West Coast ruckman Dean Cox has hit out at the recent criticism levelled at Nic Naitanui, claiming if anything the 20-year-old has overachieved at this stage of his AFL career.

Naitanui is averaging 11.5 disposals and 17.5 hit-outs per game this season, up slightly on what he produced last year.

The 201cm excitement machine has been criticised for a perceived lack of improvement but Cox said the problem lay in the unrealistic expectations placed on Naitanui so early in his career.

"What people probably don't realise is Nic's only a second-year ruckman in the AFL," Cox said on Monday.

"For what he's done for the games (he's played), his contested possessions to uncontested possessions, I've never seen from a ruckman.

"The tackle count he can generate, the follow-up from a stoppage is phenomenal.

"People always look at kicks and handballs, but his influence on games has been fantastic.

"I think that he's turned games when most other ruckmen are really trying to find their feet (at a similar stage).

"He's really made other ruckmen think about how they're going to out-position to try and beat him.

"He's just a really unique player.

"His (first) 20 (games) have been fantastic, but look out for the next 100 or 200 he plays."

Cox, a four-time All-Australian, said he would happily play second fiddle to Naitanui once his protege was ready to take on the lead ruck role full-time.

"I think that no individual's ever bigger than a footy club and that's something that I really want to do, when you do eventually leave a footy club you want to make sure that the football club's in the direction going forward," said Cox, who has been below his best this season.

"I'll be showing him things like he'll be showing me things.

"We're always continually learning, and if he's playing his best footy and leading the ruck then so be it, I'll play second fiddle to him."

Cox, who is still recovering from the flu that reduced his impact against Carlton last week, joked he would go and wrestle a tree in preparation for his clash with Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands in Sunday's western derby at Subiaco Oval.

"Myself and Nic are just going to have be on our game and try and stop him and nullify him," Cox said.

"When you've got a ruckman that dominates as much as him, sides are always going to be looking at trying (to) curb his influence around stoppages.

"The Bulldogs did that on the weekend, so we'll be having a close look at what they did and trying to implement some of that stuff."

The Eagles were dealt a blow on Monday when in-form small forward Ashton Hams was offered a three-match suspension by the match review panel for his heavy hit on Carlton's Dennis Armfield.

Hams risks a four-match suspension if he chooses to contest the charge.

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