WEST Coast's rebuild is set to go into overdrive over the next month, but not by design, as the club manage another cluster of injuries to key players through a difficult month of games.

The Eagles had planned to continue their list transition this season by exposing young talent in a controlled way and allowing them to benefit from playing with the established stars that remain.

They will now embark on a challenging five-game stretch without a handful of their senior leaders, starting with back-to-back matches against Melbourne (Optus Stadium) and Geelong (Adelaide Oval) in Gather Round. 

The Eagles then face difficult assignments against Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval) and third-placed Carlton (Optus Stadium), closing out the five-week stretch with Richmond (MCG).

As impressive as aspects of Sunday's gritty performance against Fremantle were, the 41-point loss and the injuries to key players that were sustained have all but closed the door on the 1-2 Eagles being a surprise packet in 2023.

Instead, they will need to draw on the resilience built up over a difficult two seasons to again navigate excessive injuries early in the season.

Wingman Campbell Chesser, who is a key to the Eagles' future plans, was spotted post-match in a knee brace and joined the long list of casualties out of Sunday's Western Derby. 

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Captain Luke Shuey and star defender Jeremy McGovern each suffered hamstring injuries, with McGovern's considered serious, while half-forward Jamie Cripps will miss an extended period with a broken ankle. 

The hope is that setbacks for premiership forward Liam Ryan (knee) and Chesser (knee) will be short as the club works through its testing process over Monday and Tuesday. Defender Alex Witherden (concussion protocols) is set to at least miss one match.

"We had a good game yesterday, the WAFL Eagles. We had 14 players play and had a good win," Simpson said on Sunday night.

"We'll be able to use some of those kids coming through and get on with it."

The Eagles' WAFL team played a scratch match against Subiaco at Leederville Oval on Saturday, with strong-bodied midfielder Greg Clark among the team's best players for the second week running.

Connor West, who spent a lot of time on the wing through the pre-season and could replace Chesser if needed, was also impressive, while Xavier O'Neill bounced back after being dropped following round one.

Brady Hough was an emergency against Fremantle and did not play in the WAFL practice game. He is a likely inclusion against Melbourne this week and can play both half-back and wing after building his fitness back up after pre-season illness.

Tall defender Harry Edwards was also an emergency against the Dockers and is almost certain to replace McGovern, gaining more experience after 28 games in four seasons.

Big-bodied midfielder Jai Culley was the pre-season standout at West Coast but suffered an ill-timed calf injury on the eve of the season. He has now recovered and should be called on.

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Prized draftee Elijah Hewett could also be given more exposure and responsibility because of the injuries after back-to-back matches as the substitute.

"'Hewy' is a power athlete that can really explode. Maybe he can [play a full game]," Simpson said.

"We topped him up last week. He played two-and-a-half quarters today and didn't come off. I thought he showed some glimpses."

Second-year defender Rhett Bazzo has been rebuilding his fitness and form after a period of personal leave following family tragedy, and the Eagles will be keen to get games into the talented 195cm backman once he is ready.

Of the more established players that the Eagles have in reserve, defender Josh Rotham has recovered from a broken arm and is available, while speedster Jack Petruccelle could earn a recall after being dropped following round one. 

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The biggest boost West Coast could receive is a from a fit Elliot Yeo, but the star midfielder is no certainty to return from a calf injury this week.

What this new injury cluster will allow the Eagles to do, however, is fully lean into the list transition that is underway this season and expose young players in key roles, perhaps quicker than they otherwise would have with some.