West Coast coach Andrew McQualter was left disappointed after the Eagles failed to capitalise on being in a winning position, but said a much-improved effort had given the team a platform to build from.

After a record-low 77 contested possessions last week, the Eagles passed that mark halfway through the third quarter and eventually won the indicator 119-117.

"To be able to bounce back in that space, it'll put us in a good position to be able to compete every week," the coach said.

"One of the things that we take out is that some of our players got some form.

"We've certainly have had some challenges with form, but we were much more connected today, and some individuals are getting better at their footy, which is good."

McQualter said co-captain Oscar Allen would return next week to take on Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium.

The coach said Allen was physically in good shape and not experiencing any issues with his previously troubled knee, but the club had decided to rest him during a tight turnaround.

"We made a decision for the longevity of this season that he has a rest this week, and he'll be fine next week," McQualter said. 

"He's doing well. His GPS numbers are good, and he's going well. I don't think Oscar's missed a session at all through knee soreness this year.

"We've just got the wide lens on it, and I think it was a smart decision by us all. Oscar will play next week … I'm sure he'll actually be pretty excited to play next week."