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Darling, Selwood worry for Eagles

Jack Darling, Scott Selwood and Mark Hutchings walk laps at West Coast training. Pic: Michael O'Brien.

Star pair Jack Darling and Scott Selwood remain the major concerns for West Coast as they continue their build up to next month’s NAB Challenge.

Darling suffered a stress fracture in his foot in round 23 last year, while Selwood missed much of last season with a serious ankle injury and then required further surgery pre-Christmas.

Darling spent six weeks in a moon boot before Christmas but is still being nursed through summer training.

The powerful forward joined Selwood and Mark Hutchings as they walked laps and did handball drills at Patersons Stadium today.

Coach Adam Simpson said the club was waiting until the next scan on Darling’s foot to determine how the 22-year-old would progress ahead of the Eagles' first NAB Challenge game against Carlton on February 27.

"He'll get a scan in the next couple of weeks to get the all clear to go to the next level," he said.

"We're just being really cautious.

"We want the bone to heal in the foot as best it can and you can only go by the scans."

Simpson also said he was unconcerned about Selwood’s delayed build up.

"It’s not uncommon for players to go through that with not being available pre-Christmas," he said.

"I think he missed a whole chunk of pre-season a few years ago and then won the best and fairest so I’m not overly concerned about his progressing.

"It’s planned, it’s not ideal, but he’s getting through it."

Simpson, who admitted the players were cooked after last Monday’s session on one of the hottest Perth days on record, said he was pleased with veteran defender Beau Waters’ progress after two years plagued by persistent injuries.

But he said they were yet to throw Waters in the deep end at training.

"I don't need to see him go full contact," Simpson said.

"We've pulled him out of the right drills at the right time and we'll put him in those drills as late as we can.

"I don't think he needs to prove himself with how he attacks the ball or the player with the ball, so I want to give him every chance to play.

"We won't know until the real heat of the battle. I think we're going to wait a few weeks before we test it out."

The players completed a gruelling two-hour session in the 30C heat today, with Xavier Ellis, Jeremy McGovern, Jamie Bennell, Callum Sinclair and Murray Newman the only players not sighted during the open session.

Will Schofield had a brief injury scare but got his left ankle re-strapped in the middle of the ground and was able to continue training.