WEST Coast's year feels like a waste after the Eagles' season ended at the hands of the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night, according to coach Adam Simpson.

The Bulldogs smashed the Eagles by 47 points in the elimination final at Domain Stadium.

The Eagles won just half a game less than last year in the home and away season but have been bounced out in the first week of the finals a year on from playing in a Grand Final.

Five things we learned: West Coast v Western Bulldogs 

Simpson said it was a hollow feeling.

"Every time you lose a game like this in a final you feel like you've wasted the whole year," Simpson said post-match.

"(The players are) hurting as much as the coaches are, and the club and the members and supporters, don't get me wrong. We need to reflect on the game and we need to improve over the summer."

Simpson said the Eagles needed to find a way to get more contributors. The Eagles had nine players register 11 disposals or less while the Bulldogs had just four.

Every Eagle rated

"You'd probably say throughout the year when we've struggled, it's been the collective, and individuals are standing up, and I thought that's what happened tonight," Simpson said.

"We probably regressed back to relying on too few. And you look at the Doggies and what they did, it was a collective group and ours wasn't.

“That's our ambition and what we're trying to do but tonight we didn't do it. Unless everyone is firing you're going to struggle in games like this."

Simpson said the Eagles' list profile was in good shape for next year but their ruck stocks are seriously depleted. Nic Naitanui is set to miss a large portion of next year as he recovers from a knee reconstruction.

Simpson revealed that Scott Lycett will need surgery to repair the damage in his left knee, although he has been able to play on it in the second half of the season.

Jonathan Giles is the only other 200cm-plus ruckman on the Eagles' list.

WATCH Adam Simpson's full media conference

"We've got to get creative," Simpson said.

"It's that balance between finding some talent out there for a short period of time, because we think we've got some really good ruck stocks but unfortunately they’re not going to be available.

"Obviously Nic's not going to be available for a chunk of next season so we need to make sure we get that right over the break."

The Eagles have already discussed the issues in a list management meeting that was brought forward from the bye to the week after Naitanui suffered his knee injury in round 22.