The West Coast Eagles created a proud record through the decade of the 90s by playing in the finals series in every season, but it must be said that in 1998 it was a case of qualifying for the September action, but having no impact.

The Eagles limped into the business end of the season, finishing seventh on 12 wins and just edging ahead of Essendon and Richmond, who were ninth. Only five percent separated West Coast and the Tigers.

After creating a reasonable platform through the middle stages of the year, West Coast hit the doldrums in the last month of the qualifying rounds with losses to Sydney, St Kilda and Adelaide, all of whom finished above them, in the last four weeks.

The solitary victory in that period, importantly, came against Richmond at Subiaco Oval – a result that proved the difference between advancing and bowing out early with seven other also-rans.

As it transpired the Eagles played for just one more week, but it was so much more than just another week in the history of the club.

The Western Bulldogs, who finished second, proved their master, winning by 70 points, but the drama occurred before and after the game.

Three of the best players in the history of the club – Chris Mainwaring, Peter Matera and Guy McKenna – were all ruled out during the week. And captain John Worsfold, who tried desperately during the week to prove he was fit to play, was told on game day that the club would not take the risk.

Many of Worsfold’s teammates did not know until they arrived at the ground that he would sit it out as they saw he was not preparing to take the field. Worsfold was angry with the decision and his teammates were a little flat.

He thought he would be able to get through the game, the match committee felt otherwise.

Worsfold’s face, which looked like thunder as he walked across the ground in his club uniform after the game, left no doubt as to how his emotional state. But Mick Malthouse and his confidantes would argue they needed to take a broader view and had they been convinced he could contribute they would certainly have included him in the cut-throat final.

Regardless, Worsfold never played for the club again. As it happened his final game for the Eagles was the last qualifying game against Adelaide.

As much as it would have been ideal for Worsfold to play a farewell game, these circumstances highlighted yet again that there was rarely a fairytale ending to a career at the highest level. Not even for a bloke so synonymous with his club.

Within this game there were even more mitigating circumstances around a shattering loss, with Brett Heady, who had endured a fragmented season with more than the odd niggle, suffering a first quarter hamstring strain and Brendon Fewster suffering a knee injury.

It just wasn’t meant to be.

While it was a season that offered more than its share of speed humps there were also a few highlights – and some wonderful contests – even if West Coast did not always finish on the positive side of the ledger.

The frustrations began in round one at the MCG when the Eagles tackled North Melbourne. After leading by two goals at three-quarter time, the visitors lost by a couple of points when a man who would 16 years later coach the Eagles, Adam Simpson, snapped a late goal around his body to steer the Roos to an important triumph.

Michael Braun was nominated for the Rising Star Award, giving him the unusual distinction of being nominated in successive seasons.

In round three the mercurial Chris Lewis became the second Indigenous player in the history of the game – behind St Kilda’s Nicky Winmar – to play 200 games when West Coast played Fremantle in a Western Derby.

The brilliant Lewis, had it not been a few tribunal appearances, could well have been the first Aboriginal player to reach the mark, but he was important in the early history of the club and deeply admired and respected by his peers.

He played his role in keeping intact the club’s perfect record against Fremantle and so did players like Fraser Gehrig, Braun and Phil Matera. After leading by two points at half-time, the Eagles cranked it up a gear in the third quarter with Gehrig kicking three of his five goals in a game-breaking burst.

There were comebacks too, with the outcome balanced. Against St Kilda at Subiaco Oval in round six, West Coast led by 27 points 14 minutes into the last quarter. Ordinarily you could put your feet up, curl the mo and cruise through the rest of the game.

Not this time. The Saints rallied, kicked six goals in 15 minutes and won by two points. By the time the Eagles realised they needed to respond it was too late and the Robert Harvey-inspired Saints racked up a big victory.

In round 10 against the Bulldogs at the WACA, however, the Eagles triggered a miraculous reversal. After the Bulldogs produced a flawless first quarter to rattle on 8.4 to 0.4, amazingly West Coast led by a point at half-time.

They went on to win by 13 points in a week when Malthouse extended his contract and so did star centreman Dean Kemp.

Because the season took the shape of one which went one step forward, one step back we’ll do the same. A week before that wildly fluctuating encounter at the WACA, Worsfold played his 200^th game against Geelong at Kardinia Park.

It was a typically ugly day in Sleepy Hollow, a chilling breeze lashing the venue, but West Coast played it perfectly and celebrated the important milestone with a 21-point victory.

Another highlight was the round 12 clash with Hawthorn, again at the WACA Ground, when Ben Cousins racked up his 50^th game. The Eagles won by 15 points but the big moment in the game came in the second quarter.

Full-back Ashley McIntosh, who would win the Club Champion Award, smothered a kick from Nick Holland, gathered the loose ball inside defensive 50, handballed to Drew Banfield, who found Braun in space and he duly converted a wonderful passage to give the Eagles an 11-point lead.

Milestone games were proving productive and when Heady played his 150^th game against Collingwood at Victoria Park, it was another day to celebrate. The turning point, quite literally, came when Pies rover Tony Francis slipped near the boundary line in the last quarter, Banfield gathered the loose ball and kicked his third goal as the Eagles posted a 21-point win.

A week later, in the last genuine highlight of the season, Lewis returned from an eight week hiatus from Claremont to inspire the Eagles to their eighth consecutive derby win, with a four-goal clinic. Glen Jakovich was also outstanding as West Coast won by 39 points.