Senior coach Andrew McQualter says West Coast is embracing the excitement and opportunity of Gather Round as the Eagles prepare to face Geelong at Norwood Oval on Sunday.
Speaking to the media in Adelaide, McQualter said the league-wide showcase had created a strong buzz, with the Eagles enjoying the change of scenery.
“It’s awesome, I think it’s a great round for the league and we’re excited to be a part of it.” McQualter said.
“I haven’t been to Norwood Oval before, so it’s great we’ve been able to get a training session here and we’re really looking forward to Sunday.”
McQualter praised the Gather Round concept and said South Australia had proven a strong host for the event.
“I think they’ve done a great job here. I’ve really enjoyed my time coming over and it seems like it’s worked pretty well,” McQualter said.
Turning attention to the Eagles’ on-field response after last weekend, McQualter said the group had reviewed its performance thoroughly and was determined to bounce back.
“It was an incredibly disappointing performance, but this is what AFL footy is about,” McQualter said.
“You get another opportunity and our guys are really keen to atone for that performance on last week with this game on Sunday.”
McQualter said the broader body of work showed encouraging signs, with the emerging Eagles winning two close matches and learning from defeats to top-four contenders Gold Coast and Sydney.
“We’re two and two, and we’ve played two teams that have played incredibly well against us, while also being able to beat two teams,” McQualter said.
“We’ve done some good stuff in our game this season. What dropped away the most last week was our work rate around contest, which had actually been a strength for us prior to that.
“We’ve got evidence that it works when we’re dialled in, so that’s going to be our focus this week.”
Norwood Oval’s narrow dimensions are expected to bring a stronger emphasis on contest, something McQualter believes suits his side’s mindset.
“It’s definitely a bit smaller than what we’re used to, and the expectation is it’ll be a highly contested game,” McQualter said.
“There are more stoppages here on average than on bigger grounds, so we’re going to have to be ready for that.
“We know the Cats are strong in that space as well and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
