WEST Coast has five precious weeks to generate some momentum on-field going into its off-season, but it is off-field where some important decisions will be made as the club prepares to welcome a new coach. 

It shapes as a crucial period for the club and the decisions made now will have ramifications for a rebuild that still has significant ground to cover after three seasons in the bottom four. 

Don Pyke is well settled in the top job in his first season as CEO, while list manager Matt Clark has spent a period analysing the list and setting a strategy to continue the rebuild since his appointment in late February.  

Alongside football manager Gavin Bell and eventually the club's next senior coach, these are some of the key questions the group will need to answer now and in the coming months

Does the club need a coach with senior experience?
The case for an experienced coach is strong if you believe the Eagles are still some time away from turning the corner. The job will demand someone who can navigate the pressures of a two-team town in a rebuild while making decisions in the long-term interests of the team, despite potential short-term pain. The field is limited, however, and there should no reason why an experienced assistant with 10 or more years in coaching can't do the job. Identifying the skillset they believe the club needs and then approaching a wide group of targets – including plenty without senior experience – is a more likely path for the Eagles, rather than pigeonholing themselves to a few candidates. 

Should the top three pick be split?
The Eagles know they have a shortage of players recruited with top 10 picks, and addressing this over time was identified as part of their rebuild strategy at the start of the year. It is easier said than done, but splitting their first pick is an option they could explore if it doesn't cost them a standout player that they have their eyes on. The Eagles went down this path at the end of 2022 and traded pick No.2 in exchange for No.8 and No.12. That netted them local midfielders Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett, who have both shown promise, albeit Hewett has this year battled a serious foot injury. It cost them access to Harry Sheezel, however, who is on track to be a dual club champion with North Melbourne after two seasons. They should be reluctant to do the same this year. 

Which out of contract players can be retained?
There remain up to 12 uncontracted players on the Eagles' list beyond this season, and being clear on that group's future is important in the next five weeks. The group includes 23-year-old key defender Harry Edwards, who is the priority to sign as negotiations continue there. Experienced players Andrew Gaff (three games in 2024), Alex Witherden (15) and free agent Josh Rotham (12) have shown what they are capable of and now wait to know where they fit under a new coach. For a mix of form and in some cases serious injury, it hasn't clicked consistently at the Eagles yet for Jai Culley, Jamaine Jones, Coby Burgiel and Jordyn Baker. Zane Trew and Luke Edwards have earned opportunities late in the season to push for extensions. Rookie contracts could be options for some, depending on the extent of the list turnover and if tough decisions are made on more experienced players who are contracted for 2025.

Should Tim English or Liam Baker be prioritised?
If the Eagles see the opportunity to secure 26-year-old ruckman Tim English they should not hesitate. The Western Bulldogs big man has long been linked with a move back to WA and remains a restricted free agent, meaning he would not cost the Eagles' draft or trade capital if the Bulldogs didn't match an offer. On current evidence, English would make the Eagles' midfield more competitive and aid the development of the club's young onballers. Baker, meanwhile, would come at a cost and it is not clear how the Eagles would compensate Richmond for the courageous premiership player, who could fit in at either end of the ground and provide leadership. A second-round selection would not be adequate for the 26-year-old, and splitting a top-three pick would cost the Eagles elite young talent. Baker would be a terrific player to add, but in West Coast's situation, English should be prioritised. 

Which youngsters have long-term futures?
As the baton is passed to the Eagles' young players under a new coach, it is time to identify those who can drive the rebuild and lock them in for the future. Harley Reid is an obvious priority to extend beyond his initial draftee deal, which expires at the end of 2026. The other pressing contract should be for defender Brady Hough, whose outstanding season has seen him regularly beat the best small forwards in a backline that has often been under heavy pressure. Hough is out of contract at the end of next season and will be central to the rebuild. Reuben Ginbey is signed until the end of 2027, while injured pair Elijah Hewett and Noah Long could comfortably be locked away longer than their 2026 deals once they return to the field in their third seasons and string some football together.  

What can be done to help Harley on-field?
If the Eagles are to maximise Harley Reid's talent early in his career, they need to get better collectively at combatting the tags that will regularly come for the 19-year-old. While it is clear that Reid loves the combative elements of the game, he has understandably appeared frustrated by negating tactics that have held him back in the second half of the season. It's partly a challenge the No.1 draft pick will have to work through himself, but that doesn't mean the team can't continue to formulate on-field plans to support their first-year star in the next five weeks and through next pre-season. 

How can the mid-tier be bolstered?
While young talent is crucial, finding another Jayden Hunt during the player movement period would help the Eagles enormously. Hunt arrived as an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2022 and finished fourth in the best and fairest in his first season. He will push the top five again this year and has added to the middle bracket of the list between the youth and veterans. Finding another elite professional like Hunt who will drive the new breed as the list gets younger could be a challenge they take up through free agency or by trading later draft picks.