That may sound obvious, but the former West Coast chief says that the wind that swirls around the Subiaco oval can play with a players mind as they are shooting at goals.

Malthouse should know; he coached the Eagles between 1990 and 1999, winning 156 of 243 games at the helm.

His Blues certainly found goal kicking easier than the home side last night, kicking 12.17 to the home side's 7.23.

''Really, you feel it (the wind) across your shoulder and you make that allowance, but the reality is you kick straight here (Patersons Stadium), at either end of the ground,'' he said.

''You kick straight. You have a far better chance of conversion, but the mind does play with you a bit.''

The win took Malthouse's coaching record at the ground in the West to an impressive seven wins and six losses since leaving the post at the Eagles. Importantly, last night's win over the Eagles makes it five wins at Patersons Stadium from his past six visits.

His coaching record against the man who stood alongside him as captain as he held aloft the 1994 and '96 premiership cups when at West Coast, John Worsfold, now stands at an impressive 11 wins and four losses.

But typically, Malthouse did not want to play up the win as being worth more than four premiership points.

''I don't want to make it a special event, because it's not. It's simply round four, against a side I have coached and loved,'' he said.

''The way we have played in the first three weeks. We expected a similar type of effort and narrowing down those times when we have given up precious ground and goals and today I think we did that pretty well until a little bit in the first quarter – we did that a couple of times - and certainly the third quarter.

''We really gave them the opportunity to get back into the game – and they're the things we are trying to work on.

''It doesn't matter where it is played. I don't think this ground holds any real fear; particularly for myself. I know it.

''You can tell the players about it enough and a few of them have played here before – you can take the fear out.

''It was a very good win, against a competent opponent, who people have touted as top four and we needed to get four points.''

The leg speed of Chris Yarran, Jeff Garlett and Dennis Armfield was a major factor in the Blues win over West Coast.

Yarran, in particular, showed defenders Adam Selwood and Jamie Cripps clean heels as he dashed away, bouncing the ball, to kick three of his four goals.

But Malthouse warned that opposition sides could be in for some more grief in trying to defend the pace of the Blues forward line in coming weeks.

''Well I would like to think within a month we'll have (Eddie) Betts in there as well,'' he said.

''That should cause some further headaches and damage to opposition. It's a wonderful weapon (pace), as long as that work ethic is there all the time. You don't pick and choose that sort of stuff.''

Jarrad Waite is also expected back in the next fortnight, and along with Sam Rowe, who is showing an ability to take a strong mark in attack, could be the final cog in a strong forward line.