- Adam Simpson rejected West Coast’s offer
- He was sacked by the club on Monday.
- But he has turned down the chance to coach one last game.
Adam Simpson has opted not to have a farewell game at West Coast, meaning interim coach Jarrad Schofield will step in for Sunday’s clash with Brisbane at Optus Stadium.
Simpson was told Monday night that the Eagles wanted a fresh start with a new coach, but was given the option of having a farewell game.
The 2018 championship coach politely declined that offer on Wednesday.
Instead, Simpson will be recognised on the Optus Stadium pitch before the first bounce of Sunday’s match, giving the crowd a chance to show their support for the man who led the club to premiership glory in 2018.
“I look forward to the opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful support I have received from our members and fans over the past 11 years,” Simpson said in a statement.
‘They have been fantastic since the day I arrived and have stayed with us.
“It’s easy to show up every week when everything is going well, but during the tough times of the last three years, they kept coming back and supporting us. They’re the best.”
Schofield has spent the past three years as Simpson’s assistant.
Adam Simpson has rejected a surprise offer from the West Coast Eagles
He was asked to coach the team one last time for Sunday’s match against Brisbane.
He also led WAFL club Subiaco to league titles in 2014, 2015 and 2018.
Former Eagles ruckman Dean Cox is the favourite to replace Simpson on a full-time basis, with Schofield, Ash Hansen and Jaymie Graham among the many others who could be in the mix.
West Coast is in the midst of the biggest rebuild in the club’s history.
They have gone heavy in the draft in recent seasons, signing players like Harley Reid, Reuben Ginbey, Brady Hough, Clay Hall, Elijah Hewett, Callum Jamieson, Noah Long and Jack Williams.
While the hardest part of the rebuild is already done, there will still be more pain ahead before the Eagles become a force in the Finals again.
“I feel like whoever the new coach is, the platform is there,” Simpson said.
‘It just evolves. You don’t stay down for long.
“Whoever takes this job, I think it will be the best club in the league.”
The arrival of No. 1 pick Reid and Elliot Yeo’s return to fitness helped breathe new life into West Coast earlier this year.
Shock wins over Richmond, Fremantle and Melbourne had fans hoping for a comeback from the Ashes sooner than expected.
But the harsh reality of West Coast’s plight has been laid bare during the club’s current six-match losing streak, which began with a 99-point defeat to Adelaide and more recently included soft losses to Hawthorn and Melbourne.
West Coast (3-13) is still in danger of capturing its second straight wooden spoon.
Simpson was put on the spot by Don Pyke in an awkward exchange on Monday.
But after watching Collingwood’s dramatic resurgence under Craig McRae following the departure of coach Nathan Buckley in 2021, Simpson says there is no reason why West Coast’s fortunes cannot turn around quickly.
“When Bucks left, I’m sure they weren’t talking about Collingwood like they are now,” Simpson said.
“It’s a very close competition. It’s never as good or as bad as it seems.
“I’m optimistic about our players and what they can do.”
On the injury front, West Coast midfielder Hewett has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a fresh foot injury.
Defender Jeremy McGovern will be out of Sunday’s game with a fractured rib and punctured lung, but Matt Flynn (ankle) and Dom Sheed (hamstring) are both likely to return.
