Worsfold downplays West Coast's rise - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Worsfold downplays West Coast's rise

Justin Chadwick 16/05/2011 04:30:13 PM Comments (0)

West Coast coach John Worsfold has urged his charges to keep their strong start to the season in perspective, claiming there's still plenty more work to do before his team can be considered an AFL powerhouse.

The Eagles notched their fourth win of the season and rose to seventh on the table with an impressive 33-point triumph over Fremantle on Sunday.

Not only did the 14.12 (96) to 9.9 (63) victory break West Coast's seven-game losing streak against the Dockers, it also announced Worsfold's team as genuine finals contenders.

But with crunch games against the Bulldogs (home) and Collingwood (away) to come for the Eagles over the next fortnight, Worsfold said it was far too early to get carried away.

"We've still got a long way to go to get the maturity and experience and talent and class and composure we want to get to," Worsfold said.

"The group at the moment are showing they've got it within them if they are prepared to keep knuckling down and doing the work.

"We want to get better.

"The big picture for us is developing this side to be the absolute best it can be and it's going to take a while longer.

"I know for our fans derby wins do count for a lot.

"But for us we want to win enough games to become a real top-line side over the next year or so and two derby wins a year is not enough.

"We've got to have a bigger picture on where we want to get to. We're on a winning streak in terms of derbies - one straight. But we're looking forward to the Bulldogs."

Midfielders Andrew Embley (hamstring) and Daniel Kerr (adductor) remain in doubt for Sunday's clash with the Bulldogs after pulling out of the win against the Dockers.

Worsfold seemed confident Embley would be fit but Kerr may need scans to determine whether he has suffered a tear or strain.

West Coast managed just four wins last season but Eagles forward Josh Kennedy said there was a belief within the player group that finals football was achievable this year.

"With the start we've had, we've probably missed out in a couple of those losses which we should have probably had (wins in)," Kennedy said.

"We should be sitting higher than we are.

"But we'll just keep doing what we're doing and hopefully at the end of the year we'll be playing finals."

Kennedy praised West Coast's forward pressure and said the work ethic of ruckman Nic Naitanui, who tallied 12 possessions, 10 tackles and 20 hit-outs against the Dockers, was particularly inspirational.

"He obviously had a few dramas with his shoulder early on in round one or two but the way he's been chasing or tackling, he just lifts the team," Kennedy said.

"Being up forward when he's chasing blokes down back and holding the ball, it's quite amazing.

"It inspires everyone. He's an asset to us and he's starting to get back into some really good form."

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