West Coast Coach’s Hope for a Historic Encounter
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter is eagerly anticipating the opportunity for his team to be involved in a historic moment as Collingwood legend Scott Pendlebury aims to break a significant games record. The match, which is set to take place in Round 11 between the Pies and the Eagles at the MCG, is expected to draw a large crowd. Pendlebury’s iconic number 10 jersey is anticipated to be turned gold for the occasion, a decision that has sparked some criticism but not from McQualter, who has known Pendlebury since their childhood.
“I hope (the record-breaking game) is against us if I am being honest, it’s an incredible achievement from Scott,” McQualter said during his Friday press conference. “I have known Scott since he was a very young boy, we grew up near each other. He has had such an amazing career and it would be a special occasion to be part of that day.”
McQualter shared some interesting anecdotes about his early days with Pendlebury. “I played a lot of basketball against his brother and Scott did play more basketball than footy. I didn’t really hear about his footy stuff until he was 17-18. He was always pretty good at everything Scott, it turns out he is still pretty good at footy as well.”
He emphasized the importance of celebrating such milestones. “We should celebrate it. It should be celebrated, I am a believer in that and I hope that our guys get the opportunity to play in that game because I reckon there would be a fair crowd that turn up. Sorry Scott, we will try and ruin your day.”
Focus on Player Development
This weekend, West Coast will travel east to face a fast-paced and revitalized Melbourne side at Marvel Stadium. However, the team has made some strategic decisions regarding player selection. Young talent Elijah Hewett has been dropped to the WAFL following a series of underwhelming performances. This move has led to speculation that several Victorian clubs may target the 21-year-old during the upcoming trade period, despite his Western Australian roots.
McQualter explained the rationale behind the decision to send Hewett to the WAFL. “We have been in constant dialogue with Elijah and I’ve got a really good relationship with him. We probably brought him into the team in a role that’s not completely familiar for Elijah. He just probably hasn’t been able to get into the form that we want in that forward role. His strength is through the midfield so we are going to send him back to the WAFL and part of development is that it’s not linear, there are ups and downs and sometimes players need to go and find some form and confidence in their best role. That’s all we can do with Elijah, we are going to send him back to the midfield and really build his capacity and game in there.”
McQualter expressed his confidence in Hewett’s potential. “We’ve got a lot of belief that he will become the player that we want him to become. We just know how valuable he is for us and our future. Same with Harry Schoenberg as well, we are going to send him back to the midfield at WAFL level to play in his best position and let these players show their strengths.”
Key Players Set to Return
In addition to these developments, utility player Jack Hutchinson and key defender Harry Edwards are both confirmed to return to the 23-player squad. Their presence is expected to bolster the team’s performance as they prepare for the challenges ahead. The focus remains on nurturing young talent while ensuring the team is competitive in every match.
