Adam Simpson Biography

Eagles coach Adam Simpson says he remains determined to lead West Coast's rebuild despite speculation he could be sacked.

The Eagles currently sit on the bottom of the ladder in 2023 with a 2-19 record, on track to collect just the second wooden spoon in the club's history.

"If I didn't want to go through this I would have pulled the pin a couple of years ago. It's not really in my nature to quit. Two years ago I signed on for four years. I'm staying the course," Simpson said.

Peter Sumich raises eyebrows by claiming there may be a wider problem at the Eagles if Willie Rioli is proven to have tampered with his urine sample to conceal something sinister.

Sumich said that experience had taught him that there could be wider issues at a club if someone is caught doing something bad.

West Coach Adam Simpson was livid with Sumich's comments, especially with how he drew parallels with what happened at the Eagles during the Ben Cousins era.

"It's just disappointing that you can compare the two and automatically switch to something that happened 12 years ago," Simpson told Channel 7.

"After what we've heard initially with what has happened with Willie – it's a completely different situation.

"For someone who hasn't been at the club for 10 years – it's a bit of an insult to the people who have done all the work to create a really strong culture that's got a really good pedigree.

"It's a bit of a slap in the face to the players and the staff who have all the hard work to get the club in a position where we think we've got a really strong respected culture."

West Coast locks in coach Adam Simpson ahead of their 2018 finals campaign with a new three-year deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2022.

"It's obviously reassuring to have the endorsement from the board that they support the direction we are taking," Simpson said.

"We have transitioned our squad over the last 12-18 months and I am excited about the next phase of our progression."

West coast coach Adam Simpson says his hospitalised daughter's conditioned has improved after he rushed home while missing the Eagles' win over the Western Bulldogs.

"Elsa has turned the corner and in good spirits and for that we are extremely grateful," Simpson said.

"As we all know footy is a big part of our lives but family comes first and I thank the club for its support during this time.

"I am extremely proud of how the players, coaches and staff handled themselves yesterday."

Jaymie Graham fills in as coach of the Eagles in their 51-point win over the Western Bulldogs.

Graham said it was a seamless transition after senior coach Adam Simpson flew back to Perth late on Saturday night when illness forced his youngest daughter to be hospitalised.

"It didn't bring any problems, it just meant we had to shuffle a few things," Graham said.

"All the work and preparation had been done during the week and, obviously, the line coaches all played their role.

"It just meant I had a few extra stresses to think about during the day, but nothing really changed."

Adam Simpson says he has no problems blocking "out the noise" about his coaching future at West Coast, accepting that criticism and pressure comes with the territory.

Simpson's position has been questioned by some vocal critics in recent weeks after costly fourth-quarter fadeouts against Collingwood and St Kilda put the Eagles in serious jeopardy of missing finals.

"That's (criticism) part of the job. It's what you get. Everyone goes through it, you've got stick the course, block out the noise and get on with it, so I'm not worried about it at all," Simpson said.

"I just concentrate on my job. It's really good learning for me really to go through these type of situations, you just get on with it."

Patrick Dangerfield takes a swipe at the amount of rule changes introduced in recent seasons and believes there is not enough consultation with players.

"It's irrelevant what the players think," Dangerfield told Fox Footy.

"Well, it seems to be – we're consulted but the rules get changed regardless, so we'll just adapt, we have to."

And the 26-year-old reigning Brownlow medallist has the full support of West Coast coach Adam Simpson.

"I can understand why the AFL changes a rule for players' safety or talk about umpires throwing the ball up because it helps them when they're more mentally fragile as juniors but when they bring in rule change after rule change I just can't see the benefit of it," Simpson said.

"And we don't get consulted with any fair warning."

A wasted 2016 season took West Coast coach Adam Simpson longer to move on from than the heartbreak of a lost Grand Final the year before.

"I didn't come over for the Grand Final … I cracked the s--ts, I was no good," Simpson said.

"I didn't handle it too well personally. It took me longer than the (2015) Grand Final just to move on.

"You put a lot of work into one game and we were pretty disappointed about that game (against the Bulldogs).

"We are probably at that stage where we expect to win every game we play, and there's only one team that's happy every year."

West Coast coach Adam Simpson urges the AFL to leave the rules alone, saying he's not a fan of the new ruck rule and has no idea what it's even trying to achieve.

The League has outlawed the ‘third-man up’ scenario at ruck contests this season in a bid to protect the role of the ruckman and to try to clear up congestion.

"I'm still trying to work out why we've brought that in. I don't really understand the concept," Simpson said of the new rule.

"What's the purpose of it? Is it to protect the rucks? Was that an issue at the start? Does it mean there's less stoppages?

"We were briefed on it, so I won't say I was in the dark. But these rules are brought in after the draft and trade period, so what does it mean for the recruiting and what kind of players you're looking for?"

Simpson hopes the AFL won't make many more tweaks to the rules.

"Leave them alone," Simpson said.

"I thought the standard of footy was pretty good last year. Strategies change, the game will evolve.

"I'd love to leave the rules alone. To protect the safety of our players - I get that a little bit. But I'm one for just leave it alone."

West Coast coach Adam Simpson signs a three-year contract extension that will see him remain with the Eagles until the end of the 2019 season.

"It is very pleasing to receive a contract extension to continue to build on the vision for the squad and the club," Simpson said.

"We fully understand the challenges ahead as we strive for sustained success and we're ready to roll up our sleeves and do the work required.

"We have an exciting young group that is still building and this week we brought four more young players into the squad via the draft."

Hodge says a chat with the former Hawks assistant coach, and current West Coast coach, Adam Simpson in 2012 helped him rejuvenate his body after a decade of bash and crash football.

"(Simpson) said once you get to 30 … it helped him if he dropped a kilo every year," Hodge recalled.

"And I thought 28 was close enough and coming off a knee injury I thought I better start then. So I went from about 91kg or 92kg down to about the 87kg I play at now.

"With the speed of the game, if you're carrying excess weight, then by late in the season it's going to hurt you because the game's that quick with the amount of whippets we've got running around.

"It's definitely helped the last couple of years."

Adam Simpson says he learnt one major lesson about senior coaching from his first season at West Coast, and that is that you have to be yourself.

"You do sometimes fall into the trap in your early days of asking yourself, 'what would he do' and 'what would that coach do' and 'how would I go about that'," he said.

"But what I've learnt mostly is you've got to back yourself in."

West Coast has confirmed a contract extensions for first-year coach Adam Simpson.

After initially signing a two-year deal with the option of a third when he was appointed in September last year, Simpson has added the one-year extension that will see him through until the end of 2016.

West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett has given first-year coach Adam Simpson a "big tick" despite the Eagles' indifferent season.

"When you come in as a rookie coach it's very difficult to immediately gain respect and he's done that," Nisbett said.

"He's got a very sound game plan and strategy, which he's implementing with a whole group of new coaches and new players, and the players are adapting to that.

"It's still taking time because they won't get everything right in the first 12 months.

"We've been really pleased with Adam, really pleased with what they've implemented, and so far it's a big tick."

West Coast coach Adam Simpson revealed he has endured sleepless nights this week worrying about how he can turn around his side's dismal form ahead of the Eagles' clash with reigning premiers Hawthorn on Saturday.

The Eagles have lost six of their last seven matches including a 38-point loss to North Melbourne last Sunday that has been described as "unacceptable" by the playing group.

"I didn't sleep too well the last few days trying to work out how to get the guys to recognise what happened and then to front up this week," Simpson said.

"You can't go too deep to the point where it's irreversible. You've got to get them back on track."

Current West Coast coach and former North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson says he will put old allegiances aside when the Eagles take on the Kangaroos this week.

"I'm sure there's some emotion down there somewhere but, at the moment, I can't draw on that one," Simpson said.

"I've always got an eye on the Kangas and how they're travelling.

"There's definitely people and staff that I still maintain contact with - just not this week."

Brady Rawlings says his immense respect for West Coast coach Adam Simpson led him to leaving his role at North Melbourne to take up an assistant coaching role at West Coast.

"It's not too often when someone you respect so highly, and you've got a great relationship with, gets a senior coaching job," Rawlings said.

"I thought it was too good an opportunity not to take. To be involved with Simmo, going on this ride was something that was enough for me to leave the club I love and move my family over to the western side of the country as well."

New West Coast coach Adam Simpson says he is keen to keep Scott Burns on as assistant coach of the club despite beating him to the top job at the Eagles.

"I'd love him to stay, but I understand his situation and what he's been through in the last week," Simpson said.

"From what I can gather, the people already here are made of the right stuff.

"There are some guys I want to talk to and we'll find out in the next few days where they're at.

"There's no doubt you need people you can trust when you're starting off in a job."

Adam Simpson will leave his role as assistant coach of Hawthorn after accepting an offer to coach West Coast for three years.

"I am grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to moving across to Perth with my family and settling in to the challenge ahead," Simpson said.

"I have always admired West Coast from afar and I believe the list has an exciting mix of senior and emerging young players.

"I would like to acknowledge both Hawthorn and North Melbourne for the grounding they have given to me in this game."

Currently an assistant coach with Hawthorn, Adam Simpson says he will wait until the end of the Hawks' finals before looking at a potential senior assistant role with Greater Western Sydney next season.

"Every assistant coach wants to [be a] senior coach, but a lot's going on here," Simpson said.

"With what's going on now, I just can't concentrate on that at the moment. We're trying to concentrate on this week, and I'm not looking at anything else other than that."

Adam Simpson starts getting accustomed to life as an assistant coach for Hawthorn.

"North Melbourne and Hawthorn have always had a good rivalry and I've definitely enjoyed playing Hawthorn. It always makes for a good game," Simpson said.

"It's funny to coach some of the players you've played on."

With Damien Hardwick recently appointed coach of Richmond, Port Adelaide now turn their sights to former North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson for the role of assistant coach at the club.

"He's in the mix," chief executive Mark Haysman said.

"Obviously we're disappointed to miss out on Damien because we tried really hard to get him here and thought he would have been a great addition to our group but there's other good candidates out there and Adam's one of those."

North Melbourne skipper Brent Harvey says recently retired teammate Adam Simpson will make an outstanding coach.

"At what level he gets to, whether he wants to be an AFL coach one day or just an assistant or in a development role, he will be a sensational coach," Harvey said.

"His people skills are amazing, the young guys love him ... he's a great bloke and I know whether it's next year, the year after, whenever he goes into coaching, he's going to do a very, very good job."

Adam Simpson was overwhelmed with relief at the conclusion of his career that ended with a loss to Carlton.

"I have had a great ride," Simpson said.

"I have no regrets. I have been so lucky to get drafted at the end of '93 in a team that was on the cusp of something special.

"To be part of that in the '90s and then to be captain of the club, I have got no regrets. It is a bit of a relief that you don't have to get up and perform every week.

"That is the biggest thing players have to deal with - the week-to-week performance and whether you play good or bad you've got to back it up again."

Adam Simpson will fight through a calf strain, sustained during training yesterday, to play in the final match of his career against Carlton.

North Melbourne midfielder Adam Simpson expresses his desire to work as an assistant coach following his retirement.

"It has been there for a few years - a passion for the coaching side of things," Simpson said.

"I feel like a kid coming out of the under-18s in that sense. I'm starting at the bottom as a rookie and I want to try and get drafted, learn as much as I can and develop as quick as I can. This is what I want to do and, right now, I don't know where it will take me."

North Melbourne veteran Adam Simpson announces his retirement and will play his 306th and final AFL game on Friday, tying Wayne Schimmelbusch's total.

"When that happens - it doesn't happen very often, when both parties agree - it had a really good feel about it," Simpson said.

"There's going to be opportunities for kids going forward, and whether I play another three games or five games, it doesn't really matter.

"When you think like that, I suppose the timing's right."

North Melbourne caretaker coach says he felt Adam Simpson's farewell would be before the end of the season following a draw with Richmond in round 16.

"He approached me after the Richmond game down at the beach when they were doing their recovery and said he wanted to catch up," Crocker said.

"I knew this was probably what he wanted to catch up about.

"He's a deep thinker about the game, where he's at, what role he plays in the team and the direction of the club. He obviously felt it was a really good time for him to walk away and give some other guys an opportunity to fill a very big pair of shoes."

Kangaroos great Glenn Archer says former teammate Adam Simpson should look at other clubs if AFL senior coaching role is his goal.

"If his aspiration is to be a senior coach one day, I think it would be good for his personal growth to go to another club and learn different ways and see how other clubs actually operate," Archer said.

"At the same time, I'd love to still have him around the club."

North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey says it will be hard to adjust to footy without recently retired teammate Adam Simpson.

"We've both been pretty durable throughout our careers ... we've played a lot of footy together and we understand the way each other play," Harvey said.

"I bounce a lot of things off Simmo and I feel pretty privileged to be able to say I've played 200 and something games with him.

"He's been an icon of our footy club and a great leader and, more importantly, a really good friend."

Adam Simpson is raring to go for another season but expects the club to tell him within eight weeks if they want him to play on.

"I'll know before the end of the season," Simpson said.

"It's hard to end on a good note, an AFL career. Not many people do. The end is always a bit sour. I'll weigh that up as well.

"I just want to enjoy the last eight weeks."

North Melbourne veteran Adam Simpson has thrown his support behind caretaker coach Darren Crocker on a day he said a change in his teammates was obvious.

Simpson closed a stirring speech at a function to celebrate his 300-game milestone with a strong message for Crocker, who was handed the interim role following Dean Laidley's resignation on Tuesday.

"I'm backing you in 100 per cent, mate. Whatever you tell us to do, we'll do," Simpson said.

North Melbourne's Adam Simpson becomes the latest footballer to reach the 300-game milestone.

On the eve of his 300th match, Adam Simpson says he feared the game had passed him by at the end of last season.

"The game's changed ridiculously since I started but in the last two to three years it's gone to a different level," he said.

"There isn't one minute of the game where you shouldn't be somewhere as a player these days. I've probably had to rely on my footy smarts a bit to get by.

"I don't know how long that's going to last. It might last another two weeks, it might last [until] next year. I'll take it as it comes."

North legend Anthony Stevens lauds Adam Simpson, his successor and teammate, of 11 years as "the ultimate professional" on the eve of Simpson's 300th game.

"Not the most talented guy going around, but the one thing about Simmo is that he's been able to get the best out of the ability he has got," said Stevens, who fell six games short of the same milestone.

"The way he trains, prepares himself, understands the game, thinks about the opposition, in a way, is the complete package."

Adam Simpson shuddered momentarily as he relived his first public appearance after the infamous chicken sex video story erupted.

"The most stressful period was when we looked like we were going to lose sponsors," he said.

"The message finally came out that they were staying. I rang Mazda later and they were fine.

"Obviously at the time, it knocked me over. I lost 4kg.

"I remember thinking all the good work I'd done over the years was going to be lost; I'd be the bloke known as the bloke who contributed to that video. I was in a bit of a daze, to be honest."

North Melbourne is confident Adam Simpson will overcome a calf injury to play his 300th game on Sunday against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

Adam Simpson says his future will depend on what direction the North Melbourne takes with rebuilding despite his good current form.

"If the season finished today I'd say yes," Simpson said about continuing to play on.

"But it can fall away pretty quickly, but at the same time the body's feeling really good and the attitude's really good.

"It will probably depend on how the club is as well, what they're doing with the kids."

North Melbourne's Adam Simpson says teammate Aaron Edwards is poised to return to the side after being suspended by the leadership group for speeding and subsequently refusing an alcohol test on his way to training in January.

"He's been really good for such a long spell out," Simpson said.

"You'd think you could waver a bit but I haven't seen anything like that.

"The thing about Aaron is he's been playing. It's not a form issue and he's been playing pretty good footy so it's just going to come down to whether there's a spot there for him."

The controversy surrounding North Melbourne's inappropriate chicken video was no excuse for its poor showing against the Hawks, says Adam Simpson.

North Melbourne's Adam Simpson and teammate Daniel Pratt face stiff fines for being the ringleaders behind a an outrageous chicken sex video.

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley says that senior players Adam Simpson and Daniel Pratt who were involved in the YouTube controversy are not guaranteed a game on Sunday.

Adam Simpson and Daniel Pratt have each been fined $5000 by North Melbourne for their involvement in the infamous 'chicken' video.

Senior players Adam Simpson and Brent Harvey have told of their regret over an inappropriate video produced by North Melbourne players.

Kangaroo Adam Simpson says his failed clearance late in the game was crucial in Sunday's loss to the Bulldogs.

"I'm just thinking about the last centre bounce. I've thrown it on the boot … but I've got caught up in the razzamatazz and got caught holding the ball and they went down and kicked a goal," he said.

"So I can't get that out of my mind at the moment and I feel responsible."

Leigh Harding's superb transition from back line to midfield did not surprise his teammate Adam Simpson.

Simpson yesterday said he saw "glimpses" of midfield potential last year but primarily cited the round-20 match against Carlton, in which Harding booted three goals, as the first time he realised the 27-year-old was a genuine onballer-in-waiting.

"He had one particular game against Carlton when I think he kicked two or three on (Chris) Judd running through the middle, so (I thought) he had the potential to come up," said Simpson.

Adam Simpson believes players such as Leigh Harding and Hamish McIntosh will have heavy hands in shaping North Melbourne's season.

Midfielder Adam Simpson believes he may have to fight for a spot in the Kangaroos line-up this year.

Wayne Carey will be an ideal promotional weapon for North Melbourne according to former skipper Adam Simpson.