West Coast Eagles Announce Player Departures Ahead of New Season

On Friday, the West Coast Eagles football team announced significant changes to its playing roster, informing three players that they would not be offered new contracts for the upcoming 2025 season. The players affected are defender Alex Witherden, midfielder Jai Culley, and uncapped youngster Coby Burgiel.

Alex Witherden, who joined the Eagles from the Brisbane Lions at the end of 2020, has made 62 appearances for West Coast. Despite being a regular part of their defense, Witherden was left out of their final round clash against Geelong. The 26-year-old had played a total of 18 games this season.

Jai Culley, the first pick in the 2022 mid-season rookie draft, made headlines with his breakout four-goal performance but was soon hampered by an ACL injury. He managed to regain his place in the 2024 season, appearing in three games, yet struggled to secure his position long-term.

Coby Burgiel, selected with pick 29 in the 2022 AFL draft, has also faced challenges with repeated hamstring injuries, limiting his appearances to WAFL games. Despite his issues, the club has kept the door open for Burgiel, considering him for a train-on position for the upcoming pre-season.

Gavin Bell, General Manager of Football at West Coast, expressed gratitude for the players’ efforts. “On behalf of the club, I would like to acknowledge the contributions Alex, Jai, and Coby have made to West Coast and thank them for their service,” stated Bell. He also emphasized the difficulty of such decisions and praised the qualities of the players as valued team members.

This announcement follows the recent departure of other players, including Jamaine Jones, Zane Trew, and Jordyn Baker, as the club restructures its lineup ahead of the October 31 list lodgement deadline. While the departures continue, questions remain over the futures of defender Josh Rotham and Luke Edwards, who are yet to secure contracts for the next season.