West Coast captain Luke Shuey is set to miss the rest of the home and away season with twin hamstring injuries.
Eagles GM of Football Craig Vozzo confirmed that Shuey suffered a low-grade strain to his right hamstring during Tuesday night’s 60-45 win over Essendon.
Shuey is also nursing a minor strain to his left hamstring but Vozzo expects the star Eagle to return in time for finals.
"We got the scans back today. It's looking like it's going to be a 14 to 21-day recovery period," Vozzo told SEN's Dwayne's World.
“Given our fixture and Luke's previous hamstring problems, I think it's leaning towards the 21-day mark which takes him out of the rest of the minor rounds, but gives us enough time to get him fully ready hopefully for some finals footy, assuming we qualify."
Shuey, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier this season, started the fourth quarter on the bench after coming off just prior to three-quarter time.
The 2018 Norm Smith Medallist returned for the final quarter but pulled up short with two minutes left and was visibly frustrated as he made his way to the bench.
“He had left hamstring awareness before three-quarter time and we’ve had a few of these over the journey," Vozzo said.
“We had the assessment whereby it was decided that if needed he could play and it wouldn’t make the position any worse, so we decided in the course of the game to put him back out there.
“It was just our luck that he ended up having another minor strain but on the right side so he’s nursing low-grade strains on the left and right side.
“We live and learn and move forward. In hindsight we would have made a different decision, that’s for sure."
Elliot Yeo is currently sidelined with a groin problem but Vozzo says the dual All-Australian is aiming to return for West Coast's Round 18 match against North Melbourne.
Chasing a top four finish, the Eagles next play the Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.