WEST Coast assistant coach Scott Burns has called for umpires to stamp out illegal tagging tactics ahead of midfielder Daniel Kerr's battle with Port Adelaide's run-with master Kane Cornes on Sunday.

New AFL rules award a 50m penalty when a player is blocked from the next contest but Burns said Kerr was not receiving the free kicks he deserved for off-the-ball incidents.

Burns, who retired as Collingwood captain at the end of last season, said he had now seen first-hand the tactics Kerr faces from taggers.

"He gets smashed week in, week out off the ball, which is what we're trying to clamp down on," Burns said from Subiaco Oval on Friday afternoon.

"But he never seems to get too many free kicks.

"I think with blokes standing behind him and holding him down at different times, if we can make certainly the umpiring department aware of that, it'll give Kerr a bit of an advantage.

"I think when you're in a marking contest as a forward and a defender wraps his arms around you, it's a free kick.

"I don't think that changes when you're in the midfield."

Burns said premiership defenders Adam Hunter and Brett Jones would return to the side to face the Power at Subiaco Oval, while 2008 leading goalkicker Ben McKinley was also set for recall.

McKinley won a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination last time West Coast met Port Adelaide, kicking five goals.

However, the Eagles' 2008 rookie of the year was a surprise omission from the side that lost to the Brisbane Lions by nine points in round one.

Burns said playing a different opponent on a different ground were factors considered by the selectors when including the 22-year-old this week.

"We're going for a little bit of a different mix as well," he said.

"You would think blokes like that would play most of the year. But there's always going to be times with horses-for-courses players, whether it's two taggers or one tagger or you're going to try and expose teams with smalls or talls."

Burns said back-up ruckman Mark Seaby would play for WAFL club South Fremantle this week, with the Power to miss suspended big man Dean Brogan.

However, he said West Coast's stoppage set-ups would not alter in Brogan's absence, adding that former Port Adelaide assistant coach Phil Walsh had been a handy asset during the week.

Walsh joined the Eagles' coaching staff in the pre-season.

"I still think (Brendon) Lade's the best tap ruckman going around. I think he's fantastic, so I wouldn't change too many things up," Burns said.

"Port's one of the best stoppage teams in the competition so it's going to be pretty tough. We've got a few little things we want to try [so] hopefully they come off."