WEST Coast coach John Worsfold has challenged his players to keep improving after the most significant win of their resurgent season, but he has refused to label his 10-4 side as one of the competition's top teams.
The Eagles moved to within striking distance of top four sides Hawthorn and Carlton on Friday night, notching a thrilling eight-point win over ladder leader Geelong at Patersons Stadium.
A favourable draw has the 2010 wooden spooners poised to pounce on fourth spot if the Hawks or Blues stumble, but Worsfold remained measured on Friday night, reminding his team that there is plenty of football to be played this season.
"We're really pleased with tonight's effort, we've been pleased with our season to date, but we want to keep building towards what we've talked about all year and last year," Worsfold said after his team's first win against Geelong since round 10, 2006.
"We want to build up to a team that can potentially win a premiership one day.
"There's another 60 or 70 games of footy left this year across the competition … you never really know what's going to unfold.
"We'll just keep attacking this season week in, week out like we have been, and challenge ourselves to keep improving."
Geelong coach Chris Scott labeled playing West Coast in Perth as one of the three toughest challenges in the AFL this season, and so it proved to be on Friday night, with the Cats slipping 40 points behind in the second quarter.
They rebounded superbly, however, and Worsfold said absorbing a five-goal-to-one third quarter and hanging on to win by eight points was the most pleasing aspect of Friday night's win.
The Eagles conceded 20 inside 50s to five in the last quarter, but prevailed through some desperate defensive efforts, most notably a crucial tackle from half-back Ash Smith on Geelong substitute Steven Motlop.
"The composure the boys showed through the last quarter I thought was great," the coach said.
"There was some outstanding individual desperation efforts throughout the game. I'm really pleased to see more of that happening.
"I got asked after the game, 'Are you proud of the boys tonight?' Well, I've been proud of them since the day I walked back into coach this group and the group prior to that and the group prior to that."
Friday night's win was West Coast's seventh in its last eight games, with Geelong its biggest scalp this season after beating Carlton at Etihad Stadium in round 14.
Worsfold said beating top opposition was reward for the effort his players have put in this year.
"Beating Carlton was fairly important for us because we'd had pretty close losses against some of the other teams who at stage of the year were going pretty well - Sydney, Hawthorn and those teams," he said.
"We'd pushed a couple of teams and lost close games, and the last two weeks we've pushed good teams and won.
"(But) we've got some great challenges coming up, starting with St Kilda next week. That's going to be a huge challenge at Etihad."
Nathan Schmook covers West Coast news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_NSchmook
