West Coast coach Adam Simpson says he's been talking about football - not contracts - with ruckman Scott Lycett in the lead-up to this year's AFL finals series.
Rumours are rife that Lycett will leave West Coast at the end of the season to link with Port Adelaide as a restricted free agent.
If Lycett defects, it would deal a huge blow to West Coast's premiership hopes in future years.
Nic Naitanui has just undergone a second knee reconstruction, while Nathan Vardy is a solid back-up ruckman rather than a No.1 tap specialist.
Lycett looms as a key figure in Saturday night's qualifying final against Collingwood, where he will match up against All-Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy.
Simpson is confident the speculation surrounding Lycett won't distract the player group.
And he says the importance of the finals series meant his conversations with Lycett have revolved around football rather than his contract situation.
"I see him every day. I've spoken to Scott about Grundy. We're talking football," Simpson said.
"His No.1 priority, and my No.1 priority with him, is to get him right for this weekend.
"So trying to park all the outside noise is our focus.
"We really rate Scott as a player and we're doing everything we can to keep him."
Suspended midfielder Andrew Gaff will rejoin the club on Monday night when he rocks up for the club's training session at Optus Stadium.
Gaff, who will miss the entire finals series because of suspension, has been in Melbourne for the past month with his ill father.
Simpson will put Gaff in the "opposition" team at training, giving the Eagles midfielders a chance to hone their skills against an elite player.
Gaff will become a restricted free agent at season's end and Simpson hopes the Victorian will stay at West Coast.
"We really love Andrew and we want him to stay at the club. We're doing everything we can to keep him," Simpson said.
"It's been a difficult time for Andrew with his father, so we've respected that and we've backed away from all those discussions.
"He'll make that call in the next few weeks I would have thought."
Simpson said star forward Josh Kennedy (shin) trained well last week and is on track to return against Collingwood.
Collingwood appear likely to regain Jeremy Howe (thigh), while Tyson Goldsack is pushing his case for a recall.
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