West Coast stars Jeremy McGovern and Jack Darling firm for round one while Oscar Allen suffers another setback

West Coast defensive linchpin Jeremy McGovern is firming as a strong chance to take his place in round one and could make his return with some limited game time against Fremantle in Joondalup on Saturday. But young utility Oscar Allen will miss the start of the season after his nightmare summer continued with another injury setback at training on Friday. The Eagles could welcome back up to five key players to face the Dockers in a pre-season derby that is looming as a full dress rehearsal for the season proper. Elliot Yeo, Andrew Gaff and Brad Sheppard will make their only appearances in the Marsh Community Series after missing Thursday’s loss to Essendon to travel to Melbourne for Friday night’s bushfire relief match. West Coast football operations manager Craig Vozzo said the club was weighing up whether to also include McGovern, following his achilles surgery, and forward Jack Darling (fractured cheekbone). Vozzo said the Eagles would assess the risk and reward of giving Darling, a naturally fit player, a run a fortnight before the season-opener against Melbourne at Optus Stadium. Allen, 20, is set to miss the early rounds of the AFL season after further aggravating his ankle. Post-season knee surgery, followed by a hernia and now ankle problems have combined to derail the promising youngster’s pre-season. Allen was left out of the team for both finals last season but played 21 regular season games and is viewed as an important part of the future. He will resume with West Coast’s reserves team in the WAFL in coming weeks before pushing for a senior return. The Eagles’ new ‘fab four’ midfield will come together for the first time against Fremantle, in what will be a vital tune-up ahead of the premiership season. High-profile recruit Tim Kelly will join existing gun trio Luke Shuey, Yeo and Gaff in the on-ball unit for the Joondalup fixture, after Yeo and Gaff missed the eight-point defeat to the Bombers. “The guys have been playing together through the practice matches we’ve had internally, but this is a really good opportunity for them to play together,” Vozzo said. If McGovern is cleared to play match minutes he will play for the senior team against the Dockers, rather than in the WAFL practice match between the West Coast reserves and Peel also at Joondalup on Saturday. The four-time All-Australian said his summer had been frustrating but he was now turning the corner. “They just had to take a bit of bone out that was rubbing on the achilles tendon and fix it up,” McGovern said. “It sounds pretty quick and easy, but it’s dragged out a fair bit. But it’s coming good now. Everything is tracking in the right direction.” Meanwhile, the Eagles have confirmed Daniel Venables has been placed on the long-term injury list, with a decision on the re-allocation of his list spot to come within the next week. Speaking after Thursday night’s pre-season loss to Essendon, coach Adam Simpson revealed Venables will miss all of the 2020 season as he continues to recover from the brutal head knock that has kept him sidelined since last May General manager of Football Craig Vozzo said the club would weigh up its options in the next week, with the pre-season supplemental pick (SSP) deadline looming on March 13. “Whether Dan continues to train with the group is probably unlikely in the short-term,” Vozzo told the club’s website yesterday. “More likely Dan might take a bit of time back in Melbourne and just see how the season unfolds. “We’ll be really symptom-guided, we’ll adopt a flexible approach but in the short-term he’ll take a break from training for sure.” If the club opts not to award a second SSP contract, the list vacancy can be filled via the mid-season draft. “In terms of our list size Dan will go on a long-term injury list with AFL approval,” Vozzo said. “From there it possibly opens up another list spot which the club - through list management - will have to decide whether that’s taken up in the short-term or whether we leave a spot open for the mid-season draft. “We’ll probably make those calls over the next week I think.” The club’s SSP contest appears to be a three-horse race, with WAFL top up player Nic Reid, former Docker Brady Grey and former Cat Jamaine Jones the front-runners.