LIAM Ryan's mentor Lewis Jetta says the exciting West Coast forward will have the club's backing as long as he learns from his mistakes after some highly publicised off-field episodes this year.

Jetta has taken on an important role guiding the Eagles' young indigenous players after receiving similar counsel from Sydney legend Adam Goodes early in his career.

The 29-year-old's encouragement of Ryan at three-quarter time in the Grand Final – after he had pulled out of a marking contest – was widely overlooked but helped him refocus before he set up Dom Sheed for the match-winning goal.

But while Ryan's on-field exploits thrilled in his debut season, when he kicked 20 goals in 13 games, the 22-year-old also created headlines for the wrong reasons.

West Coast suspended him for two matches after he crashed his car into a tree in July and Ryan was involved in a family dispute only weeks after the premiership triumph.

Earlier this month, coach Adam Simpson defended the talented forward's early departure from a training camp in November after he struggled with the tough SAS-run regime.

Speaking from Busselton at West Coast's pre-Christmas camp, Jetta said Ryan felt more comfortable now usual football training had resumed.

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"I think his mind is back in the normal training stuff. All we can do is try to guide him along," Jetta said.

"Off-field stuff, he's still young, he's going to make some mistakes – I made some when I was younger.

"There are a lot of people who make mistakes, so as long as he learns from it and moves on, we're happy."

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Jetta, now a dual premiership player at Sydney and West Coast, enjoyed his best season as an Eagle after finding his "spot" at half-back and was named best clubman in 2018.

He has also been a role model for brilliant goalsneak Willie Rioli and credited Goodes for guiding him during his early career at the Swans.

"I take it (mentoring) very seriously. I still remember Adam Goodes being my senior player over there and he took it very seriously," Jetta said.

"We're in this industry and if you do the right thing it can set you up for life – not just on the field but off-field as well.

"It turns you into a better person and that's what I'm trying to do with the young boys as well."

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Rioli took home the Emerging Talent Award from the Eagles' club champion event after snaring 28 goals in 24 games in his first season.
The 23-year-old, who has quickly become a cult hero among supporters, also showed innate centre clearance ability and appears to have trimmed down again after famously losing 16kg before being drafted.

"All we can ask is just keep improving in your off-season every year and I think this is his third year now and he's come back in better shape again," Jetta said.

"That's all we can ask of Willie.

"He has a bright future and it just showed in the last two, three years if he gets his body right all the things he can do off-field and on-field as well.

"He can play forward or mid, as long as he puts in all the work in the off-season, which he has.

"He can set himself up to be an elite midfielder or elite forward line player as well."

Jetta, who has been plagued by niggling calf issues at West Coast, suffered another strain during the second quarter of the Grand Final but played on.

He was confident an off-season strengthening program had resolved his problems and declared the Eagles were determined to scale the mountain again next season.

"We're not satisfied with just one (premiership as a group) and as a club being our fourth," Jetta said.

"We definitely want to get another one next year and years to come.

"All the boys realise that, and they've come back even hungrier."