West Coast coach Adam Simpson is likely to resist temptation to replace injured star scoring source Josh Kennedy with a switch of top defender Jeremy McGovern to a key forward.
Kennedy, 29, will miss Saturday's clash with an unpredictable Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, leaving Simpson exploring options to replace the two-time Coleman medallist and premier facet in his overall game plan.
Scans on Monday disclosed that Kennedy has a torn right calf muscle and a far better injury outcome than earlier feared when it had seemed the big forward had damaged his Achilles tendon.
West Coast are also confident that dashing on-baller Luke Shuey and veteran small forward Mark LeCras will return to take on the nippy Suns after missing Sunday's eight-point loss to Greater Western Sydney.
Shuey is nursing calf tightness, while LeCras with a hip complaint, were both withdrawn from the Eagles starting line-up after initially being named in a provisional squad of 25 to take on the Giants.
Kennedy, 29, has set sights at a home engagement return with rising premiership force Geelong in just over a fortnight on Thursday June 15, immediately after the Eagles bye across round 12.
"We all feared the worst but it's probably a bit of a relief he's done a soleus," Simpson said.
McGovern is a frontline candidate for call to arms up forward against the Suns.
But it seems more likely that one of the game's most imposing and influential back-liners will stay in defence, with Simpson and his advisors calling on greater key forward production from Kennedy's under-study Jack Darling.
Darling, 25 next month, has made 137 Eagles appearances for 247 goals with an average of five marks an outing and one of those grabs each game taken in a contest.
The athletic but inconsistent Darling has booted 19 goals so far this season in nine appointments in his tandem act with the dangerous Kennedy.
As the Eagles trump sharp-shooter Kennedy has already bagged 34 majors on the back of heading the leagues scoring for the past two years with 80 and 82 goals.
McGovern, 25, won his inaugural All-Australian selection last year as a key defender with powerful intercept and pack-marking a substantial feature of his brave playing style.
Scoring replenishment is unlikely to come from McGovern who has booted just 21 goals from 65 outings rising as a premier defender.
He has loomed as a potential key forward for whenever West Coast or Kennedy has suffered spasmodic lapses in scoring.
Alternatives on offer to Simpson appear more logical to send experienced tall, marking target Drew Petrie into more permanent key forward commitments along with is occasional stints on the ball sharing ruck work with Nathan Vardy.
A recall to emerging young forwards Fraser McInnes or almost forgotten Tom Lamb to support Darling as the premier target, are other prospects.
McGovern was a last-gasp swingman when he was finally sent forward with less than two minutes remaining in Sunday's fadeout loss to a fast-finishing Giants in their come from behind victory over the Eagles without Kennedy.
When Kennedy was forced out of the clash he had just booted his third goal of the clash in a heavy battle contending with two powerhouse defenders Aiden Corr as his direct opponent and Giants backline general Phil Davis crashing into contests, as well with the big Eagles prime mover.
Kennedy's hard-earned third for the second-half had wrestled back a West Coast lead just a minute into the final term before he hobbled off five minutes later.
McGovern's presence in defence is critical to West Coast hopes to handle powerhouse Suns forwards Tom Lynch and Peter Wright.
Simpson conceded that Darling's lack of height at 191cm in comparison to Kennedy's imposing 196cm will be considered in formation of a starting forward line to confront the Suns, headed in defence by strongman Steven May.
"Key position forwards are hard to come by," Simpson said in his weekly Channel Seven interview in Perth.
"But we've got some options there with obviously McGovern from down back and Fraser McInnes at East Perth, and Tom Lamb as well.
"It's hard to replace 'JK' but we'll find a way.
"We've got some options."