Kane Cornes says West Coast’s disaster might be even worse than first thought after taking one have a look at the membership’s greatest and fairest award outcomes.
Tim Kelly was the stand-out after a constant season that noticed him handed his first John Worsfold Medal, ending forward of Oscar Allen.
Star ahead Allen loved his greatest ever season which ended with 53 objectives and choice within the 44-man All-Australian squad.
However, it’s the degree of expertise beneath the 2 stars that has surprised Cornes.
The Port Adelaide nice instructed SEN Breakfast on Monday morning the outcomes had been as “ugly” as any membership greatest and fairest he can bear in mind — rivalled solely by the Giants’ farcical first seasons within the competitors.
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Kelly (200 factors) was named membership champion forward of Allen (163), Liam Duggan (158), Jayden Hunt (116) and Shannon Hurn (102) on Saturday night time after the membership’s depressing season ended with one other thumping by the hands of Adelaide final week.
Despite the worst season within the membership’s historical past, the Eagles have caught with under-pressure coach Adam Simpson, who has the job of rebuilding the membership’s enjoying checklist from the bottom up.
Saturday’s greatest and fairest outcomes present he has a tricky job forward of him.
Retiring premiership-winner Hurn’s excessive end within the rely got here regardless of the 35-year-old enjoying simply 13 video games.
Andrew Gaff (85) additionally completed excessive, regardless of an unpleasant type hunch through the yr which noticed him dropped to be the membership’s damage substitute amid a refrain of requires him to be dropped to the WAFL.
“I had a look at West’s Coast best and fairest, which happened over the weekend,” Cornes stated on SEN Breakfast.
“It is alarming. Here are some of the results in this and you can deep dive it any way that you like.
“Tim Kelly won it, and he was deserving to win, he had a terrific season, well done to Tim.
“Oscar Allen was the other standout for what he did, he was in the All-Australian squad and kicked 53 goals in that side.
“After that, it is about as ugly a best and fairest result as you’re going to see.
“I’ll give you an example of that. Shannon Hurn finished fifth – he’s now retired, he played 13 games. That must be the softest top-five finish to a best and fairest ever.
“Andrew Gaff – who probably shouldn’t be playing AFL football at all with all due respect, despite the fact he’s been an excellent player – but the time is up for Andrew, he finished seventh in their best and fairest.
“Alex Witherden probably wouldn’t be on a list of most clubs, once again with all due respect, he finished eighth in their best and fairest.”
He stated the largest downside the Eagles have is that the membership’s senior gamers don’t look able to main a brand new technology of gamers by way of its re-build.
“Look, they’ve gone with their coach again and rightly or wrongly, you can have your debate on that,” Cornes stated.
“But the alarming trend is their playing list and what they don’t have because the young ones coming in aren’t going to help.
“It’s the senior players in this top 10 of the best and fairest. It’s going to drive the improvement for this group.
“So perhaps it’s even worse than we think at the Eagles.”
That doesn’t imply the award was any much less an-honour for Kelly.
The former Geelong premiership-winner was the clear winner below the factors system the place the 5 members of West Coast’s match committee rated every gamers’ efficiency from 0-3 in each recreation
“It is a massive honour to win this award,” Kelly stated.
“It’s something I’m really thankful for.”
He performed 22 of the membership’s 23 video games, averaging 28 possessions, six clearances and almost 5 tackles per recreation.
The midfielder led the membership for disposals, inside 50s, clearances, tackles, contested possessions and rating involvements, whereas additionally ending equal fifth for objectives.
Kelly’s capacity to carry out nicely when the workforce was struggling set him aside throughout 2023.
He averaged 27 disposals and 5 clearances in video games that West Coast misplaced by greater than 100 factors. He additionally by no means had lower than 20 possessions in a match and picked up 39 disposals or extra seven instances.
The 29-year-old is within the fourth season of his six yr contract since transferring from Geelong on the finish of 2019.
An All-Australian on the Cattery, Kelly completed seventh in West Coast’s greatest and fairest in 2020, sixth in 2021 and third final season.
Allen’s runner-up prize got here after a season the place he booted a career-high 53 objectives to assert the membership’s main goalkicker award. The key ahead was recognised by the All-Australian selectors with a place within the authentic 44-man squad.
John Worsfold medal high 10
1. Tim Kelly – 200 votes
2. Oscar Allen – 163
3. Liam Duggan – 158
4. Jayden Hunt – 116
5. Shannon Hurn – 102
6. Bailey Williams – 101
7. Andrew Gaff – 85
8. Alex Witherden – 84
9. Tom Barrass – 79
9. Noah Long – 79
— with Chris O’Donoghue, Perth Now
Source: www.news.com.au
