WEST Coast is 'building towards something' and is not fazed by its long trip to Tasmania to face North Melbourne on Sunday, midfielder Chris Masten says.
The Eagles head to Blundstone Arena searching for their seventh-straight victory against a Kangaroos side that is short on confidence and without their coach Brad Scott, due to back surgery.
The trip from Perth to Hobart is one of the longest in AFL football, requiring two flights each way.
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But the Eagles have won their only match at Blundstone Arena, when they beat the Kangaroos by two points in round 15, 2012.
Speaking at the Eagles' recovery session on Monday, Masten said the length of the trip was not an issue.
"We've done it before," Masten said.
"We had one win there against North.
"It is a little bit longer but we go to Brisbane and that's just as long. It is a little bit different (in regards to the) weather but I don't think that really has anything to do with how we're going to play.
"We get used to (the travel), doing it every second week. You can't let it affect you."
Masten said he didn't think the absence of Scott – who will miss four games due to back surgery - would influence the Kangaroos on game day.
"I'm not really focused on that," Masten said.
"We'll be focused on what we're going to do."
Masten tried to downplay the mark but could not wipe the smirk off his face.
"It was all right," Masten said.
"I was in the middle somewhere and got a pretty good view. I would like to have been underneath it. (Luke) Shuey had a pretty good view I think.
"It was pretty massive."
Masten echoed the views of his coach Adam Simpson when he said the goal was more important than the mark.
Masten had 31 possessions in the win over Geelong. It was the fourth time in the past five weeks he's gathered 30 possessions or more.
But the 26-year-old was modest about his own form.
"I'm going all right," Masten said.
"I'm playing my role … so as long as I can keep doing that and everyone else can keep playing their roles, hopefully it can go a long way to us getting some wins.
"We feel as though we are building towards something. We have definitely improved from where we were last year and we continue to improve each week."
