West Coast fans are undeniably excited at the return of the banner for all home games. Alas, the return of the banner comes with a bit of a condition.

West Coast’s player management team have decided that it’s best that the injury prone side runs through a pre-torn version of the banner to prevent any further injuries.

In this version the players will not run into any paper at all and sail through the ready-made holes.

A spokesperson for West Coast told The Times,

“We don’t want anyone even blowing on one of our players right now. We’re under a lot of pressure to reduce injuries and you just never know with crêpe paper, it can be tricky”

The precautions come after a number of high profile injuries in the pre-season and a real gut-punch of an injury to Oscar Allen in the opening game against Port.

A source close to the coach has echoed the sentiments and told The Times that the boys aren’t ready to face an opponent like crêpe paper yet.

The precaution will be reassessed mid-season based on the length of that injury list.

All the Rage

• Western Bulldogs great Luke Beveridge had a crack at the pre-torn banner idea.

• Western Bulldogs great Luke Beveridge had a go at the pre-torn banner idea, calling it “soft” and not in the spirit of the game.

• An unnamed AFL coach also chimed in, expressing the view that the pre-torn banner was a “slippery slope” for the league.

• Beveridge and other AFL figures having shown a dim view of the initiative.

West Coast Woes

• West Coast has endured a horror run with injuries in recent times.

• Over a dozen senior West Coast players on the injury list at the moment, and many of the club’s stars have featured on the list at some stage this year.

• Key forward Oscar Allen is the most recent Eagle to be struck down, with the star forward injuring his foot in the round one loss to Port Adelaide.

• Allen joins fellow talls Jack Darling and Tom Hickey, as well as Elliot Yeo, Dom Sheed, Liam Duggan and Luke Shuey on the sidelines.

• West Coast is hopeful that the pre-torn banner will help their players avoid any further setbacks, with the club set to reassess the situation at the mid-season bye.

• West Coast hoping that the revised banner will help improve their fortunes with injuries.

• The Eagles will be hoping to avoid any further injuries, with the club hopeful that the pre-torn banner will help their players avoid any further setbacks.

The Last Word

• Will West Coast’s new pre-torn banner help them avoid any further injuries?

• Many remain skeptical, but the West Coast Eagles will be hoping that the pre-torn banner will help them avoid any further injuries and turn their season around.