ADAM Simpson bristles when the Eagles are dismissed as 'flat-track bullies' - and it's fair to say that tag is inaccurate.
West Coast's players don't deserve to still carry the moniker that haunted them back in a topsy-turvy 2014.
In reality, they're 'homebodies' – mighty in Perth but meek on the road.
Another interstate shellacking in Geelong on Saturday exposed West Coast as pretenders to Hawthorn's throne, on current form.
Premiership teams don't get the wobbles when they set foot on foreign territory.
"That's the disappointing thing, is back home we tend to go reasonably well," skipper Shannon Hurn told AFL.com.au after the 44-point loss to the Cats.
"That's one of the things good teams do, they just play well. It doesn't matter where the game is.
"We haven't played anywhere near our best away.
"We haven't played consistent footy and … we've been really hurt, especially on the scoreboard."
Hurn's analysis is backed by a sobering set of numbers.
When they've had the support of a hostile Domain Stadium crowd this season, the Eagles have been hammering opponents by more than nine goals a game.
But when the going gets tough on the road, they've raised the white flag and gone down by an average margin of 43 points to Hawthorn, the Sydney Swans and the Cats.
The reality is that sub-standard offerings interstate have been an issue throughout Simpson's tenure.
The Eagles have dominated at Domain, winning 22 of 30 games there since 2014.
But interstate they've won only 11 times from 24 attempts and haven't flown home with a victory since round 16 last year against Collingwood.
Travel sickness is affecting some of West Coast's biggest names, too.
Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis' metres gained have tumbled by 127m away from home this year, while his scoreboard impact almost halves (9.2 points to 5.5 points) compared to Domain Stadium games.
The 31-year-old had just 19 touches against Hawthorn – his lowest tally in nearly three years – and his 28 disposals against the Cats went largely unnoticed, except for a missed handball that coughed up a goal and halted the Eagles' third-quarter charge.
Nic Naitanui had ignited the five-goal blitzkrieg, but it also highlighted how muted he'd been to that point and his road numbers haven't stacked up.
The star ruckman won only 23 hit-outs against the Cats – his lowest tally this year – and is down on scoreboard impact (-4.6), clearances (-1.4) and metres gained (-20m) away from Perth.
Luke Shuey's combination with Naitanui is being stifled away from home and so is his ability to impact the scoreboard (-6.6 points).
Elliot Yeo's career-best form helped inspire West Coast's climb up the ladder last year, but the 22-year-old is currently finding eight fewer disposals a game outside of WA.
Meanwhile, high-profile recruit Lewis Jetta has looked lost and had only single-digit disposals against Hawthorn and Geelong.
• Eagles coach Simpson sharpens selection axe
The Eagles midfield hasn't done reigning Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy, sharpshooter Mark LeCras and Josh Hill many favours away from home thus far in 2016.
Kennedy has kicked only six of his 20 majors on the road, for LeCras it's just one of eight and Hill has booted two of eight. Between them, they're contributing nearly five goals a game less in scoreboard impact outside Perth.
It spells trouble for the Eagles' flag ambitions.
The good news for Simpson's outfit? It's only round eight.
West Coast never had this array of firepower when it won the 2006 premiership - it took one of the greatest midfield quartets in history to drive that side to a 10-2 road record – and there's improvement left in a still-maturing side.
But these Eagles won't be a flag contender until they learn to fly.
• Read more from the Stats Files
