WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson has joked even his family is refusing to take his calls following the club's horror 92-point loss to Sydney.
Eagles fans have been quick to savage Simpson and the underperforming side on social media and talkback radio after heavy back-to-back defeats to the Western Bulldogs and the Swans.
Former Saints star Leigh Montagna says Simpson's gameplan that won the 2018 flag has "run its race", while Essendon great Matthew Lloyd and Port Adelaide's games records holder Kane Cornes have been others to let fly.
It seems Simpson, who has been with the team in Melbourne since the loss to Sydney, has also been given the cold shoulder on the home front as well.
"Can I just say if my family's out there, no one's returned my calls at home," Simpson said during a question and answer video with fans on westcoasteagles.com.au.
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"I'm not sure what's happening. My wife is screening my calls. We must have played pretty bad because there's no love at home."
Simpson said it would take more than just an "old school coach spray" to fix the issues confronting the side.
"Sometimes you need to fire a bullet, you need to go down to the beach and jump off a pier or get in a boxing ring," Simpson said.
"We probably did a bit of that after the Geelong game (when we lost by 97 points in round six), and we got a good response.
"We've had two really poor weeks, so we need to find out a bit more about what's going on.
"It's surprising on the weekend, our contest stuff married up ok with Sydney. The Swans just outworked us and got us on the outside.
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"So we'll look at a bit of that, and dig a bit deeper than just the old coach spray."
West Coast dodged a bullet on Monday when captain Luke Shuey avoided suspension for his high elbow on Sydney's Callum Mills.
Star goalsneak Liam Ryan will return from suspension for Monday night's clash with North Melbourne in Perth, but Jack Redden (leg), Jamaine Jones (ankle) and Andrew Gaff (thumb) are in doubt.
West Coast has made a raft of unforced changes to the side over the past two weeks and Simpson said it was time to settle the team rather than swinging the axe.
The seventh-placed Eagles (8-7) are three wins adrift of fourth spot and will need a near miracle to secure the double finals chance this season.
But they have the chance to work their way up the ladder over the next month with winnable games against North Melbourne, Adelaide, St Kilda and Collingwood.
