West Coast 2026 Season Preview: Climbing From The Base

West Coast hit bottom in 2025.

One win. A defence that leaked heavily. A forward line that struggled for structure. Veteran pillars retired or moved on, and the rebuild became undeniable rather than theoretical.

For a club that measures seasons in finals and premiership windows, this was unfamiliar territory. Now the focus shifts from absorbing pain to showing measurable growth.

The question is not whether they contend. It is whether they look like a team moving forward again.

It is about credibility.

West Coast do not need a miracle jump. They need competitiveness, continuity and visible development. Losing by narrow margins instead of blowouts matters. Producing repeatable system play matters.

If the Eagles can stabilise defensively and find consistent scoring targets, the rebuild narrative changes quickly from hopeless to hopeful.

The defence gets structure with Brandon Starcevich.

He is not a one man fix, but he gives West Coast a reliable small and medium defender who can take the hardest matchups. That allows younger defenders to play roles suited to development rather than survival.

Up forward, a full season from Jake Waterman changes the baseline. He gives the midfield a predictable target and the small forwards something to work off at ground level. That alone lifts scoring potential.

The risk remains depth.

If injuries hit the spine again, the Eagles simply do not have the layers to absorb it. Young defenders forced into key roles too early will be exposed. The small forward mix is still unsettled and could struggle without consistent supply.

There is also the pressure of expectation around Harley Reid. If frustration replaces discipline again, the midfield loses shape.

Harley Reid is the accelerator.

When fit and focused, he changes how West Coast move the ball from contest to territory. His burst speed and clearance work create momentum that lifts teammates. When he chases the contest rather than the conflict, the Eagles are better instantly.

The key for West Coast is not just his numbers. It is his influence. If he produces consistent clearance work and lowers his free kicks against, the midfield becomes functional instead of reactive.

For a rebuilding side, that is enormous.

West Coast remain a matchup underdog.

They will be competitive at home when effort and emotion carry them. Against polished, top four systems, depth gaps will still show. Early in the season they may be undervalued if markets focus solely on last year’s win total.

Line markets rather than head to head markets may offer better angles while improvement is incremental rather than dramatic.

West Coast’s range sits between 14th and 18th.

Fourteenth becomes realistic if Waterman stays healthy, Reid takes a leap and the defence tightens. Eighteenth remains possible if injuries reappear and development stalls.

The ladder jump may be modest. The growth needs to be obvious.