1. The latest debutant for West Coast, defender Tom Barrass certainly did not look out of place on Sunday. He made an eye-catching start to his career with 15 possessions and five marks and had the challenge of matching up at the start of the game with Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes. He looked unfazed and will doubtless get more opportunities to carve out a career in the Eagles defence.

Defence continues to stand tall

2. The tougher it is, the better Matt Priddis performs. He was so strong around the stoppages, takes everything the opposition throws at him and just keeps going. Against the Swans he had 34 possessions and clamped on 13 tackles. It was a stoppage fest and perfect for the way Priddis plays. It came as no surprise that he won the HMAS Sydney II Trophy as best afield.

3. The ruck work of star big man Nic Naitanui, who should again be on the radar for All-Australian selection, has long been a major factor for the team. Not only is his palming exquisite, but his follow-up work is also important. He has found a solid ally in Cal Sinclair, who has imposed himself, particularly in the last couple of weeks. Sinclair had 21 possessions and nine marks to go with 29 hit-outs while Naitanui had 12 possessions, four marks, six tackles and 41 hit-outs. The have different strengths and that makes them difficult for the opposition to counter.

Eagles swoop on Sydney

4. The versatility of Mark LeCras has added another dimension to West Coast’s footy. Renowned as an outstanding goal-kicker, LeCras is so much more than that. He now works through the midfield, uses his pace, endurance and skill to good effect and has become a more rounded player. He can still kick a goal, too. He posted two against Sydney, the first time he has hit the scoreboard in his career against the Swans.

5. Talking of the midfield and another dimension, young left-footer Dom Sheed is having a solid impact in the clinches. And he imposed himself at an important time, approaching the siren to end the first half. Sheed won a hard ball in the attacking 50 metre arc, fired out a handpass from the congestion to Andrew Gaff, who kicked a key goal with five seconds to play.