The Eagles have the youngest and most inexperienced list in the league and are hot favourites to pick up a second straight wooden spoon.
West Coast have won just 11 of their 91 games across four years leading into this season and opened their 2026 campaign with a 59-point loss to Gold Coast.
North Melbourne's record since the start of 2020 also makes for horrific reading - finishes of 17th, last, last, 17th, 17th and most recently 16th.
But the Kangaroos' 46-point thumping of Port Adelaide in round one has raised hopes the rebuilding team is finally ready to 'pop'.
Not that their fans are getting carried away just yet.
In round two last season, North Melbourne thrashed Melbourne by 59 points in what was initially labelled an important turning point for the club.
Those dreams were soon crushed as the Kangaroos went on to lose their next six games, including an 82-point defeat to Carlton, in what turned out to be a disappointing five-win season.
If they can beat West Coast to go 2-0 it could set them up for a surprise early-season surge especially with games against Essendon, Carlton and Richmond to come over the next month.
West Coast are just keen to improve on last year's one-win campaign and although their first half against Gold Coast was a horror show, there was plenty to like after that.
The Eagles played four debutants last week and had nine players with 10 games or less experience.
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter concedes it's a difficult balancing act ensuring the side he picks each week isn't too inexperienced to avoid throwing young players "to the wolves".
This week, West Coast welcome back Harry Edwards (concussion), Liam Baker (suspension) and Tim Kelly in what is a vital triple boost in experience.
But three of last week's debutants - Cooper Duff-Tytler, Willem Duursma and Milan Murdock - will play again, along with the likes of the inexperienced Bo Allan, Hamish Davis, Jacob Newton, Jobe Shanahan and Archer Reid.
"It is a great opportunity for our fans to see these guys play," McQualter said ahead of the Eagles' first home game of the season.
"They're young, highly talented players, and you're going to see moments from them where you're going to be blown away.
"They can do some things at a high level on the football field."
Duursma, the No.1 pick from last year's national draft, will go up against his brother, North Melbourne's Zane Duursma.
"Knowing siblings and the way Willem is, he'll be pretty competitive against his brother," McQualter said.
