West Coast have didn’t ship off their trio of retiring champions with a win, however their 45-point loss to a Taylor Walker-inspired Adelaide has at the least ensured they are going to get first crack at increase Victorian midfielder Harley Reid.
Eagles captain Luke Shuey and defender Shannon Hurn got rousing receptions from the 47,027-strong crowd at Optus Stadium on Saturday evening each time they touched the ball, whereas injured ruckman Nic Naitanui was feted from the sidelines.
But the emotion of the evening wasn’t sufficient to elevate West Coast to victory, with Walker booting 9.4 from 19 photographs on aim to assist encourage the Crows to a 17.21 (123) to 12.6 (78) victory.
North Melbourne’s upset win over Gold Coast earlier within the day mixed with West Coast’s loss to Adelaide means the Eagles completed final on the ladder for simply the second time of their historical past.
But the silver lining to that disappointment is the very fact they are going to now obtain the No.1 decide within the nationwide draft.
West Coast can both choose Reid with that decide, or commerce it on for a bounty of as much as three first-round picks.
The Eagles tried their coronary heart out all evening, as did North Melbourne earlier within the day.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson hopes these efforts have put the tanking debate to mattress.
“You guys talk about tanking. We don’t and North doesn’t,” Simpson mentioned.
“The general commentary is really disrespectful to footy clubs because we play to win every week.
“These guys do not take into consideration the draft or the draft picks or what may occur subsequent yr. They do not.
“So we’ve got to stop talking about that because it’s disrespectful to the players and to the coaches and the clubs involved … because it does challenge your integrity when you question whether we’re trying to win or not.”
Walker’s haul lifted him to 76 objectives for the season and the outright Coleman medal lead, however Carlton ahead Charlie Curnow (75 objectives) can overtake him when he traces up towards GWS on Sunday.
“He’s done it all year,” Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks mentioned of Walker’s star show.
“There’s moments where I’m still surprised at what he’s able to do.
“But on the identical time, I see how exhausting he works.
“Tonight he was sore. It’s been a long year. He’s battled away, but I just sit there and smile on the bench sometimes with what he’s able to do.”
Shuey, Hurn and Naitanui got a guard of honour by each groups after the match.
Now that West Coast’s season has completed, the eye will shift squarely in the direction of the destiny of Simpson.
The premiership mentor is contracted till the top of 2025, and he’s anticipated to seek out out early subsequent week if the board will keep on with him or sack him.
A petition to retain Simpson had attracted greater than 4,900 signatures, and he acquired enormous cheers at any time when he was proven on the large display screen throughout Saturday evening’s match.
Adelaide crushed West Coast by 122 factors when the groups final met in spherical 13, with Walker cashing in with 10 objectives.
Walker was the distinguished determine of the opening time period, booting 2.2 from six photographs on aim.
His first – when he outmuscled Bailey Williams in a ruck contest and shrugged off a Jeremy McGovern deal with earlier than snapping – was really a factor of magnificence.
Walker booted three objectives within the third quarter, and one other 4 within the fourth to kill off West Coast’s victory hopes.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
