Adam Simpson was pleased for West Coast's fans after Sunday's thrilling five-point win against North Melbourne ended a long drought and gave the blue and gold army something to celebrate.

The Eagles held on for an emotion-charged win at Optus Stadium and snapped a record 16-game losing run after denying the Kangaroos the last goal they needed to cap a 32-point fightback in the final quarter.

Simpson was level-headed post-game and underlined that the work was still ahead of the club, but he hoped the final month of the season could be attacked without the high levels of public and media scrutiny that had accompanied the second half of the season.

"Maybe there won't be cameras parked in front of the club … maybe that just settles a little bit and takes, not the pressure, but the attention off a bit and lets us continue to do our work," Simpson said.

"It won't really change other than a bit of a smile on my face now. The work is still in front of us.

"I'm trying to get more emotive on the whole thing. I know it's been a heavy two-and-a-half years, but it won't change what I do, really. But it's pleasing to have a win, I'm not going to lie."

Simpson said it was exciting for the Eagles to find themselves in a competitive match late in the game and they would learn plenty from the final quarter, which saw North pile on four unanswered goals to cut a 32-point lead down to five with one minute to play.

Substitute Elliot Yeo, who was injected into the game for defender Rhett Bazzo as a tactical move before half-time, was influential with a defensive mark and a contested possession at critical late moments.  

"He was available for 60 minutes, so it was either start him and sub him or take a risk and start him as a sub," Simpson said of Yeo's return.

"He was a bit rusty early, and then the last quarter he did some things that were important."

Asked about the significance of finally getting a win, Simpson said it was "for the fans as much as for us", with the coach empathising with their frustrations over two poor seasons.

He paid tribute to the club's leaders, including young star Oscar Allen who was the stand-in captain on Sunday, kicking two goals and taking a sensational contested mark. 

"They've been carrying a heavy load, so I thought all those guys stood up today," the coach said.

"He (Allen) has been banged up for a while … he was our captain today, I thought he led from the front and he had a corky."