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The Eagles need to determine how to better help budding superstar Harley Reid, Reuben Ginbey says. (Matt Turner\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n The Eagles need to determine how to better help budding superstar Harley Reid, Reuben Ginbey says. (Matt Turner\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
West Coast defender Reuben Ginbey has labelled his side’s third-quarter capitulation to Richmond as simply unacceptable, saying the Eagles need to figure out how to better help Harley Reid.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old star tallied a monster 20 disposals and six clearances in an even first half, giving the Eagles a chance to snare just their second win of the season.<\/p>\n
But with Reid tagged out of the game in the third quarter, Richmond blew the contest apart with an eight-goals-to-one blitz, setting up the 49-point victory.<\/p>\n
Saturday’s result left last-placed West Coast nursing a 1-17 record ahead of this weekend’s western derby against in-form Fremantle.<\/p>\n
The way in which West Coast imploded in the third quarter to a fellow struggling team raised alarm bells among Eagles fans, and Ginbey said the Eagles were well aware their efforts weren’t good enough.<\/p>\n
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\n Reuben Ginbey says the Eagles’ third term fade-out against Richmond was unacceptable. (Richard Wainwright\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
“That slump in the third quarter, we just can’t accept that as a team. It just kills you,” Ginbey said.<\/p>\n
“Momentum swings – we can keep them at two to three goals, but we can’t let it blow out to five, six, seven goals.<\/p>\n
“It’s hard to put your finger on exactly why momentum swings can happen.<\/p>\n
“But I think you’ve just got to go back to your contest and your intensity around the ball, and get the individual contest done.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I think as individuals and as a whole, we didn’t get that done.”<\/p>\n
New AFL football performance boss Greg Swann reveals changes that could cut the length of quarters. (Shayne Hope\/AAP VIDEO)<\/p>\n
The season-long injury absence of veteran Elliot Yeo means Reid, despite his tender years, has been thrust into the lead midfield role.<\/p>\n
Reid thrived in the first half against Richmond, but there was no help for him when the hard tag arrived in the third quarter.<\/p>\n
The No.1 draft pick tallied just four disposals in that quarter, before being shifted into attack for the last term and kicking two goals.<\/p>\n
“Harley is a phenomenal player, and he was phenomenal in that first half.” said Ginbey, adding it was “quite new to us” to see Reid tagged and needing help.<\/p>\n
“We’ve got to learn how to help Harles out to keep him in the game, because he’s super important for us.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“But we can’t just rely on a few. We’ve got to rely on the whole team to step up in times like that.”<\/p>\n
West Coast will start as rank underdogs against a Fremantle unit fresh off a famous one-point win over Collingwood at the MCG.<\/p>\n
The seventh-placed Dockers (12-6) are just percentage adrift of fourth spot, and can’t afford a derby slip-up like they suffered against a Reid-inspired West Coast in round six last year.<\/p>\n