Mick Malthouse: West Coast Eagles cannot afford slow start against fellow rebuilders North Melbourne

There is more to the West Coast-North Melbourne game than two recent cellar dwellers going at each other. The idea of building a team is to stay in front of the dreaded total rebuild. Unfortunately, whether it be through loyalty or hope, the Eagles have failed badly in recent years to move players on and top up their list, leaving the club desolate. By failing to acknowledge that players were totally cooked, or had lost speed, or were carrying injuries, players have stayed on the list well past their best-value date. They won a premiership in 2018. But by 2021, West Coast finished outside of the top eight, then 17th, 18th, 16th and 18th. North haven’t fared much better. Since 2020 they haven’t risen above 16th on the ladder, finishing bottom twice and 16th last season. But right now, the Roos have climbed out of the ravine and look like building on their five wins of last year with the prospects of a young side maturing, along with an experienced premiership coach in Alastair Clarkson. The Eagles, in reality, have been bled dry, and the ravine is very deep. It pains me to say that. When I took over Collingwood in 2000 the club had finished the previous season bottom of the ladder. I moved on 25 players in two years and we played off in two grand finals in 2002 and 2003. But after that I went to the board and said I have to cut deeper, or we won’t win a premiership. We fell to 13th and 15th in the following seasons, before playing finals for the next six years, winning the cup in 2010, and playing a grand final in 2011. It doesn’t always work out this way of course. As brutal as it sounds, you keep players that add value to the team and acknowledge the service and contribution of the rest as they retire or are traded out, for the club to get better. That is the harsh, but very real aim. Sentiment is for romance novels. I admire Andrew McQualter for his optimism and his want to see the Eagles rise from the ashes. But their starting point is as low as I’ve ever seen any team. It will take a massive amount of energy and guile to get the players currently on the list ready to move forward when the opportunity exists, while also being astute with transfers, trades and drafting, particularly when the Tasmania Devils enter the equation. This won’t be a quick turnaround, but the result of Sunday’s game will indicate one way or another what the difference is between North on the rise and how far West Coast has to go. With new captain Nick Larkey and young players such as Cooper Trembath — who kicked three goals last week — Paul Curtis, who is an All-Australian in waiting, Zane Duursma, Harry Sheezel, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Tom Powell, Tristan Xerri — quickly developing into one of the best ruckmen in the competition — and Charlie Comben as a key back, the Kangaroos have the nucleus of a very good team going forward. So, the test for the Eagles is to be able to counter those players. Jake Waterman continues to develop into one of the best key forwards of the league, mid-season draftee Ryan Maric has moved from the forward line and is becoming an excellent key back, last year’s No.1 pick Willem Duursma, along with Harley Reid and young Josh Lindsay are the players that will be judged on their performances this week to see which direction West Coast are heading. North Melbourne are full of confidence, and after what the Eagles showed in the second half against Gold Coast last week, this will make for a great contest.