SCOTT Lycett is not guaranteed a spot alongside Nic Naitanui following Callum Sinclair's departure to the Sydney Swans, with recruit Jonathan Giles and versatile tall Jeremy McGovern both genuine challengers for West Coast's support ruck role, coach Adam Simpson says.
After an elite junior career that saw him rated the second best ruckman in the 2010 draft pool, Lycett has completed a long apprenticeship at West Coast.
In his first three seasons, he understandably struggled for opportunities behind six-time All-Australian Dean Cox and Naitanui, but in 2014 he looked to take a significant step when he played 12 games, nine of them in the second half of the season.
When Cox retired at the end of that year, Lycett appeared his logical successor after the Eagles re-signed him on a new four-year deal.
However, after playing the first four rounds last season, the South Australian was leapfrogged by Sinclair, who proved an able sidekick to Naitanui during West Coast's run to the Grand Final.
Sinclair's departure in last year's trade period appeared to clear the way for Lycett to finally cement a senior spot this season.
But Simpson told AFL.com.au that Lycett, 23, was one of several options West Coast would look at before settling on Naitanui's 2016 understudy.
"There are no guarantees. He has got to earn his spot, but we'll give him an opportunity," Simpson said.
"Jonathan Giles we're really happy with as well. He played in the NAB Challenge against Adelaide and I thought he at least broke even against (Sam) Jacobs.
"So that's a good sign for him and then now with (Eric) Mackenzie coming back (Jeremy) McGovern might be able to flip and flop and maybe ruck at some stage as well."
Mackenzie, the Eagles' 2014 best and fairest winner and 2013 runner-up, missed all of last season after rupturing his right anterior cruciate ligament in the NAB Challenge.
His absence and that of fellow key defender Mitch Brown, who ruptured his left ACL in round one, meant the Eagles took an undersized defence into 2015.
They coped far better than expected, with the emergence of McGovern as a backman and the success of the 'web' defence – where, in essence, Eagles defenders guarded territory rather than a direct opponent – helping to make West Coast the fourth toughest team to score against.
Brown made a successful comeback in West Coast's loss to Adelaide last Sunday, while Mackenzie remains a chance to return before the end of the pre-season.
Given McGovern spent much of his debut 2014 season in attack, it's unclear whether there is room for him, Mackenzie, Brown and Will Schofield in the Eagles' defensive 50.
Simpson concedes it will be a challenge to settle on the Eagles' best defensive line-up this year with such a wealth of options.
"We had to adapt our style of play with the injuries we had last year and I thought Adrian Hickmott, our defensive coach, and our defenders evolved something that worked really well for most of the year," Simpson said.
"We became the fourth hardest side to score against, and that was with no Mackenzie and no Brown. I was really proud of that.
"And now getting 'Ezy' (Mackenzie) back, how does that look for our back half and how does he fit into our system?
"That's the next step, but we've got a new 'recruit' who just happens to be a best and fairest winner and an All Australian (nominee)."
