NIC NAITANUI is hopeful of making a return in round 19 or round 20 this season, with the West Coast ruckman confident surgery won't affect his trademark leap at centre bounces.

Naitanui had surgery following the Eagles' round 12 loss to Adelaide to alleviate ongoing pain in both Achilles tendons.

The ruckman had both plantaris tendons removed, which had been getting so inflamed and swollen that they had impacted on both Achilles', causing him so much discomfort that he required pain-killing injections pre-game and crutches in the days after matches.

Naitanui started running this week, and he said he was aiming to return against either Collingwood in round 19 or Fremantle in round 20, provided his recovery went according to plan.

"The recovery is going really well," Naitanui said.

"I started running again yesterday, only slowly, but it's forward steps from being in a wheelchair only a couple of weeks ago.

"I'm feeling pretty good and pretty confident in my body at the moment. I couldn't put a definite date on it, but we're looking around round 19, round 20, to make that return.

"I've started doing a little bit of skill work at the moment but it's been pretty stationary, so next week that will ramp up a bit. 

"I think my biggest concern or hurdle I need to get over is jumping and landing pretty comfortably and freely without any pain. So that will layer in the next couple of weeks."

Naitanui said he was confident his leaping ability would not be affected by the surgery.

"The tendon that they did remove doesn't really play a particular role in your body," Naitanui said.

"It's just there in a way. I'm not really concerned. It's just more of a confidence thing with my body and being back out there. I'm pretty comfortable that I'll be right in the next few weeks."

Naitanui said he was maintaining his fitness through bike and pool work, although he admitted he was "not the greatest swimmer."

The Eagles face a tough task this week nullifying North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein in Naitanui's absence.

Naitanui said he would pass on as much advice as he can to Scott Lycett and pinch-hitting ruckmen Mitch Brown and Jeremy McGovern.

"They just need to try to nullify his influence on the game," Naitanui said of Goldstein.

"He's someone similar to an Aaron Sandilands that can have a massive impact.

"For the boys, it's about doing their own thing, but also how can they stop his influence, or just limit how much impact he has on the game with his hit-outs.

"A lot of it comes down to our guys at ground level. I have a lot of confidence in guys like (Luke) Shuey, (Matt) Priddis, (Andrew) Gaff at ground level to get their job done. I think the game will be won and lost around that area this weekend."

Naitanui was speaking in his role as an AFL multicultural ambassador in the lead-up to Multicultural Round. The Eagles will wear special warm-up tops this week with a design inspired by Naitanui's Fijian heritage.

The design is a replicate of a print that Naitanui owns. Stefanie Bennell, wife of Naitanui's teammate Jamie Bennell, helped design the warm-up top.