Surgeons are expected to consider what is described as a "hybrid" graft when a LARS attachment is combined with strips of tissue from his patella tendon at the front of his knee, or out of a hamstring.

The powerhouse on-baller will have surgery on Wednesday to repair his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that snapped 29 minutes into the third term in last Friday's crucial win over reigning premiers Hawthorn.

He will have the operation in Perth.

A LARS attachment involves placing a synthetic ligament in his knee in place of his ACL joint, offset by the graft from his own tissue.

A best possible result for a projected return is understood to be around 10 months depending on just how strongly the replacements attach as well as Naitanui's capacity to rebuild overall strength in the knee and where he has his grafts taken from his legs.

Naitanui, 26, was playing just his third game back after a two-month absence from operations to both Achilles tendons in his ankles.

His loss is a substantial blow to Eagles premiership hopes for this season and again into next year.

He had recaptured some of the finest form of his 146-game career this season with an average of around 36 hit-outs a game as well 12 disposals an outing, with as much as 80 percent of his possessions won in a contest.

When Naitanui has been in command of the Eagles ruck they have been trendsetters this season at overall hit-outs and hit-outs to an advantage where ground-level playmakers Matt Priddis, Luke Shuey and Andrew Gaff have been prolific in their ball-winning and clearance efficiency.

From the season's opening bounce up until round 12 West Coast was league leaders with 23 more hit-outs and eight more hits to advantage than opponents.

In Naitanui's absence the Eagles plummeted to 17th for hitouts with almost 18 less than opponents and last with taps to advantage at minus eight.

West Coast also tumbled from fifth in the league for winning clearances, at an advantage of two down, to last with less than six overall.

If his recovery is somewhat miraculous for such a powerfully-built athlete it is anticipated Naitnaui might be back into playing by early July next season and in time to make a run toward any finals West Coast could be headed into.

In his long recovery West Coast will turn to Naitanui's understudy Scott Lycett to lead the ruck.

Lycett, 23, suffered an injury scare himself in the Eagles stirring win over Hawthorn with a knock into his left knee in a ruck contest.

He has been cleared of any damage and is headed for a clash with gifted Adelaide big man Sam Jacobs in another blockbuster at Adelaide Oval on Friday night to launch the league's last qualifying round ahead of next month's finals series.

Reliable young defender Tom Barrass is also tipped to make a timely return to confront the big-scoring Crows after he missed the Hawks clash with a shin problem.

Barrass, 20, has been cleared of any stress fracture in his lower leg.