Back to forward drills for Eagles
West Coast coach Adam Simpson says the team will have to increase its already large goalkicking training after a third consecutive poor week in front of goal cost them today's match against Carlton at Etihad Stadium.
The Eagles had six more inside 50s than the Blues, an extra seven scoring shots but kicked 12.17 including three behinds in the last three minutes to lose 14.8 (92) to 12.17 (89) West Coast have booted 7.23 after half-time in the last three weeks and lost all three games.
The Eagles led by 24 points midway through the final term before allowing the Blues to storm home. Simpson said goalkicking was a key area of the game that needed improving.
"To get a lead like that and not to ice the game is really disappointing," Simpson said.
"I don't know what we kicked in the last quarter - it might have been 1.7 from 16 or 17 inside 50s. We just didn't take our opportunities.
"We're going to do more goal kicking but I'm not sure if we can. We've been doing it three days a week for the last six months.
"There's one thing to do kicking at goal at training, but under pressure is where it really counts. I get the sense it's going to be harped on a bit - the goalkicking - and I can see why. But there's other things in our game we need to get right as well."
Simpson lamented the team's effort earlier in the match which put the Eagles under pressure.
West Coast laid a horrendous five tackles during the second term and got out tackled for the match 71-46.
"In the first 10 minutes of the game and the first 10 minutes of the second quarter we were just off with our hunt," Simpson said.
"It is really hard to get momentum when you haven't got the ball so there were periods of the game where we were really off and there were periods when we were really on. We need to even that out."
