WEST Coast is patiently waiting for Jack Darling to be cleared to return and it is not long now, according to teammate Andrew Gaff.
The young key forward has endured a nightmare nine months since suffering a stress fracture in his foot in round 23 last year.
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Darling, 22, scarcely trained during the summer as the club took a cautious approach with the injury to his navicular bone.
He finally returned to full training last week but coach Adam Simpson said he would need to build a solid training base before being available to play.
The club has listed him as four weeks away, but it is a conservative assessment, and Gaff said Darling is doing everything possible to get himself ready to return sooner.
"He's training now," Gaff said.
"So I'm sure it'll get ramped up in the next couple of weeks. I'm not sure what the go is whether he plays a few weeks at East Perth or whatever but he won't be too far away and it will be great to have him back.
"It would be so frustrating for him. Especially watching us play well on the weekend and in the last couple of weeks it would be even harder for him watching on TV. We know he's a quality player and just what brings to the club and to the team.
"Guys are standing up in his absence.
"We've done very well without him but we do love him and we need him in the side as quickly as possible."
The Eagles are expecting to regain a few players from injury over the next couple of weeks.
Matt Rosa missed the last two matches with a back-related hamstring issue but he is ready to return this week, while Xavier Ellis, who hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring in the NAB Challenge, is also expected to be available.
Scott Selwood is edging closer to a return from the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since the opening round. He participated in the Eagles' light skills session on Tuesday and should be pressing for selection in the next fortnight.
Jeremy McGovern suffered a corked calf in the win over Port Adelaide but he is expected to be available to face Gold Coast at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.
Josh Kennedy overcame his elbow injury last week to bravely play against Port only to dislocate his finger during the match. He will be tested later in the week but should be fit to take his place.
Gaff said the Eagles' youngsters had really stood up over the past three weeks and made special mention of last year's first-round draft selection Liam Duggan.
"He's very composed and very tough for an 18-year-old kid," Gaff said.
"He's not afraid to put his body on the line and it was a crucial contest in the last quarter (against Port Adelaide). I think he took out (Angus) Monfries, and if that ball got out we were in some serious trouble.
"He slowed the play up and was a key factor in why we held on to win that game. We hope that he can do it as a young kid for most of the year and hopefully for a very long career."
