A COMBINATION of injuries, form and a willingness to hand the keys to young players has resulted in West Coast completing the worst six-week stretch of clearance results on record. 

The Eagles lost the clearances against Essendon on Friday night 22-37, conceding the key indicator for the sixth straight time this season and for the fifth time by 12 or more. 

While it was a significantly improved team performance, the stoppage losses have mounted and resulted in an overall differential this season of -90, which represents the worst six-week stretch since Champion Data started recording clearance results in 1999.

Coach Andrew McQualter has indicated the clearance battle will be an ongoing challenge for the Eagles this season as they introduce more young talent into the midfield and learn a new game style.

The team has also been without its three leading clearance players from 2024 at different stages, with No.1 ranked Elliot Yeo sidelined since the pre-season with knee and ankle issues, second-placed Tim Kelly dropped for a week and out of form, and young star Harley Reid moved to half-back temporarily.

Big-bodied youngster Reuben Ginbey, who ranked No.5 in clearances last year for West Coast, has also been settled permanently in defence.

Moving into key midfield positions this year have been recruits Liam Baker and Jack Graham, as well as young onballers Tom Gross, Jack Hutchinson and Clay Hall, who have all shown promise but been in and out of the team.

Third-year midfielder Elijah Hewett gave the midfield a shot of life against the Bombers, recording a team-high 12 contested possessions and five clearances and winning 11 disposals in an outstanding third quarter.

As difficult as the first six weeks have been, there is the prospect of Reid returning to the midfield and partnering with Hewett to give the Eagles a dynamic pairing that will trouble opposition teams. 

They would also take pressure of Kelly, who has been routinely tagged, and allow the impressive Gross and Hutchinson to play support roles while they find their feet at AFL level.

The ruck has also been an ongoing issue for the Eagles this season as Bailey Williams and Matt Flynn jockey for selection, with the latter winning the spot back against the Bombers. 

Neither, however, are ranked in the top 20 in the League for average hitouts to advantage or hitout win percentage. 

That disadvantage in the ruck is clearly impacting the Eagles' clearance numbers, as well as pre-clearance contested ball figures, with the Eagles recording a six-week differential of -104, which is the worst over the first six rounds of a season on record.

McQualter has emphasised the importance of training the fundamentals this season, and there is clearly hard work ahead of the Eagles to get themselves into a more competitive position in the midfield.

Hewett shapes as a key, while Reid's increase in centre bounce attendances against the Bombers could be an indication that he is close to returning more permanently to the part of the ground where he can do the most damage.