WEST Coast received a boost in a lead-up to the NAB Challenge with key duo Scott Selwood and Jack Darling back running after long injury lay-offs.
Neither man participated in the main drills during the Eagles' open training session at Patersons Stadium on Wednesday, but Selwood ran well as he lifted the intensity following ankle surgery prior to Christmas.
The 2012 best and fairest winner appears likely to participate in the latter stages of the NAB Challenge.
Darling's workload was lighter than Selwood's. He did some light running and agility work with the key forward still working his way back from a stress fracture in his foot.
The Eagles open the pre-season with a fixture against the AFL Indigenous All-Stars at Medibank Stadium in Perth on Friday February 20.
They then host Carlton in their first NAB Challenge match at Rushton Park in Mandurah seven days later.
Ruckman Nic Naitanui was held out of the match simulation, but completed a testing running session instead.
Competition for the ruck roles at West Coast will be fierce following the retirement of Dean Cox. With Naitanui fit and firing, Scott Lycett and Callum Sinclair appear to be competing for the second ruck spot.
Lycett did the majority of the ruck work in the match simulation, but Sinclair looks in excellent shape and is also capable of filling a role up forward.
