One of the most popular Eagles ever and 2014 Brownlow medallist is out of contract at the end of the season.

Priddis spends appreciably more time out of midfield duties with Simpson's recruitment of big possession-winning former Hawthorn superstar Sam Mitchell and desperate search for increased speed away from heavy traffic.

In three straight losses to Essendon, Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast as West Coast tumble from top-four and premiership calculations to the bottom edge of the top eight, Pridds has had 22, 26 and 22 disposals in around 80 percent of on-field time.

The tough left-footer is hand-balling more than at any stage of his 230-game career at around a 0.45 kick-to-handpass ratio.

It is glaringly apparent that Priddis and Mitchell cannot play through midfield together.

Other West Coast big names Mark LeCras, Eric Mackenzie, Sam Butler and Sharrod Wellingham are all chasing new deals after this season as the Eagles head into an almost certain premiership rebuilding campaign.

Priddis and LeCras are unrestricted free agents and could move anywhere if other clubs want their services from next year.

LeCras, 30, has suffered a troubled past month as the 2010 All-Australian and club champion has failed to boot a goal in three consecutive engagements as well as forced out of the Eagles eight point loss to Greater Western Sydney with a slight gluteus muscle strain.

He is believed to want a two-year extension, with Eagles authorities only willing to consider one season, if LeCras stays at all.

Priddis, 32, is the biggest and most sentimental consideration with arrival of the ageing Mitchell.

West Coast blatantly lack critical bursting speed around the ball to seriously challenge new powerhouse flag contenders and midfield trendsetters in the unforgiving and forever evolving AFL competition.

Going into the Gold Coast clash, the Eagles sat 15th in the league this season for clearances won away from congestion.

An alarmingly inconsistent Eagles on-ball brigade battled through six wins and five defeats to their half-way point in the 2017 premiership campaign without Nic Naitanui as the wrecking ball ruck force continues an anticipated 12-month recovery from his anterior cruciate ligament knee injury.

As West Coast dramatically slides out of premiership calculations Priddis is turning out some of the lowest match returns of this decade and Simpson is desperately searching for increased pace and flexibility through his ageing midfield brigade

To win his Brownlow the gritty on-baller averaged 29 disposals an outing with 15 contested possessions a game as well as seven clearances a week.

This season with less game-time around midfield, Priddis is turning out 25 touches a game and 12 contested possessions and around four clearances a game.

Reiterating his decline in midfield priority Priddis started on the bench in Saturday's eventual three-point loss to Gold Coast.

Simpson reinforced his plight in endeavours to get optimum ball-winning and disposal from his ageing stars as well as critical experience and efficiency from his rising crop.

"You don't have to start with your number one players every week on-ball," he explained after losing by three points to the Suns ahead of his mid-season review of his list and football operations.

"We're just looking at getting a good balance."

Simpson is confronting a necessary balancing act trying to win critical engagements while evolve his future midfield pack through valuable playing time around the decisive stoppages and midfield congestion.

Midfield supremacy and whopping possession, tackling and clearances tallies have predominantly been the domain for Priddis for more than a decade.

Rising Eagles play-makers of the next decade and any premiership planning Elliot Yeo, Dom Sheed, Liam Duggan and defensive follower Mark Hutching are all spending more time on the ball at the expense of Priddis.

His future will be priority to Simpson and his match committee with possible career-defining list management discussions early this month as West Coast have their annual mid-season bye.

Priddis is likely to only be offered a one season extension, if he receives a guarantee for services required into 2018.

The four-time Hawthorn premiership gun Mitchell is tied into a secure four-year deal to play out his career and move into an assistant coaching position whenever he and Simpson elect to draw curtains after a short stint in his stunning switch from the Hawks at the end of 2016.

Mitchell, 34, could even make a shock retirement to allow West Coast to send an emotional message of recognition to Priddis for his accomplished a courageous career.

Simpson laid a platform for radical decisions on playing futures for Priddis and Mitchell immediately after conceding a 15-point lead into an eight-point defeat at home to rising premiership force and slick Greater Western Sydney a little more than a week ago.

"We can't rely on a 34-year-old and a 31-year-old," he said.

"We need to expose some of our other midfielders. They've got to learn and grow.

"They can't do that if we keep putting those guys in the middle."

Simpson disclosed immediately following his loss on the Gold Coast that over his bye he will review his entire operations.

"We will look at everything in detail," he said.

"We will make a couple of tweaks at what we do."

Simpson's stuttering Eagles approach a defining month straight out of their bye with a Thursday night crunch showdown in Perth against rising flag hopes Geelong, before hosting Melbourne and then a confrontation with a free-wheeling Western Bulldogs at Etihad at round 15.