West Coast coach Andrew McQualter has challenged his players to be the ones to “raise the standard” as they look to take the next step in the club’s considerable rebuild.
Speaking at the John Worsfold Medal count at Crown Ballroom on Friday night, McQualter also refused to deem their four-win season a success or failure but instead said they knew what they needed to do to be “the team we want to become”.
McQualter finished his second season at the helm of the Eagles with a 16th-place finish, an improvement on his maiden year when they claimed the wooden spoon with just one victory.
Out of contract at the end of 2027 and riding an 11-game losing streak, McQualter faces pressure to take a significant step. The coach who possesses just five wins from 46 matches called on his players to take the lead to take them to the next level.
“The next part’s really clear. We sat in exit interviews with every player over the last two weeks, and we got an amazing commitment from these players to improve,” he said.
“You’ll get the same commitment from us as a coach and as a football department. We’ll provide you with the best environment, the best coaching, and the best tools we can for you guys to flourish.
“The challenge I’ll give to our players is: Who will it be to raise the standard? To raise the level of where we’re at? How many of you will challenge that standard to get better?
“Because the more of you who can answer yes to that, the easier it becomes for everyone, and that’s where the real joy lives in football.
“Because the future won’t be built by one of us. It won’t be built by one player, one coach, or in one season. It’s going to take many years of hard work to achieve what we want. Embrace the work ahead, lean into it, because I genuinely believe the future’s bright here at the moment.”
McQualter said he would not deem their season a success or failure, and they had “great clarity” on what they needed to do to move forward.
“I’ve spent a fair bit of time reflecting on football and the end of the season, and it seems like everyone wants to put a football season into two buckets — it’s either a success or a failure,” he said.
“I don’t believe in that because if it’s a success, it’s only a premiership, and if it’s a failure, it only means losing games. Failure is really about standing still and not improving. It’s if you don’t finish a season learning lessons and being better than you were last year.
“It’s why when I look back on 2026, I don’t put it in one of those buckets. I’ve watched a club and a team go to work and improve and learn and grow. After another two weeks of intensive reviews, we’ve got great clarity of what we need to do to move forward from here. But it’s going to take a collective effort and a commitment to do the hard work.
“We know we’re not there yet, but we also know that we have improved. We’re growing, and we’re becoming really clear on what it’s going to take for us to become the team we want to become.”