WEST Coast skipper Shannon Hurn will play on at the Eagles for a 14th season next year.

AFL.com.au understands the 30-year-old has activated a trigger clause in his last contract, which was due to expire at the end of this year.

It means Hurn will extend his career in the west by another season, until at least the end of 2019.

Hurn would have been a free agent at the end of this year, but the South Australian has never seemed any chance of leaving.

The ever-reliable defender, who possesses one of the most damaging kicks in the competition, was recently reappointed captain for a fourth-straight year.

Hurn's dependability and leadership will be important as West Coast transitions from the AFL's oldest list into a new era, with the club set to blood many of its League-high 16 untried players this year.

By playing into 2019, Hurn is on track to join an illustrious group of Eagles to pass the 250-game mark.

The superboot has made 223 appearances in blue and gold since he was drafted with pick 13 in 2005.

Hurn has only missed one game in the past three seasons and has been a top-five finisher in the John Worsfold Medal for the past two years.

Barring injury, he will join Dean Cox (290), Glen Jakovich (276), Darren Glass (270), Guy McKenna (267), Drew Banfield (265), Peter Matera (253) and Andrew Embley (250) in the select 250-game club early in 2019.

While the skipper has been signed up, the Eagles still have several important contract negotiations to thrash out.

All Australians Jeremy McGovern and Andrew Gaff are uncontracted beyond 2018 and would become restricted free agents if they remain unsigned.

South Australian ruckman Scott Lycett and emerging leader Liam Duggan, who will captain West Coast in AFLX, are other key Eagles uncontracted beyond this year.