But while the 66-point win over the Demons left the Eagles just 4.5 per cent ahead of 10th-placed Adelaide, Simpson said he's happy to still be in the mix to play finals.

"I'm just excited that we're alive," he said. "There's nothing worse than not being in contention and playing the last three or four games of the year for momentum for next year.

"It's just great for our group and our club and our young players that there's a chance. I think we've just got to control what we have to with what potentially is going to be a really big game [against Gold Coast on Sunday].

"We're excited that going into the last game of the season there is still a chance that we can make the eight, of course.

"We thought there was an opportunity maybe to extend things in the last quarter but Melbourne didn't go away. They kept hanging in there."

The Demons trailed by 71 points at the last change at Patersons Stadium, but won the final term by five points.

So pinching a spot in the eight could come down to whether the Eagles can beat the Suns and how much by, opposed to how much Adelaide can beat St Kilda by - providing other results also fall their way.

For West Coast to snatch eighth spot on the final day of the home and away season, they would also need Hawthorn to beat Collingwood and Sydney to beat Richmond.

It's been a roller-coaster ride of emotion for Simpson and the Eagles over the past month. They have been written off as finals contenders several times; most recently in round 21 when they lost to Essendon by three points in Melbourne – only for Richmond to beat Adelaide and Brisbane to beat Collingwood in the same round.

"Look, last week we were really disappointed. We let an opportunity slip and to Essendon's credit they got it done," he said. "And in the Virgin lounge on the way home watching the Richmond game there was a little bit of spark in there when they got up.

"But so many things have got to happen. Trying to get the players and the coaches to focus on what's important and all this other stuff around us you keep an eye on but it can't have too much bearing on how you handle the game that you've got to play."

Eagles ruckman Dean Cox said after the game that the final home and away clash against the Demons was looking at being his farewell game before retiring.

And while there was no confirmation from the six-time All-Australian or Simpson that he would play against the Suns next week, it remains an option.

West Coast will welcome back Nic Naitanui, who was a late withdrawal on Saturday night due to an achilles injury, for Sunday's crucial contest. And Scott Lycett, fresh from signing a new four-year deal, had 15 touches and kicked a goal against the Demons.

Mark Hutchings is likely to miss due to the hamstring injury that forced him out of the game at quarter-time on Saturday night, but there are a few others lining up to make their returns.

"Well we should get Nic back hopefully and potentially we've got [Elliot] Yeo training quite solidly and [Scott] Selwood's pushing hard and hopefully [Xavier] Ellis, he's had a good week this week.

"I don't know if they are all going to be available, but they are pushing."

Yeo hasn't played since round 13 due to a hand injury and Selwood's last game was in round 12 because of an ankle injury, while Ellis has missed only two rounds because of a shoulder injury.