Nic Naitanui aside, there's never been a better time to be a ruckman at reigning AFL premiers West Coast.

Which spells good news for Keegan Brooksby, who was thrown a lifeline when signed by the Eagles during December's pre-season supplemental selection period.

Keegan Brooksby takes a strong pack mark for Gold Coast in 2017. Credit:AAP

The 28-year-old former Gold Coast Sun caught the eagle eye of West Coast recruiters during an impressive SANFL campaign with South Adelaide last year, when he emerged as the league's premier ruckman and was runner-up in the club's best and fairest.

Brooksby, who played 14 AFL games in three years for the Suns between 2015 and 2017, has also kept the attention on himself in a short but lively pre-season campaign since arriving at West Coast last month.