Like many of my fellow Eagles guernseys, I was first pulled on by a seasoned professional AFL player.

Steve Malaxos had started his career at Hawthorn in 1985 after being selected as the All-Australian captain the previous year, and became a prime target of the fledgling Eagles when he earned the same honour in 1986.

Steve and I played in the club’s first game back in 1987 and our 21 games together in that first season earned us the inaugural West Coast Eagles Club Champion Award.

We were named player of the finals the following season and it wasn’t long before we rose to the rank of captain, holding the position for two years until Steve retired at the end of 1991.

My next teammate was Trent Nichols who was traded to West Coast from Richmond, having played 56 games with the Tigers over four seasons and being named runner-up best and fairest.

Unfortunately, Trent’s luck changed at the Eagles and he was unable to break into our powerful midfield, so we only managed four games before he moved on to North Melbourne and, eventually, back to Richmond.

After a couple of quiet years, I was pretty excited when I first met Daniel Metropolis. What a livewire!

You probably remember Daniel’s debut against St Kilda when the first four kicks of his career all registered goals. He kicked another two that day, but only managed another three games that year due to injury.


Daniel Metropolis

Sadly, injury was a common theme throughout Daniel’s career and we were restricted to 102 games together before he was traded to Fremantle, where he managed only six matches before he retired from AFL altogether.

My seven-year Daniel Metropolis stint was followed by a fleeting but brilliant period with Richard Taylor, who had been traded to the Eagles after nine years with the Hawks.

He retired after two seasons and 28 games with us, and I was handed on to a young Jeremy Humm who had already played nine matches for the club.

Opportunities were scarce for Jeremy and we played 13 games together before he was traded to Richmond.

After 19 years of injury, trades and careers cut tragically short, the other jumpers were quick to point the finger at me as the common theme. Was I an unlucky number?

It was therefore with great trepidation that I began my partnership with South Australia’s Beau Waters.

He had already played an impressive season wearing no.22 in 2005 and I feared for Beau’s life when first we took the field in 2006, but it seemed at first I was worried for nothing.

We went on to play 23 matches that year, including my very first grand final. You might have noticed that I missed out on the club’s first four grand final appearances, and subsequent premiership victories, but that one-point win over the Swans with Beauy in 2006 made it all worthwhile.

I did begin to think that the curse of the no.8 was being lifted after another successful season with Beau in 2007, but I spoke too soon for we were immediately cut down by first a groin problem and then a serious elbow injury, which ruled us out for most of 2008 and the entire 2009 season.

Beau reached his full potential in 2012 and was named All Australian for the first time, see what happens when his body gave him a run at it!?

Unfortunately, that was the last time got a 'full' season out of himself, he played just seven games in 2013 and then that was it. He tried and tried, fought through a number of injuries, mainly to his shoulders, but ultimately pulled the pin ahead of the 2015 season.

At the end of 2015, I was handed to former Brisbane star Jack Redden. While he'll be the first to admit his first season didn't go to plan, I know he's working his backside off to get back to his best and I know he'll be an asset for us in years to come!


Is Beau Waters' luck about to change?

Jumper no.8 timeline
1987 Steve Malaxos 21 games (won 10, lost 11)
1988 Steve Malaxos 11 games (won 8, lost 3)
1989 Steve Malaxos 12 games (won 4, lost 8)
1990 Steve Malaxos 22 games (won 15, drew 1, lost 6)
1991 Steve Malaxos 0 games
1992 Trent Nichols 4 games (won 1, drew 1, lost 2)
1993 Trent Nichols 0 games
1994 Daniel Metropolis 0 games
1995 Daniel Metropolis 17 games (won 10, lost 7)
1996 Daniel Metropolis 22 games (won 14, lost 8)
1997 Daniel Metropolis 3 games (won 2, lost 1)
1998 Daniel Metropolis 15 games (won 8, lost 7)
1999 Daniel Metropolis 24 games (won 13, lost 11)
2000 Daniel Metropolis 21 games (won 7, drew 1, lost 13)
2001 Richard Taylor 21 games (won 5, lost 16)
2002 Richard Taylor 7 games (won 4, lost 3)
2003 Jeremy Humm 8 games (won 4, drew 1, lost 3)
2004 Jeremy Humm 5 games (won 2, drew 3)
2005 Jeremy Humm 0 games
2006 Beau Waters 23 games (won 19, lost 4)
2007 Beau Waters 20 games (won 13, lost 7)
2008 Beau Waters 8 games (won 1, lost 7)
2009 Beau Waters 0 games
2010 Beau Waters 21 games (won 4, lost 17)
2011 Beau Waters 11 games (won 8, lost 3)
2012 Beau Waters 20 games (won 14, lost 6)
2013 Beau Waters 7 games (won 2, lost 5)
2014 Beau Waters 0 games
2015 Beau Waters 0 games
2016 Jack Redden 15 games (won 10, lost 5)

NB The history of jumper no.8 includes only players who have represented the club at senior level during qualifying rounds and finals.

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