WEST Coast is drawing on the harsh lesson learnt from last year's shock elimination final loss heading into next Saturday night's do-or-die clash against Port Adelaide, coach Adam Simpson says.
The Eagles had all the momentum and were raging favourites to knock over the Western Bulldogs at home last year but were ambushed by a hungrier outfit destined for a fairytale flag.
While West Coast isn't using the Bulldogs' stunning run from seventh as inspiration, Simpson has revisited how the Eagles handled the pre-finals bye last season to better cope with the week off this time around.
"It's a different dynamic now. We came off two six-day breaks last year and had three really good wins," Simpson said.
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"We played on a Thursday night against a team who, at the time, hadn't achieved what they had after that and it was something we really learnt from.
"We reflected on it straight away and we looked at it again this week.
"We're looking at Port and what we need to do to win that game, and how we prepare best for that.
"The Bulldogs, everyone will talk about drawing on that, but that was their journey, so we need to create our own."
Simpson believed the bye benefited the bottom four teams in the top eight, especially his players after their emotion-charged victory over Adelaide secured a finals berth.
The Eagles have underperformed badly in their past two finals, including the 2015 Grand Final against Hawthorn, and this year will be the last chance at glory for retiring veterans Matt Priddis and Drew Petrie, and possibly several others.
"To be honest, there's no outlook on dreaming, we just want to get next week done," Simpson said.
"The fact is you do only get a few opportunities in your career and this is our third crack at it (under his regime).
"More and more, we feel like with the week off and how the season and the clubs are presenting, that anything is possible.
"But our No.1 priority is getting this week right, then getting our prep for Port right next week."
If the Eagles get past the Power, speculation about Nic Naitanui's potential return from a knee reconstruction will go into overdrive.
The spring-heeled big man hasn't given up on a last-minute comeback but Simpson preached caution.
"He's a competitor, he wants to contribute. He's been watching us from the sidelines for 12 months. It won't be Nic's decision," Simpson said.
"He hasn't gone into a contest with real anger, he hasn't gone into a handball game, he hasn't gone into a competitive scrimmage, so there's a fair bit of water to go under the bridge.
"I'm not going to push anything. Whatever his program is and continues to be won't change."
Simpson was speaking at Lathlain Park on Wednesday, where the first sod was turned ahead of construction commencing on the Eagles' new training and administration facility.
The project won't be completed until at least the end of next year, but West Coast will train on one of the Perth Stadium-sized ovals over pre-season to prepare for the move away from Domain Stadium next year.
"It will help. We've got to get used to a new-sized oval and what we've seen as a bit of an advantage at stages (at Subiaco Oval) over our journey will be taken away from us," Simpson said.
"The other oval being MCG or Etihad size will be important as well."
