WEST Coast's midfield "needs to give more" next season, and ex-Hawthorn champion Sam Mitchell is already driving the engine room to get better, young gun Dom Sheed says.
The Eagles' onball division was swamped in last year's elimination final loss to the rampant Western Bulldogs, with too much left to too few in the fierce battle for possession.
It was a recurring issue throughout 2016, and with star ruckman Nic Naitanui sidelined for most of next season, West Coast's midfield received a much-needed boost with the bombshell trade for Mitchell.
"Sam's obviously played in a few (four) premierships, so he knows what he's talking about and he's been really good so far for the team – especially the midfield group," Sheed told AFL.com.au.
"I think everyone's learnt a little bit off him so far. I'm looking forward to playing with him next year, as everyone is."
Mitchell, 34, dominated the Eagles' final training session of the year last week, repeatedly getting first hands to the ball at clearances in match simulation and shaping the flow of play as he did in 307 games for the Hawks.
"He's looking to learn as well, to learn our gameplan, and he gives us a lot of advice on the track which is good," Sheed said
"If he has something to say, he'll definitely speak up and say it.
"He's given me a lot of advice on all areas of the midfield to do with bodywork around stoppages, how to move and stuff like that. He's obviously elite in that area.
"You always pinch yourself a little bit when you're training next to two Brownlow medallists in Matt Priddis and Sam Mitchell. It's exciting and I definitely get a buzz from it."
While the prospect of Priddis, Mitchell, reigning club champion Luke Shuey and Andrew Gaff working in tandem has West Coast fans eagerly anticipating next season, the club's next tier of onballers could hold a key to the Eagles' fortunes.
Lewis Jetta and Jack Redden have impressed this pre-season after indifferent and injury-interrupted debut campaigns out west, while promising youngster Liam Duggan has been turning heads leading into his third season.
Meanwhile, Sheed, who secured a podium finish in a strong 2015 NAB AFL Rising Star field, has shown the potential to become an A-grade midfielder.
West Coast sorely missed the 21-year-old's raking left boot and cool head last season after he tore a pectoral playing for East Perth in March.
Sheed only made it back for West Coast's final six games, with his 30-disposal effort in a gutsy win on the road against the Crows in round 23 showcasing what the Eagles had been missing.
"It was obviously frustrating coming off a good year and then being injured most of the next year, but that's the nature of footy," he said.
"Injuries are going to happen and it's just how you deal with them and how you bounce back.
"We didn't have that much luck with injuries (to midfielders) this year, but we've got a healthy list (now) and hopefully we can keep it that way, because the midfield needs to give more next year.
"If we can all stay injury-free, we'll have a decent midfield on paper.
"But it means nothing if we can't gel together and make it work out on the field, so that's what we're working on over the pre-season."
