Eagles load up on stars ahead of Western Derby this weekend
By Justin Chadwick
West Coast have loaded up with star power for Saturday night’s AFL western derby, welcoming back Jake Waterman, Jeremy McGovern, Elliot Yeo and Jack Darling against a Dockers outfit missing Michael Walters.
Waterman (knee), McGovern (ribs/lung) and Yeo (soreness) have all been rushed back into an Eagles side looking to derail Fremantle’s top-four hopes, while Darling earns a recall after being overlooked for the past two games.
Harley Reid.Credit: AFL Photos
Fremantle already knew they would be without skipper Alex Pearce (broken arm) for at least the next three to four weeks, and they were dealt a fresh injury blow when Walters was ruled out with a hamstring strain.
Josh Draper replaces Pearce, while Tom Emmett has been named in the 23-man squad.
The teams announcement comes after Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley distanced himself from speculation linking him to the vacant West Coast senior job.
A media report this week suggested the Eagles have made Hinkley one of their main targets to fill the hole left by Adam Simpson’s departure this month.
But Hinkley, who is contracted at Alberton until the end of 2025, insists he is solely focused on the task at hand.
“We’ve got a big job. We’ve got five games left in our season and hopefully more to play,” Hinkley said on Thursday.
“It’s really clear about one thing: I am coaching Port Adelaide and I love coaching Port Adelaide and I have a contract to continue to coach Port Adelaide.”
Fremantle will fight to keep their spot on the ladder.Credit: Getty
Now in his 12th season at Port, Hinkley has often been the subject of speculation about moves to roles at other clubs.
The 57-year-old, who has coached more games (266) than anyone else in AFL/VFL history without reaching a grand final, has also been under an intense spotlight around his position at the Power.
But he isn’t frustrated by the constant noise.
“Not at all because I’m so used to it. Everyone is so used to it in the competition,” Hinkley said.
“There has to be a story and there has to be someone that they talk about.
“I get it. There’s a lot of other people that’s been mentioned.
“Unfortunately I get mentioned lots of times on different things.”
West Coast have already had club legend and highly rated Sydney assistant Dean Cox rule himself out of the running to replace Simpson.
Hinkley’s assistant Josh Carr also distanced himself from the job, while interim Eagles coach Jarrad Schofield is among the candidates to take on the full-time role.
AAP
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