Mark Duffield’s mid-season report card: Premiership West Coast Eagles don’t get a pass mark in horror season

The West Australian’s chief football writer Mark Duffield has graded each Eagle at the midway point of the season. And it’s not great reading for a number of big-name players. HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE COMMENTS BELOW B+ Jeremy McGovern: Came back fit and started really well but has had his season disrupted by injury. B Tim Kelly: He is going at 25 disposals a game with five inside-50s and almost six clearances but needs to make his touches count more and needs to be more effectively defensively. Shannon Hurn: Has played well for a 34 year old into his last season. Averaging 21 disposals a game. Has gotten a bit too “safe” with the ball. Needs to take more risks. Jack Redden: The numbers are solid and he is consistent but he is not quick, not damaging and he turns 32 in December. Not guaranteed to be there next year. Tom Barrass: Massive job in defence given the carnage in front of him. Is 26, has a long-term deal and is pivotal to the rebuild. C+ Liam Duggan: Strong return from a knee problem, built into season for a month and then has slipped significantly in the past month. Is he the next captain? Andrew Gaff: Best game of the year against Adelaide. Going at 24 disposals a match but needs to press forward and be more damaging. Luke Shuey: Has played seven of 12 games and was great against the Crows. Injury history says this is is his last year as captain. One more significant injury would say this should be his last year altogether. Alex Witherden: His disposal average of 24 is boosted by kick-ins has been serviceable. Good kick but needs to show better judgment on when to pull the trigger. Connor West: He is not a star but he has a real go and at times this year that has been enough for him to stand out. Has done enough to get further chances. Jack Darling: Has had a strong fortnight. Struggled after missing seven weeks of pre-season but now has 15 goals. Only Tim Kelly and Jack Redden have won more contested possessions. Luke Foley: If the aim is to find players, Foley at 22 looks like being one. Solid at half back and safe with ball in hand. Callum Jamieson: Rates as one of few pleasant surprises for the year. Has played six games and showed promise against Brisbane, GWS and Adelaide. Ahead of where the club thought he was. C Nic Naitanui: Only played three games, averaged 30 hit-outs and five clearances in those games but needs to be fitter and lighter if he is going to impact and be durable at 32. Josh Kennedy: Is the club’s leading goal kicker with 16 but looks to be feeling the pinch at 34. Kicked 14 goals in first six games. Liam Ryan: Has 11 goals but was in single figure disposals in last four games he played. Needs to get fitter. Patrick Naish: Form dipped dramatically after strong start and has found himself as medi-sub a few times. Can find the footy. Needs to take more care with it. Jamie Cripps: Tore a pectoral muscle in pre-season and didn’t play until round five . Has shown glimpses in the last month and has goals in last four games. Brady Hough: One young player who has shown a bit. He is competitive, has poise and will improve. Greg Clark: Has played five games and has had some good moments averaging 15 disposals. Would like to see him in at a few more stoppages. D+ Sam Petrevski-Seton: A bit better than the stats suggest although a couple of dropped marks against the Bullodgs were poor. Applying some good pressure. Needs to do more. Jamaine Jones: Had a good summer and has had some good moments in games but there is too big a gap between his best and worst. Needs to fix that quickly. Harry Edwards: Experiment with him in the ruck against Brisbane failed badly. Has good moments in most games but also bad periods that cost goals. He is 197cm and only 21 but needs to progress. Jake Waterman: He has plateaued since a very promising debut year in 2018 when he played 16 games. Has only five goals from 11 games. At 24 needs to show something quickly. Josh Rotham: At the start of the year I would have picked him as one of the club’s improvers and he has gone in the other direction. Contracted till 2024. Way better than his form reflects. Isiah Winder: Has played six games and the highlight was three goals against GWS. Still only 20 and has time but should make the most of opportunities in back half of season. Zac Langdon: Form and injury issues but if you look at what teams at the top of the ladder have and what those at the bottom don’t have he is important- forwards who apply pressure are vital today. Xavier O’Neill: He played well in the round four win against Collingwood – had the chance to bed himself down in the team than fell away and got hurt. Should be further along. Jackson Nelson: Willing competitor who has always looked just short of cementing himself as an AFL regular. He is 26, one game shy of 100 and facing a career defining three months. Hugh Dixon: Second chancer who has given himself some chance of surviving. Has played 10 games as a forward/ruck . Could do with a couple of strong efforts between now and round 23. D Bailey Williams: He is 22, a great athlete and he will do two things in every game that are exciting before disappearing from view. Coming out of contract. Needs to get going. Elliot Yeo: No question his body is compromised and has been for more than two seasons. But hasn’t given himself his best chance and getting suspended in the WAFL doesn’t help anyone. Willie Rioli: His first three games had the old magic and he kicked eight goals. Was then goalless in the next three. After being granted a second chance he should have returned in better nick. Jack Petruccelle: When he kicked five goals against Port Adelaide early in 2019 we thought he was arriving. Three years on and he’s not here yet. He’s 23 now. Luke Edwards: Came off a serious knee injury over summer and has played only three times so far. Out of contract at end of the season. Jack Williams: Got a taste of AFL action. Is going to take time to develop. Luke Strnadica: Played two games but hasn’t been seen since and Jamieson has jumped him in the ruck queue. Not sure he is there next year. YET TO PLAY AFL Dom Sheed: Was hurt in the opening practice match of the season and is almost ready to return to the AFL. Has been missed. Rhett Bazzo: Highly rated by the club, injury delayed his start to the season significantly and he is trying to find his feet in the WAFL now. Zane Trew: Has had injury concerns in both of his seasons to date but his first contract expires at the end of the season and he needs strong WAFL form. INJURED LIST Oscar Allen (foot) Campbell Chesser (foot) Tom Cole (ankle) Tom Joyce (ankle) Jai Culley (mid-season draft)