West Coast forward Jack Williams has declared the young, injury-hit Eagles have the belief they can cause the most monumental of upsets and topple premiership fancies Collingwood at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
The Eagles are looking to become the first team in 20 years to be on the bottom of the ladder and defeat the top side 鈥 a herculean task given the Magpies are on a six-game winning streak.
It comes as Williams said he was ready to stand up and be the main tall target in attack with West Coast forced to navigate the rest of the season without their two leading spearheads in Oscar Allen and Jake Waterman.
West Coast 鈥 who have only one win this year 鈥 head into the game against the Magpies as enormous $14 outsiders.
It鈥檚 unsurprising Collingwood sit a game-and-a-half on top of the table before the round and are primed for a second premiership in three seasons.
Not since Collingwood beat the Eagles in 2005 has the league鈥檚 last-placed side got the best of a team on top of the table.
However, Williams said West Coast were going into the match with the belief they could cause an unlikely boil-over.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a tough game; Collingwood are in pretty good form. They鈥檙e probably the best team in the competition,鈥 he told The West Australian.
鈥淲e want to embrace the challenge. We feel like we go into every game believing that we can win.
鈥淲e鈥檝e started to string some better football together and are starting to play a better brand that we鈥檙e going after so we must continue to do that. We will give it a crack for sure.鈥
West Coast know they cannot allow Collingwood to get the jump on them if they are any chance of victory, having learnt that lesson the hard way before the bye.
Carlton ambushed the Eagles at Optus Stadium less than a fortnight ago, kicking 10 of the first 11 goals.
Their dismal opening quarter was described by first-year coach Andrew McQualter as 鈥減athetic鈥.
Williams said the Eagles knew if they didn鈥檛 come out at their best, a side like Collingwood could do even more damage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an even tougher environment compared to the Carlton game at home. Playing the top team in Melbourne, if we have a low quarter like we did a couple of weeks ago it could be even worse,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e are definitely putting emphasis on the starting the game well and going after the way we want to play the game so we can give ourselves every chance for the rest of the game.鈥
Williams is only 38 games and 34 goals into a promising career, but the fourth-year forward is set to shoulder a lot of responsibility for the rest of the season.
Co-captain Allen joined last year鈥檚 leading goalkicker and All-Australian Waterman on the sidelines with a season-ending injury in the first half of the year, leaving Williams to be the focal point of the Eagles鈥 forward line alongside forward-ruck Bailey Williams and promising debutant Jobe Shanahan.
While it might be a daunting task, Williams said he was prepared to take it head on as he looks to establish himself at the AFL level.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been tough for Oz and Jake 鈥 you hate to see that happen to them. They鈥檙e two leaders of our club and I enjoy playing with them because they make you walk taller when you鈥檙e out there,鈥 he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a challenge, but we鈥檝e got a youthful forward line with myself, Baz and young Jobe 鈥 I鈥檓 looking forward to it.
鈥淎t this point of my career I鈥檓 ready to step up for the team and put my foot forward as a threat up forward.鈥
Williams had a breakout season in 2024 as a forward-ruck and while he鈥檚 played the role at times throughout this year, he has been predominantly used in attack where he is starting to develop his game.
鈥淭he combination has been changing a fair bit this year and as opposed to last year I haven鈥檛 done as much ruck work especially when we鈥檝e got the two rucks playing in Baz and (Matt) Flynn,鈥 he said.
鈥淒uring the week I鈥檓 still practicing my ruck craft because you never know what could happen and I鈥檝e had to ruck a bit at times this year, more so earlier in the year than compared to now.
鈥淏eing the primary target forward at the moment, that鈥檚 probably where my main focus is so while I am still keeping up with my ruck craft but being a forward is more important for me at the moment.鈥