Star skipper Luke Shuey could benefit from West Coast’s clash with Melbourne being shifted back two days as he attempts to return for a huge finals-shaping game on Monday night.
The Eagles’ captain has missed the past two matches against St Kilda and Collingwood due to a calf niggle but looms as a chance to return to face the red-hot Demons.
Full-back Tom Barrass (hamstring) and Liam Ryan (hamstring) are also close to comebacks, and the Eagles will mull selection later this week after a heavy review of the 45-point loss to the Magpies.
“An extra few days’ break (this week) is a good thing for those players. They’re important players for us,” Simpson told Channel Seven.
“Luke is probably the most obvious one we think might be available, the other two will be touch and go.”
Simpson lamented early inaccuracy at the MCG on Saturday, when the Eagles went to quarter time with four behinds on the board compared to Collingwood’s 4.1 (25).
Once the Pies got on a roll in the second term the match was all but over as West Coast trailed by 50 points at the main break.
“Obviously conversion in the first quarter, but in the second quarter six goals to one really hurt us so a really disappointing effort in the end,” Simpson said.
“We need to dig a bit deeper about what’s going on when we lost momentum like that because we’re conceding too many goals.”
Simpson said the “collective” was at fault for the loss to Collingwood in former skipper Shannon Hurn’s 300th game, and the Eagles will continue digging deep into the reasons behind their inconsistent form.
However, the season remains well and truly alive as West Coast retains seventh spot and has a six-point buffer inside the top eight with three rounds to play.
“We’re seventh on the ladder. The way we’re playing at the moment is too inconsistent to have a full swing at it. We’ve got to get better real quick,” Simpson said.
“Whether that’s dropping players or not we’ve got to look at that. At the moment, I’m looking at the collective and why we aren’t halting momentum.
“No one has got the gold pass forever, so we’re looking at that as well."
