Swans Crush Eagles as McQualter Calls for Cultural Reset
The final round clash between West Coast and Sydney at Optus Stadium brought an emotional end to the season, and it couldn’t have been more contrasting for the two clubs. Sydney celebrated a strong finish with a 67-point win, while West Coast closed the books on what has officially become their worst season on record.
For the Eagles, it was yet another tough night that mirrored their broader struggles across 2025. They actually started the match with energy, even leading by seven points at half-time, which gave their home crowd a flicker of hope. But the second half unraveled completely. Sydney piled on 13 goals to just one from West Coast, turning the game into a blowout and leaving the Eagles with a painful reminder of just how far they’ve fallen.
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Coach Andrew McQualter didn’t shy away from the reality of the situation. He described the result as “flattening” and admitted that everything at the club needs to be reviewed — from training methods to preparation and player education. He was clear: the next six months will be critical. The message he wanted to drive home was that West Coast must not only improve their skills but also learn the art of winning again. According to him, competitiveness needs to be built into the culture, even in small moments at training, whether it’s table tennis, handball games, or practice drills. Winning habits, he said, have to be ingrained everywhere.
It was also a season where injuries took their toll. Defender Reuben Ginbey went down with a leg injury in this final game, cutting short a year that had already tested the Eagles’ resilience. Still, there were small sparks of hope — 19-year-old Jobe Shanahan stood tall in attack with three goals, while debutant Lucca Grego showed composure beyond his years in defense. McQualter pointed to those signs as proof that the future can be brighter if development is done right.
On the other side of the ledger, Sydney finished the season on a positive note, even if it was far from perfect earlier in the match. Coach Dean Cox, facing his former club, was furious with how the Swans started, watching them concede the first three goals. His fiery quarter-time spray seemed to turn the tide, as his players shifted gears and never looked back. Errol Gulden was brilliant with 36 disposals and two goals, Isaac Heeney dominated clearances, and Tom Papley played his trademark energetic role with three majors.
For the Swans, the win capped off a 12-win season that still fell short of expectations, especially after playing in the 2024 Grand Final. Cox made it clear in his post-game comments: the group had shown glimpses of quality, but far more consistency will be demanded in 2026. High standards will be waiting when preseason begins.
So, while Sydney walked away with momentum and belief, West Coast was left staring at the reality of just one victory all year. The summer ahead will not just be about fitness and tactics for the Eagles — it will be about rediscovering resilience, rebuilding pride, and, as McQualter put it, learning how to win again.
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