WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson doesn't like using the word rebuild, but don't let that convince you that he isn't committed to preparing the Eagles for long-term success.

In fact, so set is Simpson on getting the Eagles in a strong position for the future, he's come to terms with the possibility that it might not be him who sees the club out the other side.

"How long that takes, I'm not sure, so that (preparing for the future) is my personal focus. If it takes one or two years, fantastic, if it takes three or four and I'm not here, that's OK," Simpson told AFL.com.au. 

"It's the bigger picture piece that's really important, that we set our club up for the future and I'm aware of that.

"If it's a rebuild, great, let's call it a rebuild. If it's transition, whatever it is, we've identified that the draft is really important … the list is going to get younger."

Simpson is aware of the "head in the sand" criticism that can come from not labelling this Eagles phase as a rebuild. But the fact is this is a different type of list to one that is traditionally in that mode.

Norm Smith medallist Luke Shuey, dual club champion Nic Naitanui, and former captain Shannon Hurn remain as champions of the club, while senior players Jeremy McGovern, Jack Darling and Andrew Gaff will give the Eagles every chance of spiking if they stay fit.

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There are then two clearly identifiable groups, Simpson said, that will make the Eagles look significantly different to the 2022 team that won two games.

The first is a quartet of proven high-level players – Elliot Yeo, Oscar Allen, Dom Sheed and Tom Cole – that combined for six games last season because of serious injuries.

The other is the untried talent, headlined by prized draftee Reuben Ginbey and last year's top selection Campbell Chesser, with 2022 NAB AFL Draft selections Elijah Hewett and Noah Long also showing signs they will feature in 2023.

"There's two groups there coming through that look completely different to last year," Simpson said.

"Sheed, Allen, Cole, Yeo – those four will have more impact on the side than the young guys, but there's room for both.

"I'm really bullish on those guys as much as giving the kids some exposure, because those guys aren't at the back end of their careers, they're right in the middle. 

"It's exciting that we've got some new young talent and they'll get opportunities, but without the expectations."

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Whatever label is given to this list phase, the key for Simpson in 2023 is fast-tracking the Eagles' youth – while making sure there is still a sense of purpose for the club's long-time servants. 

Shuey, the club's captain and a two-time John Worsfold medallist, has moved to half-back to create opportunities in the midfield, while Naitanui will remain crucial as the club's No.1 ruckman.

Premiership captain Hurn, 35, finished second in the club champion award after a terrific individual season last year and will feature in a backline trying to move the ball quicker.

"There's a healthy respect for what they've done, but there's also a healthy respect for what they're doing," Simpson said of the trio's role through this next West Coast phase.

"They're still setting really high standards on the track, and they'll know when the time is right. Those guys have still got a lot to offer.

"They won't be around forever, they're all legacy players that have done so much for our footy club, so just finding that balance of respect but also the contribution they're making on and off the field at the moment is really important."

When wins are taken off the table as an option, Simpson says the most important thing to gain from 2023 will be taking the club's young players from a point where they question if they're good enough to one where they believe they are. 

"That is probably the thought process as a young player. Regardless of where you draft them, that's how you feel when you're young," he said.

"So giving them the confidence and opportunity to see where they're at, that's the ultimate goal with a young list.

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"And then the senior players, giving them enough motivation and growth to succeed and drive these young guys as well.         

"That's why the rebuild stuff, I get it, but I think we can do it in a way that gets the best of both worlds."

How the Eagles found themselves bottoming out in 2022 had everything to do with an availability crisis that, at its worst points, had the club putting squads together with fewer than 25 fit players.

Finding the balance between recognising when performances weren't good enough while also acknowledging the significant setbacks faced was the biggest challenge for Simpson as a coach.

The 47-year-old thought about seeking advice during the year before realising there was nobody who had gone through what the Eagles were experiencing.

"We had 25 players available for probably 10 weeks, and then there were three or four weeks when we had top-up players from the WAFL playing for us," Simpson said.

"There wasn't a lot of support you could draw upon, other than we stayed united internally, and I thought the player group stuck together really well.

"We've had better seasons with a poorer environment is the way I'd describe last year."

The road back to full fitness is a long one for West Coast, but an off-season program which focused on endurance was a good start, with Simpson proud of the way his players committed themselves.

Injuries to Naitanui (Achilles), Darling (ankle) and Josh Rotham (arm) in recent weeks have been troublesome, but the squad has come a long way from the 2022 nightmare in terms of strength and fitness.

The next step is embedding a modern game style that prioritises speed in transition after struggling with Adelaide's pressure last Friday night and falling back on slower ball movement.  

"The speed of the game has definitely gone to another level, and the speed of ball," Simpson said.  

"We've traditionally played a certain way and we had a lot of success doing it, and we moved away from that last year with no success.

"But I'm not quite sure it was because of the (new) style of play. I think it was probably more availability and health.

"Catching up with the transition part of the game has been our biggest focus."

Simpson is entering his 10th season as West Coast coach and his 30th in the AFL after 16 years as a player with North Melbourne and four as an assistant coach with Hawthorn.

Last year has been all but blocked out, but there is still excitement in his voice when he talks about the possibilities of the season ahead and the "thrill of the chase".

"As a player you get it every week. As a coach it's not the same, but you do get the same competitive instincts and competitive nature. It's addictive," the 2018 premiership coach said.

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The idea then that Simpson is at peace with the prospect of not seeing the Eagles out the other side of this phase in their development comes as a surprise. Was that a hard position to come to? 

"Not at all. It's just reality," he said.

"I've got three years left on my contract, so I'm not thinking about me in that sense, I'm thinking about the club and what we can do to set ourselves up, hopefully for long-term success."