In short:
After just eight wins in the last three AFL seasons, the Eagles say they have mutually agreed to part ways with coach Adam Simpson.
Simpson, who led West Coast to a premiership in 2018, said last week he thought he still had the support of the players, despite a report that some wanted him replaced.
What’s next:
The Eagles are due to hold a media conference at 12:30pm WST, with no word yet on who will coach the team this weekend.
Live updates, reactions and contributions from ABC readers.
Simpson, sitting between Pyke and Fitzpatrick, has reflected on his 11 years at West Coast.
He said his future with the sport remained uncertain.
“The future for me … don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.
“I’ve still got passion for the game, I probably need a break, to be honest.”
“The sense of a little bit of relief as well as sadness is probably what I feel at the moment.
“And optimism for our playing group. I still think there’s some real growth for this group we’ve got coming through. It’s going to take a bit of time but I’ve got a lot of confidence whoever takes over next is going to drive your standards and keep pushing you to get the best out of yourselves and good luck for the future.
“I’ll be sitting in the stands watching.”
West Coast Eagles senior coach Adam Simpson will leave the AFL club after weeks of pressure on his leadership.
The Eagles have released a statement saying Simpson and the club have mutually agreed that his 11-year tenure at the helm will come to an end.
Simpson is one of only six senior coaches in the 37-year history of the club, having taken over before the 2014 season from John Worsfold.
He led the Eagles to a premiership in 2018.
But after several poor seasons, a string of recent heavy defeats and with the struggling club sitting 16th on the AFL ladder with only three wins from 16 games this season, he had been under immense pressure to keep his job.
A report emerged only last week of text messages involving some Eagles players wanting a change in coach following a 10-goal loss to Hawthorn at Perth Stadium.
Simpson responded on Friday by saying he thought he still had the support of the playing group.
“It’s not ideal, but it’s not uncommon either,” he said.
“It happened when I was under Dennis [Pagan], it happened when I was working with Clarko [Alastair Clarkson], and it happens all the time.
“There’s always people that are disgruntled, it’s just part of the job. I think I’ve still got the players.”
The Eagles went on to suffer a 54-point loss to Melbourne on Sunday, piling more pressure on Simpson and casting more doubt over his future.
West Coast have won just eight games across the past three seasons, losing seven by more than 100 points and a further four by over 80 points.
It is unclear who will coach the Eagles in Sunday’s clash against Brisbane in Perth, with the club expected to hold a media conference at 12:30pm WST.
Loading
Sports content to make you think… or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday.
Loading
Posted , updated