West Coast hopes the budding bromance between Harley Reid and Willem Duursma will yield the same results as the Trent Cotchin-Dustin Martin bond of the powerful Richmond premiership era.
Duursma, the No.1 draft pick from 2025, was in tears following last week's 11-point loss to Richmond.
The 19-year-old was comforted by Reid as they digested the loss out on the field.
"It was clearly a pretty challenging moment for him," Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said.
"But for me, the way he was supported is the most important part.
"I said to our players, that photo with him and Harley, that'll be an iconic photo about care and their love and support for each other, and hopefully everyone cares about the game as much as Willem does."
Duursma was friends with Reid even before arriving at the Eagles at the end of last year and their bond has continued to grow.
McQualter, a former assistant coach at Richmond, experienced the powerful bond between champion duo Martin and Cotchin as the Tigers snared flags in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
There's hope Reid and Duursma's connection will play a big role in helping lead West Coast back to the promised land in the not-too-distant future.
"It is genuine care for each other. They want each other to be great players," McQualter said.
"They both know they're going to be great players, If I'm being honest, and they bounce off each other in terms of what they can see in the game and what they can do.
"I saw it in my previous experience with Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin, their ability to understand each other in the game.
"They ended up playing 15 years together, those two. That's what we hope for Harley and Willem as well.
"The reality is these two have the chance to build a really great foundation of what our football club could be, and they'll be at the forefront of that."
West Coast (4-16) will be aiming to cause an upset when it hosts injury-hit Collingwood (11-8-1) at Optus Stadium for Impact Round supporting Telethon on Sunday.
The Pies have lost Scott Pendlebury (corked calf), Jordan De Goey (glute), Jeremy Howe (fractured arm), Harry Perryman (hamstring) and Patrick Lipinski (calf) to injury, with key defender Noah Howes named for his AFL debut.
“That’s obvious for everyone to see the experience they’ve lost, but their system now they’ve been doing it for six years straight. It’ll be plug and play," McQualter said.
"They build their game on pressure – they’re number one or two for AFL pressure. Their attack of half-back is really threatening as well.
"They’re in good form and playing for finals, but we know on the big stage only 10 or 11 weeks ago the way we played against them caused some problems and challenges for them as well.
"We’ll look to replicate that game and even play it a little bit better."
The Eagles have regained co-captain Liam Baker and recalled piercing left-footer Josh Lindsay and Tom Gross following strong WAFL form, with the latter set for his second appearance for the season after building from an interrupted summer.
“He started behind the eight-ball but he’s worked really hard, as the season has gone on he’s gotten better," McQualter said of Gross.
"He’s tough and he’s got the ability to score and help the team score. He’s been in good form the last few weeks as well."
