Former West Coast midfielder Sharrod Wellingham criticized his former team for becoming too focused on making money rather than improving their on-field performance. The Eagles finished 16th in the 2026 season with only four wins, their worst result since 2022, and have made several high-profile changes in recent years including new chief executive Don Pyke and coach Andrew McQualter. Wellingham specifically pointed to the decision to trade away pick three in 2024 as a poor choice that cost them access to potential star player Jagga Smith. He warned that if West Coast doesn't change their approach, they risk becoming irrelevant like Essendon.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
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Story summary
Former West Coast Eagles player Sharrod Wellingham claims that his old club has become "conservative and vanilla" in its approach to football, prioritizing money over on-field success. This shift is evident in the team's performance, which has seen them finish 16th with only 4 wins in 2026, bringing their total victories since 2022 to just 15. Wellingham believes that the club's focus on generating revenue and its large off-field successes have led to complacency, causing the team to lose its competitive edge. He warns that West Coast is at risk of becoming like other historically successful clubs that have declined into irrelevance, such as Essendon, if they don't change their approach. Wellingham was a key player for Collingwood in their 2010 premiership season and joined the Eagles in 2013.
Written for “AFL Club Scandal” on 2026-09-07,
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Leaning score -0.65 for article 5435 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-06
Former West Coast midfielder Sharrod Wellingham says the Eagles have become "conservative and vanilla", with a focus on money rather than on-field success, following another poor AFL season.
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Eagles → say → season
West Coast finished 16th with four wins in 2026, which took their total victories to 15 since the beginning of the 2022 campaign.
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which → finish → campaign
"I feel like West Coast have become so complacent because they've got a lot of off-field success as a business and they've got a lot of things that they're doing right when it comes to making money," Wellingham said on 102.5 ABC Perth's SportsTalk program.
"
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Wellingham → feel → program
I feel like that's where their focus is.
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focus → feel → ?
Wellingham, who was part of Collingwood's 2010 premiership side under Mick Malthouse before joining the Eagles in 2013, warned West Coast was in danger of going down the same path as other historically successful clubs that have drifted into irrelevance.
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that → join → irrelevance
"There's the potential for West Coast to develop into an Essendon," he said.
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he → be → Essendon
West Coast has made several high profile changes in recent years, with the appointment of Don Pyke as chief executive, Andrew McQualter as coach, and Elizabeth Gaines as chair of the board.
But Wellingham said he didn't feel like much had changed at the club, which had struggled on the field in recent years.
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which → make → years
He pointed to the decision to trade away pick three in 2024 to secure the services of now co-captain Liam Baker from Richmond, a decision which ultimately cost the Eagles access to the AFL Rising Star Jagga Smith.
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which → point → Star
If the Eagles had decided to draft Smith, they would have a midfield boasting Harley Reid, Elijah Hewett, Willem Duursma and Smith.
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they → decide → Reid
"It was a terrible decision," Wellingham said.
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Wellingham → say → ?
"There is zero swag that comes out of West Coast ... they're conservative and vanilla.
"
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they → be → Coast
I don't know where the change is going to come from.
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change → know → where
Yes, you want to have good people and be of sound culture, but you've got to have some ruthlessness.
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you → want → ruthlessness
I feel like there's nothing that sounds like that and feels like that that's coming from the footy club at the moment."
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that → feel → moment
Eagles CEO Don Pyke hinted at the club's determination to return to the AFL summit during West Coast's end of season awards, when he said "September is for finals, not functions".
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September → hint → functions