Priddis praises coach for teaching Eagles how to fly

WEST Coast are just two wins away from becoming the AFL’s newest powerhouse and coach Adam Simpson deserves all the credit, according to Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis.

Simpson inherited the Eagles list after a disappointing 2013 campaign in which the club fell to 13th spot in John Worsfold’s last year as coach.

West Coast showed promise in finishing ninth in Simpson’s first year in charge, but they were tipped to struggle badly this season once key defenders Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown succumbed to serious injuries.

Instead, West Coast are now in the box seat to win the premiership after dismantling Hawthorn in the qualifying final a fortnight ago.

The Eagles will start as hot favourites to beat North Melbourne in Saturday night’s preliminary final in Perth and Priddis paid tribute to the contribution of Simpson, who played 306 games for North Melbourne before spending four years as an assistant coach at Hawthorn.

“I think he deserves all of the credit,” Priddis said.

“His first 12 months were all about education. During the last six weeks of last season we really started to see some inroads and click.

“We had a rocky start this year, but the belief was there and now we’re just playing on instinct, and that’s come from the amount of work that he has put in with his coaching staff.

“He is just a fantastic educator. As you can see with the results we’re getting, you’re playing for your coach.”

Priddis was forced to miss the qualifying final win over

it

just started to Hawthorn because of a quad injury, but he declared himself 100 per cent fit to take on the Roos. The 30-year-old said he would have even been able to play last week if West Coast had a game.

Luke Shuey (foot), Chris Masten (hamstring) and Will Schofield (hamstring) are also on track to play.

North Melbourne are the first team to reach a preliminary final from eighth spot.