WEST Coast recruit Jack Redden says work to do to be fit to face his old side the Brisbane Lions in round one, following a frustrating summer with adductor issues.
The Eagles' new recruits were presented their jumpers at West Coast's season launch on Tuesday morning at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Redden was interviewed in front of the 1000-strong crowd and revealed that he was ready to play some minutes this week, but would be touch and go for round one.
"Ideally I'd love to play, but I've got a lot of work to do before round one," he said.
"I had a hernia repair so I'm still recovering from that. I'm in a position this week where I'll play a bit of game time, hopefully. I've got a bit of work to do for round one so we'll see how I go."
The ex-Lion confirmed later on Wednesday at a sponsor's function that he is set to play 60 minutes of football this weekend, but he did not know whether it would be for West Coast against Essendon in the NAB Challenge on Sunday or for East Perth in a WAFL practice match against East Fremantle on Saturday.
"I've got another training session to get through but I'm a chance to play 60 minutes in either the WAFL or the AFL," Redden said.
"I'll probably know more by Thursday."
Redden said it had been frustrating to spend most of the summer at his new club in rehab. But he felt he had overcome the adductor and hernia problems and was ready to get into matches.
He said how he plays in the next two weeks would determine whether he was a chance for round one. There is another WAFL game that Redden could play in the weekend prior to round one.
"I suppose it depends on how I go in the games," he said.
"If I play really well I'll put my hand up for round one, but if I feel like I'm a bit off and not fit enough, then I probably won't."
The Eagles' other key recruit, Lewis Jetta, confirmed he should be right for round one after suffering a calf scare in last Thursday's NAB Challenge win over Gold Coast.
"I ran yesterday and it's feeling good," Jetta said at the season launch.
"I'm just staying positive and it should be OK."
Key defender Mitch Brown will be sidelined for eight weeks with a finger injury he suffered in the win over the Suns.
Hurn said it was a bitterly disappointing result for Brown given all that he has been through.
"It's very disappointing from a player point of view," Hurn said on Tuesday morning.
"Just because he's had two knee reconstructions, he hasn't been able to play for a long time, he goes through all of that work and unfortunately plays five minutes or 10 minutes and he's going to miss probably eight to 10 weeks.
"So it's disappointing and unfortunately sometimes that's football. But Browny will do the best he can, and he can still run so he'll still be able to be fit."
Hurn said the Eagles had been rusty in their first two matches in the NAB Challenge and he expected a strong side to play against Essendon on Sunday.