WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson says his players need to get better at combatting opposition momentum after they were swamped by Adelaide in the final quarter on Saturday.

The Eagles led by 27 points in the third quarter but were beaten by 10 points after being outscored 6.6 to 2.0 in the fourth term.

In the final 32 minutes, West Coast was smashed in contested ball (49-28), inside 50s (24-4) and clearances (16 – 6).

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With the home side on the march, makeshift forward Jeremy McGovern was swung back into his more familiar defensive post while Elliot Yeo went from defence into the midfield.

But Simpson said it wasn’t enough to stop the Crows’ surge.

“Other than that 15 minute period we were pretty brave and unfortunately we couldn’t sustain it. So when you can’t sustain it interstate, you are going to get whacked,” he said.

“We anticipated some things (from the Crows) at the start of the last, and we picked it, but we could not stop it.

“I don’t know if it was one particular player. I reckon every player for the Crows stood up and dragged the whole team over the line, and perhaps we didn’t get that.”

Simpson compared the final quarter fade-out to the slow start against Essendon.

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“It’s the same as the first quarter last week, different game and different scenarios, but I thought around the ball is where we got beat,” he said.

“Looking at ways to help stop that is important for us, especially from the coach’s box, but it’s about recognising it as a playing group and doing something about it.”

Much has been made about the loss of Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Mark LeCras to injuries, but the forward line that took on the Crows was effective for three quarters.

Simpson said he’ll continue to use McGovern in attack until the key trio returns to the line-up.

“We’ve got to look at it, we need targets that are going to compete and bring the ball to ground and help lock it in there,” he said.

“’Gov’ can play anywhere and I thought he had a pretty good impact when he was forward tonight, but we just needed him down back in the last quarter.”

WATCH Adam Simpson's full post-match media conference

Breaking the three-game losing streak won’t be easy for the Eagles. They host the Giants next week and head to Melbourne to play Collingwood in Round 17.

But Simpson said the team is still in a good position.

“I think we can turn it around pretty quick. Every club will go through situations like this and we’re still working towards what we think is a real consistent, strong brand of footy,” he said.

“The season is still very much alive, but we need to get another win on the board pretty quick.”