This story originally appeared on afl.com.au
WEST COAST slipped out of the top eight after Sunday's loss to Port Adelaide and the Eagles won't play finals unless they start putting together four-quarter performances, coach Adam Simpson says.
The Eagles lost their third home game in four matches at Domain Stadium by 32 points in a seesawing contest.
The Power booted the opening four majors before West Coast responded with seven unanswered goals to lead by 24 points midway through the second term.
But Port worked back into the match to level the scores by the final change, and then overran West Coast with an eight-goal-to-three blitz in the last quarter.
Speaking post-match, Simpson refused to lay the blame at an inability to combat Power star ruckman Paddy Ryder, who was instrumental with 39 hit-outs and two goals.
Instead he lamented the "weight of numbers" after half-time, when the Eagles were smashed 37-14 in inside 50s, lost contested possessions by 13 and clearances by eight.
"Just through weight of numbers we weren't good enough in the second half and until we can do it for four quarters we're going to look inconsistent," Simpson said.
"We put a lot of energy and effort into that first half without true reward, but that's footy – you've got to be able to do that all the time.
"The positive is our best is good enough, but the thing we really need to work on is how we can do it for four quarters.
"Until we do that, we won't play finals."
Despite Scott Lycett playing his first game for the season after a PCL reconstruction and shoulder surgery, he and Nathan Vardy couldn't find a way to stop Ryder.
"I thought we lowered our colours," Simpson said.
"It was Scott's first game for the year.
"Ryder's the No.1 ruckman in the comp at the moment, he'd be an All Australian straight-up selection in my eyes.
"But it wasn't just the ruckwork, I thought over the four quarters our mids had their colours lowered."
Jack Darling continued his resurgence with four goals in a small positive for West Coast, while Mark LeCras also booted four majors in his return from a hip injury.
The veteran had gone goalless in his previous four games but stood up after Simpson backed him to return straight into the senior team.
"I know he had an impact at stages throughout the game but he was probably like a lot of our players in the second half when the game was up for grabs, a little disappointing," Simpson said.
Simpson didn't see Drew Petrie's high bump on Matt White which is certain to be looked at by the Match Review Panel, and could only "pencil in" spearhead Josh Kennedy to return next round after missing five games due to a calf strain.
The Eagles are facing a huge build-up to the final Western Derby at Domain Stadium next Sunday, with finals hopes on the line against Fremantle.
"We were playing for a top-four spot today and now we're outside the eight," Simpson said.
"We've got to reflect and learn and we've got to go hard at some of our players too.
"But it's still alive.
"This week's a fantastic challenge – regardless of who we're playing – but we're still up for the fight."
