Not sure it’s definitive. Just “hope”
What level of ‘trained’ would be the key. Lots of players train during hammy recovery but aren’t ready to go for a game.
That’s Hurn for the hammy & Yeo had a calf strain which can be dicey also.
Yeo fights to be fit for Essendon as Naitanui eyes AFL return
Kim HagdornJune 17, 2019 — 9.44am
Star West Coast on-baller Elliot Yeo will race the clock to be fit to play against Essendon in Perth on Thursday while big cult figure Nic Naitanui ponders when to make his anticipated comeback.
Naitanui and West Coast coach Adam Simpson will weigh up whether to confront the Bombers or resume through WAFL ranks from an 11-month recovery from a full knee reconstruction.
Elliot Yeo is in a race against the clock to be fit for Thursday. AAP
Yeo is battling a calf strain that is understood to be a three-to-four week injury after the reigning West Coast club champion missed a seven-goal thumping from Sydney ahead of last weekend’s bye.
Yeo, 25, is tipped to miss confronting the free-wheeling Bombers.
The dual Eagles club champion is pivotal in his side’s midfield operations with an average of 24 disposals an outing, along with six clearances and around seven tackles an outing this season.
West Coast must also find replacements for livewire small forward Willie Rioli and premiership ruckman Nathan Vardy who will both serve one-match bans from offences against the Swans.
Premiership captain Shannon Hurn is expected back from a hamstring strain that forced the All-Australian defender to miss his side’s loss to Sydney, when the Eagles back-line was cracked open by five-goal outings from Lance Franklin and Tom Papley.
Naitanui, 29, will be considered as a direct replacement for Vardy.
The influential Naitanui is ready for a return after missing all of the 2019 season so far with a second knee ACL injury setback inside two years.
He is also on the verge of announcing a new three-year contract extension tipped to be in the region of $2.5million.
Naitanui could be carefully managed with around 60 minutes across a return at the top level in tandem with first-year recruit Tom Hickey.
West Coast heavy hitters are making last-minute calls on whether the preferred lead ruckman should be run straight back into the highest level or spend at least a week in the Eagles reserves team.
Ironically, if Naitanui plays WAFL on Saturday it will be at East Fremantle where he played a pre-season practice game ahead of an emotion-charged AFL return in the opening round of last year after missing the entire 2017 season.
Naitanui suffered his second ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the Eagles’ stirring round 17 win over eventual grand final opponent Collingwood.
He has been back into full training for at least a month and dominating Eagles match simulation drills against the inconsistent Vardy and Hickey.
Other Eagles replacements are expected to include exciting teenager Jarrod Cameron in a debut to fill opportunist forward-pocket duties from Rioli.
Premiership utility Dan Venables is also tipped to present for recall as he recovers from a heavy concussion he copped against Melbourne in Perth a month ago.
Lol
“The free wheeling bombers”
Who happen to be the best defensive side in the comp over the last 9 rounds.
Kim pls.
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So since that article was posted, they confirmed Nic Nat will play WAFL.
Wonder about Yeo though. Eagles supporters attending the training sessions said he doesn’t appear to be restricted in his movements etc.
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It doesn’t matter, nor has it ever mattered who the other team is missing when we play them.
Geelong didn’t have Selwood and Dangerfield was on one leg but we still got smashed.
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Interesting, looking at the CD ratings on the last 2 games of WCE and Essendon respectively,
our top 6 players all scored higher ratings points than any WCE player in their Sydney game, by some margin. ( the usual caveats apply)
Our top players were all young under 25 players in order Merret, Saad, McKenna, Langford, Parish, Clarke. ( I dont think many will argue with this list, except maybe slight changes of order)
The WCE players are no surprise. Gaff,Shuey,Jetta,Ryan, McGovern, Sheed.
But we also have several older players who were well within normal output at our last outing, namely Shiel, Tippa and and Heppell.
The question is can the young players back up or even improve their form ? If yes. I think with just 1 or at most 2 changes WCE are gettable, as long as that guy Margetts doesn’t feature amongst WCEs best.
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Stringers getting up.
GO BOMBERS.
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Hunch? Or have you heard something?
If Stringer plays, I wouldn’t mind bringing Brown in. Maybe at the expense of Begley.
Unfortunately, all those rating points, mean less than nothing.
I still can’t get past the fact the 2 west Australian umpires ( Margetts, Dalgleish)that officiated last years fixture which was on the verge of corrupt and straight out cheating are getting the exact fixture again??? Shame we are behind the farkin 8 ball from the get go,
Anyways, brown in for stringer If he doesn’t get up.
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I hope we outsourced our medical report to the Tribunal To Fark Carlton, though.
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With everything that has gone on over the past few years I can’t believe anyone could be surprised.
I understand he is flying with the team for Wednesdays training session.
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Eagles and Dockers are still concerned about the ground.
Like 95 percent of blitz thought this until Friday night.
Big IN’s for them if so
Missing only from their best side: NicNat, Rioli Vardy, Barrass?
For us likely only: Daniher, Smith, Gleeson?
Going to be a cracker game you’d think.
We got this!
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I like Begley’s energy. Back him in, will have a break out game sooner rather than later.
No changes.
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Apparently Yeo is still unlikely.