WEST Coast has named an unchanged leadership group for its premiership defence, with Shannon Hurn remaining skipper for a fifth season.

Hurn will be supported by joint vice-captains Josh Kennedy and Luke Shuey for a third consecutive year.

Star ruckman Nic Naitanui, who was elevated to the group before last season, retains his position alongside Jeremy McGovern and Andrew Gaff after they turned their backs on free agency and re-signed with the Eagles last year.

To the surprise of some, dual club champion Elliot Yeo, 25, was overlooked for the six-man group.

Hurn became West Coast’s third premiership captain after John Worsfold and Chris Judd last year and is closing in on a number of milestones.

The 31-year-old defender, who recommitted until the end of 2020 along with Kennedy this week, is two appearances shy of the 250-game mark, a feat achieved by only seven other Eagles.

Given his durability and career-best form, Hurn should be pushing to become the first Eagle to 300 matches by the end of his next contract and might have overtaken Worsfold for most games as skipper.

He has led the Eagles in 99 games, 39 shy of Worsfold, and will surpass Ben Cousins (104) in third spot this year.

Hurn’s predecessor and champion full-back Darren Glass led West Coast in 129 matches between 2017-14.

The Eagles’ playing group voted on the leaders before the decision was ratified by the board.

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"As a club we are fortunate to have such outstanding people in our leadership group," general manager of football Craig Vozzo said.

"Not only are they all high quality players, but they are elite in so many respects, setting the standards both on and off-field for their teammates.

"We have been fortunate to have each of them at our club and they have worked in parallel with our coaching staff.

"The leadership group has been particularly important through a period when our playing list has undergone a significant transition over the last couple of seasons."