WHEN West Coast stars Tim Kelly, Elliot Yeo and Luke Shuey walked to the first centre bounce on Sunday, it marked the end of a season-long battle for the Eagles to get their best midfield on the park together.
But when Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli snatched Nic Naitanui's perfect tap to Yeo moments later, it marked the start of a new battle for the engine room trio.
A midfield masterclass was underway, as Bontempelli and the Bulldogs delivered a reality check if there was any thought that the Eagles' midfield would click immediately now all their guns were in place.
Bailey Smith raced away with the second centre clearance at Optus Stadium before Bontempelli, with Kelly and Yeo hanging off one arm each, made it 3-0 out of the middle.
It was a snapshot of a match that saw the Eagles handed their biggest midfield beating this season, losing the contested ball (-30) and clearances (-15) by the biggest margins of their stop-start campaign.
Their groundball gets (-32) and looseball gets (-21) were both in the Eagles' bottom three results this season, also losing the hardball gets (-8) against the Bulldogs for the second time in 2021 after the round two result (-15).
The challenge is now in front of the Eagles' midfield stars to prove they can find a winning formula together as they work their way back to full fitness without the luxury of time.
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It's another twist in a season that has had plenty already and had appeared to be building towards a top-four charge once Shuey (hamstring), Kelly (knee) and Yeo (osteitis pubis) were back from injury.
The Eagles instead find themselves in a dogfight in the bottom half of the eight and travelling to GMHBA Stadium against a Sydney team that won't make things easy in the midfield.
Coach Adam Simpson highlighted the Bulldogs' work-rate on Sunday night and their ability to "outhunt" his team. He said to lose the way they did was a bitter pill to swallow but the Eagles would learn from it.
What they learn and how they adjust for a must-win clash against the Swans will be intriguing given the paths available to the match committee.
One is to trust the stars and back them to rebound and find a way to all function again in the same midfield coming off injuries. They've earned that right.
But responsibility may also need to be shared more prominently with the players who have got the job done through the Eagles' injury battles.
Tough midfielder Jack Redden has been a key to the Eagles' season, averaging his most clearances (4.4) and contested possessions (10.2) since the 2018 premiership campaign.
Dom Sheed has averaged career high clearances (5.6) and contested possessions (11.3), sitting behind only Andrew Gaff for average disposals at West Coast (26.9).
Both had 20 disposals against the Bulldogs as midfield minutes were shared, with Redden spending more time on the wing and then switching onto an accountable role on Bontempelli.
The Eagles will be at their best when Yeo, Shuey and Kelly are at their best. That is clear, with the trio sharing four best and fairest awards, three All Australian blazers, two premiership medals, a Norm Smith medal, and 194 Brownlow Medal votes.
A return to top form could come quicker than we expect and a powerful response from all three against the Swans wouldn't surprise.
But until that happens, the Eagles need to find a way to make the engine room work without them at their peak. If they can't, the season will slip away before they know it.
