West Coast youngster Clay Hall on how young Eagles are building on and off the field towards success

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West Coast youngster Clay Hall on how young Eagles are building on and off the field towards success

As two new Eagles enter the club’s nest, Clay Hall has explained how West Coast’s young core are rebuilding the club’s culture.

They are the group set to shoulder the responsibility of turning around the Eagles’ on-field fortunes, but coffee catch-ups and surfing trips are an important part of the chemistry building between some of the club’s young guns.

“Now that we’ve played a few games together we’re starting to know what our strengths are as a group and we just go through that each week in our meetings,” Hall told The West ***********.

“The more we are playing and training with each other and even just hanging out with each other outside of footy, just going to get coffees, going to the beach you just gel so much more, and it helps on the footy field.

“Hutchy (Jack Hutchinson) and I went for a drive up to Two Rocks the other day for a surf … we’ve got such a tight group, we’re always doing stuff together whether that’s at the club or not.

“In five years’ time hopefully we still have all these blokes on a list, and we start gelling and playing some better footy.”

Jacob Newton — who was the second player taken by West Coast in last week’s mid-season draft — is also a keen surfer.

McQualter said he would encourage his players to get out in the surf.

Camera IconEagle Clay Hall in action. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper/The Sunday Times

“We encourage that. It’s good,” he said.

“Speaking to Crippa (Jamie Cripps) yesterday… he used to surf a lot when he was younger and it was the fittest he’s ever been.

“We might have to get a few more of our boys to start surfing.”

Hall was impressed with another new Eagle, Tom McCarthy, who finished with 26 disposals and five marks across half-back in his WAFL debut just days after being taken with the No.1 pick in the mid-season rookie draft.

“He’s going to be a star. He’s only played VFL for a year, so to see him stride through the ground, take a couple of bounces, it was a bit tricky for him today trying to do that because it was a bit wet,” Hall said.

“With a bit of confidence and when he understands the structures properly, I reckon he will be a great player.”

Hall did his chances of earning a seventh AFL game no harm with a great performance in West Coast’s WAFL loss to Swan Districts on Saturday.

The 20-year-old midfielder was arguably his team’s best with 30 disposals, two goals and six clearances.

Hall has plenty of motivation to break into the team next week, with the Eagles taking on North Melbourne at Hands Oval in Bunbury a ground he knows well having grown up in the region and playing for Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault.

“It’s always a great opportunity to be playing AFL no matter where it is but to it in my hometown would be awesome,” he said.

“And alongside Reuben (Ginbey) and Hoffy (Brady Hough), who I’ve played with and against a lot down there.

“I played in two grand finals at Hands Oval at a local level so id’ be stoked with the opportunity to go down there but if not I’ll keep cracking in the WAFL.”

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