West Coast midfielder Jack Graham says the Eagles have made some gains during the start of the season, despite the results indicating otherwise.
This week, details emerged of a meeting involving senior players and Football Department staff members, including coach Andrew McQualter.
The meeting, held before West Coast’s Good Friday clash against Essendon, was an opportunity for club leaders to have open discussions about their concerns and queries surrounding the club, on and off-field.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, McQualter labelled it ‘super productive,’ while Captain Liam Duggan described it as a ‘robust conversation.’
Graham, who was part of the meeting, says it was an opportunity for players to get things off their chests.
“We just got together and kind of spoke as senior players about what we want to get going forward over these next four or five weeks,” he said.
“What kind of brand of football do we want to play, and just kind of talk about how everyone’s feeling.
“A lot of changes are happening. Just sit down, and if anyone’s got any ideas or what they might be feeling, talk, get it off your chest. But it was just the senior players getting together.”
The Eagles have had a disastrous start to the season, going 0-7 to start the season, and they will be looking to break their losing streak on Saturday night against Melbourne.
Last weekend, the Eagles copped a 50-point defeat to Hawthorn, extending their unwanted historical record for the worst start to a season.
But they almost won their third quarter of the season, but fell short after conceding a last-minute goal to their opponents.
But Graham says they’ve made huge gains in contest work and forcing turnovers from the opposition.
“They’re the main two that we show every week, and Mini’s been big on,” he said.
“But then, even I suppose like the last couple of weeks, where we go up against the opposition like the Hawks. We know they’re a real, uncontested marks team.
“They normally averaged maybe 95 to 100 uncontested marks. I think we were able to keep them to 85, and they were really good, fourth or fifth in intercept marks as well. So I think we kept them to maybe 14.
“There are little things that every opposition’s got, and Mini will put them up on the board. That’s what we want to take away from them. The last couple of weeks, we’ve been in the right numbers in those areas.”
Although the situation at the West Coast looks grim, having lost all seven games in 2025, Graham says there is still positive energy around the club.
“Us older boys, we’ve been around for a while, so we understand it. So you just got to keep showing up, wanting to get better, bringing energy,” he said.
“We’ve got a great, great bunch of younger fellas as well, but still trying to figure out WAFL and AFL football. When you’re 19, 20, you’re full of beans jumping around.
“Those boys are really important for us to come into work with a smile. Times are tough, but end of the day, our job is what we love.
“So as long as we come to work, knowing we’ve got to get better, but have energy and smiling.”
IMAGE: West Coast Eagles