Nic Nat back via WAFL trial

West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui made a significant step towards a return to AFL ranks on Saturday with a successful hit-out in a WAFL pre-season match.

Playing for affiliate club East Perth against East Fremantle, Naitanui played 54 minutes before hitting the showers at three-quarter-time.

The outing came almost 19 months after he ruptured his ACL against Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval in round 22 of the 2016 season.

Eagles general manager of football Craig Vozzo hinted at the 2012 All-Australian being in the frame for a round-one return on March 25.

Vozzo said the early signs were that he had pulled up well, but they would continue to manage his fitness.

“We’re pushing in the right direction, for sure,” he said. “We talked to our fitness staff and we hit all of the markers we were looking for.

“Probably didn’t jump as high as we have seen in the past, but there are some encouraging signs. He landed well.

“The plan is to take it week by week; another nice week ahead as far as the build-up and we’ll make a call as to whether he plays another game next week before the season.”

Nothing Naitanui did in his comeback would have made the highlights reel, but the Eagles coaching staff wouldn’t be too bothered.

They managed his time over seven spells, none longer than about 10 minutes.

He finished with 14 possessions and collected 33 hit-outs – his strength and experience were too much for young East Fremantle ruckman Michael Cronan.

There weren’t too many of his signature short spurts of pace and while he got his hands on the ball in several marking opportunities, he failed to hold any of them.

But the goal for the hit-out was to get his legs moving in a game situation and to come through unscathed.

Naitanui started the game in unfamiliar territory at centre half-forward, spending most of the time in the ruck and jumping confidently from the injured left leg.

The Eagles opted to play him in the WAFL rather than in Sunday’s JLT Series clash against Fremantle.

That clash against the Dockers is the last the Eagles have before they host the Sydney Swans at Optus Stadium in round one.

The Eagles do have the option of playing Naitanui with East Perth in next week’s pre-season game against South Fremantle at Lathlain Park.

The 27-year-old was one of 12 Eagles-listed players to take the field for East Perth in the game, which didn’t go too well for pick 68 in last year’s draft, Hamish Brayshaw, who appeared to be concussed when he needed help leaving the ground in the opening term. He didn’t return.