ADAM Simpson, an outsider in a city whose people default to scepticism when assessing all outsiders, was a looming target this time last year.  

West Coast was in the midst of an ugly form slump and Perth media and club identities had started to ask deep questions of the club and its coach.  

The relative comfort of a long-term contract meant little as the politics always at play in Perth football began to unroll.  

The Eagles had limped to the bye weekend with a 6-5 record, having lost the three matches leading into that break, but compounding Simpson's problems was his knowledge that he had no tricks or cards to play in the back half of the year.  

Nic Naitanui wasn't going to return from a knee damaged late the previous season. An emotional decision had to be made on Brownlow medallist and favourite son Matt Priddis, so too on the new, yet aged and slowing, recruit Sam Mitchell.  

But Simpson and his Eagles hung in there as influential club greats started to question the coach in hushed tones.  

They played tough and ugly. For the 10 weeks after the bye, a win was followed by a loss, meaning that by the time of the final round, the club knew that to make finals, it needed to defeat the top-of-ladder Adelaide and for Melbourne to lose to Collingwood.  

Somehow, both boxes were ticked.

The Eagles finished eighth, 0.49 per cent clear of the Demons and booked themselves into Mission Impossible, an elimination final against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.  

Extra-time was required to determine a winner, with the Eagles' Luke Shuey coolly slotting a long goal after the extra-time final siren.  

Greater Western Sydney belted them the following week in a semi-final, but in so many ways, 2017 was a success for Simpson.

He found a way through the turmoil.  

The back half of the Eagles' 2017 season set up their stunning, 8-1, opening to 2018.  

BRING IT ON Simpson happy to 'embrace' the hype

In an industry of copycats, Simpson is committed to doing things his way.

He didn't panic last year, and in 2018 he has resisted the near competition-wide trend of copycatting the structures of the recent premiers.  

Where many clubs are trying to emulate the smaller forward line and manic inside 50m tackling pressure of the past two premiers Richmond and Western Bulldogs, as well as committing to a match-day 22 which has only one specialist ruckman, Simpson is embracing old-school ways.  

Two specialist ruckmen have become crucial to his plans, Scott Lycett playing a key role alongside the superstar Naitanui.

Nic Naitanui has been formidable in his return after a year out. Picture: AFL Photos
 

Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling, with able back-up from first year bigman Jake Waterman, are the forward-line marking targets, all three traditionally sized, albeit incredibly agile, key-position players.  

While Priddis, Mitchell, Drew Petrie, Sam Butler and Sharrod Wellingham were phased out as Eagles at the end of last year, another older player, Mark LeCras, was retained. LeCras has been a key part of the brilliant start to 2018.  

As significant as the outstanding form of established stars has been to the Eagles to this point of 2018, arguably the key to the club's re-emergence has been Simpson’s preparedness to give licence to kids on his list.  

Seven players have been seen in an Eagles jumper for the first time, six of them as AFL debutants, and Brendon Ah Chee via Port Adelaide.  

Liam Ryan provided an incredible spark in the three games he managed before injury, Willie Rioli also in his eight matches.

WATCH Flyin' Ryan jumps all over the Bulldogs

Waterman has only just turned 20, yet plays with the smarts of a 10-year player. Daniel Venables (four matches), Brayden Ainsworth (one) and Jack Petruccelle (two) have combined to create a match-day vibrancy and energy which was not evident last year.  

Jake Waterman has slotted seamlessly into the Eagles' forward line. Picture: AFL Photos

Mitchell, as was the plan when he crossed from Hawthorn at the end of 2016, has become a crucial asset in the coach's box.  

Jeremy McGovern, already a two-time All Australian, is tracking for a third such honour. Naitanui's aura is as important as his elite ability, and Jack Redden looks to have finally become the legitimate star he was always meant to be from the day he was drafted to Brisbane way back in 2008.  

Simpson was knocked around last year, but never doubted himself. As anyone who has had anything to do with him in his 24 years (15 as a player, four as an assistant coach, five as Eagles coach) in the AFL system can attest, no one trumps him when it comes to toughness.  

He has already taken the Eagles to an unlikely Grand Final, and in many ways his ability to steer the club to a semi-final last year was equally impressive.  

The challenge of this time last year could have broken Simpson. Instead it strengthened him, and the Eagles appear headed for a second Grand Final in four seasons.  

Twitter: @barrettdamian