MICHAEL Prior has resigned as coach of West Coast, the club has confirmed.

The Eagles have won just five of 28 games since Prior took over ahead of Season 6.

The club currently sits third from bottom having registered just two wins so far this season.

West Coast confirmed Prior's exit from the coaching role in a statement on Wednesday, with assistant coach Rohan McHugh to take the reins for the final two matches of the season.

Prior will continue with a role in West Coast's community and game development department, and claimed the 2023 season was always going to be his last as head coach.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the role as senior coach of this amazing group," Prior said in a statement.

"There is exciting upside for these players moving forward, but after three seasons I believe it is time for a new voice.

"I made the decision earlier in the season that this would be my last as senior coach and I believe the time is right to now step aside. I’ll leave on a high after being a part of an exciting win at Windy Hill on Sunday.

"I would like to thank the players and staff for their support over the last three seasons and I look forward to seeing their continued growth."

Prior's exit comes less than a fortnight after he made what he later labelled "unacceptable" comments after his side's heavy defeat to Narrm, when he lamented that his side had been drawn to play against the reigning premiers.

Players who have one year remaining on two-year contracts need to make a decision on whether they will honour the second year of their contract in the coming days, and Prior's immediate departure is understood to give them clarity on the club's future.

The Eagles play the last-placed Western Bulldogs on Saturday.

Round seven's gaffe was not the first time Prior had attracted media scrutiny for his comments, having come under fire in early 2022 for saying "I think we've done the pride stuff to death to be honest" when asked about West Coast's lack of a specially designed Pride Round guernsey. He later clarified his statement, saying that his comments referred to his desire to speak more about the football rather than focus on the lack of a guernsey, and that "footy is a game for everyone and, as a club, the West Coast Eagles welcome everyone as part of the footy family".

Prior has coached the Eagles' AFLW side for three seasons after taking over from Daniel Pratt in September 2021. He was previously head coach of West Coast's high performance academy and is also a former AFL player for West Coast and Essendon.

Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett said the club would begin its hunt for Prior's replacement at the end of the season.

"Michael assumed the role in difficult circumstances where our AFLW team played two seasons in the same year," Nisbett said.

"I would like to thank him for his commitment to the program and for the role he has played in shaping what we believe is a squad capable of evolving into a formidable team.

"We will play out the season and then navigate our way forward as we search for a senior coach."