Is the risk worth the reward?
That's what West Coast are weighing up as they prepare to make a decision on whether to play star ruckman Nic Naitanui again this AFL season.
Naitanui has battled groin issues for much of the year, and will miss his second straight game when the Eagles take on Gold Coast at Patersons Stadium on Saturday.
West Coast are highly unlikely to make the finals after slipping three wins adrift of eighth spot.
On the one hand, coach John Worsfold wants to wrap Naitanui up in cotton wool to ensure the 2012 All-Australian is firing on all cylinders next year.
But Worsfold also feels Naitanui's development would be helped by returning for the final two or three weeks of this season.
"It helps us have a look at our team with him in it," Worsfold said of Naitanui, who took longer than expected to recover from pre-season groin surgery.
"I understand that some people say 'why wouldn't you just put him in cotton wool now?'
"What would make him a better footballer would be learning about his body, doing a rehab, training, coming back, and having an understanding of what he can do and playing a couple of games towards the end of the year.
"Then having his normal off-season break would mean mentally he'd be really looking forward to the pre-season, and not having some doubt about 'am I going to get sore again next year?'
"There's pros and cons for all that."
Naitanui is feeling fresh after having 10 days' rest to get over his latest bout of groin soreness.
The 23-year-old was eager to return against the Suns this week, but West Coast want to take a cautious approach with the 201cm Fijian.
If Naitanui doesn't pull up sore from training over the next week, he would be a chance to return against the Bombers on August 11, or the home clash with Geelong on August 17.
Share
