1. Are the Eagles back?
Speaking at his pre-match media conference, Adam Simpson insisted the Eagles had identified solutions to the glaring problems that plagued them before the bye. Perhaps Simpson spent his week off in Bali at a spiritual retreat rediscovering his game plan, because West Coast was suddenly back to its ferocious best early on Thursday night. Over the first 11 games, the Eagles had no distinct brand, looked slow, struggled to get the ball inside 50 and were a shadow of the free-scoring line-up that averaged 101 points in 2015 and 99 last year. But staring at four-straight losses for the first time since rounds 4-7, 2014, they went back to what made them a Grand Finalist two seasons ago, competing strongly in contested ball, applying immense pressure inside 50 and setting up behind the play to lock the ball inside their forward half. The Cats clawed back after half time and the Eagles obviously still have work to do – especially with their goalkicking - but there was a lot more to like.

2. It will be a sheepish Tomahawk on Monday
Both sides were missing their star spearheads, but West Coast – which had a practice run without Josh Kennedy (calf) in the loss to the Suns before the bye – coped better than Geelong without Tom Hawkins. The burly Cats goalkicker was serving a controversial one-game suspension for a jumper punch after a crackdown by the AFL – and Geelong struggled to find an avenue to goal in his absence. The Cats' 2.3 was their lowest first half score since round 11, 2014 and, although they were much-improved after the long break, with Harry Taylor (two goals) and Rhys Stanley (three) standing up, Hawkins' threatening presence inside 50 was sorely missed as the Cats coughed up the chance to go equal top of the ladder with their seventh-straight loss coming off a bye.

3. Mitchell's fond farewell
Sam Mitchell's future was back on the agenda this week after the former Hawk revealed he was only 50-50 about playing on next season. And, if this is the final year in an illustrious career, you get the feeling he set himself for one last hurrah against the old nemesis Geelong - and in particular Joel Selwood. In the first term the champion onballers were at each other throats and Selwood was reported for striking Mitchell. Then in the third term Mitchell bumped Selwood over at the interchange gates to the delight of a raucous crowd. Mitchell finished up with 29 disposals and his deft touches and football nous were again on show. The 34-year-old's form has been solid, but those around him have been hot and cold. If the Eagles can turn their season around, there's no reason Mitchell can't go on in 2018.

4. Hutchings clamps Cats champ
There's no secret to stopping Geelong, but executing the plan to shutdown at least one of 'Dangerwood' is another issue altogether. West Coast decided to target Joel Selwood with number one tagger Mark Hutchings, and the tough Eagle was superb. Hutchings shadowed Selwood all night, restricting the influential skipper to 11 touches at half time and only 19 for the match in a clear win. Elliot Yeo kept an eye on Patrick Dangerfield (34 disposals, one goal), although not in a pure run-with role, and did a reasonable job, while Luke Shuey (32) worked through an early tag from ex-housemate Scott Selwood – whose injury woes returned when he was forced out of the game with a hamstring injury - to be one of West Coast's key contributors.

5. Eagle and Cat in MRP danger?
After two weeks stewing on the deflating loss to Gold Coast, there was a harder edge to West Coast on Thursday night and vice-captain Luke Shuey was one of the main men setting the tone around the clinches. But with 11 seconds left in the first term, the star midfielder walked a fine line when he ran past the ball and made a bee-line for Patrick Dangerfield, flattening the Brownlow medallist with a high bump. Luckily for Shuey, the superstar Cat bounced back to his feet and played out the contest and West Coast's most damaging onballer might escape a ban from the Match Review Panel, but the incident will certainly be looked at. The Cats have their own MRP worry after captain Joel Selwood was reported for striking Sam Mitchell in the first quarter.