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Dilemma for Eagles

Dilemma for Eagles
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

Eagles coach John Worsfold faces some welcome headaches this week as he prepares for Saturday's preliminary final against Geelong with virtually a full squad at his disposal.

Having withstood a desperate Carlton charge to hang on by three points in last weekend's thrilling semi-final, West Coast now turn their attention to Geelong, with Worsfold saying Beau Waters (back), Eric Mackenzie (foot) and Mark LeCras (ankle/knee) had all pulled up well from the bruising encounter.

And, unfortunate midfielder Matt Rosa is also in contention after recovering from an untimely late-season knee injury.

Rosa was due to return a fortnight ago against Collingwood, but suffered a minor setback when put through a gruelling pre-match fitness test.

But Worsfold said the classy wingman was now definitely back in the selection frame, even if bringing him in for a high-pressure preliminary final was a risk.

"(Rosa's) another one tracking really," Worsfold said on Wednesday before the side's main training session.

"He will do today's full session with a view to put his hand up and say he's available for selection."

"There's some element of risk and that's really just going to be around not having played."

"There won't be any element of risk if he gets through his fitness regime, so it's really just around whether someone who hasn't played for a number of weeks is right to come in."

"(Those decisions are made) around the importance to the side and whether we think his touch is good enough coming in first up, which I personally would be confident it would be."

Waters suffered back spasms during the clash against Carlton but still finished the game, while LeCras took a knock to his knee and ankle in a tackle, but also made it through.

Mackenzie also played out the match without any apparent trouble, but appeared at Sunday's recovery session wearing a moon boot.

But, as the Eagles have maintained all week, Worsfold said the moon boot was just precautionary.

"He's just got a sore foot at the moment," Worsfold said.

"He wore the moon boot all last week as well, leading into last week's game so again just looking after him at this time of the year. He should be OK."

Worsfold said he wasn't putting too much thought into whether it was better coming into such a game with a fresh side - as opposed to his players, who have endured two gruelling encounters in the past fortnight.

"You can't worry about that at all because it is what it is," Worsfold said.

"We'll just prepare and be ready to go."

And, the coach also refused to use 2006 as a source of confidence, as the Eagles also lost the qualifying final that year on their way to claiming the flag.

"I think it just means there's no barrier," was Worsfold's opinion when asked whether he takes any heart from that experience five years ago.

"There's no right way to go around winning finals games."

"But it doesn't change our focus on our preparation this week."

"That was a totally different group and this is a new, vibrant young group that want to create their own destiny."

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