WEST Coast star Nic Naitanui has begun jumping as he continues to make steady progress after a devastating ACL tear ended his 2018 season last July.
Eagles premiership coach Adam Simpson told the In the Game with Damian Barrett podcast Naitanui was tracking towards a mid-season return.
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"We’re hoping to get him around mid-season or hopefully before that," Simpson said.
Naitanui has begun agility training after completing the straight-line running component of his rehabilitation.
"I saw him jumping (last week), but that still means he’s a while away. He hasn’t started his pre-season yet."
West Coast begins its premiership defence with a trip to the Gabba to face Brisbane on Saturday night.
Episode guide
0:30 A premiership, but still a lot to learn
2:45 The benefit of calling WA home
3:50 ‘They know I’ve got their back’
4:50 Simpson’s focus on recapturing his love for the game
6:30 The importance of round two
9:00 An early Magpie onslaught and ‘here we go again’
11:20 ‘It’s ok to be vulnerable’
13:00 On Nic Naitanui
15:30 ‘What’s going on here, JK?’
17:40 Messing up pre-game speeches
20:00 Denis Pagan’s Grand Final advice
21:00 How do you defend a premiership?
22:45 Cyril Rioli the Eagle?
24:00 Three albinos walking around the Tiwi Islands
