Nic Naitanui was selected.[109][110]

West Coast held its awards night on 19 October at the Crown Perth Grand Ballroom. Nic Naitanui won the John Worsfold Medal with 194 votes. Behind him was Andrew Gaff (192), Brad Sheppard (163), Tom Barrass (154) and Liam Duggan (152). This was Naitanui's first John Worsfold Medal, and the second time a ruckman won the award. His previous highest place for the medal was fifth, in 2010. Other awards presented on the night were the Chris Mainwaring Medal for Best Clubman, awarded to Brad Sheppard; Emerging Talent, awarded to Josh Rotham; Player of the finals, awarded to Nic Naitanui; and Leading Goalkicker, awarded to Josh Kennedy. Jamie Cripps, who played his 150th game for the club in 2020 was awarded life membership of the West Coast Eagles, along with former eagles Eric Mackenzie and Beau Waters, and former club chairman Alan Cransberg.[111][112]

Awards received by West Coast players
Award Awarded by Player Result Ref.
All-Australian team Australian Football League Andrew Gaff Shortlisted [110]
Nic Naitanui Selected [109]
Liam Ryan Selected
Brad Sheppard Selected
Mark of the Year Tom Barrass (round 5 and round 6) Shortlisted [113]
Jeremy McGovern (round 13) Shortlisted
Liam Ryan (round 8) Shortlisted
Leigh Matthews Trophy for Most Valuable Player AFL Players Association Nic Naitanui Nominated [114]
Liam Ryan Nominated
Brad Sheppard Nominated
Best Captain Luke Shuey Nominated
Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player Liam Duggan Nominated
Best First Year Player Nic Reid Nominated
John Worsfold Medal West Coast Eagles Nic Naitanui Won [111]
Chris Mainwaring Medal for Best Clubman Brad Sheppard Won
Emerging Talent Josh Rotham Won
Player of the Finals Nic Naitanui Won
Leading Goalkicker Josh Kennedy Won

Notes[]

  1. ^ Delisting of Chris Masten.[15] Delisting of Keegan Brooksby, Kurt Mutimer and Matthew Allen.[16] Delisting of Fraser McInnes, Brodie Riach and Patrick Bines.[17] Delisting of Josh Smith.[18]
  2. ^ a b Hamish Brayshaw and Brendon Ah Chee were later drafted in the 2020 rookie draft.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Club statement: WAFL team update". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Hawthorn upsets Eagles, Cats beat Carlton as Giants, Swans and Kangaroos win in AFL round 23". ABC News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  3. ^ "AFL Round 23: Hawthorn defeat West Coast Eagles to keep finals chances alive". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  4. ^ ""That one hurt": Yeo says memory of round 23 loss still lingers". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  5. ^ Duffield, Mark. "West Coast Eagles' season over after 20-point loss to Geelong in semi-final". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  6. ^ Ramsey, Michael. "So much for straight sets! Geelong storms home, knocks out reigning premiers West Coast in Semi Final". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  7. ^ Cross, Daile. "Luke Shuey is new West Coast Eagles captain". The Age. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  8. ^ Schmook, Nathan. "Gun Eagles join leadership group, Hurn steps away". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Eagles refresh coach structure". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  10. ^ "On song: Eagles release re-worked club anthem". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  11. ^ Laden, Carly. "West Coast Eagles' club song given a new sound by Birds of Tokyo members". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  12. ^ Prestipino, David. "Birds of Tokyo revamp West Coast Eagles official club song". The Age. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Partners". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  14. ^ "AFL statement on club memberships in 2020". AFL. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  15. ^ a b King, Travis. "'I'm an emotional dude': Next move not easy for delisted Eagle". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  16. ^ a b c d Quartermaine, Braden. "Delistings: West Coast Eagles Keegan Brooksby, Kurt Mutimer and Matthew Allen cut ahead of AFL draft". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d Raynor, Bonnie. "West Coast delist 2019 WAFL captain Fraser McInnes after eight seasons with the club". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  18. ^ a b Twomey, Callum. "Eagles axe former Pie, Dockers delist contracted pair". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  19. ^ a b c Robinson, Chris. "Hamish Brayshaw and Brendon Ah Chee delisted by West Coast Eagles". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  20. ^ a b c d e f "Rookie draft and pre-season draft wrap: Jack Martin's three-month limbo ends as Crows give mature-age players lifelines". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  21. ^ a b Cleary, Mitch. "Home, sweet home: Kelly finally an Eagle after mega-trade with Cats". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  22. ^ Rosewarne, James. "What the Tim Kelly Trade Means For West Coast (and Geelong)". Stats Insider. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  23. ^ Hagdorn, Kim. "'Exorbitant': Cat Tim Kelly to become Eagle in historic six-year multi-million dollar deal". WAtoday. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  24. ^ a b c Olle, Sarah. "AFL draft gurus assess every club's draft haul – and there's some clear standouts". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  25. ^ a b Beattie, Tyson. "Schofield and Watson extend". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  26. ^ a b c "Reid, Jones added to list". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  27. ^ Dickinson, Rhys. "The Draft File: Pick 49 – Callum Jamieson". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  28. ^ Dickinson, Rhys. "The Draft File: Pick 58 – Ben Johnson". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  29. ^ Dickinson, Rhys. "The Rookie Draft File: Pick 11 – Anthony Treacy". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  30. ^ Dickinson, Rhys. "The Rookie Draft File: Pick 25 – Mitch O'Neill". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  31. ^ "Luke Foley becomes sixth West Coast Eagle to debut in 2020, named to face North Melbourne". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  32. ^ Quartermaine, Braden. "West Coast Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui in prime position to claim first John Worsfold medal". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  33. ^ Naghten, Tom. "Daniel Venables ruled out for 2020 with concussion symptoms". Sporting News. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  34. ^ a b "West Coast expect Willie Rioli hearing date after AFL season". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  35. ^ Bilton, Dean. "Willie Rioli to return to AFL footy with the West Coast Eagles after one big mistake and an 18-month ordeal". ABC News. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  36. ^ "2020 Player Stats". AFL Tables. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  37. ^ Browne, Ashley. "TWO STARS WITH DIFFERENT PATHS TO 200". SEN 1116. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  38. ^ "West Coast coach Adam Simpson announced Josh Kennedy's 250th game a week early". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  39. ^ Robinson, Chris. "West Coast Eagles premiership player Daniel Venables ruled out for 2020 with ongoing concussion symptoms". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  40. ^ Stocks, Gary. "AFL games milestone: Jetta-propelled 200". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  41. ^ Quartermain, Glen. "Jack the Ripper: Jack Darling soars to 200-game milestone at West Coast Eagles". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  42. ^ Beattie, Tyson. "Eagles to embrace challenging 2020 fixture". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  43. ^ Laughton, Max. "Pre-season pearls: Bombers' patience paying off with Andrew McGrath, Eagles' Josh Kennedy has a six-pack already". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  44. ^ Chadwick, Justin. "Stunning Docker's burst downs Eagles in thrilling pre-season clash". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  45. ^ Cleary, Mitch. "AFL confirms State of Origin match, makes massive donation". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  46. ^ Salemme, Kate; Batten, Dan; Paton, Al. "AFL Round 1 2020: Eagles eclipse Demons as AFL reels from shut-down news". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  47. ^ a b Barrett, Damian. "'Most serious threat in 100 years': AFL postpones season". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  48. ^ a b c "2020 Season Scores and Results". AFL Tables. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  49. ^ "Hub plans firming after fixture release: Vozzo". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  50. ^ "West Coast settle into hub life". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  51. ^ Laughton, Max. "No, really: Gold Coast ends 426-day losing streak by thrashing flag fancies West Coast". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  52. ^ "Epic Brisbane Lions surge seals gritty win as West Coast Eagles' hub nightmare continues". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  53. ^ Laughton, Max. "All hail King Charles! Port Adelaide smashes woeful West Coast to stay unbeaten in 2020". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  54. ^ "Schofield suspended, McGovern set to return". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  55. ^ "AFL statement on revised round five fixture". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  56. ^ Bednall, Jai. "AFL 2020: Richmond v West Coast game postponed, round five fixture changed". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  57. ^ Balmer, Matt. "Off the mark: Eagles FINALLY score first win in Queensland hub". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  58. ^ Laughton, Max. "West Coast flies home on a high note as winless Adelaide's horror year rolls on". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  59. ^ Quartermaine, Braden. "West Coast Eagles run out 33-point winners over Adelaide Crows ahead of WA return". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  60. ^ "Social media shocker: Adelaide Crows ruckman Reilly O'Brien says Nic Naitanui is 'lazy, unfit'". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  61. ^ Savage, Nic. "Adelaide Crows ruckman Reilly O'Brien calls Nic Naitanui 'lazy and unfit' in accidental tweet". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  62. ^ McGarry, Andrew. "West Coast beats Fremantle Dockers by 30 points as Josh Kennedy stars in Eagles' 10th straight Western Derby win". ABC News. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  63. ^ Waterworth, Ben. "Beware the Eagles: West Coast sends scary AFL message with strong derby win". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  64. ^ Zita, David. "THEY'RE BACK: Eagles demolish sorry Magpies in a masterclass to stamp claim for flag contention". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  65. ^ "West Coast Eagles beat Geelong by nine points as Majak Daw makes winning AFL return with North Melbourne". ABC News. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  66. ^ Zita, David. "Eagles scrape to wild comeback win against Cats in AFL thriller". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  67. ^ "West Coast storms to sixth straight win as Carlton rues yet another head-scratching collapse". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  68. ^ Waterworth, Ben. "Are you convinced yet? SEVEN straight Eagles wins after 'destructive' performance". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  69. ^ "Eagles win EIGHTH straight game, Giants' free fall continues". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  70. ^ Dickinson, Rhys. "Upbeat Yeo on the mend". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  71. ^ Balmer, Matt. "Eagles cop major blow with star midfielder ruled out for the rest of 2020". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  72. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig. "The Eagles have landed: Second Queensland hub stint underway for West Coast". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  73. ^ Laughton, Max. "New flag favourites? Tigers claim clash of the titans as Eagles' wings clipped on the road". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  74. ^ Cherny, Daniel. "As it happened: Essendon beat Hawthorn, Richmond trump West Coast". The Age. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  75. ^ "Richmond ends West Coast's AFL winning run, Essendon scores comeback victory over Hawthorn". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  76. ^ Laughton, Max. "Essendon left to rue the upset that got away as West Coast forwards step up when it counts". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  77. ^ Ward, Roy. "AFL 2020 Round 15 live updates: Straight-kicking West Coast take down Dons; Crows humble Hawks". The Age. Archived from the original on 1 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  78. ^ Waterworth, Ben. "Bulldogs hold on by a 'bee's d***' to save their season — and maybe ruin the Eagles' flag hopes". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  79. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig. "Dom Sheed to miss West Coast Eagles' clash with St Kilda as midfield injuries mount". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  80. ^ Chadwick, Justin. "'Without A-graders': Injuries leave West Coast reeling ahead of finals". 7 News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  81. ^ Zita, David. "Injury-ravaged Eagles a LOCK for finals after intense, costly win over Saints". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  82. ^ "West Coast Eagles defeat St Kilda by 15 points but lose AFL premiership defender Jeremy McGovern to injury". ABC News. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  83. ^ Zita, David. "Eagles star Jeremy McGovern hamstrung in huge blow as club's injury toll reaches 'tipping point'". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  84. ^ Laughton, Max; Zita, David. "Eagles overcome horror start against Roos to keep top-four hopes alive". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  85. ^ Barrett, Damian. "Finals fixture: AFL unveils times, venues for week one". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  86. ^ "Collingwood knocks West Coast Eagles out of AFL finals, St Kilda edges Western Bulldogs in thriller". ABC News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  87. ^ Heinrich, Scott. "AFL 2020 elimination final: Magpies edge Eagles in thriller – as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  88. ^ Cleary, Mitch. "Coronavirus forces AFL to slash season to 17 rounds". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  89. ^ Barrett, Damian. "It's on: AFL confirms round one will go ahead". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  90. ^ Beveridge, Riley. "Hub-bound Eagles hoping for favourable fixture". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  91. ^ Beveridge, Riley. "Explainer: Why are there clubs in hubs?". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  92. ^ Prestipino, David. "Eagles, Dockers swing back to AFL action on Gold Coast in mid June". The Age. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  93. ^ Zita, David. "Gabba set for huge crowd boost as AFL welcomes back up to 10,000 fans". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  94. ^ Carmody, James. "AFL players moving to Perth hub warned to follow coronavirus quarantine rules or be 'punted' home". ABC News. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  95. ^ "Collingwood and Geelong head to AFL's Perth hub, joining the Dockers and Eagles for round seven". ABC News. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  96. ^ Phelan, Jason. "Perth hub kicks off with Pies and Cats". The Roar. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  97. ^ Manfield, Evelyn; Laschon, Eliza. "Collingwood and Geelong capacity crowd ruled out in AFL's Perth hub due to coronavirus restrictions". ABC News. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  98. ^ Beveridge, Riley. "60,000 at Optus Stadium? Push for Perth hub gathers steam". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  99. ^ Chadwick, Justin. "AFL crowd-limits rise to 30,000 in Perth". 9 Wide World of Sports. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  100. ^ Rugari, Vince. "Swans, Giants to play Sydney derby in Perth hub". The Age. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  101. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig. "The Eagles have landed: Second Queensland hub stint underway for West Coast". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  102. ^ Edmund, Sam. "NORTH MELBOURNE AND WEST COAST LOOKING TO RELOCATE ROUND 18 MATCH: EDMUND". SEN. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  103. ^ Healey, Catherine. "West Coast make second plea to AFL over round 18 clash with North Melbourne, after missing out as host". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  104. ^ Waterworth, Ben. "The quarantine 'quirk' that could lead to a dream Eagles finals run". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  105. ^ Laughton, Max. "Eagles allowed to host final, Vics can nominate a home ground as AFL confirms finals rules". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  106. ^ McArdle, Jordan. "West Coast Eagles receive minor silver lining through quarantine update after shock loss". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  107. ^ Laughton, Max. "West Coast facing weeks of quarantine even if they lose final due to Magpies' 'dirty club' status". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  108. ^ Woodcock, Mitchell. "Tickets to West Coast Eagles' AFL elimination final clash with Collingwood on sale from 9am today". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  109. ^ a b Beveridge, Riley. "All-Australian team: Danger joins greats, 12 fresh faces". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  110. ^ a b Beveridge, Riley. "All-Australian squad: Who's in, shock omissions, three clubs miss out". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  111. ^ a b Duffield, Mark. "Nic Naitanui claims 2020 John Worsfold Medal as West Coast Eagles best and fairest". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  112. ^ Stocks, Gary. "Naitanui claims maiden John Worsfold Medal". West Coast Eagles. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  113. ^ "Rebel Mark Of The Year". AFL. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  114. ^ Zita, David. "Reigning AFL MVP fails to earn nomination as full list is revealed". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
Retrieved from ""