Elliott Yeo kicks the Eagles into attack ahead of James Kelly. Source: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images
ADAM Simpson has praised West Coast's second-half endeavour despite the Eagles failing to kick a goal after quarter-time in a record-breaking loss to Geelong at Simonds Stadium.
But the first-year coach said the Eagles could welcome back up to five players for Saturday night's clash against Port Adelaide and was confident Nic Naitanui would play.
The star ruckman failed to take a mark and was substituted out of the 16.11 (107) to 4.8 (32) hammering in the third quarter after Simpson was forced to make six changes to his previously undefeated side.
Captain Darren Glass (hip), Luke Shuey (suspension), Matt Rosa (ill) are expected to return.
West Coast made a bright start, trailing by just two points at the first break but finished with its lowest ever score against the Cats and was held goalless for three quarters for the first time since 1992, a premiership year.
Dean Cox's milestone game was soured by the heavy defeat. Source: Getty Images
"It probably shows us where we're at a little bit. The first three games were really pleasing, but they made us pay tonight," Simpson said last night.
"I thought the second quarter was disappointing, but they gutsed it out. I know it didn't look like it on the scoreboard, but the endeavour was there.
"We didn't kick a goal after quarter-time, but I wasn't really looking at that."
Simpson refused to accept the pre-game decimation as an excuse, declaring: "Our depth was tested and it didn't come up.
"We had 22 out there and we got beaten in all facets."
In a short press conference, he branded the second quarter "disappointing" as Joel Selwood ignited the Cats to a 6.1 to 0.1 spree, with West Coast's solitary behind coming with just 11 seconds left.
"It's not an excuse having (players out)," Simpson said.
Nic Naitanui was subbed out in the third quarter. Source: Getty Images
"We lost Rosa before the game with gastro, and that probably tipped the balance a little bit in the midfield.
"I don't think we won one stat, so we'll have a look at it. But it all starts around winning the ball, so we can't blame our forwards, (we) can't blame our defenders and our mids were undersized and bullied.
"We're still pretty positive about where we're heading. We were missing six or seven players tonight, and like I said we got showed up."
The Eagles generated just 32 inside 50s and had 100 fewer uncontested disposals as Selwood (27 disposals, three goals) and the sometimes wayward Steve Johnson (39 disposals) beat up on the second-string midfield.
Simpson was unsure if he had any winners but did praise defender Eric Mackenzie's effort on Tom Hawkins.
On Naitanui, Simpson said: "It was a precautionary thing. He was a little tight and we didn't see any reason to keep him out there."
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