West Coast Eagles: Nic Naitanui
Club champion Chris Judd was brought in to speak about elite preparation and professionalism last week, which is what a lot of mid-tier West Coast Eagles will need to improve upon. But again, an injured player is at the centre of importance for West Coast, as the club sweats on Nic Naitanui’s healthy return to footy over the next month. A highlight of the Eagles’ play is their ruck dominance, and to maintain that, Naitanui will obviously have to be at his brilliant best. But the ruck is not where his value begins and ends – quality game breakers such as Nic Nat can be the difference come finals time, through a special piece of play that others simply cannot do. If the Eagles want to replicate last season’s efforts, number nine is the key.
