WEST Coast has elevated third-year rookie ruckman Will Sullivan to its senior list for the entire 2010 season, but coach John Worsfold says he has no injury concerns in his ruck department.
First choice ruckmen Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui are poised to work in tandem this season and Worsfold said both were fit ahead of the side's round one clash with the Brisbane Lions.
However, with Cox restricted by a groin injury last season, and with only two recognised ruckmen on the senior list, Worsfold said Sullivan had been elevated as insurance.
"This [decision] wasn't made with round one in mind," Worsfold said on Tuesday morning. "This decision was made for the season, Will's on our senior list now for the whole year.
"We didn't talk about injuries at all, other than the unlikely case that both our recognised ruckmen were injured.
"He just gives us some insurance if at any stage throughout the year we have an injury to one, or both, of our ruckmen."
Sullivan was recruited for the 2008 season and agreed to a third-year rookie contract at the end of last year, rather than nominating for the NAB AFL Draft.
Worsfold said the mobile big man would not have been elevated if he wasn't ready to play AFL football.
"It's a good reward for Will's performance through the pre-season and the hard work he's put in," Worsfold said.
"Last week against Carlton and in the small amount of ground time he got against Melbourne on the weekend, he showed he could hold up and ruck in the AFL now.
"With only two recognised ruckmen on our senior list, we felt once Will proved that he was ready to step up that he would take that spot on the list."
Sullivan leapfrogs rookies Adam Cockie, who played seven games in 2009, and Callum Wilson, who played four games last season.
Last Modified on 16/03/2010 16:56