A handful of young West Coast Eagles players are on the verge of returning to action after short lay-offs leaving the match committee with an interesting conundrum this week.

With a general bye across the WAFL as the Black Swan prepares to take on South Australia, there is no second tier option to bring those players back.

Defender Rhett Bazzo (concussion), half-back Coby Burgiel (hamstring), midfielder Elijah Hewett (ankle), small forward Noah Long (hamstring) and key forward Jack Williams (spleen) are all on the cusp of a return.

02:33

SJOG Health Care Injury Update: Round 10

Head of Health Mark Finucane provides an update on West Coast's injured players ahead of our round 10 clash against the Hawks.

Of that group Burgiel is the only ruled out this week, with medical staff holding back until next weekend as they build his capacity to return.

Williams has not played at any level since injuring his spleen in a bizarre training mishap in pre-season while Bazzo, Hewett and Long will all be in contention. Another of the club’s emerging players Campbell Chesser resumed in the WAFL last Saturday and is available.

While the youngsters are on the mend veteran key forward Jack Darling, who bravely played on for more than a quarter with a fractured arm against Gold Coast, will have surgery tomorrow and is expected to miss 3-5 weeks.

Utility player Jamaine Jones, subbed out at half-time last Friday night, has been cleared of a facial fracture and is listed as a ‘test’ for Sunday’s clash with Hawthorn at UTAS Stadium in Launceston.

Veteran defender Shannon Hurn will miss a further week or two with an adductor strain while small forward Samo Petrevski Seton faces up to a month on the sidelines, narrowly avoiding surgery after a corked thigh bled into his knee.       

Injury List

Rhett Bazzo Concussion Test
Coby Burgiel Hamstring 1 week
Tom Cole Ankle 7-8 weeks
Jamie Cripps Ankle 10-12 weeks
Jai Culley Knee Season
Jack Darling Arm 3-5 weeks
Elijah Hewett Ankle Test
Jamaine Jones Nose Test
Noah Long Hamstring Available
Jeremy McGovern Hamstring 5-6 weeks
Nic Naitanui Achilles 6-7 weeks
Samo Petrevski-Seton Quad 3-4 weeks
Liam Ryan Hamstring 8-10 weeks
Luke Shuey Ankle/Hamstring 3-4 weeks
Jack Williams Spleen Available
Isiah Winder Knee 8-10 weeks
Elliot Yeo Groin 1-2 weeks
Shannon Hurn Adductor 1-2 weeks