No rest for Eagles against depleted Suns

West Coast coach Adam Simpson will resist the temptation to rest players for Sunday’s AFL clash with Gold Coast, saying even Andrew Gaff will play if he’s passed fit.

The Eagles will start as the hottest of favourites at Domain Stadium against a Suns outfit missing a large chunk of their best players.

Gaff is in doubt for the match after being knocked unconscious by a crude Tom Jonas elbow in last week’s eight-point win over Port Adelaide.

The speedy wingman will need to pass a concussion test this week if he is any chance to extend his consecutive games streak to 114.

Gold Coast have lost their past four matches by an average of 90 points.

Their insipid form has given West Coast the luxury to rest players if they want.

But Simpson says it’s far too early to rest players just yet, with the third-year coach keen to roll out a full-strength side this weekend.

“I find it really hard to do anything like that,” Simpson replied when asked about resting players.

“Maybe it’s something I can get better at down the track if you happen to get so many wins that you can rest players later in the year.

“But we’re certainly not in that phase. We’re not in a position to rest players at all at the moment.

“If Gaff is right to play, he’ll play. It’s totally up to the doctors.”

West Coast are yet to lose to Gold Coast, but they were held to a draw in the round-18 clash in Carrara last year.

Gold Coast almost beat the Eagles during the pre-season, but a late Jeremy McGovern goal saved West Coast’s blushes.

Simpson said his team couldn’t afford to take the Suns lightly.

“As much as I know they’ve been decimated of late, we drew with them last year,” Simpson told Perth radio station 6PR.

“We beat them with the last kick in the NAB Cup. They beat Fremantle in round two.

“We’ve just got to be careful we don’t under-estimate a team that against us have played pretty well.”

Eagles players Luke Shuey, Elliot Yeo, Will Schofield, and Jamie Cripps were all fined by the AFL’s match review panel for their part in the melee that followed Jonas’ elbow on Gaff.

Simpson was proud of the way his players handled the situation.

“We’re certainly not disappointed that our boys stood up for their mate,” Simpson said.

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