West Coast big man Quinten Lynch has declared the Eagles will be going out to win the last three matches of the year regardless of whether it impacts on draft choices for next season.
Despite having won its fourth match of a dismal season against the Bombers on Sunday, West Coast is on track to pick up a priority pick in November's national draft, a selection given to clubs that win four or less games during a season.
If the club does not win or draw any more matches then it will gain picks two, 18 and 20 but after the impressive 10-point victory over Essendon, the club looks almost certain to defeat a demoralised Melbourne next weekend, after the Dees copped a 116-point hiding from Geelong.
Even if West Coast loses its final two matches to Hawthorn and Geelong, a win over Melbourne will see it lose the priority pick, but Lynch said such concerns had not entered the player's heads.
"Worrying about where we're going to finish now doesn't even come into the thought process," said Lynch at the Eagles' recovery session on Monday morning.
"We're out there to win footy games, the joy you see in the boys faces out there after winning a game, how can you tell them to go out and lose?"
"We're elite sportsmen and very competitive, you can't play table tennis in there without a $20 dollar bet getting put down," Lynch said.
Most spectators would be more used to seeing the versatile Lynch taking set shots in the Eagles' forward line, but in the last month the 25-year-old has been re-invented as a midfielder.
The move up the ground may have been borne out of necessity after injuries and suspensions have culled the Eagles' on-ball division faster than the rabbit calicivirus, but Lynch has certainly excelled, picking up 28 touches against St Kilda a fortnight ago before backing it up with 24 disposals against the Bombers, which included 11 inside 50s, three scoring assists and a booming goal from beyond 50.
Lynch, though, said he never expected to be moved into the midfield, seeing as he hasn't played there since his high school days, but said a change is as good as a holiday and that it had re-invigorated him late in the season.
"I suppose it's been a difficult year for me being pulled out of full forward but it's probably been my saviour in some ways," Lynch said.
"Probably didn't start the year that well but I think it's important that all the senior players stand up in a tough year. With a young side it's important the leaders show the way."
"I suppose I've got a little bit of confidence from the last probably six or seven weeks. I'm really enjoying my role up the ground. It's probably somewhere I played a lot when I was bit younger so it's not totally unfamiliar too me, (so) really enjoying it."