THE PAIN of a last-gasp three-point loss to Melbourne will linger for West Coast, but coach Adam Simpson found some solace in his staunch belief that the Eagles are starting to rediscover their brand of football. 

After leading by 16 points at home nearing time-on in the final quarter, the Eagles succumbed to a desperate Demons outfit when Tom McDonald snapped a miraculous goal in the dying seconds. 

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It was the Eagles' fourth loss from five games, as the Demons snapped a 15-year hoodoo against West Coast at Domain Stadium.

But on the positive side, West Coast's tackling (79-64) and inside-50 count (57-47) told a story of an outfit starting to click into gear.

"It was really disappointing the end result, obviously, the boys are really flat along with us as the coaches," Simpson said.

"We did a lot of right things throughout the day but we couldn't hang on.

WATCH: Adam Simpson's full post-match media conference

"We'll take a lot of positives out of tonight with how we want to play and what we want to be known for.

"But to not get the four points and to be 15 or 16 points up with eight or nine minutes to go (hurts).

"I don't think we tried to save the game, I thought Melbourne just threw everything at us and it came off for them."

WATCH: The last two minutes

West Coast nearly had an eighth win for the season in the bag and resurgent Lewis Jetta – who was among the Eagles' best again – could have almost iced the game when his set shot to put the Eagles ahead by 21 at the 17-minute mark slipped wide.

He wasn't the only offender, though, with Jeremy McGovern booting 3.3 and failing to score from another set shot.

"I'm sure (Jetta) would be flat, but he wasn't alone. Goalkicking cost us in the end, really," Simpson said.

"(McGovern's) a bit rusty isn't he?

"If he can have seven or eight shots a game we'll take that and we'll keeping working on it.

"They all have (goalkicking) routines."

Five talking points: West Coast v Melbourne

West Coast has now dropped to 7-6 and faces a huge month ahead – starting against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium next round.

The Eagles will monitor Shannon Hurn this week after he was collected by Jack Viney in the dying stages, but the skipper was walking around in the rooms post-match and the coach wasn't too concerned. 

Simpson didn't see an incident where Will Schofield was reported for striking Clayton Oliver after the half-time siren.

The Eagles are hopeful star spearhead Josh Kennedy will be fit to face the Dogs, but Simpson admitted the dual Coleman medallist was progressing slowly from a sore Achilles and strained calf. 

Veteran recruit Drew Petrie helped fill the void against Melbourne, booting four goals and hauling in eight marks in his best display in blue and gold so far.

"He kept us in it there for a while early on in the game with his predictability and his contest, so I'm really pleased for him," Simpson said.

"But it's hard to separate individual performances with the result of the game."