West Coast’s odyssey: Is this the longest rebuild in club history?

August 25, 2026 — 3:00am

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West Coast’s arduous journey back up the ladder is becoming more treacherous than Odysseus’ harrowing 20-year trek home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

While the legendary Greek King’s perilous sojourn involved gods, monsters, storms, saucy sirens, and human enemies, he probably would’ve jumped overboard if he’d been confronted with the ongoing hardships plaguing the Eagles.

The four-time premiers won’t have to poke a giant Cyclops in the eye (yes, I’m currently reading Homer’s The Odyssey) as part of their long expedition to becoming an AFL powerhouse again, but the club’s much-anticipated rebuild has hit the skids.

You’d be foolish to suggest the club hasn’t improved this season, but there is no disguising the fact that West Coast has won only four games and, more alarmingly, lost its last 11 outings.

Andrew McQualter deserves some breathing space, given he inherited a bona fide basket case, but his record of five wins from 46 games is starting to look a little wobbly.

There have been moments in games when West Coast played some scintillating footy, but endless skill errors and poor decision-making have........

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