The numbers backing calls for West Coast intercepting machine Tom Barrass to be next Eagles skipper

Picture this, Eagles fans.

A six-foot-three, 85kg slab of a footballer with long curly black hair leads a new-look West Coast unit through the inflatable Eagle head tunnel, through the smoke and out into the middle of Optus Stadium.

We are talking about Tom Barrass, of course.

Calls for the man dubbed “Tombstone Tommy” for putting forwards to sleep to be the next leader at the Eagles continue to gain traction, and after reading these numbers, it’s easy to see why.

Between rounds 12 and 19, Barrass has gone from a great defender to an elite intercepting machine, barrelling into the top five for disposals, marks (first), intercept marks and possessions (first at more than nine a game), as well as spoils.

The numbers say he is the best intercept player in the competition at the moment, with more than half of his 17.7 touches a game being intercepts.

And he is doing it without wingman and club vice-captain Jeremy McGovern after his season was ended by broken ribs.

Admittedly, he has had plenty of opportunity as West Coast head towards their worst season in club history, but under the intense pressure, Barrass has been a pillar of consistency on the first and last line of defence.

In round 18 at the MCG against Hawthorn, the 26-year-old racked up a career-high 30 disposals and 18 marks, even grabbing a sneaky clearance.

The Eagles went on to lose by 25 points, but Barrass and his ability to marshal the backline alongside former captain Shannon Hurn kept West Coast in the game.

With current leader Luke Shuey bearing more and more injuries in the latter stage of his career and McGovern also struggling to string games together, the debate about who should lead the Eagles through a rebuild has raged.

Injured star Oscar Allen has been at the forefront of future leadership talk, but given he has missed an entire year and not often been without mentor Josh Kennedy, the Eagles may be wise in holding off adding any extra pressure on the 23-year-old.

Barrass’ name has been floated and backed by the likes of Guy McKenna and Paul Haselby, and the man himself said he would be honoured should the captaincy come his way.

If he were to take on the post, he would become the seventh defender to hold the role after Murray Rance, John Worsfold, McKenna, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie and Hurn.