3 minute read

West Coast have been heavily criticised following their AFL capitulation to Sydney, and they will be aiming to bounce back in Monday's clash with the Kangaroos.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has encouraged his players not to get caught up in the fierce social media backlash following the AFL club's disastrous fortnight on the field.

The Eagles' top-four hopes appear dead and buried after they followed a 55-point loss to the Bulldogs in Perth with a 92-point defeat at the hands of Sydney at GMHBA Stadium last week.

It left West Coast nursing an 8-7 record, and means they are now three wins and significant percentage adrift of fourth spot with just seven games remaining.

West Coast players and Simpson himself have copped plenty of criticism on social media and talkback radio in the past week.

Eagles players held a heart-to-heart session in which each of them accepted responsibility for the recent on-field failings.

West Coast will be aiming to bounce back in Monday night's clash with last-placed North Melbourne in Perth, and Simpson hopes his players haven't been paying too much notice to the outside criticism.

"Trying to control that is really difficult," Simpson said.

"Players and people live off their phones and social media, so trying to separate yourself from that is difficult, especially with young men.

"We've always had high expectations, and our fans and members have high expectations. That's where you want to be, it's where you want to live.

"You've got to take the good with the bad, but at the same time I encourage them not to read everything, because that can get dangerous too."

West Coast will be boosted by the return of star midfielder Andrew Gaff (thumb) and All-Australian goalsneak Liam Ryan (suspension) among six changes.

Brendon Ah Chee, Jack Petruccelle, Josh Rotham, and Jackson Nelson also return.

Defender Alex Witherden (groin), forward Jamaine Jones (ankle), and midfielder Jack Redden (fractured leg) are all set for stints on the sidelines, while Nathan Vardy, Luke Edwards, and Luke Foley were axed.

The Kangaroos, who go in unchanged, sit on bottom of the ladder with just two wins and a draw to their name.

But the wooden spoon favourites have held their own over the past month, beating Gold Coast and drawing against GWS, as well as producing competitive efforts against premiership fancies Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs.

Kangaroos ruckman Todd Goldstein is almost certain to set a new AFL/VFL record for hitouts when he fronts up against the Eagles.

Goldstein has tallied 8496 hitouts during his 266-match career, leaving him just six taps shy of former Fremantle ruckman and current record holder Aaron Sandilands (8502).

The Kangaroos big man will go up against West Coast star Nic Naitanui in a mouth-watering ruck battle.