Ex-Eagle says ‘conservative and vanilla’ AFL club is focused on money

Sharrod Wellingham says West Coast’s financial success has become a problem. The former Eagles midfielder argues that the club has grown complacent while its football results continue to deteriorate.

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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. I feel like that’s where their focus is.

West Coast finished 16th in the 2026 AFL season with four wins, taking its total victories to only 15 since the beginning of the 2022 campaign. Speaking on ABC Perth’s SportsTalk, Wellingham said the club had plenty of off-field success and had become focused on making money.

“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. “I feel like that’s where their focus is.”

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They’re not aggressive, they’re not ruthless and the invisible board is definitely a factor.

He said the Eagles lacked aggression and ruthlessness, despite recent high-profile changes that included Don Pyke becoming chief executive, Andrew McQualter taking over as coach and Elizabeth Gaines becoming board chair. Wellingham said he did not feel that much had changed on the field.

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It was a terrible decision.

He pointed specifically to West Coast’s 2024 decision to trade pick No. 3 for Liam Baker from Richmond. The move ultimately denied the Eagles access to Jagga Smith, who was selected by Carlton. Wellingham called it “a terrible decision” and said the club had become “conservative and vanilla.” He warned that West Coast could follow historically successful clubs into irrelevance. Pyke offered a more forceful public message at the end-of-season awards, saying, “September is for finals, not functions.”

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September is for finals, not functions.