Adam Simpson is holding onto hope for more football in Perth after the next two matches, with the AFL set to release the next block of fixtures soon.
While the Eagles coach’s sights are firmly set on taking on Hawthorn and searching for a seventh-straight win, he hoped the following weekend’s clash with Greater Western Sydney wouldn’t be the club’s last in front of crowds at Optus Stadium.
“We’d love to have a couple more games here to be honest, it’s the safest state in the country,” Simpson told Channel Seven.
“We also understand the AFL are working through all the logistics and the issues around it.
“Obviously we’ve got our preference but the AFL will give us direction I’d say in the next week or so.”
West Coast has played four matches at home this year, as well as an away RAC Derby, and is unbeaten in Perth since returning from the Queensland hub a month ago.
The Eagles sit fourth on the ladder, a win behind second-placed Brisbane but with a game in hand, and are level on points with fifth-placed St Kilda, which has played one more match.
Exactly how many wins will guarantee a finals berth in this shortened season is uncertain, however victory over the Hawks would be another step towards post-season action.
Alastair Clarkson’s men have been a thorn in the Eagles' side and upstaged them in round 23 last year, costing the club a top-four spot.
West Coast won’t be taking Hawthorn lightly, and Simpson hopes to regain star defender Jeremy McGovern (thumb) for the Sunday afternoon contest.
“I’ve been saying for probably four weeks now we’re going to give him every chance and we gave a bit of time last week,” he said.
“What we won’t do anymore is wait until the day of the game or the day before the game, we’ll try a bit earlier in the week.
“If he gets through training we want him to play. We don’t want to muck people around. If he’s available we want him to play, so hopefully it’s this week.”
Encouragingly, the Eagles got through their 22-point win over Carlton without any fresh injury issues, after rolling the dice with Liam Ryan’s hamstring awareness.
“He was a little bit off in the first half, but he wasn’t alone, there was a few guys with him,” Simpson said.
“He had a big week. He did have a scan earlier in the week. There was nothing on that scan, so he was available to play.
“We just weighed up the fact he was at a funeral in Geraldton the day before. We thought he could handle it and he did. He got through and I thought he got better as the game went on.
“He got through without re-injuring the hamstring, so touch wood we keep moving forward.”
