West Coast legend Glen Jakovich has questioned whether Eagles captain Shannon Hurn is the right on-field leader to take his old club to a next premiership.
The four-times Eagles fairest and best winner and dual premiership key defender says rising young star Jeremy McGovern should be groomed as a future skipper.
More Sport Videos
- Video duration
- 01:59
West Coast wash up
- Video duration
- 05:20
FootyFix: Cats battle Swans for the top four
- Video duration
- 01:25
Kieren Jack breaks silence on feud
- Video duration
- 01:41
AFL plays of round 15
- Video duration
- 01:29
AFL: Collingwood creep past Carlton
- Video duration
- 01:30
AFL: Doggies down Swans again
- Video duration
- 01:28
Eagles thrash competitive Dons
West Coast wash up
West Coast had a comfortable win over Essendon but will need to improve ahead of their next game against North Melbourne. Vision: Ten Eyewitness News
Jakovich was initially responding to a caller on radio 6PR as debate rages on whether West Coast is fierce enough around the ball at critical midfield congestion contests to seriously contend for this year's premiership.
Jakovich pointed to reigning champions Hawthorn with an awesome array of tried and widely acclaimed tough nuts Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis as well as tough Geelong skipper Joel Selwood to set standards for fierce contests at the height of AFL battles.
Hurn, 28, is in his second year as West Coast skipper.
Alarmingly, the half-back is also among a host of Eagles players suffering from strikingly inconsistent form this season compared to an astonishing run from outside flag expectations last year to take on the powerful Hawks for the title.
Jakovich told WAtoday he worries at Hurn's inconsistent form this season as West Coast has established a stigma of easily beating teams outside of finals contention while losing all five showdowns with other outfits inside the top eight.
"It's little bit about his form and captaincy all at the same time," Jakovich said.
"I don't think as captain you can be so inconsistent.
"The question was asked who is the guy that is going to wield the influence at West Coast in a big game like Hodge does with Hawthorn and Selwood does with Geelong and Taylor Walker is now doing with Adelaide.
"I've said it before, so it's nothing new.
"West Coast doesn't have that type of influential leaders."
Jakovich added that while Hurn remains Eagles on-field leader a succession plan should be launched with to identify a potential inspirational skipper into the future.
The former champion centre-half-back and All-Australian selector wants the exciting McGovern as that future Eagles official leader.
Jakovich played the bulk of his 276-game career through the successful 1990s era under imposing skipper and two-times Eagles premiership captain John Worsfold.
"The only one that shows me has the raw needs to lead with the way he goes about things and answer critics when it's needed is Jeremy McGovern," Jakovich said.
"I haven't yet seen enough of it from Jeremy.
"But he's had one and a bit seasons of the sort of courage acts and consistency in his personal performances to stand out as the one that could be looked at as a captain of the club.
"I think Shannon Hurn is a solid player and he's got leadership qualities with how he goes about his own game and showing examples for the other guys to follow in games.
"The question wasn't about Shannon Hurn. The question was about who at West Coast is the Luke Hodge, or Joel Selwood.
"But those guys also have top players around them with the way they all respond as playing groups.
"I'm sure Shannon could be a good leader but there's too often not enough guys around him to help him out, he's on his own.
"West Coast need more guys in the trenches, that are contested ball winners to be able to rival how hard some of the top sides are around the ball."