WEST Coast suffered a severe 'reality check' in its 38-point loss to North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium, according to coach Adam Simpson.
The Kangaroos thoroughly dominated the Eagles in the wet conditions, with the home side registering its third lowest score ever at the venue.
Simpson was blunt in his assessment of the Eagles’ performance in the aftermath, having already held his players to account in a frank post-mortem in the rooms.
"We've been pleased with how we're developing but we took a step backwards today," Simpson said.
"I've got the bigger picture in mind but the effort wasn’t there, which for the most part this year the effort has been there. Definitely in the second quarter when it rained I thought we got out-worked."
The Eagles managed just three goals after quarter-time, including one after the final siren to avoid the ignominy of a record low score at home.
Simpson's side has now lost six of its past seven matches following a hat-trick of wins to begin the season.
The former Hawthorn assistant coach, and two-time premiership player at North Melbourne, made ball-use and ball-movement inside 50 a key area of focus throughout the pre-season and during the opening 11 rounds.
But the Eagles butchered the ball in the wet conditions. Their 52 entries exceeded the Kangaroos' 44 but they managed just 14 scores as the North Melbourne defence flooded back in number and rebounded with ease.
Simpson credited the Kangaroos for their performance but was clearly exasperated with his team's mistakes and inability to adjust throughout the night.
"There's skill errors and decision-making but then there's the basic turnovers," Simpson said.
"Kicking into the man on the mark, the shank kicks that we had tonight, they're the ones that are disappointing.
"But how we're developing and how we want to use the ball going inside 50 has probably been our main focus and that will continue.
"I think in the last few weeks we've shown as a collective we can perform. I thought in the Collingwood game [in round 10], against probably the strongest midfield in the competition, we matched and won the midfield supply battle.
"We won the supply battle again tonight, but we're not using the ball well."
Simpson refused to single out individuals, saying responsibility for the loss needed to be placed on the team and the coaching staff as a collective.
But he did emphasise that under-performing players will be under the pump to win selection against Hawthorn next week.
"If you don't deserve to play, you won't. I'm not giving games away," Simpson said.
"The thing we've got at the moment is guys are performing in patches, just not in four quarters, and quite often not when it counts."
Simpson said captain Darren Glass will return to face the Hawks next weekend after being ruled out this week due to soreness. Xavier Ellis was subbed out with a corked thigh against the Kangaroos and will face a battle to play against his old side.
