Why Pick 1 could be on table amid multiple suitors

West Coast is suddenly in a predicament with its prized No. 1 pick with speculation emerging the Eagles are open for business. 

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 16: Harley Reid of Vic Country handballs during the 2023 U18 Boys Championships match between Vic Country and Vic Metro at Ikon Park on June 16, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

To trade the No. 1 draft pick or not?

It’s the predicament West Coast finds itself in with a host of suitors lining up if indeed it decides to part ways with the prized selection, with likely Pick 1 prodigy Harley Reid waiting in the wings.

It comes ahead of a lengthy rebuild for the Eagles, who this week stuck by Adam Simpson as their coach despite a horror season, where trading the opening selection could fast-track that rebuild process by bringing in a wider suite of young talent.

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Reports have also stated Reid and his camp had privately suggested to other clubs his preference would be to remain in Victoria.

It’s further fuelled speculation the Eagles, who only last weekend slid back to 18th position below North Melbourne in the final round of the home and away season, would be open to a deal.

Reid is the likely No. 1 draft pick (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Speaking on SEN radio, Western Australian reporter Tim Gossage said he expects West Coast to split the No. 1 pick, suggesting the club’s priority is landing top WA draft prospect Daniel Curtin, who could go as early as Pick 2.

“I think they will trade the (No. 1) pick,” Gossage said on SEN.

“Get Daniel Curtin and do whatever it takes, but they don’t want to miss Curtin, that’s a priority for them as a key running back and key defender.

“The suitors and queuing up to do a deal, they are in position A. They want to thank North Melbourne greatly for their performance on the weekend.”

There’s however several other factors at play, according to AFL journalist Mitch Cleary.

Cleary suggested the Kangaroos’ possible free agency compensation for Ben McKay, potentially Pick 3, and where Gold Coast’s Pick 4, which is reportedly on the table given the club’s ties to its Academy prospects, might end up could dictate West Coast’s plans.

“The compo with Ben McKay — if Pick 2 becomes Pick 2 and Pick 3 for North Melbourne, that pushes Hawthorn back to Pick 4. I expect North Melbourne and Hawthorn to both chase that No. 1 pick from West Coast,” Cleary said on the Tradies Podcast.

“We won’t know exactly who holds what until what happens with the Ben McKay compo. The word out of North Melbourne today is everyone is expecting him to request a move away from the club.

“Then what happens with Gold Coast’s pick? I think there’s so many balls in the air right now that West Coast can’t really field official offers or formal offers until everything behind that pick plays out.

“I think Melbourne will come into the conversation as well, given they hold that pick from Fremantle as part of the (Luke) Jackson trade. Then you’ve got the Giants as well sort of sniffing around the market with the Hopper pick from Richmond.

“I can’t see this moving anytime in the next fortnight and that we’ll get any official word about West Coast trading that.”

Separate to the Reid-Pick 1 discussion, Cleary said a “forgotten factor” in West Coast’s trade plans, having officially finished 18th, as it circles the likes of Brisbane’s Deven Robertson and Hawthorn’s Tyler Brockman, is the Eagles’ extra bargaining power with the first pick in the pre-season draft.

It theoretically means, should the Eagles fail to strike a deal for such names, they could walk them to the pre-season draft for free.

“We’re looking at guys like Deven Robertson, who shot to fame with the ripped jumper at Brisbane. He’s out of contract and the Eagles are chasing him,” Cleary added.

“Tyler Brockman ... Hawthorn is hoping to hold him, but West Coast chasing him and I think Fremantle have got an interest in him to a degree, too.

“If either of those guys were to put their hand up to move to the Eagles, they’ve just got that added extra layer of having the No. 1 pick in the pre-season draft, which I think goes a little bit forgotten.

“It’s not always acted on, I know that, but clubs have pulled it in recent years — Jackson Hateley at Adelaide and Jack Martin at Carlton as a couple of recent examples.

“That’s just an extra one to watch now that West Coast has locked in that No. 1 pick.”

SEN’s Sam Edmund reported Brockman is keen to return to his native WA for family reasons.

“He wants to go from Hawthorn to Perth,” he said on SEN.

“A young family, twin daughters, he wants to get home for that support, I’m told Hawthorn have been magnificent, have done everything they can in this space, but Tyler Brockman, again for lifestyle reasons, wants to go the other way.”

Originally published as Why Pick 1 could be on table amid multiple suitors