West Coast Eagles fans have been warned to expect highs and lows from Nicholas Naitanui this season after he will be facing the immediate spotlight in Dean Cox's absence.
With Cox not expected to be unveiled until round four of the pre-season games, after abdominal trouble put his preparations temporarily on hold, Naitanui will be the main focus when the Eagles' NAB Cup campaign starts.
And while the high flying big man with Fijian roots will become the club's number one ruckman in Cox's absence, assistant coach Peter Sumich said despite Naitanui's well developed football smarts he still has a way to go.
"Big time (improvement in 12 months) … but he is in my opinion still two or three years away from the player everyone expects him to be," Sumich said.
"We have got to give him a bit of grace. You will see a lot of good stuff in between, but you will see a lot of stuff where you will be 'What is going on here, where is he going'.
"He is going to have some pitfalls and some jump ups – we have just got to live with that."
Sumich said Cox, who was still restricted to jogging at training on Monday, would be eased very gently into the season, but was not in danger of missing round one against Brisbane.
"By the end of this month, early Feb he will be in training. Maybe the third or fourth NAB Cup for him," Sumich said.
"We probably would have played Dean two or three anyway. We will weigh it up a week before that round one game whether he needs a top up. He will be fine.
"It is a slight setback for him … but at this stage there is no danger, but things can change."
With the Eagles' first NAB Cup game against Essendon 18 days away, first round draft
Source: watoday.com.au