D-Day is looming on Jack Darling's AFL career, and West Coast's desperation is increasing by the minute as the club's pre-season injury crisis goes from bad to worse.
Darling is training away from the club after failing to meet the AFL's January 21 deadline to receive a first COVID-19 vaccine dose.
All players in WA, SA and Queensland must have their second dose by Friday.
Darling won't meet that deadline given he is yet to have his first dose, but he can keep his hopes alive of staying on West Coast's list and playing this year if he indicates he is willing to get vaccinated.
There's hope Darling will opt to have Novavax, which is a protein-based vaccine that was recently approved for use in Australia.
If Darling commits to being vaccinated, he could be available to play by late March or early April.
But if he opts out indefinitely, then West Coast could place him on their inactive list, or even terminate his $800,00-a-season contract altogether.
Carlton's Liam Jones and Brisbane's Cam Ellis-Yolmen retired after opting against having the COVID-19 vaccine.
West Coast are more desperate than ever to have Darling available after young key forward Oscar Allen became the latest Eagles player to be cut down by injury.
Allen will be in a moon boot for at least three weeks and appears destined to miss the start of the season with a stress-related foot injury.
Small forward Jamie Cripps will be sidelined for a yet-to-be-determined period after undergoing surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.
Skipper Luke Shuey is working his way back from his latest hamstring injury, forward Willie Rioli has been in and out of training this pre-season due to soft tissue concerns, while midfielder Elliot Yeo has endured a slow build after battling osteitis pubis over the past two years.
Allen loomed as the ideal replacement for Darling and his foot injury is a major concern just five weeks out from the start of the season.
If both Darling and Allen are unavailable for the early part of the season, it would place a monumental burden on 34-year-old spearhead Josh Kennedy, who is expected to be rested regularly throughout the 2022.
Ruck/forward Bailey Williams and mobile forward Jake Waterman are set to become key players if Darling and Allen are unavailable for long periods.
Former Fremantle forward Hugh Dixon and WAFL star Tyler Keitel are currently training with West Coast in a bid to land a spot on the list.
The duo could end up becoming important cogs in West Coast's attacking line-up.
The Eagles' AFL season kicks off against Gold Coast at Optus Stadium on March 20.
