WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson is hopeful Josh Kennedy hasn't suffered a serious injury setback and that his side could welcome back as many as six top-liners for the club's first final.
Kennedy didn't return to the field in Thursday night's win over North Melbourne after rolling his left ankle in an awkward landing from a marking contest late in the first half.
KANGAROOS v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats
The dual Coleman medallist will undergo scans and the Eagles will likely know more about the severity of his injury on Friday.
They still toughed out a victory for the second straight week, this time overcoming an early 17-point deficit and the scores being level at the last break to beat the Roos by 15 points.
West Coast was without Jeremy McGovern (hamstring), Elliot Yeo (groin), Luke Shuey (hamstrings), Jack Redden (thumb), Jamie Cripps (personal), Lewis Jetta (calf) and Mark Hutchings (hamstring).
Cripps' partner, Liv, welcomed their son, Reif, into the world on Wednesday, and the important small forward will return for the finals.
Yeo is in the most doubt and Simpson said they didn't expect him to be available, but McGovern has resumed running and could mount a case to play. The rest are on track to be fit.
"We've had a bit of a bad run with our good players getting injured. We got Dom (Sheed) back, but we lost 'Gov', so we were still pretty depleted tonight," Simpson told reporters post-match.
"Hopefully the week off gives us a good opportunity to get those guys back, including 'JK' (Kennedy).
"(McGovern)'s probably less likely than likely, but I reckon there's going to be a knock on my door (with him asking to play).
"Every day counts. We won't risk him, but he's got over the little hurdle of the feel of it. Now, he's into the running program."
Cripps' absence in recent weeks left a hole in the team's attack, but in-form forward Liam Ryan delivered another strong performance against North to earn Simpson's praise.
"He's All-Australian. His last month in particular (has been outstanding)," the coach said of Ryan.
"He's been one of those leaders who's dragged us over the line a couple of weeks in a row now."
The Eagles will return to Perth to serve home quarantine before an Optus Stadium elimination final or a qualifying final interstate.
They need one of Richmond or Geelong to lose this weekend to finish in the top four and score a double chance.
LADDER PREDICTOR Where will your team finish?
"I get caught up in that. You sort of start hoping teams win and lose, so I'm just like every other West Coast supporter out there," Simpson said.
"At least we put a bit of pressure on the two sides."
The Kangaroos' defeat was their 14th from their last 15 games, but coach Rhyce Shaw was far more pleased than in recent matches with his players' performance.
They could have won the match if not for some wayward goalkicking, especially in the third quarter.
"We've been smashed from pillar to post for a while now, but we've worked hard and tonight the boys were really consistent over four quarters and I think it showed how the game was played," Shaw said.
"We dominated for long periods of time. West Coast took their chances and that's probably where it sat. We just didn't take our opportunities.
"We haven't had a good season at all, but the way we finished off was fantastic and it was really important for us."
