Fremantle coach Ross Lyon could roll the dice and recall ruckman Aaron Sandilands for his first game in more than a year in Saturday night's crucial RAC Derby 50 at Optus Stadium.
Fellow big man Rory Lobb could also be available a month after a foot fracture sustained against Collingwood.
Sandilands moved well at training on Tuesday, raising hopes he would play his first game since straining a calf in the warm-up before Fremantle's round 15 loss to Brisbane on July 1 last year.
The 36-year-old battled more calf issues during pre-season before ramping up his on-field training workload recently.
"He's done a mountain of work on his rehab and comes to hand really quickly, so I think if he gets through to the last session he'll put his hand up for selection," Lyon told Seven News.
"It's opportune timing."
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Sandilands and Lobb's comebacks could have a twofold benefit of nullifying West Coast star Nic Naitanui and sidekick Tom Hickey while offering more marking power inside 50.
During consecutive losses to Melbourne and Carlton, Fremantle have taken just six and seven marks in their attacking arc – their two worst returns this season.
Fremantle's first-choice tall forward line has been hit with Matt Taberner (foot) out for the season and Jesse Hogan out with mid-foot sprain.
Lyon declared the versatile Lobb a "real chance" to face West Coast and conceded there would be risk bringing Sandilands back from injury as Freo attempts to end an eight-game losing streak against the Eagles.
"There's always a risk. We could certainly put him to Peel, there's no doubt about that and give him a run," Lyon said.
"I think Naitanui had a run in the seconds off an ACL, but I think we'll look at our whole situation, see how we are and just look at the whole mix really.
"Can we play three, two or one (rucks)? We'll just have a look at it, and availability is important."
Lobb and Stephen Hill (hamstring) completed individual rehab work at Cockburn on Tuesday.
Hill could attempt to relaunch his season after another soft-tissue problem in the round 17 trip to Launceston to face Hawthorn.
