Cap Space: West Coast rebuild using different strategy to Hawks and Roos, who club might target

Not every rebuild is the same. While Hawthorn and North Melbourne went one way with their off-seasons moves, West Coast went down a different path. Where does it leave the Eagles?

West Coast has chosen a different path to most in its list rebuild.

After two dismal campaigns, the Eagles hit last year’s trade period with two clear options.

Go down the same route as Hawthorn and North Melbourne and trade-out some ageing stars for extra draft capital.

Or defy some of the popular recruiting conventions and hold on to their veterans such as Jeremy McGovern, Jack Darling and Andrew Gaff and Co in the firm belief they were still more valuable in the Eagles’ side than out.

Andrew Gaff is one of the ageing stars still on the Eagles list. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Once star players hit 30, it is generally accepted they are worth about a second-round pick, at best.

That was former premiership Hawk Brian Lake (picks 21 and 43) aged 30 at the end of 2012, and ex-Cat Shaun Higgins (pick 30) aged 32 in 2020.

So, rather than put the big names on the chopping block like the Hawks did last year moving on Jaeger O’Meara and Tom Mitchell, West Coast held tight.

They have gone for the anti clean-out rebuild method, the Eagles.

They have backed their ageing stars in, believing they can still provide great value rather than chase another top-25 pick for Darling, McGovern or an even earlier choice for gun backman Tom Barrass who signed a bumper five-year deal in 2021.

This was a brave hold from the blue and gold due to the lack of top-10 picks injected into the list over the past decade.

Since 2010 when the club took Andrew Gaff at pick four 12 years ago, the Eagles have taken only one man with a single-figure draft selection.

It is a reflection of the club’s success which includes four premierships in three decades, and six finals appearances in the past nine years under coach Adam Simpson.

They’re a powerhouse, the Eagles. On and off the field.

But in draft terms, they have had a dry run akin to the Nullabor Plain after handing over four picks for Tim Kelly.

West Coast gave up lots of top end picks for Tim Kelly. Picture: Getty Images

West Coast punted hard on Kelly in the trade deal in 2019, forking out picks 14, a future first-rounder (18), and choices 24 and 33 to Geelong for the star ballwinner.

That is selling the farm, the apartment and the exercise bike for Kelly, and meant the club’s top pick in the 2019 and 2020 drafts was No. 49.

That is a long way back in the beer queue, and clearly, things haven’t worked out on the back of the 2018 flag.

Kelly has played some quality footy and is having his best start to a season this year, but the team has fallen apart around him due largely to a horrific run of injuries, and the two-year COVID-19 switch-off.

The white flag went up in the hub, losing three of its first four games in 2020 and three of its first six in 2021.

Now, West Coast is playing a game of catch-up.

BOTTOMING OUT

The worry with this rebuild method is the chance West Coast hasn’t hit rock bottom yet.

Yes, the injuries have played a huge part in their on-field demise, again, and the high performance department would be feeling nervous.

But the one thing list managers’ fear most is being old and bad.

This year, West Coast fielded the fifth-oldest team in Round 1 and Round 3 and the fourth-oldest team in Round 5, according to Champion Data.

They have won one game this season and were belted by more than 40 points in each of their past four matches.

The Eagles sit in 17th place on the ladder. Picture: Getty Images

Spring chickens they are not, and durability concerns over McGovern, Elliot Yeo and Nic Naitanui haven’t enhanced their trade worth, if West Coast change their minds on trading-out the veterans.

They have paid big wages to keep some of these starts including McGovern who was one of the highest-paid players in recent years amid his 2018 premiership heroics, and Gaff, who has earned a fortune out of North Melbourne’s interest.

But the pressure on West Coast’s salary cap is finally set to ease with McGovern out this year, and considerable savings to be made at the end of next year on Darling, Gaff, Yeo and Naitanui.

That is when the club can reset the cap.

West Coast didn’t ever get a seat at the table on the Luke Jackson trade talks last year but they will be eager to sit down with Western Bulldogs’ pair (and WA products) Tim English and Aaron Naughton (both out of contract next year), as well as Port Adelaide’s Mitch Georgiades (out this year).

Aaron Naughton is one player West Coast would want to discuss a move with. Picture: Getty Images

Richmond defender Nathan Broad is also available this year as a free agent, but GWS Giants’ star key defender Sam Taylor is locked away until 2025.

If a big fish wanted to head to West Coast, they would want to see the ship turnaround first. But perhaps the big free agency play is a few years away.

CRUCIAL PICKS

What it all means is West Coast must not miss on its draft picks in the short-term, and the bold call to split pick two in last year’s trade period has delivered it a pair of local powerhouse midfielders.

The Eagles handed over pick two (Harry Sheezel) to North Melbourne and have already hit the jackpot with Rueben Ginbey (pick nine) and are excited by Elijah Hewett (14).

MELBOURNE . 28/11/2022. AFL National Draft at Marvel Stadium. Rueben Ginbey after being drafted by the West Coast Eagles . Picture by Michael Klein

Ginbey looks like Patrick Cripps in the making with his strength and toughness at the coal face and Hewett has speed and agility, making the pair an ideal combination with different weapons.

North’s Sheezel is the Rising Star favourite, but clubs thought he didn’t want to head interstate.

West Coast added arguably the most highly-rated ruckman in last year’s draft, South Australian 202cm big man Harry Barnett, at pick 23.

And clever small forward Noah Long is clean at ground level and has played all six games to start the 2023 season.

Oscar Allen is one of West Coast’s most important players. Picture: Getty Images

The jewel in the crown is clearly local tall Oscar Allen, 24, who will be the centrepiece of the rebuild after a year out with injury last year.

He will be a restricted free agent when his contract expires at the end of 2025 but the Eagles will tie him-up on a deal worth the best part of $1 million a year if he can stay on the park.

In last year’s draft they took the punt on attacking outside midfield-defender Campbell Chesser, who has been out with a knee injury on the back of last year’s ankle injury.

Pick 37 Rhett Bazzo was considered a bargain for the swingman’s ability to play both ends in a similar manner to Darcy Moore and the athletic Brady Hough (pick 31) has had big jobs down back in his first two seasons.

Originally published as Cap Space: West Coast rebuild using different strategy to Hawks and Roos, who club might target