West Coast Eagles slammed for lacking effort after Port Adelaide loss but there is still time to find form

West Coast premiership player Michael Braun gave the most damning assessment of his former side following their capitulation against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

«They are dreadful at the moment,» he told the ABC Grandstand program.

«There have been some changes, and they have been hit by COVID...but that doesn't change effort.

»I don't care if you're a first game player, or a 200-game player, it doesn't take talent to run, chase, tackle and put pressure on.

«There is no excuse for lack of effort.»

There are few more insulting observations that can be levelled at a professional sporting team than a lack of effort.

While many wouldn't have placed West Coast in their top eight come the end of the season, few would have predicted the start they've had. 

One win from six games is the worst start for the club since 2010, when they won just four games, earning the wooden spoon. 

The Eagles will need to rapidly find form to avoid a repeat of 2010 and it's unlikely a side boasting the talent on paper West Coast does will continue to perform so poorly. 

In the match against Port the Eagles recorded their third-lowest ever total to three-quarter time while allowing the Power to build its biggest ever three-quarter time lead.

They conceded 11 consecutive goals after kicking the first major, and after scoring three goals to start the final quarter, allowed Port to kick the last seven on the way to an 84-point win.

It was an Eagles side with 11 premiership players and boom recruit Tim Kelly that was smashed in every statistic of note.

They lost disposals, clearances, inside 50s, contested and uncontested possessions, hit-outs, marks, tackles and, somehow, turnovers, despite having 76 fewer total disposals.

In fact, the Eagles average less