THEY are West Coast's nesting Eagles, and fatherhood clearly isn't hurting their football.
In an unusual side note to the Grand Final, West Coast is set to field a veritable 'Dad's Army' – a team half-full of fathers - against Collingwood this Saturday.
This year alone, six players have started families – Chris Masten, Jeremy McGovern, Jack Redden, Liam Ryan, Will Schofield and, little more than a week ago, Luke Shuey.
With a League-high 11 players fathering 14 kids, there is a different vibe at West Coast than many might expect at an AFL club.
"The core group are not going to 21sts anymore, they're going to baby showers," coach Adam Simpson, himself a father of four, said after McGovern's first-born, Hudson, arrived in May.
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The West Coast baby boom isn't about to end either.
Star forward Jack Darling, who credits son Max's arrival last June for helping him find career-best form, has a second child on the way.
Veterans Josh Kennedy, Mark LeCras and Lewis Jetta each have two kids, while goalsneak Willie Rioli's 18-month-old boy, Martin, has helped keep him grounded amid fan adulation this year.
"I just want to go out there and make my son proud," Rioli told AFL.com.au.
"That's something I'll look to do in the future as well.
"If I'm doing that for them (my family) and there is other people enjoying it and it's putting a smile on other people's faces, then I'm all for it."
Rioli is keen to make his son Martin proud. Picture: AFL Photos
If you ask those in the inner sanctum, the growing responsibility of so many Eagles at home and balance in their lives has plenty to do with an upswing in form on the field.
Darling, Redden and Masten in particular have hit new heights since becoming fathers and finding perspective away from the pressure of the elite level.
Masten's career was at the crossroads last year, when he managed only 13 games – the equal-fewest since his debut season in 2008.
But the hard-running wingman has appeared in every match bar one this season as a crucial engine room cog.
The 29-year-old has played with a clearer head and less doubt, in part due to son Tex's arrival in January.
"It's a weird thing, because I probably don't get as much sleep," Masten told AFL.com.au.
"It's a little bit more hectic when you're home, you've got to do stuff, but it's a bit of levelness.
"Things aren't as good or as bad as you make them in your head I suppose, and you realise that there's more to worry about than just footy.
"It's given me a good balance in life and for most of the boys. All the dads are playing pretty good footy.
"It's obviously working and keep them coming."
Heavily criticised for bad moments in the 2015 Grand Final and the following season's elimination final, Darling has become more relaxed about his football.
The 26-year-old helped swing the qualifying final against Collingwood and booted three goals in last Saturday's rout of Melbourne.
Jack Darling with son Max after last week's big win over the Demons. Picture: AFL Photos
Meanwhile, Redden, slow to start his career as an Eagle after crossing from Brisbane at the end of 2015, is in a purple patch.
He sits second in the Gary Ayres Medal as the best finals player, according to the coaches, and the father of seven-month old Izzy has been outstanding in 2018.
In club chaplain Paul Morrison's 10 seasons at West Coast, he has never seen so many players start families.
With most of the coaching staff also fathers, the Eagles' rooms after home games resemble a crèche.
Since Simpson took over from John Worsfold at the end of 2013, the 42-year-old has fostered the club's family environment.
Recognising the pressures on his time-poor assistants, he was a driver for the Eagles teaming up with The Fathering Project – a not-for-profit charity aiming to inspire dads and equip them to engage with their kids.
Morrison started encouraging the coaches to talk about their lives at home, and parenting skills have become a major focus.
"Simmo's read was 'Morro, we're a family club, we need to keep this on the radar'," Morrison told AFL.com.au.
"I'd just give a fathering idea, a bit of a tip, bit of encouragement and that was going well, and last year we started doing it for the whole footy department."
With scrutiny on players at an all-time high, Morrison is convinced Eagles players are benefiting from their family focus.
West Coast has faced plenty of distractions this season, but the players haven't ridden the highs and lows as they once might have and there has been a sense of business as usual in the build-up to the Grand Final.
"Everyone is looking for people to perform at their peak, but also be relaxed in their family, work, life integration," Morrison said.
"If we can encourage and equip the guys so that they're making runs at home and handling things well in the marriage and family, it certainly makes for a better vibe around the club.
"If there are stresses there and we're not supporting them, that will definitely play out.
"Everything in elite sport it's that one degree of advantage and you want your people at their best."
