1. The class of Sam Mitchell through the midfield has been one of the highlights of the pre-season series and his 39-possession game against the Demons was captivating. Mitchell's distribution by hand was outstanding, with his bullet-like delivery bringing others into the game. The Eagles had a total of 451 possessions (Melbourne had 384), with Andrew Gaff, Chris Masten and Sharrod Wellingham also accumulating 30-plus touches.

2. Never underestimate the value of competitive instinct. Drew Petrie and Nathan Vardy were conceding size and ruck experience to Melbourne’s Max Gawn and, to a lesser extent Jake Spencer, but the capacity of the West Coast pair to compete was meritorious. They managed to minimise the damage from clearances and will be valuable members of the squad in 2017. Both had 12 touches, with Vardy also looking particularly dangerous up forward, while Petrie willed himself to many contests which restricted Melbourne’s capacity for clean breaks out of the congestion.

3. The ball use off half back was outstanding and one of the club’s emerging players, Jackson Nelson, was in the thick of it. Nelson used the ball efficiently and combined with the likes of skipper Shannon Hurn, Jeremy McGovern, Sam Mitchell and Sharrod Wellingham to create opportunities from the back half.

4. When the West Coast Eagles propelled themselves into the 2015 Grand Final, one of the key players in the assault was Sharrod Wellingham, who enjoyed career-best form. While it is only pre-season, Wellingham appears to have his game at a similar level. Playing at half-back and through the midfield, he has been in eye-catching touch and will be looking to carry his form through the 2017 campaign.

5. After winning consecutive Coleman Medals, Josh Kennedy has laid a solid platform for the season. Against the Demons, he kicked 5.4 and took 10 marks – seven of them inside the attacking 50m arc. He backed up from a terrific effort against Fremantle in JLT 2 and will carry some solid confidence into the season proper.