West Coast Coach Adam Simpson has revealed the extent of veteran wingman Andrew Gaff's injury, claiming the 30-year-old is set to tackle 13th season with vim and vigour.
Gaff had an injury-riddled 2022 playing a career-low 16 games after undergoing off-season ankle surgery which kept him on the sidelines for 12 weeks.
Playing through an interrupted campaign, the pain in Gaff's ankle eventually forced him out of the Eagles' final round hiding at the hands of Geelong.
Speaking to AFL Media's WA reporter, Nathan Schmook, Simpson revealed that Gaff had trimmed down considerably and is ready to recapture his best form which has seen him a two-time All-Australian.
"He's a tough bugger and he was limping around all year, and I think eventually we broke him down going into the last round."
"He's gone away and his running is the same as it was when he was 18, so he is fit. His biggest asset as we all know is his ability to cover the ground, and that's back.
"Whether he's back to his best as a footballer or not, I hope so. But he's now had a really clean pre-season, which he hasn't had for three years.
"That's the challenge with the criticism you get for your fitness or your standards. You get it because it's from the outside, but until you know what the player has gone through, you don't really know."
Gaff is one of a number of Eagles players ready for a bounceback 2023, with Elliot Yeo, Dom Sheed, key forward Oscar Allen, and Tom Cole all coming off injuries that affected their 2022 campaigns.
After enduring its worst season since claiming the wooden spoon in 2010, the return of such pivitol players will make a difference in lifting the Eagles from the ladder's 17th rung.
West Coast has an exciting upside of young emerging talent with the club's first pick in last year's draft Reuben Ginbey, Elijah Hewett, second-player Campbell Chesser, and Noah Long all to put their hand up to be part of the side's best 22 this season.
The Eagles face Adelaide in its one and only official pre-season hitout on Friday at Mineral Resources Park before beginning their 2023 campaign against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, March 18.
