The Eagles kept their faint finals hopes alive with a hard-fought 12-point win over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday night.

 

West Coast sits 11th on the AFL ladder, two games outside the eight, although with a healthier percentage than Collingwood (eighth) and Gold Coast (ninth).

The Eagles have the bye this weekend before facing Richmond, Adelaide, Collingwood, Essendon, Melbourne and Gold Coast in the final six rounds.

 

While a finals berth appears unlikely, Hurn says the Eagles will not give up the pursuit of playing in September.

 

"Mathematically when you are still a chance, everyone still wants to play finals,” Hurn said.  

 

"We do realise where we sit and it is going to be hard. But we don't give up."

 

Hurn said the players were aware of the fact they were set to play teams in close proximity to them on the ladder, and that winning those games could see them make the eight.

 

"I think individually players might look at that," Hurn said.

 

"We haven't spoken about it as a team.

 

"We have Adelaide, Essendon, Gold Coast and Collingwood, they are above us, so if we can win all of those games, plus a couple of others, we will probably sneak in."

 

Hurn has been one of four Eagles to share the captaincy since Darren Glass retired following West Coast's round 12 loss to Hawthorn, with Josh Kennedy, Matt Priddis and Eric Mackenzie also filling the role.

 

First-year coach Adam Simpson described Hurn as the smartest footballer on the West Coast list and several ex-Eagles have suggested Hurn is the best candidate to take on the captaincy long-term.

 

The 26-year-old is just four games shy of qualifying for life membership at West Coast. He said he was happy to be considered a candidate for the long-term captaincy.

 

"It is something I enjoyed," Hurn said.

 

"Darren Glass, the way he lead for six or seven years he was here, you certainly pick up a lot of tips from him.

 

"If it came along it would be great but it would be a collective effort anyway."

 

Hurn believes the captaincy rotation among the leadership group had worked well.

 

"The leadership group, what we are about is probably more a collective message at the moment," Hurn said.

 

"What we are trying to do is set the standards of what we are talking about.

 

"Yes, everyone has their own personalities and own little bit different spin on it, but it's still the same message about how we want to play and how we want to go about it.

 

"I think that is the pleasing thing."