Why Jack Redden copped a slushy in the face from Sam Mitchell

Jack Redden has revealed he copped a slushy in the face during a rare bake from midfield coach Sam Mitchell as West Coast was staring down the barrel of qualifying final defeat against Collingwood at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

Mitchell was fired up at three-quarter-time after the Eagles had been beaten in the middle of the ground on the way to a 10-point deficit at the final change.

The former Hawthorn premiership star’s rev up clearly worked, as West Coast booted five goals to one in the last quarter to claim the 16-point victory.

Redden stepped up with 10 disposals and a goal in the decider, while Elliot Yeo had nine possessions.

“He had a word at three-quarter time,” Redden said. “Our work rate was probably a bit off as midfielders and they were probably outworking us to stoppages. So he came down pretty fired up and he knocked the cup out of my hand and splashed it all over my face actually.

“It was a slushy so frozen Gatorade, it cooled the head down. It was probably his first I reckon. Good timing and so it worked.

“The boys responded really well and the midfielders stood up in the last.

“I think it was a collective. We just needed to pick up our work rate. The energy was high so we really needed to pick up and obviously we were trailing so the boys responded well as a team so it was great.”

Redden was unsure whether defender Brad Sheppard would be available for their preliminary final date with either Melbourne or Hawthorn in a fortnight.

But he said they could cover Sheppard’s absence if he did not recover in time from a hamstring injury