Alan Cransberg is a big man around Perth. As managing director of Alcoa Australia, he knows his way around a board table. As a dual premiership player with Swan Districts and now chairman of West Coast, he knows how football clubs work.

To get to where he is today, Cransberg has had to kick a few heads along the way. And sometime in the next six months, he might have to kick the head of one of the icons of Western Australia, particularly in the sporting area, that of Eagles coach John Worsfold.

Worsfold might be the club's dual premiership captain and in 2006, its premiership coach, but in the 'what have you done for me lately' world of AFL football, he is most recently remembered for guiding the club to its first wooden spoon, one that he absolutely guaranteed mid-season would not be heading West Coast's way.

We at BPL have the Eagles pencilled in for 13th place in 2011. They could rally and threaten to make the finals; they could crash and burn again and collect another spoon. Worsfold is entering the final year of his contract and according to Cransberg, the side must demonstrate genuine improvement in order for a contract extension.

Sadly for Worsfold, we don't think 13th will cut it. It might be a case of back to the pharmacy for Woosha in 2012.

West Coast's best chance of a rise this year is goals. Lots of them. With Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras as the forward line anchors, there is potential for the Eagles to keep the forward line ticking over. If they can jag 100 goals between them, the possibilities open up. And if Worsfold can get a full season out of ruckman Dean Cox, therefore pushing the mercurial Nic Naitanui forward, then it becomes a mouthwatering prospect.

The midfield is adequate. Good when Cox and Daniel Kerr are in the centre square, but average when they're not. Andrew Gaff, the Oakleigh Chargers centreman who was the first player not selected by Gold Coast at last year's draft is supposedly top-shelf and was given the no.3 jumper - previously worn by just Chris Mainwaring and Chris Judd - without a moment's hesitation. Ashton Hams, Chris Masten and Luke Shuey all need big seasons.

Defensively, the absence of Darren Glass hurt West Coast last season. He played just eight games before opting for surgery on a troublesome groin. If he gets back to full fitness, West Coast looks so much better down back because he is one of the best full-backs in the AFL.

It's not the rosiest of pictures, but why a 13th place prediction? Let's start with the draw. Just one game against each of Collingwood, St Kilda and Geelong, three of last year's top four and also just one against a team widely tipped to be the big improvers - Hawthorn. On paper, the Eagles would start at least an even money bet in seven of their home games. Win those and they're on their way off the bottom.

But still leaving Cransberg with a big decision to make at the end of the year.

The story so far...

14. Richmond

15. Gold Coast

16. Port Adelaide

17. Brisbane