Eagles recruit Sharrod Wellingham (second from right) sings the club song with Jacob Brennan, Bradd Dalziell and Josh Kennedy after his first win in West Coast colours yesterday. Source: Getty Images
SHARROD Wellingham has promised to repay West Coast for fulfilling his dream of playing for the club he supported as a youngster.
Wellingham, who joined the Eagles from Collingwood during last year's trade period, played his first game in blue and gold yesterday after his highly anticipated debut was delayed by a serious ankle injury.
Despite his interrupted pre-season, Wellingham did not look short of match fitness as he collected 26 disposals in West Coast's 70-point thrashing of the Western Bulldogs.
Wellingham described the trampoline accident as "unlucky", but denied he needed to make it up to the club for missing the first five rounds of the season.
But the 24-year-old, who played in Collingwood's 2010 premiership side, said he intended to repay the Eagles for helping him return to his home state.
"I was really lucky to be able to come home and find myself at the club I wanted to go to," he said.
"I was really grateful from the time I walked in the doors so I'll be doing everything right, even though I was a bit unlucky to have injured myself."
Wellingham feared he had broken his leg when he tumbled from the trampoline just days after playing in the opening round of the NAB Cup.
The Perth product was on crutches for two weeks and in a moon boot for another four, but was able to maintain his fitness using a weight-bearing treadmill.
Wellingham was surprised he was able to run out yesterday's game as well as he did.
"I was saying to the boys this morning I was probably most spent probably halfway through the second quarter, but then had my second wind come through and I felt I was running on top of the ground towards the end of the game," he said.
"I had a chat to Kofe (Eagles strength and conditioning Warren Kofoed) this morning and said thanks for putting me through the hard yards through the pre-season.
"It was really lucky that I could get a huge volume of running in before being back on the ground."
Another player to make a stunning return for West Coast yesterday was star ruckman Nic Naitanui.
Naitanui received a rousing reception from the Patersons Stadium crowd when he took off the green substitute's vest during the third quarter and had immediate impact upon setting foot on to the field.
"It was good being out there when he ran out on to the ground and the crowd certainly erupted," Wellingham said.
"I thought something was going on behind play, but it was just Nic running on.
"He not only gets the fans up. but he gets the boys up as well. They get a lot of confidence knowing that he's going to have a foot and a half above any other ruckman when he's jumping for it.
"I think the midfield boys definitely get up onto their toes and that relays on to the forwards as well. We know we're going to get our hands on it a lot more."
The Eagles are sweating on the fitness of midfielder Luke Shuey, who injured a calf late in yesterday's win, for Saturday's clash with Brisbane at the Gabba.
Vice-captain Beau Waters (groin) and defender Sam Butler (calf) will miss at least another week, but wingman Matt Rosa and veteran Adam Selwood, who both performed strongly for East Perth in the WAFL on Saturday, are available.
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