West Coast coach Adam Simpson is confident ruckman Scott Lycett won’t do any further damage to his bung knee during the AFL finals series.

Lycett has been struggling with a posterior cruciate ligament injury during the latter stages of the home-and-away season.

The 23-year-old’s vulnerability has been clear to see in recent wins over Hawthorn and Adelaide, with heavy knocks leaving him hobbling at stages in both games.

West Coast can’t afford to lose Lycett, having already lost Nic Naitanui (knee) for the rest of the season.

Simpson is confident Lycett will be able to carry the PCL injury throughout the finals series, starting with next week’s home elimination final against the Western Bulldogs.

West Coast will assess whether Lycett needs surgery after the season is over, but they are hopeful an extended rest will be all he requires.

“It gets knocked and it gets sore, and then he continues,” Simpson told Perth radio station 6PR.

“But there’s probably only so many knocks you can take before it wears you out.

“If you watch closely, it probably happens once a game where he gets a knock on it.

“That’s just the way we’re handling it at the moment. We’re not doing any more damage.

“It’s just an inconvenience at the moment, but a week off will do him nothing but good.”

West Coast enter the finals series in the hottest of form after beating GWS, Hawthorn, and Adelaide over the past three weeks

The loss of Naitanui was seen as a death knell to their premiership hopes.

But the strong display of journeyman ruckman Jonathan Giles in last week’s 29-point win over Adelaide have boosted hopes West Coast can still challenge for the flag.

Giles tallied 29 hit-outs, 15 disposals, and a goal in one of the finest performances of his 57-game, four-club career.

The 28-year-old has spent most of this season in the WAFL, knowing he was only brought to West Coast in case Lycett or Naitanui got injured.

Simpson praised the work ethic of Giles, saying it took a special type of person to maintain their elite levels on the track while knowing they were unlikely to get a senior berth.