Eagles ace unfazed by late AFL arrival

Josh Kennedy was the late arrival waiting on a late arrival.

The West Coast star, whose partner Lauren is overdue with the couple's first child, only decided at lunchtime on Friday to play against Port Adelaide in Saturday's AFL twilight match.

Kennedy arrived in Adelaide late on Friday night to join his teammates - and he then dominated with a seven-goal haul in the Eagles' eight-point win.

"It's a very difficult situation when you're in the west - every second week, you have got a pretty big travel," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said.

"So we left it to his family. It got down to Friday lunchtime before he made the decision so I'm glad he did. And Lauren, I'm glad you let him go."

Simpson, who had planned to be without the sharpshooter, marvelled at Kennedy's performance in the circumstances - he kicked five and set up another of the Eagles' first nine goals.

"To come over and switch on in the way that he did, especially in the first half, that just shows what kind of leader he is," Simpson said.

Kennedy was returning to Perth on Saturday night with his teammates.