WEST Coast skipper Shannon Hurn is under a cloud for the trip to face Sydney at the SCG after spending the final term of Sunday's belting of the Western Bulldogs on the interchange bench with a tight hamstring.
Hurn had been dominant across half-back with 18 touches and eight marks before sitting out, and the Eagles will be sweating on their captain's fitness ahead of a clash with the Swans at their bogey ground, where they have won just once from their past 11 games against Sydney.
If Hurn is unavailable for the last game before the Eagles' bye, it will be the first match he has missed in the last 47 outings – stretching back to round 15, 2017.
EAGLES FLYING Full match coverage and stats
"He's just got a bit of a tight hamstring, so we took the precaution and didn't play him in the last quarter, but we'll see how we go," coach Adam Simpson said post-match.
"Don't know (what his chances to face Sydney are). I think it's on the lower end."
Hurn's injury concern was the Eagles' only worry from a 61-point hammering of the Dogs at Optus Stadium, which provided a welcome percentage boost for the reigning premiers.
West Coast's eighth win also lifted them a game clear inside the top four at the halfway point of the campaign after five-straight victories.
SHOWREEL Darling fires Eagles to big win
"You want to bank the wins and all that sort of stuff, the talk that we do, but you feel like the last couple of weeks have been pretty important with the wins and losses, and for us to be competitive in the top half of the eight (is important)," Simpson said.
"Our percentage is quite low (108.8), so we need the wins, three more to qualify for finals, so that's still our goal."
Tall forwards Jack Darling (six goals) and Josh Kennedy (three goals) did most of the damage, before Liam Ryan and Jake Waterman (three each) chipped in.
WATCH Adam Simpson's full post-match press conference
Darling's haul equaled his career-best from last year against Richmond and the star big man is getting back towards top gear.
"The more supply we get to JD and JK the more you'll see them score," Simpson said.
"The way he (Darling) competed and finished off the work, the supply was good for him.
"He's been around a while now. Sometimes he doesn't have the same impact as he had tonight, but he's working really hard with all our other forwards.
"To kick six tonight is great, he's only done it once before in his career."
Simpson hailed the Eagles' nine-goal third quarter blitz as a sign the premiers were still capable of hitting their best when needed.
"Coming off success, from experience at other clubs as well, there's always that confidence within that you've gone to high levels before," he said.
"As much as we love to play that way all the time, it is difficult.
"We're working towards that. Hopefully we're still getting that consistency.
"But when we're challenged, our leaders do know how to respond."
