Details of the AFL’s likely West Coast list assistance package have been revealed.
Plus, why relationships between Zach Merrett and Essendon “haven’t gotten better in recent weeks” despite the club’s adamance that the star isn’t going anywhere.
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EAGLES LIST ASSISTANCE PACKAGE DETAILS
The Eagles are expected to land an end-of-first-round draft pick as the headline asset in their AFL list assistance this off-season.
They’re also set to benefit from up to four additional rookie list spots to house Next Generation Academy prospects and experienced players, according to AFL Media’s Cal Twomey via AFL Trade Radio on Monday.
The AFL Commission is set to confirm the assistance afforded to West Coast at some point over the next 24-48 hours.
“My expectation and understanding is that … West Coast will get up to four rookie positions,” Twomey told Trade Radio.
“So, a couple of those might be for access to academy players or father-sons, Category B players, NGA players that they’ve got access to. And a couple of those list spots might also be eligible to be used on more mature options.
“The big bit is whether they get an extra pick, and my expectation is they will get an extra pick at the end of the first round … I think it will be (used) to do with what they want, that’d be my expectation.”
The Eagles currently hold picks 1, 15, 19, 33 and 51 at November’s national intake and are expected to add the no.2 overall pick as compensation for free agent Oscar Allen’s departure to Brisbane.
But West Coast is also considered increasingly likely to lure dual premiership Lions defender Brandon Starcevich as a free agent, which could dilute the compensation it receives from the league.
The club has also been linked to out-of-contract West Australian midfielder Deven Robertson — who’s been out of favour at Springfield for multiple seasons — in a potential addition that could be housed with one of those extra list spots.
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MERRETT, BOMBERS RELATIONSHIPS STILL ‘FRAYED’
Zach Merrett’s relationships with Essendon figures reportedly “haven’t gotten better in recent weeks”, as the star midfielder and club captain reportedly remains set on pursuing a trade move to Hawthorn.
That’s according to veteran journalist Damian Barrett, who told Trade Radio on Monday: “I would argue that they (the relationships) have even frayed to a point where I don’t believe (he) can walk back to that club.
“The source of his annoyance now with the club is what he perceives to be a media strategy around comments made by Mason Redman and Nic Martin to AFL.com.au and The Age.
“I have never seen a media strategy like it, where senior players were put up in a very short window of timeframe on two separate major media outlets.”
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And despite insistence from new Essendon president Andrew Welsh that Merrett wouldn’t be going anywhere this off-season, it’s believed the five-time Crichton medallist hasn’t wavered in his desire to depart the Hangar.
AFL Media’s Cal Twomey also said on Trade Radio on Monday: “He’s clearly made his intentions known. He still wants to get to Hawthorn. He’s laid out his concerns around whether he’s actually going to get there at Essendon, in terms of success.”
It’s understood only a gargantuan offer would force the Dons’ hand in October, with the Hawks’ no.8 pick surely the centrepiece in any potential trade arrangement.
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