Shannon Hurn leads the Eagles off after their Essendon disaster. Photo: Getty
Camera IconShannon Hurn leads the Eagles off after their Essendon disaster. Photo: Getty Credit: Supplied/Getty Images

Hurn says Eagles not happy with “mummy’s boys” tag

Justin ChadwickWestern Suburbs Weekly

West Coast captain Shannon Hurn says his team don’t like being called mummy’s boys, but admits they’ve only got themselves to blame for the public ridicule following Sunday’s 61-point loss to Essendon.

Brisbane great Jonathan Brown labelled West Coast players as mummy’s boys following the club’s round-five capitulation to Hawthorn at the MCG.

And respected football analyst Mike Sheahan followed suit on Monday when he assessed West Coast’s inept display against Essendon.

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Flat track bullies is another unwanted tag West Coast have been forced to carry in recent years, with coach Adam Simpson still seeking answers as to why his team generally perform so well at home, and then put on some horror displays on the road.

Hurn concedes his team need to improve mentally, and admits some players may have become too comfortable following the club’s recent three-match winning run.

And as for the mummy’s boys tag?

“We certainly don’t like it,” Hurn said.

“But if we’re going to put in performances like that, you open yourself up to that type of comment.

“The fact is our best to our worst is such a big difference. If it wasn’t the case, that wouldn’t be getting spoken about.”

West Coast’s inability to halt opposition momentum has been a recurring theme in most of their interstate flops.

It was again the case on Sunday, when the Bombers kicked eight unanswered goals to open up a 64-17 advantage by midway through the second term.

Hurn hinted there may be too many players within the squad who lack the mental toughness to get their hands dirty when things aren’t going well.

“You can’t just sit back and wait and expect someone else to do it,” Hurn said.

“In life in general and in footy, there can be things that happen when things are going tough, you go, “Oh well, it’s not my day, I’m not going to do anything’.

“And when it’s going well, everyone’s up and about and going pretty well.

“We don’t want that. Whether it’s happening or not – I don’t know.

“But it probably tends to be a bit of a trend with the mummy’s boy type stuff.”

Hurn says the situation has reached a point where talk is cheap, and he wants his team to prove they aren’t pushovers on the road.

The 29-year-old wants his team to adopt the mantra of Fremantle coach Ross Lyon – to become a club that plays well “anywhere, anytime”.

The third-year skipper acknowledged some people may start criticising his cool-and-calm captaincy style given West Coast’s inability to fix their inconsistencies on the road.

But he said behind closed doors, both he and coach Adam Simpson willingly hit the players with some brutal home truths when the occasion calls for it.

West Coast will have the chance to atone in Sunday’s clash with premiership fancies GWS at Domain Stadium.

Eagles defender Sharrod Wellingham is in doubt for the match after injuring his ankle against the Bombers.

– AAP