Mackenzie Dixon - TheCoeventryEnd.com
Normally when you’re last season’s grand finalists, you would not make many moves during the off season, because usually people believe if your team is good enough to make it to the last day in September (or October), there’s not much to do.
As the old adage goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ But that’s not what the West Coast Eagles have done, offloading players for others and acquiring draft picks to help bolster their young roster.
The trade for Lewis Jetta from the Swans for Callum Sinclair, as well as picking up Jonathan Giles from Essendon and Jack Redden from Brisbane provides great depth, but they could be looking for a little more from the draft.
Picks
23, 31, 62, 75, 93, 111, 129
Key Target
Darcy Parish (Geelong Falcons/Vic Country)
Should Darcy get through the draft to pick 23, which is unlikely given he won U18 All Australian honours as an under-ager this year averaging 16 disposals in five games for Vic Country at the U18 Championships earlier this year, Parish would be a prefect fit in the Eagles already star-studded midfield.
Parish has some dash. He likes to get the ball and whisk it forward, doing everything quickly. Parish seems to be always on the move. His foot skills are precise and despite his lighter body he throws himself into the action, which is something the Eagles will absolutely love.
Likely Picks
The Eagles are also likely to go after Callum Ah Chee, with the South Fremantle prospect another highly-touted pacey midfielder with exceptional footskills. Should he manage to get through to pick 23 alongside Parish, the Eagles will have a hard decision to make.
Where Does This Leave Them?
In not such a bad position. The depth that they have in their young roster (former Brownlow Medallist Matthew Priddis is the only member of that squad above 30 years of age) should see the Eagles challenge for flags in the coming years. Just a little tinkering, much like North Melbourne have done over the last few years, should see the Eagles back in the hunt for a top two finish and making it to that first Saturday in October.
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