West Coast coach Adam Simpson has warned against writing his side off this season as a premiership contender, despite potentially losing star ruckman Nic Naitanui for 12 months with a serious knee injury.
Playing just his third game since undergoing surgery on both heels, Naitanui landed awkwardly after a marking contest and grabbed quickly at his left knee against Hawthorn on Friday night.
![Nic Naitanui is helped from the field in the game against Hawthorn.](/web/20161025111358im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/x/3/s/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqx528.png/1471627429076.jpg)
He needed help from the ground late in the third term and didn't return.
Coincidently, the incident occurred only minutes after Hawthorn lost its ruckman Jon Ceglar, to, it appears, a similar fate.
Naitanui will need to have scans, but Simpson said that he feared the worse, while hoping for the best. And if Naitanui is to miss the rest of the season, including finals, Simpson thought they had the ability to cover for him.
The Eagles players should have left Domain Stadium on Friday night celebrating a famous 25-point victory, following from thrilling one-point win, from the boot of Naitanui, over GWS the week before.
Instead, they'll be nervously awaiting the results of scans to see whether one of their stars will be available to play against Adelaide, in the finals, or any time in 2017.
The first two scenarios look extremely unlikely; the last could have massive repercussions for West Coast's chances next season.
![Medical staff attend to Naitanui.](/web/20161025111358im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/x/5/3/a/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqx528.png/1471832127373.jpg)
For 2016 though, they did manage to win five of six games while Naitanui was sidelined earlier this season and have now won eight of their past nine.
"We've got to work through (how we'll cover him). We've tried a few things, and some worked, and some didn't," he said.
![Naitanui leaves the field against Hawthorn.](/web/20161025111358im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/x/5/3/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqx528.png/1471824095441.jpg)
"We've got to go back and have a look at it. You never know with Nic either, so we've got to find out what's going on.
"It's been a different year, but we've found a way to win 15 games. Don't write us off. The season's still alive and we're up for the challenge.
"But with Nic not in the side, he's one of our best players, and we saw the influence he's had in the past few weeks. But we need to mature to a point where we don't have to rely on just one player to get it done.
"It's another test for us which our boys are looking forward to."
The Eagles do have back-up in Scott Lycett, who will assume the number one role, while Jonathan Giles and Fraser McInnes have also been used this season.