WEST Coast key forward Josh Kennedy has avoided elbow surgery and has been named to face Port Adelaide on Sunday afternoon at Adelaide Oval.

 

The AFL's leading goalkicker injured his right elbow against Greater Western Sydney last Saturday night.

 

Following scans on Monday, the Eagles could not confirm the extent of the injury, describing it as "complex" and requiring time to assess.

 

That led to major speculation that Kennedy may need surgery which could potentially end his season.

 

But the Eagles named Kennedy in their 25-man squad to face the Power after he got through training on Thursday.

 

Kennedy told Fox Sports on Thursday night that if he didn’t pull up sore, he would travel to Adelaide on Friday.

 

"It's all good, (I) trained through," Kennedy said.

 

"It all went well today but if it pulls up sore tomorrow then I can't play.

“I don't need (an operation). I don't know where that's come from. It's blown out of control."

 

Eagles coach Adam Simpson told FIVEaa on Thursday that Kennedy did not require surgery.

 

"He's not in a position where he needs an operation," Simpson said.

 

"We've now got to make a decision on whether he plays this week or not.

 

"He trained today. He trained well. We've got to see how he pulls up and we'll go by how he's feeling and what he can tolerate.

 

"It's a complicated injury that we've got to be careful about and there's always risks with these things. We've just got to make sure we take the right amount of risk.

 

"We'll give him every chance to play and we'll make sure we manage it in the right way, and we'll see how he pulls up. We'll make a decision in the next couple of days."  

 

Simpson was adamant the club would not be injecting any painkillers into Kennedy's elbow. He said it was an injury that took a few weeks to recover from but it was possible to play as long as the pain was tolerable.

 

"I wouldn't have thought we'd be sticking any needles in it," Simpson said.

 

Simpson also said key forward Jack Darling was edging closer to a return after missing all summer with a stress fracture in his foot.  

 

"He's trained fully with us this week and it's now about getting that mini pre-season you need when you miss all of the summer," Simpson said.

 

"It's not as easy as just throwing him straight in. He's a naturally fit player, it's just now getting that base to a point where he can produce on field. 

"I'd say he'd be another couple of weeks away before he's available but he's training really well.”