THE FUTURE isn't what it used to be at West Coast.
After round one, the Eagles were gone.
Now, after eight rounds, the only question that exists is whether they are the real deal or just teasing everyone with their outstanding start to the season.
Even their canny coach, Adam Simpson, admits he doesn't quite know whether second spot on the ladder is truly reflective of where they sit in the AFL pecking order.
But what he must know is that they have created a beautiful set of numbers after eight rounds.
Most points for (average 110.1 per game), third fewest points against (69.6), the equal most quarters won (23) and the highest percentage (158.2 per cent) have the Eagles poised to challenge.
Behind the improvement has been an Eagles midfield that looks the deepest and most mature group since Chris Judd left at the end of 2007.
Take the four players who contested the opening bounce on Saturday against St Kilda.
Nic Naitanui, Matt Priddis, Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo have been the No.1 centre square combination for the Eagles this season with 39 involvements.
After coming together 11 times for nine clearances in 2014, they stepped up their presence inside the square in 2015 and have made an immediate difference.
So dominant were the Eagles at centre bounces in the first quarter against the Saints, the inside 50 count was 19-5 at quarter time.
Naitanui was a bull, clearing space, winning the ball on the ground and forcing opponents to hurry.
Shuey, who has been a solid midfielder for several seasons, has no doubt about the big ruckman's effect this season.
"His ruck work is the best it’s been in a long time, probably ever," Shuey said.
Yeo is both a runner and a chip off the coach's block in that he's not afraid to go third-man up when required (a skill Simpson perfected as a player).
Elliot Yeo's emergence as a bona fide midfielder has been a boon for West Coast. Picture: AFL Media
Dom Sheed, Liam Duggan and Mark Le Cras have changed the mix too, giving Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis the vital support Simpson wants for him.
The running Sharrod Wellingham is in the square less often in 2015, and Shannon Hurn and Jeremy McGovern are being more attacking when using the ball out of defence.
Andrew Gaff and Chris Masten share the load, too, and the Eagles are not afraid to use handball to create overlap run.
They handball in the back half (their kick-to-handball ratio in the defensive half is 1.05) and have improved their willingness to play on after marking.
The Eagles lead the competition in points from kick-ins (they were last in 2014); are second in points from intercepts (up from fifth in 2014), and have gone from ninth, to fifth, to second in points from stoppages under Simpson.
Of course, winning centre clearances doesn't necessarily lead to scoreboard dominance.
But the Eagles make the most of any ascendancy, pressing hard and tackling inside 50 (against St Kilda they had 29 tackles inside 50 to the Saints' 11).
Defender Will Schofield told AFL.com.au that dominance at the centre bounces, combined with ferocious intent in the forward half, had a ripple effect.
"It certainly makes our job as a backline easier if there is at least a little delay in the middle of the ground there," Schofield said.
"The mids are really fighting for it in there."
That the Eagles' numbers have been recorded after losing two key defenders for the season and using 30 players – more than any of the other top six teams – is testament to their talent.
That they are ranked last for tackles – as the Hawks were last season – shows the team is learning to tackle when it is time to tackle; their spatial awareness and ability to keep shape on the ground is getting better the more time they spend under Simpson.
That Simpson is not prepared to get excited yet is not just due to the fixture.
He also has an unflappable temperant.
They face real finals contenders in nine of their next 11 games.
If the numbers are still similar at that stage, the Simpson smile might get wider.
Stats supplied by Champion Data
