"It’s just going to have to take time" - West Coast boss Adam Simpson backs premiership forward to hit his stride after lengthy injury spell
West Coast boss Adam Simpson defended Liam Ryan in his press conference ahead of his team’s match against Collingwood on Sunday.
Ryan missed almost all of the 2023 season after he injured his left hamstring in round three against Fremantle. In January of this year, while he was still recovering, he tore his right hamstring and had surgery again.
Ryan returned to the WAFL last season and was moved to defense. He has kicked just one goal since his return, which he scored in a 37-point loss to Gold Coast. It didn’t get better the following week as he didn't score and had only seven disposals in another loss to Essendon.
Some of West Coast's key men are out injured and this means coach Simpson must call on the likes of Ryan to step up.
"He's building. He's probably going how I expected him to," Simpson said.
"I still think that first game he played, he was genuinely nervous during the week about his body a little bit still.
"We haven't really seen him fly for a mark yet (in a game), have we?"
Simpson believes Ryan will return to the form he was known for when he regains confidence in his body's ability.
"The WAFL games we played him half-back, and he was hitting 32, 33 kilometres an hour," Simpson said.
"We probably haven't seen that speed and agility and flying for those marks just yet (in his AFL games this season), but I'm pretty patient.
"He's been out for a year; two significant injuries, so it's just going to have to take time.”
Due to West Coast injuries, young Eagle debuted on Sunday
West Coast's injury woes means they missed leading goalkicker Jake Waterman, midfielder Elliot Yeo and forward Noah Long.
Waterman scored three goals but suffered a head knock in the match against Essendon. Elliot Yeo suffered a groin injury in the final quarter of the same game.
Noah Long, who strained his PCL after he was tackled against Essendon, was replaced by Tyrell Dewar, who has been waiting for the nod.
Dewar, a former Subiaco Lion, was drafted in the 2023 rookie draft. He traveled with the Eagles to face Port Adelaide but didn't get the nod.
Dewar was listed alongside Andrew Gaff, Jayden Hunt, Jamaine Jones, Ryan Maric and Harry Edwards as being on the extended interchange bench.