West Coast coach Andrew McQualter has admitted he has been playing young midfielder Elijah Hewett in the wrong role, leading to the 21-year-old being dropped to the WAFL to rediscover his form. Hewett will miss Sunday's clash with Melbourne at Marvel Stadium after registering just eight disposals in last week's upset loss to Richmond. That performance followed a disappointing western derby against Fremantle, where he managed only three disposals.
Hewett's Struggles and Position Change
Hewett missed the start of the season due to a quad injury and has been playing predominantly in an unfamiliar half-forward role since returning to the team in round five. Despite still being considered an important part of West Coast's future, the No.14 pick from the 2022 draft now needs a stint in the WAFL as a genuine midfielder.
"We probably brought him into the team in a role that's not completely familiar for Elijah, and we just know how valuable he is for us and our future," McQualter said on Friday. "So he's just probably not quite been able to get to the form we wanted in that role, in the forward role. His strengths are in the midfield. So we're going to send him back to the WAFL ... we're going to send him back to the midfield and really build his capacity. We've got a lot of belief that he'll become the player we need him to become."
Contract Situation and Interest from Rivals
Hewett is out of contract at the end of this season. While West Coast have reportedly offered him a five-year contract extension, some Melbourne-based clubs are monitoring his situation closely.
Eagles' Form and Key Returns
West Coast (2-6) are on a five-game losing streak, but they have been boosted by the return of key defender Harry Edwards this week. Edwards hasn't played at AFL level since being concussed early in the round-two win over North Melbourne. It was his second concussion in a short period, and he is expected to wear a helmet when he lines up against the Demons.
The Eagles are also looking ahead to their round-11 match against Collingwood at the MCG in a fortnight, where Scott Pendlebury is set to play his 433rd game, a new AFL/VFL record. "Sorry Scott, we'll try and ruin your day," McQualter said tongue in cheek. "I've known Scott since he was a very young boy. We grew up near each other. He's had such an amazing career. It'll be a special occasion to be a part of that day, and we should celebrate it."
