The influence of Nic Naitanui is sometimes hard to measure but it is usually profound.

Critics and fans wrote off the Eagles' season when best and fairest winner Eric Mackenzie went down, and yet they are 8-3 as they approach the bye.

Matt Priddis has won a best and fairest and a Brownlow in the last two seasons and the Eagles haven't played finals. Josh Kennedy has kicked 60 goals in each of the last two seasons as well.

The Eagles have only played finals twice in Naitanui's career and they coincided with his two best campaigns.

In 2011, he averaged 19 hit-outs, 10 contested possessions and kicked 18 goals. The following year, he averaged 25 hit-outs, 10 contested possessions, kicked 24 goals and was named All Australian.

Naitanui played just 11 games in 2013 due to injury - he averaged 22 hit-outs, nine contested possessions, but only kicked nine goals in 2014 and the Eagles finished ninth.

He's averaging 32 hit-outs, nine contested possessions and has kicked nine goals already in 11 games this season.

A fit and firing Nic Nat means West Coast is in the hunt.