West Coast have been slammed by Eagles premiership great Will Schofield for “clapping and carrying on” at the sight of Fremantle’s loss to Gold Coast during their best and fairest on Saturday night.
The Eagles’ crosstown rivals were pipped by one point in their elimination final against the Suns — an epic game that was on during West Coast’s John Worsfold Medal night.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: West Coast celebrates Fremantle’s elimination final loss.
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The Dockers were bundled out of finals in the most devastating of fashion at Optus Stadium on Saturday night, as the Suns claimed a thrilling win in the dying seconds.
And only a few kicks down the road, there were plenty of pleased members of the Eagles’ faithful at Crown Perth’s Grand Ballroom who enjoyed the Dockers’ despair.
Video footage inside the best and fairest quickly began to circulate, showing people celebrating and cheering the moment the Dockers went down.
“Nah, you’re done, you’re done. It’s a long train back to Fremantle,” one person could be heard saying as the room erupted.
Many Eagles fans lauded the reaction as part of their “brilliant” local rivalry with Fremantle, but that’s now how Schofield saw it.
“The footage I saw, they’re clapping and carrying on at the best and fairest. Goodness gracious,” an incredulous Schofield told 6PR Perth.
“You know why it’s on the first Saturday of finals? Because you didn’t make it, you won one game. Disappointing, to say the least.
“It’s blurred vision, mate. It’s blurred vision. It’s not just players at the best and fairest, (but) I’m pretty sure it’s players, yes.”
Schofield said the Eagles, who have won a combined 11 games in the past four dismal seasons, should be worrying about their own backyard before sticking the boots into the Dockers.
“I’m grumpy at West Coast because for three or four years, I’ve had to be in the media and talk about them and defend them and be positive about them and polish an absolute turd,” he said.
“That’s what it is; it’s got worse and worse. There’s no positivity there.
“And the footage I saw, sent me of a cliff with it a bit.
“It’s annoyed me. Because we watch a really good side in Freo; they’ve got their recruiting right, they’ve got their players right and, yeah they lose, but they’re going about it the right way.
“West Coast Eagles have got a lot of work to do.”
The Eagles were coming off a historic-low one-win season, having only beaten St Kilda in Round 10 which was sandwiched between two big losing streaks.
It was Fremantle’s first finals campaign since 2022, while the Eagles have not tasted September action since 2020.
The Eagles have claimed the dubious honour of wooden spooners twice in the past three seasons.
- With The West Australian
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