Brandon Starcevich says he’s “tracking well” to make his West Coast debut across a series of seemingly winnable games leading into the club’s mid-season bye.
The Eagles are desperate to bolster their defence amid conceding 103 goals through the first six rounds of the season – eight more than bottom-placed Richmond as the league’s most porous backline.
Starcevich has had to watch from the sidelines as he works to overcome a troublesome calf issue, but said he was confident of being around a month away from being available.
Factoring in a potential cameo in the WAFL to build form and fitness, that timeline would put the off-season recruit in the frame for fixtures against Essendon, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne – all at Optus Stadium – heading into West Coast’s round 15 bye.
“Everything’s tracking well,” Starcevich said on 6PR.
“I’ve been able to get some decent running sessions in over the past couple of weeks, so I’m on track for that 4-5 week (return date) I think.
“So hopefully just before we break for the bye round… hopefully sneak in a couple (of games) before then.”
Starcevich was West Coast’s highest-profile recruit over the off-season, with the two-time Brisbane premiership player brought in to provide sturdiness and leadership to the club’s defensive unit.
But his absence coupled with concussion issues that have sidelined Harry Edwards for all bar one game this season have left the Eagles short-handed down back.
Starcevich said it had been challenging to look on and be unable to help on-field amid West Coast’s tough start to the year, which has featured clashes against current top-six sides Sydney, Fremantle, Gold Coast and Geelong.
“I’m not a very good watcher,” he said.
“Big weekends like the derby – I get very jealous.
“But hopefully I’m not far off and I’ll be out there in no time.”
The 132-gamer would have been West Coast’s sixth-most experienced player in last weekend’s derby. That Eagles side was the least-experienced of the round, featuring 10 players with 20 games or fewer at AFL level.