WEST Coast wingman Chris Masten will rue midfield coach Sam Mitchell's departure, believing the former champion onballer has played a key role in his form revival.
Mitchell intends to return to Victoria at season's end, halfway through a bombshell four-year playing and coaching deal.
Masten played 12 games alongside the Brownlow medallist last year, but has embraced the chance to work even closer with Mitchell since his retirement.
The 29-year-old was at the crossroads last season and lost confidence after being dropped, but has stamped himself as a permanent fixture again in a hard-running midfield role.
Masten has also clearly improved his ball use, with his kicking efficiency climbing to 73 per cent, up by about seven per cent from last season.
"I think it's just going back to – it sounds really simple – but just taking that first, easy option, rather than just trying to make something up," Masten told AFL.com.au.
"I'm not 'Jetts' (Lewis Jetta), I can't do what 'Jetts' does, so I just do what I can do well. I can see a right option, normally, and I'll just take that first one.
"It's a pretty simple mindset, rather than overcomplicating everything.
"I've definitely worked on it at training – a lot is from 'Mitch' as well."
Mitchell was renowned as an elite user off both feet throughout his illustrious 329-game career and has helped Masten with kicking techniques.
"We do little things where I just have to copy the kick that he does as quickly as possible," Masten said.
"He'll do all these random kicks and you're trying to figure it out in a millisecond.
"It gets your head going, it gets your feet going and that connection between ball and foot as well. They seem so simple, but make a huge difference.
"He wasn't a quick player, but he had some of the best footwork ever. A lot of that he can teach as well.
"It will suck not having him, but we've just got to get on with it.
"We've got four games to play now, plus finals, so we'll just make the most of him this year."
Having experienced the tough side of sport last year, Masten has rediscovered the fun in football again, helped by the fact the Eagles have enjoyed a surprise surge up to second on the ladder.
"I'm definitely enjoying my footy the most I ever have," he said.
"I think just growing up and realising I haven't got long left in the game, I'm just loving going out there every week with the boys."
Being stuck at East Perth last year was a wake-up call and, after questioning whether he was still good enough, he has also discovered a way to quieten his head noise through meditation.
"First of all, I didn’t really believe in it, so that already (put me) on the back foot," Masten said.
"The real buy-in for me has only been the last 12, 18 months maybe, but more so the last six months, I've really stepped it up.
"We do a lot of stuff off the field with mindfulness and sports pysch, but just having a kid (son Tex in January), everything's in perspective, like, who cares if I kick it out of bounds on the full?
"Everything is way worse in my head than it actually is.
"It's definitely helped my footy, 100 per cent, and probably my life, and at home with the missus and everything.
"I think it's a positive thing for anyone."
