West Coast coach Adam Simpson concedes the club will consult with its leaders before making a decision whether Willie Rioli makes his AFL return this season.
The 26-year-old is now less than a month away from his ASADA ban ending on August 20, with the small forward being allowed to train with teammates since July 20.
Rioli hasn’t played any senior football since 2019, having being handed a backdated two-year ban for tampering with a urine sample and then later testing positive for cannabis on game day.
Simpson said he’s been impressed by how Rioli has re-integrated himself into the club after such a long period away, saying a conversation will likely take place in the coming weeks about how close he is to being a realistic prospect of returning this year.
“It depends where we’re at,” he said on Sportsday about Rioli’s potential return.
“If we’re in contention and playing finals and looking for our best side...I think we’ve always said internally that we need to work through it with our leaders about where they sit with Willie (Rioli) and how connected they are with him and that’s been really positive.
“He’s done everything he can to work towards the redemption and it’s been really pleasing and obviously he hasn’t lost his talent.
“If that continues, I can’t say how we can at least talk about it and see where we’re at with it at all.
“But in saying that all that, there’s probably a player that has been playing in that spot all year so that discussion needs to be had as well. We haven’t got to where we need to be, but we’re on our way.”