3 minute read
West Coast coach Adam Simpson says his side faces the prospect of heading straight into 14 days' home quarantine if they lose Saturday's AFL elimination final.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson says the Eagles will have an added "incentive" to win Saturday's AFL elimination final against Collingwood as a loss would see his side immediately begin another two weeks of quarantine.
The Eagles' players and staff are in the final days of their 14-day home quarantine period while the Magpies are quarantining for seven days.
If the Eagles win at Optus Stadium they will again isolate at home - barring attending training under strict protocols - before flying to either Adelaide or Queensland to face the loser of the qualifying final between Port Adelaide and Geelong.
But Simpson said Collingwood's shorter quarantine saw the Magpies considered a "dirty" club under Western Australia's restrictions - meaning the Eagles would once again have to enter quarantine, even if they lose and begin their off-season.
"We're in two weeks' quarantine now. I think Collingwood are in a seven-day quarantine so I think they're considered a 'dirty' club when we play them," Simpson told 3AW radio.
"So if we lose we'll go back into quarantine for another two weeks on top of that, which I've told our leaders.
"So that might be a bit of an incentive to have a win because if we have a win we'll go back into quarantine and then travel and then away we go again.
"So unfortunately it'll be a 28-day stint in quarantine if we don't roll the Pies."
West Coast will be bolstered by the return of captain Luke Shuey (hamstrings) and fellow midfielder Jack Redden, along with likely Jeremy McGovern and Jamie Cripps.
Lewis Jetta and Mark Hutchings are also available but gun on-baller Elliot Yeo (groin) is out for the rest of the season.
Ruckman Nic Naitanui, who missed West Coast's 2018 premiership through injury, said the hunt for a flag continued to drive him and others who missed out.
"Some of our better performers and some of the guys who are real hungry are those guys that have missed out," he said.
"Brad Sheppard's had a good year, Andrew Gaff's had a solid year and the three of us sat down and watched on in 2018 - so we want to get back there.
"But there's a big hurdle in the way first and that's Collingwood this weekend."
