Trade HQ: West Coast faces challenge to keep stars, could target homesick players
RIVAL clubs are queuing up to make big offers to Jeremy McGovern and Andrew Gaff. Where will they play next year and which homesick Victorians should West Coast target in trade talks?
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THE revival of this group has been stunning given the downcast views of most.
Adam Simpson has done a tremendous job with the fresh batch of forwards from last year’s draft while reigniting Jack Darling, Mark LeCras and Jack Redden.
Jeremy McGovern is a two-time All-Australian and tracking that way again this season and rumours of six-year deals in excess of $6.5 million are proving difficult for West Coast to thwart.
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Andrew Gaff is also being tempted to leave, but it’s expected he’ll stay.
Clearly the Eagles have more to lose than gain in any trades given the names above and their importance to how West Coast plays its football, but if they do vacate the future is still strong. Elliot Yeo, Tom Barrass, Darling, Luke Shuey and Nic Naitanui are all in their prime football years.
The Eagles’ first pick in this years draft is currently pick 22. They’d be keen to advance up the order, but the biggest priority is clearly to retain McGovern and Gaff.
The Eagles need more midfielders as last year’s draft selections were almost exclusively forward types. A stacked draft is looming and it’ll be fascinating to witness Brady Rawlings’ ability to negotiate extra mid-tier draft selections via future or player trades.
Fingers crossed on J McGov, Eagles fans.
PREMIERSHIP CLOCK: 9pm. Nervous times.
AL PATON REVIEWS WEST COAST’S TRADE OPTIONS
IN PLAY
1. Jeremy McGovern
Age: 26
Games in 2018: 12
Premier interceptor and free agent has put off contract talks until the end of the season so alarm bells are ringing. Sydney has had a sniff, Freo would love him and a Victorian club has
reportedly offered $7 million over six years. Having said all that, wouldn’t surprise if he
stays.
2. Andrew Gaff
Age: 26
Games in 2018: 13
Top of the most wanted list for five Victorian clubs: Melbourne, St Kilda, Carlton, Essendon
and North Melbourne. Dees seem best placed if the restricted free agent decides to come
home to Victoria. Midfield jet.
3. Scott Lycett
Age: 25
Games in 2018: 13
Has formed a brilliant partnership with Nic Naitanui but could jump at the chance to be the stand-alone No.1 ruckman at another team. A number of clubs including Richmond, Carlton and Essendon would be considering their succession plans in the ruck. Expect big money
offers.
BUY BUY BUY
1. Alex Fasolo
Age: 25
Club: Collingwood
Games in 2018: 1
Has fallen down the pecking order at the Pies and likely to be looking for a fresh start. Going home to WA would have plenty of appeal and he could replace veteran Mark LeCras in front
of goal. Easy to forget he’s only 25.
2. Neville Jetta
Age: 28
Club: Melbourne
Games in 2018: 13
Gun small defender (he beat Robbie Gray a week ago) said at the start of the season he wanted to be a one-club player but contract talk has gone deathly quiet since. He’s an
unrestricted free agent from WA and the cousin of Eagle Lewis.
3. Shai Bolton
Age: 19
Club: Richmond
Games in 2018: 2
Hugely talented top-30 draft pick who can’t crack Richmond’s best 22 and has put off
contract talks until the end of the year. The Tigers just have too many good small forwards
and the Eagles have a fair share too, but Bolton could eventually push up the ground. Rivals
were wary of the go-home factor in his draft year.
WINS AND ROUNDABOUTS
Minor players in last year’s trade period, picking up only Brendon Ah Chee from Port
Adelaide. He has played only four games but didn’t really cost anything. A complicated deal
with Gold Coast in which the Eagles gave away their first-round pick this year in exchange
for a swag of selections is looking a winner after picking up a handful of local talents
including Liam Ryan. Meanwhile, that first-round pick is likely to be in the 15-18 range, a lot
lower than the Suns would have been hoping.
FANTASY QUICK FIX
If the Eagles could pick one player from a rival club to play the next three months in blue
and gold they could do worse than Hawk Jack Gunston. He can play full-forward to cover for
Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling then move up on to a flank or even into defence as needed.
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Originally published as Trade HQ: West Coast faces challenge to keep stars, could target homesick players