WEST COAST remain hopeful gun forward Josh Kennedy can avoid season-ending surgery on his injured right elbow.

Kennedy, 27, suffered the injury in a marking contest in the second quarter of Saturday night's big win over GWS, with football manager Craig Vozzo later describing it as "complex".

The spearhead returned to the field to kick six goals against the Giants but it was reported on Wednesday, a day off for the players and football department, that Kennedy had moved a step closer to undergoing surgery.

The club, however, confirmed that no decision was likely until later in the week.

"Right now we're just in a holding pattern waiting to see how he is," an Eagles' spokesman said.

"We're no closer to knowing exactly where he's at.

"The injury is a matter of ongoing assessment ... nothing's been ruled in or out. We just don't have a definitive answer right now."

Kennedy hasn't required a sling to support his right elbow and hasn't been ruled out of Sunday's clash against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

Scans on the forward's injured elbow weren't conclusive, making the club's decision-making process more difficult.

"If he was in desperate trouble we wouldn't be messing around – he'd be straight in for surgery," the spokesman added.

"But he'll have a test (in the next few days) and we'll just wait and see how he goes."

West Coast can ill afford to lose the current Coleman Medal leader, having already lost key defenders Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown to season-ending knee injuries.