AFL 2021: Peter Sumich says West Coast should have signed Alec Waterman as Willie Rioli insurance

Essendon has elevated delisted Eagle Alec Waterman to its senior list – and a West Coast great says there’s a big reason the club may rue letting him go.

SPORT - WAFL, West Perth Falcons vs East Perth Royals, HBF Arena, Joondalup. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. PICTURED - East Perth's Alec Waterman gets a handball away

West Coast premiership forward Peter Sumich says former Eagle Alec Waterman can make an immediate impact as he was officially elevated to the Essendon list this week.

Waterman was told on Tuesday morning he would be a Bomber in 2021, with the Herald Sun revealing on Monday he had done enough to be given a one-year contract.

Sumich said the Eagles should have considered re-listing Claremont best-and-fairest winner Waterman given Willie Rioli’s continued absence.

He spent two years at the Eagles in 2014-15 but battled dizziness as he endured chronic fatigue, spending time delivering pizzas after being delisted.

But he kicked 26 goals, including a brilliant finals series in 10 games for Claremont last year, with the 188cm, 82kg forward averaging 11 ranking points.

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Alec Waterman will get his big AFL chance with Essendon.

His four goals in just over a half of game time against Carlton on Thursday showed he is capable of being one of the year’s Round 1 selection bolters.

Sumich played alongside his father Chris, a utility capable of playing anywhere across the field, in West Coast’s 1992-1994 premierships.

“I watched the WAFL last year, especially the finals series and he had a great season,” Sumich said.

“He nearly won the Grand Final off his own boot.

“He is a real little nuggety player in a way, he’s just smart. Everything he does, with his leading patterns, he has always been an elite kick.

“He is the kind of bloke who doesn’t need too many opportunities and if he gets his eight or nine touches he will have three or four shots at goal.

“He can have an impact straight away in my opinion.

“He has that maturity, he knows what it’s all about, he knows what is required to become a good player and with that body type, he’s ready to go.

“So it’s plus, plus, plus for me.

“I am dumbfounded the two clubs (in Perth) here didn’t give him a go.

“I thought West Coast what what happened with Willie Rioli, it would have been in ideal situation to bring him back onto the list as a smaller mid-sized forward.

“Maybe they didn’t want to go back to the well.”

Alec Waterman with his dad, former Eagles player Chris.

The No.76 draft selection in the 2014 national draft battled with glandular fever in his time at West Coast and admitted recently he “didn’t get a full crack” at his AFL career.

He said in November he was desperate for another chance at the AFL.

“It would be awesome to see whether I am good enough to play,” Waterman said.

“(When you’re young) you think that footy’s everything and the highs and the lows determine how you feel in your everyday life… it’s a pretty ordinary thing actually.”

Essendon will play a forward line that will include Harry Jones, Peter Wright, potentially Cale Hooker and smalls including Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.

A strong-bodied medium sized midfielder like Waterman would fit in perfectly as a marking target who also has a booming kick.

Originally published as AFL 2021: Peter Sumich says West Coast should have signed Alec Waterman as Willie Rioli insurance