WEST Coast's 10-game winning run was snapped by Sydney last Friday, but a much longer streak could be broken if spearhead Josh Kennedy can't overcome a corked knee in time for Thursday night's clash with Essendon at Optus Stadium.
Kennedy is in serious doubt, and if he joins Jack Darling (ankle) on the sidelines it will be the first time since the latter's debut 177 games ago in round one, 2011 that neither tall forward has been in the Eagles line-up.
That scenario would place enormous pressure on an already youthful attack to step up, given Kennedy (29 goals) and Darling (28) are the Eagles' two leading goal-kickers in 2018.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson would seem unlikely to send star defender Jeremy McGovern into attack given emerging full-back Tom Barrass (lower back) has already been ruled out for a second straight match.
The Eagles had 63 inside 50s against the Swans but only booted a wayward 7.15 – with Kennedy slotting two majors.
Promising tall Jarrod Brander was kept to only five disposals on debut, while Liam Ryan, Jake Waterman and ruck-forward Scott Lycett converted one goal each.
Experienced duo Mark LeCras and Jamie Cripps combined for just one behind, while livewire Willie Rioli went scoreless.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, Kennedy couldn't put a percentage on his chances of lining up with what he described as a "big corkie".
"I've got to go through a bit of a fitness test tomorrow. I'm saving myself until tomorrow to do some running," Kennedy told 6PR.
"I'm giving myself an extra day to see how I pull up.
"I couldn't give you the odds, but I'm feeling better than what I did on Sunday, and especially Saturday.
"Each day is getting better and I'm able to move a fair bit more.
"(It's) a six-day break as well, which doesn't help."
Unheralded big man Fraser McInnes could return for just his 13th career game in seven seasons if Kennedy is ruled out.
Darling is still about three-to-four weeks away from his comeback from an ankle fracture, although he is due to start running on an anti-gravity treadmill soon.
In more positive news, speedy youngster Daniel Venables is ready to return after being sidelined since round four by a nasty ankle issue.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are confident Barrass will be fit to face the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday week.
"Tommy's got some lower back pains that we're still working through. All the scans have come back quite positively," football boss Craig Vozzo told the club website.
"But he's still quite stiff and sore, so we're working through a lot of treatment to get that right."
The Eagles can reclaim top spot on the ladder with victory over Essendon which, at 5-7, is seeking to keep its finals hopes alive with a fourth win in five games.
