HOW DID we get West Coast so wrong?

It's the question many in the footy world are asking, as gloomy pre-season predictions of the Eagles' demise prove about as accurate as St Kilda's forwards.

Of the 17 AFL.com.au reporters who gazed into their crystal ball before round one, not one placed West Coast higher than 10th on the ladder.

MATCH PREVIEW Can Eagles make a statement against Tigers?

Former coach and commentator Robert Walls thought they would claim the wooden spoon. Indeed, the Eagles were paying $67 to win the flag – not that many would have bothered checking.

When CEO Trevor Nisbett was asked at the season launch if his club would play finals and answered with one word – "Yes" – it seemed to be in defiance of those lining up to write them off.

But maybe the long-time chief knew something everybody else didn't.

Because the Eagles are flying.

After seven wins on the bounce, they face reigning premier Richmond in an Optus Stadium blockbuster on Sunday, with the winner to jump a game clear on top of the ladder.

Clearly, it’s early in the season and West Coast hasn't achieved anything yet.

But the wheels would have to fall off for them to miss finals from here, and a top-four spot will be squarely in their sights if they can overcome the Tigers.

A NEW ERA

In fairness to 'experts' and fans, West Coast's list was in a state of flux at the end of last year. Even coach Adam Simpson hedged his bets.

Major change was afoot once the ageing Eagles trudged off Spotless Stadium after a semi-final humbling from GWS.

The euphoria of an epic extra-time elimination final victory over Port Adelaide was soon forgotten, and the AFL's oldest list was about to be overhauled.

Club great Matt Priddis was farewelled alongside Sam Mitchell and Drew Petrie after their last hurrah in the west.

The sole 2006 premiership survivor, Sam Butler, had already hung up the boots.

More experience was shed when Sharrod Wellingham and Josh Hill weren't offered new contracts and Jonathan Giles gave in to a grumbly knee.

West Coast was careful not to label it a rebuild, but all signs were pointing to a step backwards, at least in the short-term.

The club handed over a future first-round pick to invest in last year's draft and youngsters were told their time was coming.

Despite the excitement of seeing untried Willie Rioli, Daniel Venables, Jake Waterman, Liam Ryan and others in action, expectations had to be tempered.

Liam Ryan is an exciting addition to the Eagles. Picture: AFL Photos

Not even the coach was certain what 2018 would bring.

"We go in probably holding our breath a bit, because what we're used to is just rock-solid performers," Simpson admitted to AFL.com.au before round one.

"Now we've got this whole different look on a new stadium. So there could be some great times, there could be some tough times."

THE NEED FOR SPEED

West Coast's problem areas were obvious in 2017.

The Eagles were one-paced, struggled to run out games, couldn't apply enough pressure, got beaten up at the coalface (15th in the AFL in contested ball) and around clearances (17th), and failed to supply a hungry forward line (13th for inside 50s). 

The returns of ruck duo Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett would clearly boost a workmanlike midfield, but, on the wider expanses of new home Optus Stadium, the Eagles were going to have a need for speed.

Simpson also wanted to get back to the frenzied forward-half pressure that was a hallmark of the surprise run to the 2015 Grand Final.

Kids could inject some pace, but just as Adrian Hickmott's coaching role was tweaked to zero-in on a glaring contested ball deficiency, pre-season training focused on gut-busting repeat sprint efforts.

"The repeat speed stuff … it's a massive part of the game at the moment, getting up and back and then – when we do break the lines – spreading as hard as we can," star defender Jeremy McGovern told AFL.com.au.

"We worked on it. We had a lot of young blokes come in who naturally have it, which helps, and also a couple of old boys like 'Masto' (Chris Masten) who have always had it but there's a clear role there now for him, which is his strength.

"It's something we focused on as a whole team for fitness level and also as individuals."

There's no denying the Eagles are quicker, especially on the rock-hard highway that is their new home.

But with Naitanui and Lycett dominating (the Eagles are No. 1 for hit-out differential), they are also back winning the territory battle (No. 5 in clearance differential), moving the ball rapidly by foot and then locking it in attack (No. 3 for time in forward half).

"I thought the way we played last year suited the side we had and so much of the side was going to change," new midfield assistant coach Sam Mitchell told AFL.com.au.

"Once we got into the pre-season and realised how much quicker we looked as a side with the development of guys like Liam Duggan and Jackson Nelson, then you bring in Willie Rioli, Jack Petruccelle and Daniel Venables, you just end up with a speedy and powerful list.

"Being able to create a game-style and game-plan that utilises that is what ‘Simmo’ has been able to do really, really well.

"When you have speed, you're more likely to try and get the ball into space, whereas when you're a bit slower, more clever and skillful around the ball and built that way as a list, you're likely to keep it in congestion a little bit more and handball through.

"Probably when you mix those things together it all makes sense."

SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT

Speed kills but another benefit of youth is enthusiasm.

West Coast has blooded a League-high six debutants and the lift in spirits and enjoyment amongst the group is obvious on gameday and to track watchers.  

When small forward Jamie Cripps slotted his first goal last Saturday against the Giants (after kicking five behinds) teammates ran from everywhere to celebrate an unremarkable milestone – his 150th career goal.

"I don't think many people in many other teams would know when a player kicks his 150th goal," Mitchell said.

"That sort of thing is really important."

McGovern pointed out there has been a concerted effort to celebrate each other's success and embrace the grind. 

"Sometimes you do need to talk about enjoying footy because it goes out of the game a little bit," he said.

"It becomes so work orientated and you view it like a job, which it is, but it does get viewed like that a lot and there's a lot of unenjoyable things you do.

"You play for two hours a week which is the real enjoyable part, your training is a little bit enjoyable and everything else is not what you signed up for.

"You've got to find some enjoyment in it, which we have of late."

It's fed through to WAFL alignment club East Perth, too.

When Tom Cole kicked a goal in round one, in his first game after his father's passing, the young Victorian was mobbed, despite the Royals being in the midst of a 118-point hammering from powerhouse Subiaco. 

Maybe it's not solely about team spirit, but East Perth hasn't lost a game since.

KNOW YOUR ROLE

Without big guns Naitanui, McGovern and Luke Shuey, the Eagles' system was put to the test against a similarly injury-hit Giants side last weekend.

But role clarity – not dissimilar to the model of Richmond's success – is becoming a major strength.

Fraser McInnes slotted into the No.2 ruck position as Lycett stepped up, Will Schofield chopped out Tom Barrass to take on McGovern's intercept role and first-gamer Brayden Ainsworth filled Shuey's shoes in a gritty road win.

Brayden Ainsworth and Brendon Ah Chee celebrate their first Eagles win. Picture: AFL Photos

"We’ve probably become a little bit more role-focused since the early part of the year and that’s flowed through our reserves at East Perth as well," Simpson told 3AW this week.

"Anyone who comes up the ranks, it's pretty clear what they've got to do."

From simple focus points, confidence has swelled throughout the line-up.

Some of the most maligned Eagles of recent times have been the biggest beneficiaries.

Masten's career appeared at the crossroads when he was dropped last year, with Simpson since admitting he got it wrong trying to turn the aerobic beast into something he wasn't.

Freed from worrying about contested ball, Masten has been told to do what he's good at – run – and is averaging 20 disposals as a valuable linkman.

Jack Redden found form at the end of last year but, after a quiet start this season, has clicked into gear around clearances, averaging nine in the past three games.

Meanwhile, Jack Darling has matured into a dominant key forward.

In Josh Kennedy's absence, Darling stood tall in the early rounds and has been in the form of his life since the Eagles spearhead returned.

He sits third in the Coleman Medal race with 22 goals and, with the simple aim of not being beaten in the air, leads the competition for contested marks.

"What the players really need is to go out on game-day with absolute clarity about their role, so they don't have to think about it again," Mitchell said.

"If you can get consistency of that, they never have to worry about where they need to be because they're always in the right place.

"When you're in the right place you don't have to think, and then you're going to play your best footy because all the energy you have left is for the contest.

"That's what's become really strong in our players is the contest component of the game because everyone knows where they have to be and when."

THE REAL DEAL?

It is impossible to put a finger on one or two reasons for what has transpired since the Eagles went down to Sydney in round one.

Some would say luck has played a part in their wins.

The Eagles arguably got the Dogs, Blues and Suns at low ebbs, while Geelong, the Giants and Dockers suffered from in-game injuries to key players.

But there has to be so much more than good fortune at play to rank second for attack (100 points per game) and fifth for defence (74).

What was largely ignored at the end of last year was that West Coast still had a senior core stacked with talent.

Shannon Hurn is being spoken about as a potential All Australian captain, while Andrew Gaff, Brad Sheppard, Jack Darling and Jeremy McGovern would also be in contention for the 40-man squad.

Jack Darling isn't the only one enjoying his good form. Picture: AFL Photos

Kennedy is yet to hit his straps – despite booting 15 goals in five games - a fit-again Mark LeCras (15) is rejuvenated, Elliot Yeo is equipped to match it with the AFL's elite and West Coast packs the League's best one-two ruck punch in Naitanui and Lycett.

With arguably the most intimidating home ground advantage in the competition, and seven games at fortress Optus still to come, West Coast couldn't be positioned any better.

Understandably, some doubts remain about the Eagles' credibility as a flag contender, especially given their underwhelming record at the MCG, and injuries can change the course of any season.

But West Coast couldn't have done much more ahead of the Tigers test and the Eagles are welcoming the chance to challenge themselves against the best.

"They're the most well-organised, dynamic, confident, well-drilled side that we've faced this year," Simpson said on SEN.

"Their belief is there and the evidence is there as well, and when you have a side that has both of those going for them, they're very hard to stop.

"We're probably not far off that mindset ourselves, but we've done it for seven weeks.

"This is a really good indicator where we're at."