West Coast Eagles: 2019 fixtures, preview, list changes, every player and odds

Mick Stirling

West Coast Eagles: 2019 fixtures, preview, list changes, every player and odds image

What a year!

A season in which almost everyone thought West Coast would slip down the ladder turned into a fairytale premiership for the Eagles.

An opening round loss at home looked like the beginning of the end, but 10-straight wins taking them to the bye had the competition on notice that West Coast was a force to be reckoned with, and the eventual flag suggests there’s more ahead.

When you take into account the Grand Final was won without Nic Naitanui and Andrew Gaff in the side, and superstar full forward Josh Kennedy missed half of the season, there’s no reason to think back-to-back is an unreasonable phrase to bandy around.

Scott Lycett and Mark LeCras are the only names of note to leave, and with a penchant for getting the best out of recycled ruckmen as well some very exciting small forwards already making a name for themselves, the list looks strong for the title defence.

List changes

In

Tom Hickey (St Kilda), Xavier O’Neill (Oakleigh Chargers), Luke Foley (Subiaco), Bailey Williams (Dandenong Stingrays), Jarrod Cameron (Swan Districts)


 

Rookies

Harry Edwards (Swan Districts), Josh Smith (Collingwood)

Out

Scott Lycett, Tarir Bayok, Ryan Burrows, Callan England, Malcolm Karpany, Tony Olango, Luke Partington, Mark LeCras, Eric Mackenzie

Best Brownlow chances

Andrew Gaff $26, Elliot Yeo $26, Luke Shuey $41, Jack Darling $101, Jack Redden $101

The fact Gaff turned his back on millions to return home suggests he’s got a point to make, so expect the midfielder to come out at his best from round one … I mean round three after he’s served his suspension for hitting Andrew Brayshaw. Gaff finished just outside the top 10 in the 2018 Brownlow count so he should feature prominently again.

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Yeo was only one vote further adrift in the most recent count after moving to the midfield from his more customary defensive role. Now the 25-year-old has an idea of how to play on the ball he could get right up amongst the elite in 2019.

Players to watch

Jack Darling, Liam Ryan

Jack Darling’s an interesting name to see in the Brownlow chances, but he was on fire in the first half of 2018 and if he can step up again who knows how high he can go? Josh Kennedy isn’t about to sink into the sunset just yet, but the veteran full forward turns 32 through the season and his body is starting to show some wear and tear, meaning opportunities will open for the younger Darling. Will he blossom like we know he can, or was that dropped mark in the last minute of the Grand Final a sign his weaknesses won’t go away?


 

With LeCras’ retirement a lot more is going to fall on the shoulders of small forwards Willie Rioli and Liam Ryan, but with all the promise and potential ‘Flyin Ryan’ has shown there’s been just as many worrying signs away from the game. First there was the car crash, then an alleged domestic violence incident and recently the situation where he left the Eagles’ pre-season camp early because “he didn’t handle it too well” as Adam Simpson put it. While nothing off field stops him taking big grabs and kicking great goals, there’s been plenty of careers cut short for the wrong reasons.

A last chance to watch?

Chris Masten, Dom Sheed 

Many people are surprised Masten is still playing at the top level, let alone being a premiership player and the deciding factor in the age old ‘who won the Chris Judd trade’ question. The 29-year-old has been redesigned as a running half-back and put together a handy 2018, but he comes out of contract at the end of next season and wouldn’t want to get complacent. Then again, 200+ games and a premiership medallion – he can do whatever he pleases!

#chris masten

It was hard to fathom what was going on with Sheed in 2018. He seemed to be one of West Coast’s best throughout, but found himself dropped three times and was lucky to get back in for the Eagles’ run to glory. His round 21 recall saw him lift to an even higher level though which he carried through to the last Saturday - and the match-winning last goal - in September, but coming out of contract in 2019 Sheed will need to address more than just his on-field output or he could be on the market.

West Coast Eagles’ 2019 list

Number Name Games Date of birth Height, weight Position
41 Ah Chee, Brendon  35  21 Dec 1993  188cm 89kg Midfield
33 Ainsworth, Brayden  27 Nov 1998  184cm 80kg Midfield
43 Allen, Matthew  18 Oct 1997  193cm 96kg Forward
12 Allen, Oscar  19 Mar 1999  191cm 85kg Forward
37 Barrass, Tom  51  8 Oct 1995  194cm 95kg Defender
10 Brander, Jarrod  11 Feb 1999  195cm 90kg Forward
22 Brayshaw, Hamish  9 Feb 1998  187cm 88kg Midfield
40 Brooksby, Keegan (R)  14  27 Apr 1990  197cm 99kg Defender
39  Cameron, Jarrod   182cm 70kg Forward
28 Cole, Tom  27  28 May 1997  186cm 81kg Defender
15 Cripps, Jamie  144  23 Apr 1992  183cm 84kg Forward
27 Darling, Jack  172  13 Jun 1992  191cm 95kg Forward
14 Duggan, Liam  70  11 Dec 1996  184cm 83kg Defender
42 Edwards, Harry (R) 0      
29 Foley, Luke  0   188cm 74kg Forward
3 Gaff, Andrew  175  16 Jun 1992  182cm 85kg Midfield
1 Hickey, Tom  79  6 Mar 1991  201cm 99kg Ruck
25 Hurn, Shannon  248  4 Sep 1987  187cm 95kg Defender
34 Hutchings, Mark  95  25 May 1991  181cm 86kg Midfield
23 Jetta, Lewis  174  4 May 1989  182cm 80kg Defender
17 Kennedy, Josh 221  25 Aug 1987  196cm 102kg Forward
7 Masten, Chris  198  2 May 1989  180cm 80kg Midfield
20 McGovern, Jeremy  103  15 Apr 1992  195cm 100kg Defender
36 McInnes, Fraser (R)  14  19 Jul 1993  198cm 96kg Ruck
38 Mutimer, Kurt  11 Mar 1997  185cm 84kg Forward
9 Naitanui, Nic 161  4 May 1990  201cm 110kg Ruck
30 Nelson, Jackson  42  15 Mar 1996  187cm 84kg Defender
24 O'Neill, Xavier    185cm 80kg Forward
21 Petruccelle, Jack  12 Apr 1999  185cm 80kg Forward
8 Redden, Jack  188  9 Dec 1990  190cm 85kg Midfield
44 Rioli, Willie  24  4 Jun 1995  175cm 80kg Forward
35 Rotham, Josh  25 Feb 1998  193cm 85kg Defender
1 Ryan, Liam  13  2 Oct 1996  181cm 72kg Forward
31 Schofield, Will  176  24 Jan 1989  196cm 92kg Defender
4 Sheed, Dom 78  10 Apr 1995  185cm 87kg Midfield
5 Sheppard, Brad 154  23 May 1991  187cm 85kg Defender
13 Shuey, Luke  177  2 Jun 1990  183cm 90kg Midfield
40 Smith, Josh (R)  32  2 Jan 1994  180cm 80kg Defender
19 Vardy, Nathan  57  25 Jun 1991  200cm 100kg Ruck
18 Venables, Daniel  15  19 Nov 1998  187cm 83kg Forward
2 Waterman, Jake  16  6 May 1998  191cm 92kg Forward
26 Watson, Francis (R)  29 Sep 1995  187cm 79kg Defender
32 Williams, Bailey    199cm 95kg Ruck
6 Yeo, Elliot  132  1 Oct 1993  190cm 87kg Defender


 

West Coast Eagles’ 2019 Fixture 

Round Date Opponent Venue
1 Saturday 23 Mar 7:20pm  Brisbane Gabba
2 Saturday 30 Mar 5:10pm  GWS Giants Optus Stadium
3 Saturday 6 Apr 7:25pm Collingwood MCG
4 Saturday 13 Apr 6:10pm Fremantle Optus Stadium
5 Friday 19 Apr 6:10pm  Port Adelaide Optus Stadium
6 Sunday 28 Apr 4:40pm  Geelong GMHBA Stadium
7 Saturday 4 May 6:10pm  Gold Coast Optus Stadium
8 Saturday 11 May 7:25pm  St Kilda Marvel Stadium
9 Friday 17 May 6:10pm Melbourne Optus Stadium
10 Saturday 25 May 4:05pm  Adelaide Adelaide Oval
11 Sunday 2 Jun 3:20pm  Western Bulldogs Optus Stadium
12 Sunday 9 Jun 3:20pm  Sydney SCG
13 BYE    
14 Thursday 20 Jun 6:10pm Essendon Optus Stadium
15 Saturday 29 Jun 1:45pm Hawthorn MCG
16 Saturday 6 Jul 6:10pm Fremantle Optus Stadium
17 Friday 12 Jul 6:10pm Collingwood Optus Stadium
18 Sunday 21 Jul 2:50pm  Melbourne TIO Traegar Park
19 Saturday 27 Jul 2:35pm  North Melbourne Optus Stadium
20 Sunday 4 Aug 3:20pm Carlton Marvel Stadium
21 Sunday 11 Aug 2:40pm Adelaide Optus Stadium
22 Sunday 18 Aug 1:10pm Richmond MCG
23 TBC Hawthorn Optus Stadium

Games played on

Thursday: 1
Friday: 3
Saturday: 10
Sunday: 7

Teams played twice

Collingwood, Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hawthorn

2018 AFL grand final West Coast Collingwood

2019 Preview and premiership odds

Will West Coast’s post-premiership form be similar to Richmond’s dominant display following the 2017 flag or more like the Western Bulldogs the year before? 

They’re starting as equal second favourites at $7.00, so the bookmakers have faith they’re up for the fight, and with Naitanui and Gaff to rejoin the side through the year, why won’t they be?

However, ‘Nic Nat’ could be missing for a while and if Kennedy’s calf concerns return, and one or two stars get hurt, there could be a big drop off across the list.

Despite moving some veterans on in recent seasons, it wasn’t a young side that took to the MCG against Collingwood and aging legs can start to feel very heavy after a shorted pre-season, especially one filled with dancing.

Still, if there’s one thing we’ve learned in the past 12 months it’s don’t write off the Eagles.
 

Mick Stirling