2021 West Coast Eagles season

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football team based in Perth, Western Australia.

They won eight of their first thirteen matches, including an unexpected win against Port Adelaide, and a 97-point thrashing by Geelong, placing them seventh on the ladder before their midseason bye.

It was also the second year in which West Coast fielded a team in the Western Australian Football League, after having withdrawn in 2020.

In the off season, Luke Shuey was named captain of the West Coast Eagles for the second year in a row.

The assistant coaches were Luke Webster (forwards), Adrian Hickmott (midfield) and Jaymie Graham (backs).

[2][3] West Coast continued with fast food outlet Hungry Jack's and online mortgage broker Lendi as their major sponsors for 2021.

[4] Their new clothing manufacturer was British sportswear company Castore, who signed a three-year contract with West Coast.

[6][7] At the end of their 2020 season, West Coast delisted Hamish Brayshaw, Nic Reid, Francis Watson, Anthony Treacy and Mitch O'Neill.

[9] Daniel Venables was delisted after spending the previous season and a half unable to play due to concussion,[10] however he would later be selected by West Coast in the rookie draft.

Hickey only played 3 matches for West Coast in 2020, due to Nic Naitanui's good form and injury free season.

[19][20] The fixture for the 2021 season was revealed in December 2020, with each team scheduled to play 22 matches and have a mid-season bye, as was normal prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[27] West Coast are scheduled to play Adelaide, Collingwood, Fremantle, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs twice, and the other teams once each.

Port Adelaide were unable to make a comeback, but were able to stop West Coast gaining a large amount of percentage on the ladder.

A calf injury to Shannon Hurn enabled debutant Isiah Winder to come onto the ground as a medical substitute, who scored a goal with his first kick.

[44] West Coast's round 6 match was against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium, a ground the Eagles have not won at since 2006.

Among those injured were Tom Barrass, Shannon Hurn, Jeremy McGovern, Liam Ryan, Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo.

[51][52] The following round, West Coast got their first win outside their state, beating Hawthorn by 38 points at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Jack Darling's second quarter was a standout, kicking five goals, including a nutmeg between Brodie Smith's legs.

[57] Liam Ryan made an earlier than expected return from injury in round 10 against Greater Western Sydney.

[59][60] The following round, Elliot Yeo was a surprise inclusion, being picked to play against Essendon after having been out with osteitis pubis for the previous nine months.

[63][64][65] Kelly and Allen were omitted from the team for round 12, along with Josh Kennedy, Alex Witherden, Jarrod Brander and Brendon Ah Chee, who were all injured.

Liam Ryan stood out, garnering 17 touches and four goals,[67][68] and Luke Edwards was solid on debut.

Josh Kennedy kicked the final goal with just 36 seconds to go, giving West Coast a four point lead.

Two intercept marks by Shannon Hurn in the final two minutes of the game prevented Richmond from kicking the winning goal.

The Bulldogs thrashed the Eagles by 55 points, in what was West Coast's greatest ever loss and lowest score at Optus Stadium.

[72][73] West Coast suffered an even worse defeat against Sydney in round 16 at GMHBA Stadium, losing 26–118.

Crowds were not permitted at sporting events since the lockdown started, but West Coast did not have any matches in Perth during that time.

[79][80] On 2 May, the day of the first Western Derby, McGowan announced that crowds were not allowed at sporting events in the state due to a separate incident where a hotel quarantine security guard and two of his close contacts tested positive to COVID-19.

[84] Due to that lockdown, Richmond played their round 12 match against Essendon at Optus Stadium instead of the MCG.

This made him the fourth West Coast player to win the award twice in a row, following Glen Jakovich, Ben Cousins and Elliot Yeo.