THE RIPPLE effect of Josh Kennedy's return easing pressure on Jack Darling and bringing West Coast's smalls into Saturday night's qualifying final could be more meaningful than how many goals the star spearhead kicks, forwards coach Jaymie Graham says.
Kennedy will be back for his first game since round 18 after a careful build-up to September following a hairline fracture in his shin.
The Eagles are a perfect 10-0 this year with both Kennedy and Darling in the side, and they will field their six leading goalkickers together for the first time in 2018 with the dual Coleman medallist's inclusion against Collingwood.
"There's ripples on it. It takes a bit of pressure off Darling," Graham said of Kennedy's return.
"We're not expecting too much from 'JK', we want a contest and bring it to ground and hopefully it can bring (Liam) Ryan and (Willie) Rioli, (Jamie) Cripps and (Mark) LeCras and (Daniel) Venables into the game.
"That's the job of a key forward, to win or halve your contests."
Kennedy has booted 34 goals in 11 games this season, including a bag of five in his first match against Gold Coast in round four after an ankle complaint.
He also drilled three coming back from a hairline fracture near his knee in a 35-point MCG triumph over the Pies in round 17.
Despite Kennedy returning from another right leg injury, Graham was confident he wouldn't take long to shake off any rust, or struggle with goalkicking.
"He knows his body well and he's been around long enough … sometimes you can lose a little bit of touch reading the flight of the ball, but he's managed to do plenty of that the last couple of weeks," Graham said.
"We know he's a competitor and that's what he'll bring."
Collingwood is worried about West Coast's aerial threat, and has brought back high-flying Jeremy Howe and tall defender Tyson Goldsack less than six months after rupturing his ACL.
The Eagles could stretch the Pies by also stationing resting ruckmen Nathan Vardy and Scott Lycett inside 50.
"I think the boys got on top of them last time we played. We didn't get a lot of inside 50s in the first quarter, but Kennedy and Darling looked a threat forward when we got it into them," Graham said.
"They play a really good (defensive) system where they help each other out.
"If we get enough supply, potentially we can (stretch Collingwood)."
The midfield battle, in particular Lycett and Vardy's ruck duel with All Australian Brodie Grundy, will be pivotal at a sold-out Optus Stadium.
Lycett broke even with Grundy in round 17 after Nic Naitanui went down with a ruptured ACL, but the restricted free agent's form has dipped recently amid intensified scrutiny on his playing future.
"I haven't noticed anything different with Scotty. He's working hard on the track," Graham said.
"Internally, we block out the external noise and we focus on him improving himself and playing his role for the team, which he's really strongly focused on, but he's got a big challenge ahead."
