West Coast co-captain Liam Baker has expressed his shock and disappointment after the Eagles suffered a triple-figure belting at the hands of Hawthorn, admitting he thought those dark days were firmly in the past.
The Eagles were thumped by 102 points at the MCG on Sunday, conceding 23 goals to just eight in a lopsided contest that raised fresh concerns about the club's rebuild under new coach Andrew McQualter.
Baker, who joined the Eagles from Richmond at the end of last season, said the performance was unacceptable and that the playing group needed to take a long, hard look at themselves.
Baker's honest assessment
“I thought we were past that, to be honest,” Baker said after the match. “We’ve had a lot of work over the pre-season and we felt like we were building something. To come out and put in a performance like that is really disappointing.”
“We just got beaten in every facet of the game. They were harder at the contest, they moved the ball better and they capitalized on our mistakes. We have no excuses.”
The defeat was West Coast’s biggest since a 103-point loss to Geelong in round 21, 2023, and came just a week after a promising 28-point win over North Melbourne.
Injury woes compound issues
Compounding the Eagles' woes, key midfielder Elliot Yeo was a late withdrawal with a calf complaint, while star forward Oscar Allen was clearly hampered by a knee issue and managed just one goal.
“We’ve got some sore bodies, but that’s footy,” Baker said. “We can’t use that as an excuse. Every team has injuries. We need to find a way to be competitive regardless.”
The Eagles now sit 15th on the ladder with a 2-5 record, and face a daunting trip to Adelaide to take on the in-form Port Adelaide next Sunday.
- West Coast kicked just 8.8 (56) to Hawthorn’s 23.20 (158)
- Hawthorn won the disposal count 420-337
- The Hawks had 13 more inside 50s (63-50)
McQualter's challenge
New coach Andrew McQualter, who took over from Adam Simpson after the 2024 season, is facing his first real test as senior coach. The former Richmond assistant has preached a brand of high-pressure, attacking football, but the Eagles have failed to implement it consistently.
“We didn’t execute our game plan at all,” McQualter said. “Hawthorn were too good and we couldn’t stop their momentum. It’s a harsh lesson but one we have to learn from.”
The club has invested heavily in youth, with seven players aged 23 or under taking the field on Sunday. But the lack of experience was brutally exposed by a Hawks side that has now won four of its past five games.
Baker, 27, said the senior players had to take responsibility for guiding the younger group through tough periods.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys who are still learning the caper,” he said. “It’s up to the older blokes to set the standard and make sure we don’t have games like this again.”
The Eagles will be hoping to regain Yeo and possibly Harley Reid, who was rested for the Hawthorn game, for the clash with Port Adelaide as they look to bounce back from one of their most embarrassing defeats in recent memory.
