Surgery a worry for top Eagle
West Coast vice-captain Scott Selwood is racing the clock to be fit for round one after being sent for follow-up surgery on his troublesome ankle.
The 24-year-old had a clean-up operation last week on his right ankle - the same one that sidelined him for three months during a horror 2014.
He is unlikely to return to full training until February in a significant setback to his build-up for next season.
Selwood has been restricted to light duties at training over the past week. He has avoided being put back into a moon boot, but the operation will restrict him from running again until at least midway through next month.
Confirmation of the injury came just 24 hours after West Coast announced their new leadership structure, with Shannon Hurn unveiled as the club's captain and Selwood and Josh Kennedy retained as vice-captains.
West Coast missed Selwood's influence in 2014 as they failed to reach the finals for a second straight year.
The 122-game midfielder played hurt for much of the first half of the season as the Eagles stumbled to a 4-7 win-loss record, before having surgery on his ankle. He rushed back for the final home-and-away match against Gold Coast.
Selwood was cleared to play the Suns despite the Eagles knowing they could not make the finals in the hours before the opening bounce and was substituted out of the match in the third quarter.
West Coast will back Selwood's history of playing his best football coming off an interrupted pre-season. The on-baller had a delayed start to training leading into the 2012 season, only to play every game and claim the best-and-fairest award.
The setback comes with Selwood looming as the No.1 signing priority for the Eagles.
Selwood, who was drafted in 2007, has one year remaining on his contract, and will become a restricted free agent at the end of next season.
_The West Australian _understands Selwood's priority is to get his body right, with contract discussions to wait until the new year.
Elliot Yeo (hand), Jack Darling (foot), Eric Mackenzie (hip), Jeremy McGovern (hip), Xavier Ellis (AC joint) and Matt Rosa (pectoral muscle) are all still to resume full training.
Rookie Murray Newman wasn't seen at training on Monday, having injured an ankle at training last month. Did you know? 24 The age of West Coast's Scott Selwood, two years younger than his brother Joel, the Cats captain
