It's been a disappointing AFL season for West Coast but Eagles hardnut Beau Waters can't help but love every second of it.

Waters feared his fledgling AFL career was over last year when a second reconstruction of his badly damaged elbow failed to fix the problem.

The 24-year-old went under the knife for a third time in one final roll of the dice and the procedure did the trick, allowing the premiership defender to return to the field in 2010.

Waters has played every game this season and said his 18-month lay-off made him appreciate how lucky he was to have an AFL career rather than focusing on West Coast's horrid year.

"Sometimes I've got to pinch myself and say 'well I did have a lot of time off the park and it's been great fun actually just playing'," Waters said.

"There was a couple (of times I thought my career could be over).

"There was one (time) where after the last reconstruction that was it and you don't know what you've got until it's taken away from you.

"It makes you realise as bad as our win-loss ratio is at the moment, we're still playing a great game and AFL footy is a profession.

"It's the most beautiful lifestyle there is.

"The camaraderie with the boys, although we're not winning games, is still a really strong resolve within the group and a great mateship.

"We often talk about a brotherhood and we're working towards that and hopefully it comes to fruition over the next four weeks."

Waters said he had no plan B if his elbow injury failed to heal.

"I just thought I've got to do everything right, get my body right, prepare like I was going to play," he said.

"I tried not to think about what I might be doing if I wasn't playing."

Waters has been a rare shining light for the Eagles this season and has even alternated the captaincy duties with Matt Priddis in the absence of Darren Glass.

"I won my second toss on the weekend (but) I'm yet to win a game," Waters said with a laugh.

"The responsibility has been terrific and knowing I've got the support of the playing group is great."

But Waters admits times are tough at the last-placed Eagles, with Sunday's 75-point loss to the Dockers leaving the playing group with plenty to atone for.

"It's one of those things where the buck needs to stop with each individual and we need to look closely at why were not working as a team," Waters said ahead of Saturday night's wooden spoon showdown with Brisbane.

"Its a very, very proud club and I always feel privileged to pull on the guernsey and I know my teammates feel the same way.

"Brisbane are a side in a similar circumstance to us and there's no reason why we can't turn it around."

West Coast will be without Chris Masten (ankle) and Shannon Hurn (hamstring) this week, while Lions spearhead Brendan Fevola has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a groin injury.

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