The long-held view in the AFL suggests that if you’re not moving forward, then you’re probably going backwards.

At the West Coast Eagles in 2003, the target was incremental improvement on the first year under the direction of favourite son, senior coach John Worsfold. Having laid a solid base by returning to finals action, the intention was to have a bigger impact.

Unfortunately, despite finding that marginal improvement in the qualifying rounds, it did not translate into a stronger impact during the finals series.

The Eagles won an additional game compared to the 2002 season – and actually made an eight point gain when two draws were also manufactured – but when it came to the post-season action, the Eagles still bowed out in the elimination final.

Instead of building upwards, the Eagles created a stronger foundation from which to launch in the 2000s.

Of course, it was not a season wasted, with an outstanding crop of young players building on their experiences. Ruckman Paul Johnson, tall utility player Brent Staker and tough midfielder Adam Selwood all joined the club through the draft while hard nut Daniel Chick returned to WA to join the Eagles after 149 games with Hawthorn.

Damien Adkins, another who would add depth through the midfield, made his way west as part of the trade deal that saw Andrew Williams go to Collingwood.

But it also heralded the end of the wonderful career of Peter Matera. On the eve of the season the 1992 Norm Smith medallist, who produced one of the great Grand Final performances when kicking five goals off a wing, announced that he could not continue.

Matera had, in his later years, reverted to a role off half-back where his pace and ball skills provided outstanding rebound for the club. But he could not push his body to the extremes of AFL competition any longer.

The Eagles started the season strongly, marking the 250^th game of club great Glen Jakovich in a fitting way, beating Port Adelaide by 48 points at Subiaco Oval. Phil Matera kicked four goals to get his season off to a flourishing start while Chris Judd kicked three and picked his season up where he had left off in his debut year.

Other members of that elite midfield – Chad Fletcher, Ben Cousins and Michael Gardiner – were also prominent.

The Jakovich milestone was the most significant of many during the year, with 1994 premiership player Drew Banfield playing his 200^th game against Geelong, on the same day that Michael Gardiner moved into triple figures. Banfield was just the ninth Eagle to bring up the double ton.   

Cousins became the youngest player in club history to reach the 150-game mark and earn life membership when he qualified in round five against Fremantle, while Michael Braun and David Wirrpanda also played their 100^th games.

Importantly, Daniel Kerr, Darren Glass, Michael Collica and Dean Cox built their body of work to 50 games as they continued to broaden their football education.

During the season Cousins, who would go on to win his third consecutive Club Champion Award, signed a three-year contract extension. He was also fourth in the Brownlow Medal, just one vote beyond triple dead-heaters Nathan Buckley (Collingwood), Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide) and Adam Goodes (Sydney).

While the club targeted an opportunity to impact the finals and fell short of the objective, there were two outstanding performances which indicated it was moving in the right.

Brisbane and Collingwood, the two clubs who contested the 2002 grand final – and who would go on to repeat the match-up this season – were two outstanding teams and West Coast was able to beat both of them on the road.

The Lions were actually one of the great teams of all time and by beating the Pies in the 2003 Grand Final they would complete a hat-trick of premierships. With Simon Black, Michael Voss, Nigel Lappin and Jason Akermanis patrolling the midfield, they were one of the competition’s elite groups.

But in round 12 at the Gabba, the Eagles produced a stunning performance – or more precisely, Judd produced a stunning performance – to lead the Eagles to a remarkable 69-point victory.

Judd put on a clinic in the first half with a mesmerising five goal performance that left the Lions aghast. His speed away from the stoppages, balance and poise for a teenager had to be seen to be believed in one of the great individual performances in club history.

The story of the upset victory over Collingwood at Telstra Dome was not as spectacular through individual brilliance, but it was just as impressive from the team perspective.

The Eagles exploded out of the blocks at the Docklands venue, kicking five goals in the opening seven minutes, and they never relinquished their hold on the match despite the fact the Magpies kept chipping away at the advantage.

The 29-point margin at the first break was eroded to 19 points at the half, two at three-quarter time before the Eagles saw off the challenge with a 16-point triumph, 18.11 (119) to 15.13 (103).  Michael Gardiner was outstanding while Andrew Embley and Judd kicked seven goals between them.

West Coast finished the qualifying rounds in seventh position on 52 points and were three percent adrift of the sixth-placed Adelaide who, courtesy of that small margin, hosted the elimination final at AAMI Stadium.

The Eagles could not find their best football in this sudden death clash, the Crows took advantage of their home deck, built on their lead at every change and won by 67 points. Unfortunately for West Coast, they were a little banged up by the time this game came around with Michael Gardiner unable to ruck after suffering a PCL injury late in the year.

Andrew Embley, Chad Fletcher and others were also carrying sore spots, but the Crows were none-the-less simply too good.