Adam Simpson will lead his own West Coast side into the 2015 AFL grand final. The Eagles team that runs out on to the MCG on Saturday to take on the reigning premier, Hawthorn, will be very different to the one that finished 2013 - the year before Simpson was appointed - in 13th position.

Almost 1700 games of AFL experience has left the club since Simpson took the reins. When you take into account long-term injuries to senior players this season, the young coach has almost 2000 fewer games of AFL football at his disposal than John Worsfold did at the end of his tenure.

Adam Simpson says the Eagles are 'proud' to be where they are. Credit:Getty Images

Of the team that played the last home-and-away game of 2013, an 86-point loss to Adelaide at Domain Stadium, seven players are no longer playing at the club. And 13 members of the squad used that season have moved on, including captain and three-times best and fairest Darren Glass.

Since Simpson was announced as coach, just days after assisting the Hawks to win the 2013 flag, 1696 games of AFL experience have retired from the Eagles, including six premiership players - Dean Cox, Glass, Beau Waters, Daniel Kerr, Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley and Adam Selwood. Three of those played at least 250 AFL games, Kerr played 220, Selwood 187 and Waters 120. Only Sam Butler remains from the 2006 premiership team that beat Sydney by one point.