THE GREAT success of West Coast's giant forward line this season has been well documented, with Quinten Lynch's revival, Jack Darling's debut season and Josh Kennedy's ascension to elite all great stories.
When you throw in consistent performances from Mark LeCras (27 goals) and Mark Nicoski (22) it becomes much clearer how West Coast has risen from last place in 2010 to the cusp of a top-four finish this year.
But the form of that group has claimed a scalp, with nuggetty small forward Ashton Hams left out of the senior side for all but the first game of the season, against North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium.
The 24-year-old has suffered minor setbacks this year, including a two-week suspension at WAFL level and a three-week hamstring injury, but he is now on the cusp of selection, named as an emergency for Sunday's Western Derby.
"I'm definitely still pushing and 'Suma' (forward line coach Peter Sumich) is pretty keen for me to keep pushing for the small forward spot," Hams told westcoasteagles.com.au this week.
"It'd help if it started raining a bit over the weekends, because we do have a pretty tall forward line.
"But that's been working, so I don't think we'd make too many changes. 'Nico' (Nicoski) is having a great year too."
Hams' value to West Coast in 11 games last season was his forward pressure, averaging three tackles a game, kicking 10 goals and generally throwing his 174cm frame around the forward line like a wrecking ball.
"That's the way I've played my footy all my life," he said.
"Having a twin brother, you're always in the backyard bashing each other up.
"Playing bush footy as well as young blokes you get smashed a bit and that comes into your game."
The tackling and forward pressure is still what Hams is being judged on by West Coast when he is playing at WAFL level with South Fremantle, but he has added new elements to his game.
After his first full pre-season in five years, he has averaged more than 24 possession in eight WAFL games, running an average of more than 15km a game, compared to 12km last year.
"I'm mostly playing up forward, because the Eagles want me playing deep when I'm in the team here," he said.
"But I don't mind a run in the midfield as well, so I try and get in there when I can.
"The forward pressure is probably my key, being able to lock it in there and bringing intensity around the ball. I probably need to be kicking more goals (he has kicked seven this season)."
Nicoski and Brad Ebert are two West Coast players who have developed the engine required to play as running high forwards, and Sumich says it has been the obvious improvement in Hams' game this season.
"His fitness has improved because of his pre-season and he'll only benefit from another one going forward," Sumich said.
"I think he can do those roles (midfield and high half-forward) for parts, but he's a pre-season away from playing them really well."
Nathan Schmook covers West Coast news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_NSchmook
