TOUGH West Coast defender Beau Waters has suffered another injury setback and looks certain to miss the start of pre-season training after more surgery last week.

The Eagles’ vice-captain suffered complications in his recovery from a shoulder operation late into August and he has been set back for at least two more months in more recovery. If his latest operation is not a complete success once Waters resumes summer training, there are fears his injury-savaged AFL playing days could be over. He could be forced into early retirement if he suffers what is commonly referred to as a ``locked shoulder’’ and is unable to lift his arm above his head. Waters’ latest complications could severely hamper him prospects of becoming the next Eagles captain when champion defender Darren Glass most likely retires at the end of next season. Waters, 27, has been limited to 120 outings since making his debut almost a decade ago. The 2006 premiership backliner has suffered horribly from injury across his stop-start career with serious elbow problems in 2008 and again three seasons later as well as nagging groin and shoulder ailments. Waters appeared to have shrugged off his injury horrors last year to win his first All-Australian selection at half-back before he suffered a broken bone in his foot and missed the Eagles losing semi-final against Collingwood. Waters was an attractive first-round pick at number 11 in the 2003 draft and has managed to play 20 games or more in a season just four times since his debut just three weeks into the 2004 home-and-away campaign. He missed the entire 2005 season with severe osteitis pubis. Waters managed just seven games this year with spasmodic appearances restricting his outings with more groin problems and then his shoulder injury after the Eagles come-from-behind Round 15 win over Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in early July.