West Coast coach Adam Simpson has defended the decision to field four tall forwards in Sunday’s game against Essendon at Marvel Stadium.
Co-captain Oscar Allen will return from a knee injury for the first time since round one, while veteran forward Jack Darling remains in the lineup. The forward setup will also feature in-form target Jake Waterman and second ruck Bailey Williams.
Simpson emphasized that the Eagles “will get the balance right” against the Bombers and dismissed concerns about the team’s speed.
“Looking at our side that we have selected … we look pretty quick,” he said on 6PR Thursday night.
“Brockman will come back in and there are others who will return to the side, including Hunt.
“The balance is something we are evaluating, especially with the two-ruck situation we have. It’s a work in progress, and hopefully, we’ll see it succeed.”
Simpson also suggested that adjustments might be made in light of Dom Sheed’s hamstring injury, which will sideline him. Liam Ryan, who played as a centre-bounce midfielder during Harley Reid’s absence against North Melbourne two weeks ago, could see more time in a new role.
“There might be an opportunity to play some guys in new roles and see what they can do in different positions,” he said.
Brockman will play his first game since being charged over a single-car crash near Geraldton on May 4. The forward acknowledged that he needs to “make some changes” following the incident.
“He is dealing with a fair bit, Brocky made a mistake and he has to work through that personally,” Simpson said.
“But as a player, he took the opportunity to focus on some metrics where we believe we can get more out of him in the latter part of the year and beyond, considering he is only 21.
“He is working on all of that, and I’m really pleased with his efforts in all areas.
“The boys are really happy he’s back in the side.”
Clay Hall’s wait for a senior debut will continue, with Simpson pointing out areas the first-year player needs to improve at the WAFL level.
“He is going well. He missed a few weeks about a month ago, then there was a bye, and he broke his hand,” Simpson said.
“I don’t think he’s too far from being ready, but we believe Clay should keep learning the game and working on both attack and defense. That way, when he does come in, he can hopefully stay in for a few weeks.”