West Coast's catastrophic injury curse

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]In this episode, is West Coast cursed with Harry Edwards and Jamie Crips joining the casualty list? But the cavalry is coming in the form of Brandon Stvage. And if you are Andrew McQualta, would you rather have the reigns of the West Coast or Carlton list?

[00:00:20]Well, welcome to the West Sports Show.

[00:00:22]This episode is brought to you by Tabtouch. The more you know, the better it gets. Download the Tabtouch app today. Real punters play here. What are you really gambling with? I am joined as always on a Tuesday by Craig O'Donn. How are you, Cod?

[00:00:35]>> Oh, apparently there's fashion police watching us these days.

[00:00:38]>> Yes, I was going to bring that up. Now, you coped a nice old clip this morning on seen from Tim Goss from our old mate Goss. What's he said? Your white shirts.

[00:00:46]You're wearing one today.

[00:00:47]>> Yeah, it's not the shirt that he was referring to, but yes, I do have some issues around um sensitivities with with certain shirts. So, when I find one that doesn't make me itch, I wear it as often as humanly possible. Right. yesterday, so I'm not wearing it today. But apparently that's not good enough. Yeah, we might get in trouble today because I'm wearing white and you're wearing white.

[00:01:05]>> I've never ever noticed that you only wear white shirts, Cod, but no one probably has ever noticed that I only ever wear short sleeves, including on a minus 20 day in the middle of winter.

[00:01:15]>> Nice to see that Goss is watching.

[00:01:17]>> Nice to see. Um, speaking of rotations, if West Coast isn't careful, they'll run out of them soon because it's been a another really um cursed period really for them in terms of injuries. Are they cursed, do you reckon?

[00:01:31]>> I think we can say they are now officially cursed because when you look at their recent history, Brad Shepard's career ended due to concussion.

[00:01:39]Nicknui's career ended due to an Achilles injury. Dom Sheid had a lot of injuries towards the end of his career which ended him as well. Jeremy McGovern was done due to concussion. Daniel Venibal's done due to concussion. Luke Edwards done due to concussion. And now we fear that Harry Edwards will face the same fate.

[00:01:57]>> Really sad for Harry because this is his third concussion in a really short period of time. So I think this is probably getting to the area now where an AFL concussion board might intervene and and just check him out because look, I I'm I want Harry to have a long healthy life away from football. I mean, he is so he's so important to that back six structurally. He's 200 cm. They they just don't have that type of player. Um he's got a little bit of experience.

[00:02:23]Hasn't played a lot of footy in recent times, but has got he's now what, a third or fourth year player. Um so he he's got that behind him. Yeah, I have real concerns for Harry now.

[00:02:32]>> Yeah, I have concerns for him in multiple ways. If he if he goes back out in the footy field and plays again, he is at risk of getting another concussion and we worry what that means for his long-term health. If he retires though when due to this and the concussion board say you can't play again. When you look at what's happening with other players such as Angus Bradshaw, he's no guarantee to get a payout.

[00:02:52]>> So then he's sitting back going well I'm not playing footy because I've got to look after my body but I'm not getting the financial security of playing footy.

[00:02:59]So now players I worry are going to feel like they have to continue playing and putting themselves in danger of longer.

[00:03:05]>> That's why there's an AFL concussion board in place.

[00:03:07]>> Yeah. But if they're not going to get the financial security of payouts from these insurers and it makes it really really hard. But that wasn't even a big hit the other day compared to the other.

[00:03:16]>> It was friendly fire. It was friendly.

[00:03:17]It was really unfortunate. This is why you could probably argue that they are cursed because it was friendly fire. it was just in the wrong spot and lead to a concussion which unfortunately can happen the more often you get them sort of the less impact you need >> and that's the problem when you see those ones and and we all automatically I think watching it went oh I hope he's okay because we've now all been educated enough to know that it's not the size of the concussion it's the number of hits that gradually build to you having less tolerance for them and your brain getting injured so it's a real worry if we go back over how quickly West Coast List has fallen apart due to catastrophic moments though like so Brad Shepard was an all Australian in 2020.

[00:03:57]He was done the next year all over by the age of 30 from all Australian to unavailable forever due to concussion.

[00:04:04]Nicknui all Australian and best and fairest in 2021 played eight more games because of his his Achilles. Dom She runner up in the best and fairest in 2021. One game in 2022 he had 23 more matches after that done by the age of 29. just multiple injuries end ended their their grand final hero. Jeremy McGovern all Australian and best in Ferris in 2024 played six more games.

[00:04:27]>> Yeah. Had an innocuous incident that led to his last game as well.

[00:04:31]>> Then you go to Elliot Yo who's still playing all Australian in 2019 has played 64 out of 140 games since Eric McKenzie 2014 best and fairest. Nero Rico in 2015.

[00:04:44]>> You're going back there. Yeah.

[00:04:44]>> Only played 26 more games after that.

[00:04:46]Best and fairest retired at 29. And then you got Daniel Venibals, the youngest Premiership player in 2018, played six more matches. So, and then you look at even at the moment like Jamie Crips comes into this year, we expect it be his last season. Now, has a major knee injury and we go, will he get the chance to say farewell to West Coast fans on the field?

[00:05:03]>> So, medial, we're going to say, we don't know yet, but we're going to say say eight weeks, 8 to 10, >> you could easily say that. Yeah.

[00:05:10]>> And um so that's going to what take him up to very very late in the season. So, you could argue what what's really the point. been a great player, been a very underrated player. He's a Premiership player, but everything comes to an end and I I fear that it's coming pretty soon for >> and so but my fear for him is that he's not going to get the farewell he deserves. When you play as well as he has nearly 300 games and you're a premiership player and you work as hard as he has in all those games up and back, up and back, you deserve the farewell match.

[00:05:40]>> Do they get one? If they're bottom Well, they're going to be bottom four. would suggest there's really not a lot to play for. You're trying to develop your team, but does he deserve a game? This is one of those situations where you could argue no. If he does the work and gets himself to the level where he can play an outfield game, absolutely, he gets a farewell game.

[00:05:58]>> If his body allows him to set one foot onto the field later on in the season, he can play 30% game time. He can just walk onto the field at the 15minute mark of the last quarter and do as he pleases and get the standing ovation as far as I'm concerned. like if that's what it comes to. Hopefully he get gets back before then. But yeah, when you look at all of these other guys, so many of them haven't had the chance to say goodbye in the jumper. They've done it in a suit. I want him to hopefully not be part of this cursed group and be able to at least get back out there and go, "Yep."

[00:06:30]Because this is what's contributed as well to West Coast demise that you can't just go and replace Brad Shepard and Nick Netanyi and Dom Sheed and Jeremy McGovern and you go on and on and on when they just disappear overnight without any sort of planning that the team can look around and go, "Oh, we thought that was going to happen." It's just major injury gone and then you're saying, "Well, who's next in?" It's someone who's not even ready to play.

[00:06:52]This segment is brought to you by Aliance Australia, official insurance partner of the West Coast Eagles, sharing the stories of resilience behind every comeback. Aliance care never gives up and cod the cavalry is possibly arriving at the Eagles not before time because they are decimated by injury.

[00:07:12]But the news is good. The buy looms for Brandon Stvich off that calf injury. Had a bit of a knee concern earlier in the year. Oh, it couldn't come soon enough for the Eagles.

[00:07:21]>> That's absolutely right. They need some positive news on the injury front because it has been challenging for them and we haven't seen Brandon Starvich yet and he's the bigname recruit, the Premiership player who comes home from Brisbane. Uh, and we all had high hopes for him and it's just been horrible for him. So, the fact that he is now progressing closer, he'll just give them an enormous boost just by stepping foot on the park.

[00:07:43]>> Two-time Premiership player, not a key position player, but he will add something to that back line. Can you see him possibly playing a midfield role?

[00:07:50]>> Not right now because he has hasn't played any footy. So, he's going to need to build his body up again. But, he's just so hard and chunky with everything he does. If he hits you, you know about it. If he says to go and do something, he's a Premiership player. You'll do it.

[00:08:03]Like, he's just going to be automatically the sort of player who other players look to him and go, "What do you want me to do?" And I'll just, you know, you say jump, I'll say how high. That's the sort of presence that Brandon Stvage brings. And other teams are going to have to worry about him.

[00:08:16]when he does play, it'll be enormous for West Coast.

[00:08:19]>> Well, let's hope he gets in sooner rather than later. So, that's good news for the Eagles. GWS, West Coast opponent here on Sunday. Can we mount a case cuz they're not traveling all that well either?

[00:08:31]>> No. So, I broke for Essen and I don't didn't give Essen a hope in hell against Judy West last week and the Bombers played pretty well and and gave them a scare. So, if giving any team a scare, then you are a chance of beating that team. And so it's over here. Uh any travel is hard travel. Uh the Giants haven't been great. As you said, if West Coast crowd can get up and about if they can get some enthusiasm within the Eagles team in general and start to feel like they're a chance. We saw it earlier on in the year when they thought they were a chance, they lifted. They've got to start well though. They didn't start well against the D's and they fought back from there, but they need to be in this game at quarter time to give the crowd a reason to lift them and to make life uncomfortable for the Giants. Now, we raised this question earlier in the year. If you were Andrew McQualta, the secondyear Eagles coach, would you rather be coach of West Coast List or Carton's List? Now, I asked this again because breaking news today. Michael Voss has resigned. Um, we saw that one coming. They now start the process. Uh, Josh Fraser will be the caretaker coach.

[00:09:35]Uh, they'll start a process now which I believe will be pretty open. Um, I think it'll lead to a succession plan. That's just my theory. I think there'll be a experienced coach take over. I would put John Longmire ahead of the list if I was Carlton. Apparently, he wants to coach again. Um Ken Hinckley I would put in that process. Now that he's one of the front runners for the Tasmanian job, but if you're Carton, convince him otherwise. And Adam Simpson will be in that mix as well. He's now the mentor for coaching at Carlton. Um so bit going on at Carlton at the moment. I think it had to happen. one and eight, you know, that it's just hasn't developed the list or the game style. If you are Andrew McQualta, what list would you rather be um in control of at the moment? And I'm going to suggest I'm going to say the Eagles.

[00:10:23]>> Yeah. So, in in a perfect world where any coach could just pick their team in a who would you rather be scenario because we know McCord is not going to leave to go to go to Carlton. If you were choosing >> both teams right now and neither team had a coach, you're picking West Coast over Carton because carton are going down. West Coast can only get better from here. Still got a lot of pain to come.

[00:10:43]>> They do. They have got They're not without young talent. So, Harry Dean, I really rate father son. Uh Cody Walker is on the horizon. Another father son.

[00:10:52]I'm not sure whether Camper Ri kids are, you know, they're going to be regular AFL players, but they're fatherson's in the mix. I think Jagger Smith's obviously is a top draft pick. He's going to be a ripping player if he's not already. Um you've still got some talent there. They do not have Harley Reed, William Dersma, Job Shanahan, Cooper Duff Titler, Ruben Jinby. You look at at the young talent that West Coast have, Carlton don't have the glut of players that West Coast have, you go, I'm confident they're going to be long-term footballers. West Coast have had the pain. Carlton are getting the pain. the moment that Charlie Kerno was allowed to go to Sydney and they got play they got in a couple players who were good players from Sydney but then >> I I like I'm a bigger rap for Haywood than most people >> but he's not a needle move.

[00:11:38]>> No, not really. No.

[00:11:39]>> And then Doning leaves and Silvani leaves. You're losing players who are key position players and you're bringing in players around him who who are just middle of the road players like Cart going down from here. West Coast will go up. So, so this is West Coast opportunity to jump some spaces on the ladder in the next few years because Carlton are going to be in strife. I'll be curious to see who puts their hand up for this job because we saw a lot of coaches say no to West Coast straight away and say we're not interested in going there. Ash Hansen was one of them.

[00:12:05]Former Eagle who is now who now at Carlton Jamie Graham former Eagle who's now at Freemandle who I doubt he would want to take on that job as well. I think it has to be a senior who can do what you said. Yeah, but if you're guaranteed, so what I think it's it's just as important to have the new senior coach as it is to have a new assistant coach as well. Now, there's great assistant coaches there. Ash Hansen may be the player they choose to be in the succession plan, but if he's not, you retain him as in an assistant capacity and you put your assistant in there who's going to take over. So, I mean, we've seen it happen. We've seen it work. Um Josh Carr at Port Adelaide. Um Sam Mitchell a bit different but uh >> this is more the Paul Ruse into Simon model.

[00:12:48]>> Absolutely it is. Yeah.

[00:12:49]>> Because it's going to be hard work. So that so if it was a John Longmire he's sitting there going I'm taking the two years of pain.

[00:12:56]>> Yeah.

[00:12:57]>> So that when you come in you've had the the hard work done for you people survive it.

[00:13:02]>> No. And importantly wants to coach again. So if you're carton I don't care whether they're not interested. Make them interested. Sell your product. It is still a big club and uh I know they've been down on their luck for a long long time but you know I I think it's still worth it. They can still sell that I reckon.

[00:13:19]>> Buyer beware is what I would say. It's like Andrew McQualta.

[00:13:22]>> If you know what you're getting it's okay.

[00:13:24]>> If I'm Andrew McQualta right now I'd be feeling secure in my position.

[00:13:28]>> Yeah. As he should.

[00:13:29]>> If Andrew McQualta was at Carlton with the same record and the same group I wouldn't be feeling secure in my >> Yeah. Even in his second year. That's fair. That's fair. So they're different clubs. West Coast support their coaches.

[00:13:41]>> Carlton just chuck them out the door. So um we said last week, who would you rather be out of Mqualter and King? And I said, you you'd love to be in Kings vision right now. Who would you rather be out of Muqua? And whoever gets the Carlton job, I would rather be Andrew McQualta because I would feel more comfortable about being here being at West Coast in two years than I would be about being at Carton in two years regardless of who gets the position.

[00:14:02]>> Tell you what though, you can show King has proven you can turn. I had them bottom four Melbourne. I didn't think they'd be anywhere near where they are at the moment. So, um, you can you can it's not without ability the carton list. I know interesting Graeme Wright used the phrase today, it's a list in transition. Well, transition is the interesting word because that's what they're even capable of in a game.

[00:14:23]>> So, they're a stoppage team. Yeah. So, you need to you need to add that element to them. But anyway, we'll see what happens. It's going to be a fascinating period. Cod, this episode has been brought to you by Tabtouch. The more you know, the better it gets. Download the Tabt Touch app today. Real punters play here. What are you really gambling with?