Cox, who said he was in the best physical shape of recent years, said the Eagles should approach the new season optimistically despite winning just four games in 2010.
The 29-year-old maintained continual improvement was the primary aim for the club in 2011, but said returning to the finals for the first time since 2007 should not be discounted.
"I think we can [make the finals]," Cox said from West Coast's community camp in Carnarvon on Friday.
"You certainly go in optimistic. You think your best side can play and challenge the best sides in the competition [and] I think our best side can do it as well.
"Everyone's really disappointed with what happened last year and the performances we put up.
"(But) a lot of younger guys have really taken that second step - they're in their second or third pre-seasons, their bodies can stand the training demands put on them [and] they've got through everything.
"I think we can win a fair few more games."
Cox played all 22 games last season but the four-time All-Australian was coming off an interrupted pre-season and battled through the year under-prepared.
Now, after a full summer program, the premiership big man said he was on the verge of running out games as he did in his prime between 2005 and 2008.
"That's been the most pleasing thing about pre-season, that I've done every session [and] I've been able to complete all the workload," he said.
"The body's feeling the best it's felt in years.
"Last year I missed pretty much all of January, February and March, so getting into the season I was just trying to play catch-up all the time.
"I've worked pretty closely with the fitness staff to come up with a program that will suit me to really run out games like I used to."
West Coast expects to use all available players in its NAB Cup opener against Fremantle and Hawthorn on February 13, but the club will also use the pre-season competition to experiment with its ruck strategies.
Cox said the Eagles ruckmen - including Nic Naitanui and recruit Scott Lycett - had worked closely with forwards coach Peter Sumich this summer, with the AFL's new substitute rule to mean more time in attack for the big men.
"I think it will certainly give us an opportunity to play forward and spend more time on ground," Cox said.
"Our role up forward, what will it be, how much time will we spend there? That will be operated and worked on through the NAB Cup campaign.
"It's another area that I would probably love to see myself develop in and I haven't had an opportunity previously, when I've been rucking for the majority of games.
"It'd be great to have one of us up forward trying to take some marks and kicking some goals."
