NIC NAITANUI is desperate to start playing, but he still doesn't know when he will play his first game or how many he will play this pre-season.

 

West Coast's star ruckman has had arguably his best ever pre-season but he appears tired of talking about how good it has been.

 

The 2012 All Australian's previous two summers were ruined by off-season surgeries and persistent groin issues but he has completed a pain-free pre-season ahead of the 2015 campaign and is keen to just start playing football again.

 

"I'm just ready to play games now," Naitanui said.

 

"The body feels good.

 

"I've been able to do a mountain load of more work and be out there on the track from day one."

 

Naitanui expressed a desire to play in the Eagles' opening pre-season match against the Indigenous All Stars at Medibank Stadium on February 20.

 

But he has not spoken to coach Adam Simpson and the Eagles coaching staff about whether he will play in that game, nor does he know how many games he will play during the NAB Challenge.

 

"Not too sure yet," Naitanui said.

 

"I'll play at some stage during the pre-season.

 

"(We) haven't really sat down with the coaching staff. I think probably Friday, Saturday we'll sit down and go through who's in and who's playing that game (against the All Stars) and who's playing the Carlton game the following week."

 

The Eagles face the Blues on February 27 at Rushton Park in Mandurah before travelling to Adelaide to tackle Port Adelaide at Norwood Oval on March 8.

 

The Eagles will complete their pre-season with a match against Fremantle on March 22 ahead of their round one clash with the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on April 4. 

 

Simpson said on Tuesday that he was pleased to have three ruckmen in the selection mix with Naitanui, Scott Lycett and Callum Sinclair all fully fit.

 

 

Lycett said pre-season ruckwork had been extremely competitive among the three and Naitanui believes ruck coach Dean Cox has been the reason for that.

 

"It's been good," Naitanui said.

 

"I guess Coxy probably drives that. He likes to see us going pretty hard at each other."

 

Naitanui has been very impressed with the development of Lycett over the pre-season.

 

"I think this pre-season he's a bit fitter and a bit stronger, in the gym it's noticeable as well," Naitanui said.

 

"I look forward to playing alongside him and Callum as well. He had a bit of a setback with his hand but he's been training really well."