West Coast Eagles Adam Simpson departs troubled club

Adam Simpson’s reign as coach at the West Coast Eagles has come to an end after 11 years.

The team announced on social media they had “mutually agreed” to part ways with the 2018 Premiership coach, effective immediately.

The news ends weeks of intense pressure and speculation over Simpson’s future and comes after West Coast abruptly cancelled a player press conference on Tuesday morning.

“The West Coast Eagles and senior coach Adam Simpson have mutually agreed that his 11-year tenure at the club will come to an end,” the statement said.

“Simpson, one of only six senior coaches in the 37-year history of the club and one of only three to lead the club to premiership glory, achieved the ultimate success in 2018 to join Michael Malthouse (1992, 1994) and John Worsfold (2006) in bringing the cup to WA.”

West Coast were set to hold an annual mid-year board meeting today with Simpson’s tenure firmly on the agenda after two disappointing losses to Hawthorn and Melbourne.

Simpson, who is contracted until the end of 2025, had reportedly lost the backing of a number of players who wanted a change.

Under Simpson, the Eagles have won only three games this season and eight since the start of the 2022 season, claiming the wooden spoon for the second time in their club history in 2024.

He was set to equal Mick Malthouse for the second most games coached at the Eagles on 243 this weekend and has a winning record of 50.62.

Following the Eagles thumping loss to the Melbourne Demons on Sunday (112-58), the under-fire coach said he was comfortable with his “football mortality”.

“I’m here to do a job as best I can and I’ll do that until I get tapped on the shoulder,” Simpson said.

“I sort of know how long the road’s going to be, I’m up for it but if the club’s not, then they’re not. That’s fine. I’m OK with my football mortality.”

ADAM SIMPSON’S COACHING CAREER AT WEST COAST FROM 2014 TO 2024:

Win-loss record: 122 wins, one draw, 119 losses

* North Melbourne great Adam Simpson appointed as West Coast coach in October 2013, replacing Eagles premiership captain and coach John Worsfold.

* The Eagles make the grand final in Simpson’s second season in charge in 2015, but are smashed by Hawthorn by 46 points.

* After four straight seasons in the finals, West Coast break through in 2018 to win their fourth flag, defeating Collingwood by four points in a thrilling grand final. Simpson becomes the club’s third premiership coach, joining Worsfold (2006) and Mick Malthouse (1992, 1994).

* West Coast continue to contend for more flags, but are eliminated early in the finals in 2019 (semi-final) and 2020 (elimination final).

* Simpson has West Coast 6-3 in 2021, but the wheels start to fall off the AFL’s richest club in spectacular fashion.

* After winning 114 of his first 178 games as Eagles coach, Simpson would enjoy just eight victories from his last 64 matches. West Coast finish 17th in 2022, then collect just the club’s second wooden spoon in their history in 2023.

— With AAP