NIC NAITANUI's minor surgery was a success and West Coast coach Adam Simpson expects he will be back later in the season.

Naitanui went under the knife on Tuesday night to repair an inflamed tendon near the Achilles on his left foot, the foot he jumps off at centre bounces.

The area around the tendon had become inflamed over the past month to the point where Naitanui couldn't train or play without painkillers and surgery was considered the best option.

Simpson said the surgery went well and he expects to see him back before the end of the year.

"I think it's gone really well," Simpson said.

"We'll see how he recovers. It's a delicate area. We understand that. But we think we'll get him back this year."

Replacing Naitanui for the next six to eight weeks is the Eagles' most pressing challenge.

Simpson said he felt Scott Lycett was capable of being a solo ruckman at some stage in his career, but given he has only been playing as the second ruckman, it would be too much to ask too soon.

"I think it's a fair ask to get Scotty to come and ruck a whole game," Simpson said.

"He's been probably rucking 40-45 per cent with Nic in the side. I think Scotty is capable in the long term to carry more of the load but at this stage we need someone to help him out. But we haven't decided on how we're going to do that. But there'll be someone there who needs to do that."

The Eagles aren't flush with ruck depth. Fraser McInnes played earlier in the season in round five when Lycett was out suspended. But McInnes is only 197cm and hasn't done a lot of rucking at WAFL level this year.

Jonathan Giles was specifically recruited as insurance for Naitanui during the trade period after the Eagles traded Callum Sinclair to the Sydney Swans for Lewis Jetta. Giles has averaged 24 hit-outs, 10 disposals and three marks per game in 11 matches with East Perth this season and acquitted himself well in his one pre-season match for the Eagles in the NAB Challenge. 

Jeremy McGovern is also an option having filled the role at WAFL level. But Simpson said he would be robbing the Eagles of their best defender if they used him in the ruck.

"'Gov' can ruck, that's his favourite position apparently," Simpson said.

"Whether he does it from the backline, whether he does it from the forward line, we don't do it, that's something we need to work through.

"One thing I do know is he's a very good defender and he's very important to our back six. We've got to weigh that up, take away one of our premier ruckmen and take away probably our best defender from a different position. So it's give to get."

Simpson said the Eagles' centre square structures were unlikely to change too much although he expected opposition to set-up slightly differently without Naitanui.