WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson noticed something different about Dom Sheed over summer – and it wasn't the Grand Final hero puffing out his chest.

Instead he saw a maturing footballer, one who had been plagued by self-doubt during a rollercoaster 2018 and still felt he had more to prove.

Despite etching his name into folklore with the match-winning goal against Collingwood to cap an outstanding finals campaign, Sheed never believed he would just walk back into the best 22 and it showed when he returned to pre-season training.

MATCH PREVIEW Lions v Eagles

"I think he did enjoy himself (after the Grand Final), but what he worked really hard on his pre-seasons have always been slightly flawed with some elements with the way he's trained," Simpson told AFL.com.au.

"Not commitment to fitness and that sort of stuff, but he's been just half a step off in some areas, and he's just came back and that was gone.

"Whether that was a conscious effort – which I think it was – now he has been rewarded with good pre-season form.

"He's got more presence. He sets good standards, and above all he's so humble."

Sheed, often deemed surplus to requirements as the Eagles picked an extra forward, spent three stints at East Perth last season confronting fading hope of cementing a spot in a firing engine room.

But his four WAFL appearances gave him the chance to remind himself what he did well, especially around stoppages, and hone his deficiencies away from the spotlight. 

The loping left-footer had to get better defensively, and he did, with the added bonus of putting himself in the right spots to find more of the football.

Entering his sixth season and with 78 career games under his belt, Sheed couldn't seem better placed to step up as an elite midfielder – especially if his JLT Community Series form is anything to go by.

He was red-hot against Geelong – racking up 39 touches, seven clearances, six inside 50s, two goal assists and a goal – and even better putting Fremantle to the sword.

After tallying 40 disposals, eight clearances, nine inside 50s, three goal assists and another major in the victory over the Dockers, his teammates joked Sheed was wasting his form in practice matches.

But vice-captain Luke Shuey wanted to see the 23-year-old assume more responsibility after he shone on the biggest stage last year and averaged 29 disposals across three finals.

Now, with star Andrew Gaff sidelined until round three, Sheed has been named in the centre for Saturday night's clash with the Lions at the Gabba, and has the perfect opportunity to become a mainstay alongside Elliot Yeo, Jack Redden, Shuey and Gaff.

"He's at that age now where we probably expect him to take that next step," Shuey said.

"He's certainly done that – he did that last year – but he's worked extremely hard on probably a few areas he needed to over pre-season and he's improved in that and he's playing great footy.

"He's picked up where he left off last year. It's exciting for us and really happy for Dommy."

DOM SHEED SEASON BY SEASON