WEST Coast key defender Harry Edwards will likely take time away from playing to get himself healthy after a second concussion in three weeks, with the important big man sidelined after a concerning head knock against North Melbourne on Sunday. 

Edwards suffered a concussion in the Eagles' AAMI Community Series loss to Port Adelaide on March 1 and went down during the first quarter at Optus Stadium on Sunday after friendly fire from teammate Matt Flynn. 

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The injury, which did not appear to be the result of a heavy hit, was a sour note in a drought-breaking win for the Eagles, whose young players starred as the team came from 30 points behind to outgun North Melbourne.

Coach Andrew McQualter said the club would support Edwards, who had suffered previous concussions and will now miss the club's trip to take on Port Adelaide next Sunday.  

"Harry wasn't able to continue in the game, so we're going to have to go away, and I'm imagining he'll spend a little bit of time away from the game now trying to get himself healthy and right again," McQualter said on Sunday night. 

"We'll do everything we can to support him. Our medical team is incredibly well trained in this space, so they're going to ensure that we look after all our players the best we can."

With Edwards sidelined, young gun Reuben Ginbey was moved to Nick Larkey and will continue to be handed key defensive jobs, McQualter said, while Sandy Brock could be an option to return from an ankle injury. 

The coach was thrilled with the performance of his young stars, with Willem Duursma, Cooper Duff-Tytler, Archer Reid and Jobe Shanahan all kicking two goals and holding firm in clutch moments. 

"I think we saw them grow in front of our eyes today and I think that's great for them," McQualter said. 

"The game is about moments when it becomes a tussle like that in the last quarter, and I thought multiple guys – and I said that to them – just owned their moments and executed what they had to do.

"The confidence they'll gain from that will be huge … we'll enjoy this night with our family and friends, and we'll get to work again tomorrow."

McQualter praised the growing maturity of young star Harley Reid, who was influential with a career-best 30 disposals and a calming influence during the critical final term, while also getting under the skin of his opponents. 

"He's working hard on his discipline. He's not going to be perfect, and that's OK," McQualter said.  

"He's going to be playing on the edge, which is what we want him to do, because I'm a believer that the best players have to play on the edge, and that's a good part of his game. But he's got to work really hard on his discipline. 

"I think he's going to get used to [the physical treatment]. That's what AFL football is about. It's a big boys' game.

"I ask him to be physical as well, and we just ensure that it doesn't tip over the edge and free kicks against."

McQualter said co-captain Liam Baker looked to have escaped injury after leaving the ground late with an ankle concern, with the defender limping in the rooms post-match but assuring the coach he had "avoided something serious". 

On a personal note, after securing the second win of his tenure and snapping a 14-game losing streak, McQualter said he would be quick to focus in on the Power next week. 

"The Corona usually tastes a little bit nicer after a win, and I know we're always living on the result, but we're in the process of trying to build a list that wins premierships," he said.  

"We're looking at trying to get our game, improve it every week, improve our players. And I'm glad for the players to get some belief in the result. We're just going to keep going about our process."

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was subdued after missing the chance to win back-to-back games for the first time since the opening two rounds of 2023. 

The coach said he had not seen an incident at three-quarter time involving defender Charlie Comben, who floored Harley Reid with a high hit after the young Eagle ran in his direction to celebrate a goal from Elliot Yeo.

He paid credit to West Coast and their depth of contributors while challenging his players to work harder in the contest after trailing in contested ball 159-139. 

"Just disappointing that we got beaten in some parts of the game that we rate ourselves highly in, especially around the contest," Clarkson said. 

"Even though we won clearances (46-37), their post clearance work was just far superior to ours, and they were able to bounce back from a lot of those clearance wins that we had. 

"We just had a few too many passengers today and I thought they had a more even contribution."