Vice-captain Dana Hooker says West Coast will focus on group connectivity and stopping opponents’ momentum before facing one of the most experienced sides in the competition – the Adelaide Crows – on Saturday at the Swinburne Centre.

The two-time All-Australian couldn’t fault the Eagles’ effort in a tough loss to Gold Coast, but declared the team’s execution must improve against the 2019 premiers in the second match of their Melbourne hub.

“When we play our best footy, we can match up against some good teams and play really well,” Hooker told westcoasteagles.com.au.

“However, we haven’t been so good in the past – and present as well – with the momentum changes and then other teams are playing their best footy.

“And that’s where we need to get to, we need to be better when there’s momentum swings.

“The effort of the girls is very much there, we’re just missing the mark in that aspect.

“It’s thereabouts, but it’s lacking in that refinement and that’s the difference between a goal getting kicked on us, missing a clearance.

“It’s just that refinement and the way we’re going about it.”

The team will also focus on high-pressure situations and work around the contest, which Hooker believes will put the younger players in better stead to face Adelaide’s hardened bodies.

Consistency over four quarters will also be on the agenda, with West Coast unable to close the gap in their two final quarters this season.

In round one, the Eagles were just five points behind Fremantle at the final change but were eventually toppled by 28 points, and then surrendered a 16-point lead midway through the fourth quarter against the Suns.

“I think you see the good teams are very consistent over four quarters and their ability to stem momentum and change in play, and absorb that pressure is really good,” Hooker said.

“The good teams and all the teams that have really good weapons within their team, we need to be better at being able to stem that and that’s something we have struggled with in the past.

“It’s about how we actually slow that down, play four quarters, and get back on top.”

Hooker said West Coast needed to focus on attention to detail ahead of the Crows clash.

“Adelaide are obviously a real quality team and every year in the competition they’ve been right up there at the top, and ended their season brilliantly,” Hooker said.

“This is an opportunity, like every week, to test ourselves with how we go about attention to detail.

“If we don’t get that right, they can expose us, but if we do get it right, that can give us an opportunity to compete and actually have a good game.

“I think everything starts with your processes and how you train things, so when it comes to the midfield things we’ve just got to be sharper at training with what’s being asked of us.

“Then when we’re under pressure we need to be more galvanised to support the others to keep doing their role to the best of their ability.

“When we’re all connected and playing our role as a unit together, it looks really good.

“But if it’s one or two people out of playing their role or doing the right thing, that’s when they come unstuck.

“We just need to become more consistent with doing our job well.”