Former West Coast midfielder Sharrod Wellingham says the Eagles have become “conservative and vanilla”, with a focus on money rather than on-field success, following another poor AFL season.
West Coast finished 16th with four wins in 2026, which took their total victories to 15 since the beginning of the 2022 campaign.
“I feel like West Coast have become so complacent because they’ve got a lot of off-field success as a business and they’ve got a lot of things that they’re doing right when it comes to making money,” Wellingham said on 102.5 ABC Perth’s SportsTalk program.
“I feel like that’s where their focus is.
“They’re not aggressive, they’re not ruthless and the invisible board is definitely a factor.“
Wellingham, who was part of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership side under Mick Malthouse before joining the Eagles in 2013, warned West Coast was in danger of going down the same path as other historically successful clubs that have drifted into irrelevance.Â
“There’s the potential for West Coast to develop into an Essendon,” he said.
Wellingham played 79 games for West Coast after winning a premiership with Collingwood. (Paul Kane, file photo: Getty Images)
West Coast has made several high profile changes in recent years, with the appointment of Don Pyke as chief executive, Andrew McQualter as coach, and Elizabeth Gaines as chair of the board.
But Wellingham said he didn’t feel like much had changed at the club, which had struggled on the field in recent years.
He pointed to the decision to trade away pick three in 2024 to secure the services of now co-captain Liam Baker from Richmond, a decision which ultimately cost the Eagles access to the AFL Rising Star Jagga Smith.
If the Eagles had decided to draft Smith, they would have a midfield boasting Harley Reid, Elijah Hewett, Willem Duursma and Smith.
Jagga Smith was drafted by Carlton. (Getty Images: Russell Freeman)
“It was a terrible decision,” Wellingham said.
“There is zero swag that comes out of West Coast … they’re conservative and vanilla.Â
“I don’t know where the change is going to come from. Yes, you want to have good people and be of sound culture, but you’ve got to have some ruthlessness.
“I feel like there’s nothing that sounds like that and feels like that that’s coming from the footy club at the moment.”
Eagles CEO Don Pyke hinted at the club’s determination to return to the AFL summit during West Coast’s end of season awards, when he said “September is for finals, not functions”.
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