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AAP
AAP
Sport
Roger Vaughan

Eagles lose three more players to injury

Dom Sheed needs surgery that will sideline the West Coast star for the first half of the AFL season. (AAP)

West Coast star Dom Sheed and new recruit Campbell Chesser will miss the first half of the AFL season because of ankle injuries.

The injury-plagued Eagles will also be without top midfielder Elliot Yeo for a month with a calf strain.

They were all hurt in Friday's 97-point practice match belting from Fremantle, which has further darkened predictions about what lies ahead for West Coast this year.

Sheed was hurt in a tackle and needs syndesmosis surgery, while Chesser might also need an operation after landing awkwardly.

"There's nobody to blame but we've had a bad run of luck on the injury front," football manager Gavin Bell said.

"Unfortunately for Dom his left leg was twisted underneath him in a tackle in the first five minutes of the game on Friday and he will need surgery on his syndesmosis.

"(It's) really disappointing as well for Campbell to suffer a long-term injury in his first game for the club after a promising few months since he joined training.

"He has some ligament and cartilage damage to his ankle that we are continuing to assess but he is likely to miss at least the first half of the season."

Bell also confirmed that Yeo would be sidelined for about a month with his calf injury.

Connor West has plantar fascia soreness, but will be tested ahead of Sunday's official pre-season match against the Dockers.

The Eagles, who recruited Chesser with the No.14 pick in last year's national draft, have a long casualty list with the season less than a month away.

Forward Oscar Allen is still in a moon boot with a foot stress fracture, skipper Luke Shuey's hamstring issues resurfaced over the summer, while Jamie Cripps will miss the start of the season after tearing his pectoral muscle.

Mature-age recruit Greg Clark will miss at least two months with a shoulder injury, while Tom Cole injured his ankle earlier this week and has already been ruled out of the first half of the season.

Star defender Brad Sheppard was forced to retire during the off-season due to concussion and vaccine-hesitant forward Jack Darling could miss the entire year unless he complies with the AFL's Health and Safety Protocols.

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