Jeremy McGovern will be on modified duties when West Coast’s senior players return to pre-season training on Monday.

The four-time All Australian defender has gone under the knife to fix a heel complaint, in a similar procedure to that performed on spearhead Josh Kennedy’s ankle in late 2017.

McGovern’s operation is not expected to impact his availability for the start of next season.

“Jeremy unfortunately had a little bit of ongoing heel pain during the off-season and we decided the best thing for him was to go and have some surgery of his heel,” senior physiotherapist Paul Tucker said.

“Very similar to a process JK had done a couple of seasons ago, so we got a really good outcome from that and we’d expect Jeremy back running with the group in the new year.”

West Coast’s first-to-fourth-year players hit the training track at Mineral Resources Park last week to kickstart pre-season, impressing Tucker with their enthusiasm.

Emerging trio Oscar Allen, Jarrod Brander and Brayden Ainsworth were among those who resumed skills work after going under the knife.

“Oscar Allen had some minor surgery in the off-season, just a little bit of a clean-up around the knee. He’s back with the group and joining in most of the training sessions,” Tucker said.

“Both Ainsworth and Brander had off-season hamstring surgery – or late last season. Both those guys have recovered really well and are both on the training track with the other boys.”

Meanwhile, second-year small forward Jarrod Cameron is working his way back to full fitness.

“Cameron had a little bit of a groin problem towards the end of the season, so he had an extended off-legs time,” Tucker said.

“He’s now back running in rehab and we would expect him to join the rest of the group early in the new year.”