Monday, 15 January 2018: Star West Coast forward Josh Kennedy is making a quicker-than-expected recovery from ankle surgery and is a chance to play in round one of the AFL season.

West Coast star Josh Kennedy's swift recovery from ankle surgery has raised hopes he will be fit to play in the opening round of the AFL season.

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The two-time Coleman Medal winner suffered a setback when he went under the surgeon's knife for an ankle clean out just days before Christmas.

But Eagles coach Adam Simpson revealed the 30-year-old is a chance to face Sydney in the historic opening home-and-away season AFL match at the new Perth Stadium.

"He's probably a little bit in front of what we thought," Simpson told reporters on Monday.

"He'll be out of the (moon) boot this week.

"We're hoping to get him back into pre-season (soon), so that's looking pretty promising.

"It will be touch and go (for round one but) we're hoping that getting out of that boot a couple of weeks earlier will get us more of a look towards round one."

Kennedy kicked 69 goals in 19 games last season despite being hampered by calf and achilles tendon issues.

Simpson has no plans to rest the veteran from games in 2018, but admits his workloads at training will need to be carefully monitored.

In another boost for West Coast, star ruckman Nic Naitanui is on track to play the last game of the Eagles' pre-season competition series against Fremantle.

"We've got a bit of planning to do before we get to that stage, but most of the guys on the track now are aiming for that last game," Simpson said.

"He won't play AFLX but hopefully we can get some (pre-season) games into him."

Naitanui hasn't played since rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament in round 22 of the 2016 season.