West Coast Eagles star Nic Naitanui firms for elimination final clash with Essendon
This is the news Essendon fans didn’t want to hear. As the Bombers prepare to head west for a cut-throat elimination final, it seems their task of bringing down the reigning premier is set to get harder.
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Nic Naitanui is closing in on a remarkable return in Thursday night’s elimination final against Essendon at Optus Stadium after blitzing a secret training session at Mineral Resources Park on Friday.
The superstar West Coast ruckman was put through his paces in the gruelling two-hour session, and passed with flying colours.
He was the first one out on the track, jogging laps on his own while his teammates were still inside the club’s Lathlain headquarters, and was among the last to finish, ticking every box along the way.
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The 29-year-old, who hasn’t featured in September since the 2015 grand final due to a pair of long-term knee setbacks, completed a full match simulation and was moving freely in the ruck and around the ground as he closes in on a return from a right ankle injury.
He unleashed at the centre bounces against Tom Hickey, who he is likely to partner with in the ruck against the Bombers, and premiership ruckman Nathan Vardy.
He also did some ruck drills with assistant coach Drew Petrie before the match simulation as well as sprints and bag work where he showcased his trademark leap.
Naitanui hasn’t played since sustaining an ankle syndesmosis injury in the Eagles’ round 17 loss to Collingwood.
His next test awaits at the firmer surface at Optus Stadium in another training session on Monday night, three days out from the elimination final at the same venue.
Captain Shannon Hurn and tagger Mark Hutchings both didn’t take part in the match simulation.
The pair instead tested out their hamstrings with kicking drills on the far oval under the watchful eye of a couple of fitness staff before doing some sprints along the boundary line.
Both were to be moving well and had no strapping on their injuries.
Hurn had treatment on his hamstring early in the loss to Hawthorn last Saturday night, but returned to play out the game.
He was exempt from Wednesday night’s All-Australian ceremony in Melbourne because of his injury.
Hutchings sustained his injury early in the previous match against Richmond and hasn’t played at any level since.
He was expected to miss the first week of finals but is making giant strides in his recovery.
The Eagles applied for special permission for Hutchings and defender Liam Duggan to play in the club’s WAFL elimination final against West Perth in Joondalup tomorrow but were knocked back by the WA Football Commission.
Duggan’s spot is under pressure, with veteran key defender Will Schofield in the frame to return.
The Eagles did not ask for permission to field Schofield in the WAFL this weekend.
Livewire Jarrod Cameron has been named in the reserves after getting approval to take on the Falcons, despite not meeting finals qualification of three home-and-away games in the last eight.
Young midfielder Brayden Ainsworth was also picked, despite training on his own with his left knee strapped and looking far from 100 per cent.
Originally published as West Coast Eagles star Nic Naitanui firms for elimination final clash with Essendon
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