On his day, he's one of the most polarising players in the game but since tearing his ACL in round 22, 2016, Nic Naitanui hasn't seen any competitive football with doubts now circulating over his fitness for round one this year.
Former West Coast player Karl Langdon revealed on Sportsday WA that the Fijian-born ruckman could have a pair of bones rubbing together in his knee, leading him to question how much time Naitanui could have in the game.
“At the Eagles, the rumour I’ve heard floating around, is he has a bit of bone-on-bone in his knee,” he told Sportsday WA.
“If you have bone-on-bone, you naturally have pain. If that’s the case, he would have pain management with that.
“If that turns out to be true, his time in the game is limited.”
Orthopaedic surgeon Peter Annear outlined the setbacks that Naitanui has suffered.
“When you rupture your ACL that is one part of the injury, but it’s often the secondary injury (which is also of concern),” Annear told The Australian.
“He had a big bone injury and that was very much why on the medical side of things, we have gone slower with him.”
Former Fremantle Docker Paul Hasleby believes the Eagles shouldn't force him back given his limited preparation.
“Nic Naitanui hasn’t done too much, he is still yet to get involved in the full match practice,” he said.
“He didn’t look like he was moving and jumping at 100 percent for mine.
“I don’t think we will see him during the JLT and to bring him in rusty without a game, I don’t think is doing him a favour because you need to get confidence in his knee.
“I wouldn’t get him ready for round one.”
