WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson is hopeful Mitch Brown and Will Schofield will be fit for round one as the Eagles desperately strive for a defensive structure that can cover the loss of reigning best and fairest Eric Mackenzie.

 

Brown (hamstring tightness) and Schofield (foot) both missed the Eagles' 19-point loss to Fremantle in the last NAB Challenge match at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

 

Jeremy McGovern and Elliot Yeo were forced to play as key defenders as the Dockers scored 31 times from 45 inside 50 entries.

Simpson is hopeful Brown and Schofield will be available to face the Western Bulldogs on Saturday, April 4.

 

"Those two guys we're hoping are available for round one, we really are," Simpson said.

 

"Both could've potentially got up this week but we just can't risk it.

 

"So we may have to play them in the WAFL. We'll see how we go."

The Eagles' affiliate WAFL club East Perth has a fixture next Saturday for the pair to play in if necessary.

 

Simpson also has to find some solutions in the forward half with key forward Jack Darling still recovering from his foot stress fracture.

 

The Eagles are hopeful Darling could play by round five or six but they need to find some options in the meantime.

 

Young draftee Tom Lamb has played in all four of the Eagles' pre-season matches. The 193cm Victorian was selected with pick No.32 in last year's NAB AFL draft from Dandenong.

 

He gathered 13 touches, took four marks and kicked 1.1 against Fremantle. Simpson said he could potentially play round one.

 

"He seems to have adapted pretty well to the intensity," Simpson said.  

 

"He's still going to make some errors but we've got to have a bit of patience.

 

"We also don't want to rush him straight in. There's another level to go to for round one.

 

"But we'll review the game and see how he worked off the ball."