Ginbey was arguably best on ground in Sunday's 30-point win over Essendon, with his ability to shut down star Bombers forward Nate Caddy while also helping out teammates proving crucial.
Caddy was held goalless for three quarters before kicking two junk time majors late in the game when the contest was already decided.
One of those goals came when Ginbey was on the bench.
Ginbey has developed into one of the best key defenders in the league despite being undersized, and McQualter wants the 21-year-old to be recognised with All-Australian selection.
"If you just look at his contest work, he has to be (in the team)," McQualter said.
"There's some good players, but I just think Reuben absolutely is one of the best key defenders in the game.
"I think he's doing a great job and I love him in our team."
Ginbey enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, but was sensationally left out of the extended 40-man 22Under22 squad that year.
"It's crazy isn't it?" McQualter mused on Sunday.
Even higher honours beckon for Ginbey this year, with McQualter labelling the defender's game against Essendon as one of the best of the youngster's 75-game career.
"I think what we're seeing with Reuben, he is as dialled in as anyone I've ever seen the way he competes and plays," McQualter said of Ginbey, who is on the verge of signing a contract extension at West Coast.
"Probably the growth is he's starting to really win the ball back.
"He almost never loses a contest, but his ability (against Essendon) to win the ball back with 11 or 12 intercepts, that's the next stage to his game."
West Coast only won a single game last season, and there were similarly dire predictions heading into 2026.
But the Eagles are already 4-8 and will spend the next two weeks at home hosting Port Adelaide and North Melbourne - both winnable games.
West Coast's past three weeks have given fans plenty of optimism.
The Eagles followed up a shock 17-point win over GWS with a fighting 10-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG, before putting Essendon to the sword with eight unanswered goals either side of halftime on the way to a 12.13 (85) to 8.7 (55) win.
"We're getting a lot of evidence in our game the last three weeks ... of the type of team we want to become and the way we want the game to look and be played," McQualter said.
"And for our players, the more evidence we get, it fuels their confidence.
"But make no mistake, we've got so much more work to do. We're still a long way off where we want to be."
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