'CLINICAL' and 'efficient'.

They're words we've come to associate with West Coast over the past season-and-a-half.  

Having transformed their football for a new era starting at Optus Stadium last year, the Eagles' elite kicking has given them a distinct edge.

But they don't just move the ball with precision, they make their foot skills count where it matters most – on the scoreboard. 

Jamie Cripps knows how to find the big sticks. Picture: AFL Photos
 

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We're told goalkicking accuracy is the most underrated stat in football, however the reigning premiers might think otherwise.

Shooting at 54.1 per cent, West Coast is ranked No.1 in the AFL, and League leader Geelong (52.1) is the only other side better than 50-50 in front of the big sticks.

Neither team is even in the top half of the competition for forward arc entries, yet the Cats' high-powered offence (AFL No.1) has helped propel them two games clear on top at the season's halfway mark.  

Meanwhile, the Eagles have strung together five-straight wins and stealthily climbed into the top four, despite patches of wildly inconsistent footy within games.

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If you thought their relative efficiency had rescued them from some close calls in 2019, you'd be correct.

In two of their recent victories, opponents Melbourne (24-20) and Adelaide (23-20) had more scoring shots, and +27 inside 50s combined, but the Eagles took the four points.

Back in round four, booting 10.9 to 7.14 was enough to hold off the Dockers. 

With a top-four spot in West Coast's sights, those three triumphs by under three goals are like gold.  

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"We have been efficient," forward line coach Jaymie Graham said.

"Like any team, you want to score when you go in, so it has helped us in those close games."

Remarkably, West Coast ranks 17th for total shots this season, according to Champion Data, but No.8 overall in scoring and sixth for goals (134). 

While the Eagles haven't always been convincing and often relied on bursts of brilliance to win games, when they do click into gear they can hit the scoreboard hard.  

Generating enough supply has been a major headache, but a hungry forward line feasted in last Sunday's mauling of the Western Bulldogs.  

From 52 inside 50s, the Eagles booted 21.7 (133) – the equal fourth-highest score across the League this season – with Jack Darling dining out and bagging six goals.

"That's great for him because he is working hard and he cops a lot of attention when it doesn’t quite go his way," said Graham, who was filling in at the coach's weekly media conference for Adam Simpson, who left for Sydney early ahead of Sunday's clash with the Swans.

"He's had other games this year where he's competed for us, he probably just hadn't been winning as many contests as he did last year and we've started to see that the last couple of weeks.

"I'm really pleased that he's putting his best foot forward and has had a couple of good games."

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Darling's haul improved his season tally to 25.8, but he still hasn't been the most accurate Eagle (of those to kick more than three majors). 

Tireless small forward Jamie Cripps has a deadeye 14.4 in nine games, keeping him on track for at least 26 majors for the sixth-straight year.  

Meanwhile, dual Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy is building nicely into the campaign after missing round one, and has slotted 24.12.

A reliable marksman throughout his career, Kennedy has embraced the snap set shot craze, nailing nine goals (AFL No.2) from across the body kicks.

Gun forward Josh Kennedy celebrates a goal for the Eagles. Picture: AFL Photos

Even in the twilight of his career, the 31-year-old still sets elite standards when it comes to refining and reinforcing his technique.

Then there's less tangible mental fortitude to deliver when it matters that all sports teams try to harness. 

"It's part of every one of our training sessions that we'll do goalkicking," Graham said.

"We've got individuals who have all got different styles, techniques and routines, so we don't put too much pressure on them.

"They know what they need to do individually, which they work on, then it's just the pressure of the game and the numbers in congestion if it's a snap or on the run, and the mental side of the game.

"It's huge now, a lot of scrutiny. We put work into training but there's also the mental side."