West Coast grumbles that it is unfair to travel to Adelaide for AFL’s Gather Round next season – after being belted by 70 points on their home ground in Perth on Friday
- Chairman Paul Fitzpatrick angered fans after left-field comment
- Declared Eagles shouldn’t travel to Adelaide for 2024 Gather Round
- Followed Friday’s 70 point hammering by the Gold Coast Suns
West Coast chairman Paul Fitzpatrick has raised eyebrows after declaring the club shouldn’t have to travel to Adelaide next year to play in the AFL’s Gather Round.
In a bizarre statement, Fitzpatrick felt ‘travelling east’ to the likes of Brisbane and Sydney at least 10 times a year during the home and away AFL season is more than sufficient.
The trip to Adelaide would make it 11 journeys interstate.
Fitzpatrick also included arch-rivals Fremantle in his reasoning – and it didn’t take long to get fans offside, especially after the Eagles were thumped by 70 points on Friday at Optus Stadium by the Gold Coast Suns.
‘I think they [West Coast] have more pressing matters to worry about,’ one fed up fan tweeted in response to Fitzpatrick’s rant on ABC Radio.
Another stated ‘stick to the WAFL [state competition] if you don’t like it. I don’t hear Brisbane, Gold Coast, GWS and Sydney complaining.’
Ominously, West Coast coach Adam Simpson said post game on Friday he as well as the playing group need to accept the avalanche of criticism coming their way from frustrated supporters.
The Eagles are now 1-8 to start the season, and genuine wooden spoon candidates.
‘I know there’s some disappointed members out there, and I get that,’ Simpson said.
‘They can demand as much as they like, they pay their memberships.
‘They want to see us being competitive. We know the criticism is there as well.
‘But we are trying. While we are going through this, it [rebuild] is going to be a challenge. There is no quick fix.’
West Coast’s injury toll now stands at 18 players, including key trio Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey and Jamie Cripps.