WEST Coast will experiment with Scott Lycett as a solo ruckman on the run home, with coach Adam Simpson uncertain whether to continue playing two big men after Nic Naitanui's season-ending ACL rupture.
Back-up Nathan Vardy was named in the squad to face the Bulldogs on Sunday, but isn't guaranteed to come into the line-up.
Rain forecast for Perth could influence selection up until final teams are locked in, and Simpson is weighing the benefits of bringing in another small for extra run.
"I think what's going to happen in the next month or so is we're going to have to explore a few different options," Simpson said.
"We're going to confront some pretty solid rucks in the back half of the year.
"We've always played the two rucks for obvious reasons with Nic, and there's opportunities to do both.
"(Lycett) did a pretty good job on the weekend when Nic went down halfway through the second (quarter).
"I'm assuming he can handle the load, eventually he can play a full game.
"It's not for one week, so we've got to be careful it's not just throw him in the deep end, so that's what we're working through.
"He'll have an opportunity, no doubt, in the coming weeks where he's going to carry the load."
Simpson denied the urgency to re-sign Lycett had increased since Naitanui's injury, saying the Eagles were already "desperate" to lock away restricted free agents Jeremy McGovern, Andrew Gaff and Lycett.
Naitanui watched his teammates train at Optus Stadium on Thursday, and will have surgery next week before beginning the long road back to football.
"He's been pretty good, pretty resilient. I think once the initial shock of the second knee (reconstruction) hit home for him, he had to deal with that," Simpson said.
"But he was all smiles around the club yesterday.
"We move on, don't we? Unfortunately, that's his lot this year. He's still part of our club and our side, just in a different way now."
Simpson confirmed twin towers Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling were set to face the Bulldogs after booting three goals apiece in their comebacks in last Sunday's win over Collingwood.
"They're always in recovery mode, those boys," Simpson said.
"I wouldn't say they're sore, it's more how we manage them. Sometimes it looks like they're carrying an injury or limping or hobbling around, that's just how they get through the week.
"They've pulled up OK."
Simpson confirmed Liam Ryan's two-game AFL suspension was complete after crashing his car into a tree, but the small forward now needed to prove his form to regain a spot.
Ryan, who is still under police investigation, booted three goals and laid seven tackles for East Perth last Saturday, but was quiet for long periods of the match.
"His spot in the side was, not questionable, but he was working to hold his spot in the side," Simpson said.
"Now he's got to earn his spot back."
