WEST Coast Eagles coach and dual North Melbourne premiership midfielder Adam Simpson expects Hawthorn to win back-to-back flags.

Simpson was an assistant to Hawks head coach Alastair Clarkson for four years ahead of his appointment to West Coast after last season and tips Hawthorn to win Saturday’s preliminary final over rising power Port Adelaide and go on to win a second straight title and 12th in a little over five decades.

Simpson played in North’s famous 1996 and ’99 flags under revered coach Denis Pagan and doesn’t entirely discount his old club knocking off Sydney in Friday’s other preliminary final.

But the 306-game former North captain and 2002 fairest-and-best is practical enough to expect the season’s trendsetting Swans and Hawks make it into the title decider on Saturday-week.

“I think Hawthorn have that look about them that no matter what gets thrown at them they can handle it,” Simpson assessed.

“That can change very quickly and remember that last year they were 20 points down (against Geelong) in a preliminary final.

“So no-one is invincible.

“I get the sense that the health of their list and the mindset that they are in that the Hawks are on the right path.

“But maybe I am a little bit biased.”

media_camera Hawthorn training this week ahead of their dash with Port Adelaide on Saurday. Picture: Michael Klein.

Simpson has delayed making final assessments and expected cuts to his playing list at the end of his first season until after Eagles alignment club East Perth plays the WAFL Grand Final on Sunday.

Eagles’ list management is expected to chop up to six players with decorated stars Dean Cox and Darren Glass already into retirement.

Defenders Jacob Brennan, Blayne Wilson and Ashley Smith as well as hard-nut utility Simon Tunbridge will play the local Grand Final with uncertain futures at the higher level hanging over their heads.

media_camera West Coast Eagles coach has done all the exit interviews with his players. Picture: Mark Calleja

They have not been offered new contracts and are headed for crucial talks with Simpson after the local competition decider against Subiaco.

Simpson confirmed that he did not want to distract players engaged in finals with such critical discussions relating to their AFL futures.

“I’ve done all of the exit interviews with our players and I’ve told all of them and the guys perhaps on the borderline, that we’re going to see how they roll out in the next few weeks,” Simpson elaborated.

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“We’ve got the grand final next week which we’re really happy about and we will make the assessment and tell the relevant people after the grand final.”

East Perth’s alignment with West Coast in the first season of a five-year agreement has been a raging controversy among rival WAFL clubs calling for a radical overhaul of privileged resources to a second-tier outfit from a close involvement with an AFL organisation.