West Coast need at least one result to fall their way over the weekend if they are to lock in an AFL top-four berth and finals double-chance.
The Eagles moved into third spot on the ladder and put one hand on a possible finals double-chance with a dour 15-point defeat of North Melbourne on Thursday night.
But they will drop back to fifth if, as expected, flag contenders Richmond and Geelong beat low-ranked opponents Adelaide and Sydney respectively in their last-round matches.
That would leave West Coast with a home elimination final, to be played at Optus Stadium on Saturday, October 3.
“I get caught up in that and you sort of start hoping teams win or lose,” Eagles coach Adam Simpson said.
“I’m just like every other West Coast supporter out there.
“At least we put a bit of pressure on the two sides, they’ve got to win to lock away top-four.
“If we don’t get it, we finish fifth and we get a home final.”
After completing another stint of more than three weeks in Queensland with their win over North Melbourne, the Eagles will fly home to Perth on Friday.
Players and staff will spend time at home with their families and complete a 14-day quarantine period under COVID-19 rules laid out by the West Australian government.
Simpson welcomed the pre-finals bye week as a chance to refresh his squad, with several stars racing against time to prove their fitness for week one of the finals.
Luke Shuey (hamstring), Jack Redden (thumb), Mark Hutchings (hamstring) and Lewis Jetta (calf) are all good chances to be available, while Jeremy McGovern (hamstring) is “more unlikely than likely”.
Elliot Yeo (groin) is almost certain to miss out and Josh Kennedy is waiting on further assessment of an ankle injury picked up against North Melbourne.
Jamie Cripps is available after missing four matches when he returned home from Queensland for the birth of his first child.
“There’s a few there,” Simpson said.
“We had two defenders playing on the wings (against North Melbourne) and I think Duggo (Liam Duggan) has been pretty good as a midfielder.
“We’ve been bit in the mids for the last four or five weeks, so we’ve got to get to work there, but we’ll have two or three mids back.”
Jake Ramzy
Geelong finished higher on the ladder than the Eagles without him. Kelly is rubbish and Cam Guthrie has become a Geelong star as his replacement. He's our gun midfielder now and tackles too which certainly would see him become an All Australian this year.
Jake Ramzy
Face it Eagles, you will win your first home final match, but after that it's see ya next season. It's all over either way it's so obvious that they don't look like a premiership side and they definitely haven't played like one away from home all season
Gerry
Roar Rookie
Nice thoughts but not going to happen this year. We need a game plan to counter the chaos fast handballing game and adapt to different grounds and weather conditions. Look we have a wealth of talent in the young group and the experienced players Sheed Yeo Shuey Shepps Gov Gaff Nicnat Kelly JK and JD as well as new guys Duggan Oscar Allen Cameron and pray like mad we get Rioli back soon. Last year our game against Richmond was very good even though we lost but we need more of that. We are not that far from another flag and I think it will be the one that breaks the Richmond dominance. To be honest I cannot see anyone beating Richmond this year again. It’s hard to say that but they are performing like the Hawks in their three peat years. A Richmond Eagles GF the two biggest clubs in the Comp is a dream match up but we are just in that second tier below Port, Brissie, Richmond and the Cats at present let’s face the facts. Having said that I hope we give a good account in the finals.
Klompy
Guest
Let's hope so Don Freo. Let's hope the Eagles can get them all back in time for the finals.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
All top four a chance.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Let 'em dream. It'll hurt more when they wake up ( to themselves ).
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
Couldn't care less what 'Caro' has to say. Don't read her articles, don't listen to her.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Of course. The opposition only gets only 7 days quarantine. Your boys get to do twice as many. You always get favoured.????
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Each week a couple more key players come back. Cripps is super important. They'll win their first final and with Cripps, Sheed, Redden, Shuey all back, they'll get to the GF with JK and Gov as nice additions. This is one club that can just concentrate on winning their next game, then the next...and, in no time at all, one of those "next" games will finish with a flag celebration.
Goalsonly
Roar Rookie
Is Kelly now the best player in the West Coast?
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Cats also watching on?
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
You mean you didn't know that Wilson was having her usual(another) gripe about the Eagles? Is irony lost on Tigers supporters?
Klompy
Guest
Er No Rowdy. You could have a premier after October 24. But no.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Is it because McGowan is premier of SA?
Nico
Roar Rookie
Pessimistic, but don’t think the boys will make it past QF on current form. Just too much has gone wrong, and a lot of key injuries (yes they’ll be back, but is form guaranteed?), and then QLD conditions which we can’t seem to adapt game style to, can’t keep up with fast hand-balling teams... Not getting my hopes up. Can’t see us beating any of Port, Cats, Tigers, Lions, Bulldogs, or even Saints (?) at their best and firing + kicking accurately. We would need absolutely everything to go right - which almost never happens in footy. Especially for us in QLD. Please please prove me wrong. Hopefully next year we target top 4 and go hard from day 1. We didn’t in 2019 or 2020. Although 2020 gets a pass.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
?
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
You are dreaming, WC are not making the GF.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
You’re either poorly informed or have a poor attitude. I was quoting your favourite journo, Caro. Read her piece about the Eagle’s unfair advantage. She and Ross Lyon are of the same opinion. I’m fairly neutral about the shift but it will definitely be better for player’s recovery. I’m sure that if there’s an Eagles-Tigers final you’d prefer to have our best against your best.
Dave
Roar Rookie
Bit of a stupid statement to make then!
DTM
Roar Rookie
I would like either Richmond or Geelong to lose but it's not going to happen. I would also like Bulldogs and Saints to win (and Melbourne to lose). Unfortunately, we rarely get what we want. I'm expecting GWS and Melbourne to win and I think the Bullies will fall over. So, bottom half of 8 to be Eagles, Collingwood, Melbourne and St Kilda.