West Coast coach Adam Simpson says Nic Naitanui in doubt to travel to Geelong, backs veterans to play on

West Coast coach Adam Simpson says there is a good chance the Eagles veteran quartet of Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, Shannon Hurn and Jack Redden all return in 2023. The four are all yet to officially re-sign for 2023, but Simpson said he hoped they would all be with the team next season, despite a disappointing 2022 which has resulted in just two wins. Simpson told 7NEWS he was happy with the group’s form from a playing perspective, although no deals had officially been signed yet. “I think they’re all playing well enough, but we haven’t sat down with them and had the discussion,” he said. “Like we’ve been saying for a big portion of the year, wait ‘til the end of the season with those guys, see where they’re at, see what they want to do, and see where it all fits. “We’re working through our list, we’re working through what our season looked like this year, what it should look like in the next two or three years, what we do with the draft, what we do with the recruits.” Naitanui was revealed over the weekend as one of seven Eagles taking up almost half their $13 million salary cap, although Simpson talked down the Herald Sun Rich List report which found Jeremy McGovern, Tim Kelly, Andrew Gaff, Jack Darling, Elliot Yeo, Shuey and Naitanui soaked up $6 million of the Eagles’ total player payments. Simpson admitted Naitanui faced an uphill battle to face Geelong as the ruckman’s injury battle threatens to end his season one game early. The three-time All-Australian has been limited to just eight appearances this season after injuring his knee against Collingwood in round four. Naitanui was outmuscled and outmaneuvered by his direct opponent Sean Darcy during the Eagles’ derby loss to Fremantle on Saturday night, with Darcy playing a key role in the Dockers’ four-goal win. Darcy won 56 hitouts to Naitanui’s 24 and was able to leave the usually-dynamic ruckman trailing in his wake on his way to the Glendinning-Allan Medal for best on ground. While Simpson hailed Naitanui for his selfless availability despite his injury issues, he said he was no certainty to travel for the final game of the year and the 213-gamer’s pre-season preparation loomed as vital to his success moving forward. “Obviously he’s not 100 per cent and doing a lot for the club, getting up to play, so we’re just going to keep weighing that up between doing the right thing for the club and looking after his body,” Simpson told 7NEWS. “For a guy who went out with a knee, couldn’t do a lot and then to come back and try and build some form in the last three or four rounds, we’re just happy that he’s been out there, been able to compete and he’s not at his best; he knows that. “He needs a really good preseason, needs to get his legs right, so whether he plays this week or not, it doesn’t really matter towards next year, but we’ve got to look after him as well.” Simpson also ruled out Yeo and Jack Petruccelle for the final game of the season, although Kelly is expected to return from suspension and Willie Rioli is a chance to play.