SHANNON Hurn has a simple message for his West Coast teammates: bring some intensity and have a go.
Speaking exclusively to AFL.com.au the West Coast captain said the simplest way for the 2015 runners-up to move beyond a Jekyll and Hyde start to the season is to bring high quality intensity each and every week.
"We rely on having pressure on the game and everyone playing well together," Hurn told AFL.com.au.
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"At the end of the day you've just got to go and get the footy, and play with a bit of intensity and have a go.
"That's what we've been trying to get the message across to the whole group.
"Once you do that, most of the things click into gear. If you have some intensity, and always playing with a bit of purpose, you tend to do those little things like blocks and tackles, and all that type of stuff."
Hurn said the losses on the road had nothing to do with the team's preparation or a phobia of travel. He said Hawthorn and Geelong built eras of sustained success on the back of an insatiable hunger to continue to get better.
"I don't think there's been too much different with the preparation, we just have to keep being hungry," Hurn said.
"Yes, last year we had a good year bar not being able to win the premiership, but it's just to keep continuing to have that drive. You want to improve, but just keep having that drive and wanting to have that success.
"Hawthorn has been able to do it for a long time. Geelong did it for a fair period there as well. I think it's as simple as making sure you train well, prepare well, know what gets you right and individually making sure you're winning as many contests as you can.
"We've just been a little bit too inconsistent with that. If we get back to doing that I think we'll play some really good footy again and it's not too far off either."
The Eagles face a determined St Kilda side on Sunday at Domain Stadium and Hurn expects a really tough challenge given what the Saints have shown against Hawthorn and North Melbourne in recent weeks.
Sunday's clash coincides with the Eagles' annual 'Cans for a Cause' drive where fans are urged to bring alone cans of food to donate to Foodbank Western Australia, an organisation that distributes food to people in need in WA.
"We just encourage people to bring in some cans of food just to donate to Foodbank, which they can pass on to less fortunate people," Hurn said.
The collection will take place at the entry gates at Domain Stadium on Sunday, and current and former Eagles will be helping with the collection.
Shannon Hurn only knows one way - hard at the ball. Picture: AFL Media
