NIC NAITANUI desperately wanted to do more to help West Coast overrun Sydney on Sunday but the spring-heeled ruckman says he'll continue abiding by a carefully managed plan in a bid to get through the entire season.
Naitanui made a stirring comeback from 19 months on the sidelines recovering from his knee reconstruction, almost lifting the Eagles to an upset victory at Optus Stadium despite only being permitted on the field for 54 per game time.
West Coast looked significantly more threatening with Naitanui back around the ball but will continue holding the influential 201cm big man back in the early rounds of the year.
While it might frustrate Naitanui, the Eagles' most important player is sticking with the process in a bid to back up week after week.
"That's the plan," Naitanui said.
"Obviously we've got some guys who can help out. Fraser McInnes has been training really hard and had a pretty good pre-season and Nathan Vardy will come back and have an impact if need be.
"But I think that's why we're managing these first few weeks to ensure that I'm ready to play out the full year, rather than go really hard for the first one or two rounds and then die out halfway through.
"The guys do a pretty good job of managing me."
Other than feeling general soreness, Naitanui pulled up well from just his second game since going down in round 22, 2016.
"It's a soreness that I've missed so I'm not too fussed with that," he said.
"We went in with a bit of a plan to limit my minutes just my first couple of weeks back and I'd be lying if I say I didn't want to stay out there longer.
"There were times I didn't want to come off."
Naitanui admitted he was slightly nervous heading into the Swans clash but didn't feel any added pressure despite so much hype surrounding his long-awaited return.
"I wasn't too stressed about that. It was probably more the excitement and elation just trying to contain that," he said.
"I was excited. It was like playing my first game.
"We had three debutants on the weekend and I was probably more excited than they were."
Naitanui, who confirmed he had some "bone chip" after rupturing his ACL, said it was "hard to gauge" if he was jumping as high as before his reconstruction.
But the 27-year-old had no concerns contesting centre bounces or with confidence in his body, and said pre-game argy-bargy with the Swans – when he shoved Zak Jones to the ground – helped him focus on footy.
"It's all good, it's all part of the game. I like a bit of physicality," the 110kg bull said.
"I enjoy that they do that stuff at the start of the game.
"I think it just switched everyone on. It was a big occasion. I don't know if it was a directive from their coaches to go out and ruffle a few feathers but, like I said, it just gets everyone switched on and ready to play."
