The door's been opened for Jack Gunston but Daniel Rich will have to break through one to join his Brisbane Lions teammate back in the AFL.
The out-of-sorts veterans have spent a month in a training block after a heart-to-heart with coach Chris Fagan but will both play again this weekend.
The unavailability of forwards Callum Ah Chee (concussion) and Lincoln McCarthy (suspended) has allowed Hawthorn recruit Gunston to slot back into the top side.
But Rich, an All-Australian defender in 2021, will play VFL after Fagan admitted he was now stuck in the queue.
"The backline boys are doing well and we don't have any injuries there, so he'll have to come back through reserves," the coach said ahead of hosting West Coast on Saturday.
Fagan wants Gunston, who managed just one goal in the four games before he was dropped, to mirror Ah Chee's frenzied effort against Richmond that was ended when he knocked his head attempting a tackle.
Former captain Dayne Zorko will also face the Eagles, he and Gunston fit and fresh for the two-month push towards finals.
"We hope it's helping them be able to play their best footy into the future and towards finals," Fagan said.
"It would have been a very difficult task to change the team (if not for injury and suspension), but it's opened the door.
"He's (Gunston) trained well, looks fresh ... that's all we've got to go by.
"I don't think older guys need as much match practice as younger guys to come straight back into the team. I hope he takes his opportunity."
Jarrod Berry (hamstring) should only miss one game but midfielder Josh Dunkley (calf), replaced this week by Jarryd Lyons, could also sit out next week's MCG clash with Melbourne.
That juicy contest remains in the back of Fagan's mind though, the coach not complacent after the 1-14 Eagles pushed fifth-placed St Kilda last week.
The visitors will welcome back Jeremy McGovern and Tim Kelly but miss injured pair Shannon Hurn and Luke Shuey.
"Everyone talks about that, but I don't," Fagan said of the Lions' prospects of a healthy percentage boost at the Gabba.
"When you start thinking about different types of percentage you take your eye off the process. It's disrespectful, not on our radar at all.
"I fully empathise with Simmo (coach Adam Simpson); any coach in the AFL would be challenged by that.
"But the only (Eagles) game that we've looked at is last week's."
