West Coast Eagles put timeline for Brady Hough’s return from ankle injury
West Coast are expecting defender Brady Hough to miss around a month with the ankle injury he sustained earlier this week.
Hough limped from the training track on Thursday after going down in a contested marking drill and was promptly sent for scans on the injury, which the Eagles believe will sideline him for three to four weeks.
The timeline scuppers Hough’s hopes of featuring for WA in their AFL Origin clash with Victoria at Optus Stadium on February 14 but means he remains a chance to push for selection in West Coast’s sole official pre-season fixture against Port Adelaide on March 1.
The Eagles will open their 2026 campaign with a trip to Queensland to take on Gold Coast on March 15.
Hough impressed at stages after being moved into the midfield for the back half of West Coast’s one-win campaign last year but is set for a return to defence this season.
He had already endured an interrupted pre-season, missing the club’s sessions last week due to illness.
The 22-year-old has been earmarked for an important role in an Eagles’ backline which will be without retired vice-captain Jeremy McGovern but added Tylar Young from Richmond over the off-season.
A number of Eagles defenders have been restricted by injury over the summer, with recruit Brandon Starcevich battling an ACL strain which has plunged his Origin availability into doubt, Young being on the mend from minor shoulder surgery and premiership backman Tom Cole being kept out of contact drills by a finger tendon issue.
Midfielder Elijah Hewett is still battling calf soreness, while ruckman Bailey Williams (groin) and winger Jack Hutchinson (ankle) are yet to integrate fully with training as they work to overcome injuries.
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