West Coast may have already quadrupled last year's one-win tally, but the demoralising 53-point loss to Carlton was 'a step backwards', coach Andrew McQualter says.

The Eagles managed just four marks inside 50 under the roof of Marvel Stadium, against a Carlton defence missing All-Australian Jacob Weitering and led by 18-year-old Harry Dean, and were even out-tackled in the near-nine goal defeat.

With eight games remaining in the season, starting with a Friday night clash at home against Adelaide next up, McQualter declared the Eagles were gunning to add to their win tally on the run home.

"We don't specifically speak wins, because it's outcome-based, but we need some more wins, absolutely, and we're desperate to win as many games as possible coming home. We really want to keep building the way we play," West Coast coach Andrew McQualter said.

"We took a step backwards today, which was disappointing, but we'll go away, we'll figure out why and how and more importantly, what we do about it.

"We definitely weren't at the same level we've been at for eight weeks, which is disappointing. Any time a team has 120 uncontested marks against you, you're going to struggle. That was our plan going into the game – to take that away from them, and we didn't get it done. 

"We'll go back and look at the tape and we'll work out why. Sometimes it's connected to your offence as well. There was too much detail we didn't get right today and Carlton punished us."

The forward line was well and truly outplayed, with spearhead Jake Waterman once again fighting a battle with his opponent and his own mental demons, kicking three behinds late. Although he did hand off a near-certain opportunity to Jobe Shanahan.

"I think third quarter we eventually got one (a mark inside 50), but it was a battle, and we only got [six] for the day. So certainly not the way you want to set the game up to attack,: McQualter said.

"Couple of things. Little bit connected to our ball use, little bit connected to Carlton's really proactive defence – they defended well, their backs defended well, their team defended well, so challenged us. But we've got to be able to find ways to get easier and better shots at goal. 

"Sometimes when they're flying with their opponents, it's multiple people in a marking contest, and you'd rather more fly than none. I thought we did have some looks at marking the ball inside 50 in the first half, they just didn't stick today as much as we'd like, but we'll keep working with these guys."

Number four draft pick Cooper Duff-Tytler finished the game at three-quarter time with a calf concern.

"Minor, we think. We were trying, and hopeful that he would be able to continue, but he just had some tightness or awareness. As with all our players, particularly with our young ones, we're not going to take risk. Not sure yet, we'll go away and have a look at it," McQualter said.