![Scott Selwood returns for West Coast's tilt at a finals spot. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo Scott Selwood returns for West Coast's tilt at a finals spot. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/790dfb90-d7bf-45c5-83d7-cfc06e687dfc.jpg/r0_0_729_410_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The inclusion of Scott Selwood and Elliot Yeo into West Coast's side for round 23 oozes the feeling that Eagles are doing everything they can to remain in finals contention.
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Going into this weekend's fixtures, the Eagles could still snatch eighth place if other results went their way.
But Eagles coach Adam Simpson said he was simply focusing on beating the Gold Coast and that the inclusion of the experienced pair after long lay-offs was not a declaration that they were going for broke.
Ruckman Nic Naitanui is also back after missing last week's game due to a sore Achilles.
For West Coast to play finals, Hawthorn needs to take care of business against Collingwood on Friday night and Sydney needs to beat Richmond on Saturday night.
But those results are irrelevant if the Eagles can't beat the Suns on Sunday.
"It's not as if we're taking any risks with these guys," Simpson said.
"If they weren't right we wouldn't have played them. They were available last week.
"We've held them back for a couple of weeks. We have done a lot of training offsite and GPS results tell us they are both ready.
"It's just trying to find the balance between lack of continuity with their game-day playing, so I don't think we'll see them at their best but we think that they are - what they have been doing at training has been real positive and they're ready to go."
Yeo has been sidelined since round 13 with a hand injury and Selwood hasn't played since round 12 because of an ankle injury.
At different stages over the past seven or eight weeks, it did appear as though the pair would not be seen again until 2015.
But with finals still on the radar and a growing injury list, they have been bought back.
Xavier Ellis is also back in training after injuring his shoulder and is expected to push for selection for the first round of finals, should the Eagles still be playing.
A fit Selwood would usually get the tagging role on the opposition's most dangerous midfielder. But his lack of match fitness is likely to stop him from undertaking that role this weekend against the Suns.
Dion Prestia, David Swallow, Jaegar O'Meara and Harley Bennell are all averaging more than 20 touches a game this season for Gold Coast – and will need watching.
This poses an issue for the Eagles.
Since Selwood's season was railroaded, the two players to take on run-with duties have also suffered injuries.
Sharrod Wellingham had some success minding dangerous opposition midfielders for a few rounds before he injured his knee in round 18. As did Mark Hutchings, who injured his hamstring in last week's win over Melbourne and will miss the game against the Suns.
It leaves Simpson looking around the locker-room for someone else to take on the role.
"We'll have to look at that, but it'd be quite difficult for him [Selwood] after being out for so long to run with one of those players who are seasoned 20-game players for this year," he said.
"They've got three or four midfielders - it's an absolute strength at the moment. They've got a pretty good balance with their performance as well.
"We've got a few ideas of what we need to do. And we do lose Hutchings in that role. So we'll look at who might replace that. But we will definitely cater for a couple of those players."