West Coast coach Adam Simpson was looking at the positives after a second defeat to start the season against Greater Western Sydney, highlighting improvement in the team's contested ball efforts (138-148) and a competitive last quarter.

Fundamental skill errors repeatedly undid the Eagles' hard work, however, and were punished the other way as the team conceded 11 goals off turnovers.

"We turned some balls over that you probably couldn't defend, and throughout the game it was like we were this close to breaking through and we got hurt the other way," Simpson said.

"It was basic fundamentals when we brought a bit of speed into the game. That was good for a quarter and a half, but I think halfway through the second to halfway through the third we just lost our way. I was really proud of the last quarter."

With No.1 ruckman Matt Flynn and co-captain Oscar Allen sidelined through injury, the Eagles are running out of options in the tall forward posts, with second-gamer Harry Barnett called on to ruck against Kieren Briggs on Sunday so Bailey Williams could move forward.

The structure was changed in the second half when Barnett was substituted, but it meant key forward Jack Darling had little tall support in attack, going goalless and taking one mark as Sam Taylor (nine intercept marks) dominated the Giants' backline.

"Harry Barnett is 19 so you've just got to give these guys some exposure. I thought he did his bit … and he would have learned a lot today," Simpson said of his young ruckman.

"And then Bailey is probably someone we need forward at the moment."

On Darling, Simpson said: "The effort was there, it's just not getting rewarded at all at the moment, and he's got some work to do to get himself into form.

"We need him to play well. Obviously, we're going to miss Oscar for a fair while, so we'll keep working on that as best we can. We know what his best looks like and we'll do everything we can to get him there."