To be an effective AFL leader, the first thing you need to do is play well.

That doesn’t mean you have to be the best or most skilful player, but knowing and executing your role is paramount.

Setting an example for others to follow, being reliable and someone your teammates and coaches can trust to deliver are non-negotiables.

Sometimes, taking on greater leadership responsibility can help footballers take their game to the next level.

Littered throughout West Coast history there have players of this ilk, and there are numerous recent examples, including Liam Duggan.

Tough, uncompromising, professional and selfless, the left-footed Victorian was earmarked a long way out for a leadership role at the Eagles.

Even when he was drafted, Duggan’s composure won admirers who felt he carried himself with the experience of a 100-game player.

Since making his debut in 2015 and establishing himself as a regular by 2017, he has been an Eagle who can be trusted to give the same effort regardless of the venue or opponent.

But in recent years, Duggan has also developed as a leader of the football club and assumed more responsibility guiding a transitioning playing group from one era to the next.

And in three of the past four years, the 27-year-old has finished top-five in the John Worsfold Medal, including a personal best third-placing in 2023, helping set the standard on the field.

Elevated to captaincy at times as per the rotation policy, and a near-constant in 22 of the 23 games while numerous other senior players were missing, Duggan thrived.

“I think leadership helps it (elevate your game) at this stage of your career,” Duggan said after his career-best ninth season.

“I don’t think you need it too early on. Obviously there has been some who have done it and done it really well.

“The lucky part for me in my younger days at the club was I had a lot of senior leaders around me. A lot of great senior players.

“I was lucky to sink my teeth into football and focus in on my role.

“I do enjoy taking on more responsibility.

“That comes with its harder parts, you’ve got to perform quite well and be consistent and be the eyes of the younger boys on the field as well.

“I’ve had great role models in that sense and learnt the right way, I think, to instil that on some of the younger players now.”

In the prime years of his career and a Life Member of the West Coast Eagles after notching 150 games last year, the legacy Duggan leaves will be varnished across the coming years as the club rises from the bottom of the ladder.

With Luke Shuey, Shannon Hurn and Nic Naitanui following Jack Redden and Josh Kennedy into retirement, the time has arrived for West Coast’s next group of leaders – including Oscar Allen and Tom Barrass - to take the club forward.

“It will be different without those blokes, no doubt. You become great mates on and off the field,” Duggan said.

“It’s never a great time for those blokes to move on, but I think with the young group coming through, I know some of them are ready to launch and be some of our best players.

“It also allows some of us blokes who have been around a long time to start to shape things a little bit as well, and we’ve learnt off the best.

“The blokes that have been around a while have been really lucky to have those three in our corner.”

Despite the obvious challenges of 2022 and ’23, Duggan said the commitment amongst the playing group to get better has never wavered.

Five triple-figure losses were painful for everyone, but the growth of West Coast’s next generation was clear.

The Eagles finished last season with some positivity, upsetting the Bulldogs, almost knocking off Essendon and beating North Melbourne in three of the last five games.

“Even the ‘feel’, and it’s hard to measure that, but the feel on field was certainly better and had a lot more confidence in what we were going to bring,” Duggan said.

“Not that I would ever second-guess what we were going to bring at the start of the season or the middle, but a couple of those big floggings hurt.

“Albeit, the results haven’t been anywhere near what we’d expect and what we’d like, I’ve still been able to enjoy being at the club, with my teammates and coaches and wider club.

“I don’t like admitting it, but I do think we were unlucky again with injuries early on in the season.

“With a young group, it’s really hard to build that momentum when blokes are trying to learn their craft and the game and the pace and rigours of AFL football.

“I think we’ll all be better for it, especially the younger blokes.”