If every AFL team could steal one player: West Coast Eagles

While the Eagles were hesitant to label their list planning as a rebuild, it seems as though the Perth powerhouse will be placing its attention toward the future rather than looking to fight for a flag in 2023.

West Coast have attacked the draft the past 12 months to give themselves the best chance of returning to the premiership race sooner rather than later, but it must be said there are still several areas Adam Simpson would be keen to mend while he's still behind the wheel.

The Eagles are home to a star-studded engine room, which was only bolstered further in the draft this off-season with the acquisitions of first-round draftees and local pair Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett.

In a situation where West Coast could 'steal' one rival player without worrying about contracts or salary caps, we ponder who they might consider.

This exercise looks at the list needs for the Eagles and four players they might consider plucking from their rivals, while we reach a verdict on who their dream recruit would be.

List needs

Key position areas are a clear list need for the Eagles, who are needing to find replacements among their ruck stocks, forward line and defensive cohort as they build toward the future.

The Eagles lost Josh Kennedy and Jack Redden to retirement, have Shannon Hurn and Jeremy McGovern nearing the end of their respective careers, and saw Junior Rioli depart to Port Adelaide this off-season, among other changes.

The loss of Kennedy means there's a sizeable hole in the Eagles' forward third, with young tall Oscar Allen seen as his likely successor.

Jack Darling will help man the forward line but has already passed the 30-year barrier, meaning younger reinforcements among West Coast's tall targets might be an area they place their focus.

Allen can also be swung into the defence and utilised as a ruckman, however his best position is as a forward target. Someone that can perhaps alleviate Allen's requirement to play away from the forward third might be ideal, whether that be a forward that can also share the ruck workload or just another key-position attacking option altogether.

The Eagles have also seen some of their spark in attack stripped away, with Rioli's departure leaving the ground-level work to Jamie Cripps and Liam Ryan from next year.

A young and exciting small forward might just be the ideal target for the Eagles, who were quite reliant on Rioli and Ryan in their premiership campaign four years ago.

Lastly, when looking to build the foundations of their list revamp, another key defender might be where West Coast look, potentially finding a successor for McGovern.

Tom Barrass did a stellar job this year as McGovern battled injury, with the senior backman now looking to hand the baton to his younger partner.

Below we assess four rival players the Eagles would love to 'steal' to fill one of the list needs assessed above.

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Aaron Naughton

A Western Australian native, Naughton would pair nicely with emerging key-position talent Oscar Allen in attack, with the high-flying Bulldog a successor for premiership veteran Jack Darling.

Darling isn't likely to be part of the Eagles' next premiership push, while the loss of Josh Kennedy to retirement means further attention turns toward Allen.

Naughton is arguably the best young key forward in the AFL, with 2022 seeing the 23-year-old boot over 50 goals for the first time in his raw career.

If he were to slot into the Eagles' attack, Adam Simpson would have a lethal tall forward pairing that could dominate the league for the next decade.

Also boasting the ability to play in defence, the Eagles could fill multiple roles flagged above with the acquisition of Naughton.

Kysaiah Pickett

The loss of Junior Rioli will be felt next year when the Eagles look for some spark and excitement, both at ground level and aerially.

Premiership Demon Kysaiah Pickett could be a seamless replacement for the premiership forward, with the 21-year-old continuing to be a glowing asset at Melbourne as he prepares for just his fourth season in the AFL.

Pickett is expected to gain interest from both SA and WA clubs next year as his contract comes to an end, with the Eagles sure to be one of the clubs queueing up for the 62-gamer.

Adding the Demons livewire would be a stellar coup for the Eagles, who are now heavily reliant on small forward Liam Ryan, who booted just the 19 goals in 2022.

While this exercise is hypothetical, there's certainly some chance Pickett flies west by this time next year.

Rowan Marshall

When searching for a ruck-forward from a rival club, there are a few options the Eagles could consider.

Carlton's Tom De Koning would be an attractive option, especially with his expiring contract, while another top target in Luke Jackson recently ventured to WA, however in a move to Fremantle.

But it might be Saints tall Rowan Marshall that could be seen as West Coast's ideal 'steal' target, with the athletic big man a formidable asset either in the middle or as a forward target.

Looking for more versatility, the Eagles could use Marshall as their first-string ruck selection and give the New Zealand-born tall a rotating role with Oscar Allen between the midfield and forward line.

Marshall is expected to hold a similar role next season at Moorabbin in the absence of Paddy Ryder, while Jack Hayes will be pushing for a return from injury.

The Eagles face a similar dilemma with their ruck stocks, with Nic Naitanui in the twilight years of his career and no standout backup option listed.

West Coast did acquire South Australian ruckman Harry Barnett in the draft, but could look to give the teenager a long period to develop before he presents his case at AFL level.

Sam Collins

As mentioned earlier, the Eagles will be looking toward key defensive targets given Jeremy McGovern's age and injury history.

Tom Barrass stood up this year and was perhaps unlikely to get an All-Australian nod, but a partner for the dominant defender will be needed when looking toward the future.

Up steps Collins, who would be returning to Western Australia if this scenario was to play out. The Suns' defensive general was cut by Fremantle in 2017, and would be recruited by the Suns at the end of the following year.

His ability to negate key forwards and offer great disposal out of the defensive 50 matches well with Barrass, while the pair both have an outstanding intercept ability.

More of a mature-aged option at 28 years old, however Collins would be an astute mentor for the likes of Rhett Bazzo and Harry Edwards.

Verdict

While a key defensive stalwart, a new small-forward threat or a ruck-forward hybrid would be enticing for the Eagles to move on, it might just be an out-and-out key forward that sits atop their wish list.

West Coast might rely on their depth options in Bazzo and Edwards to support Barrass for the years to come, while Liam Ryan, Jack Petrucelle and Isiah Winder will be looking to lead the Eagles' mosquito fleet in the forward line.

The acquisition of Harry Barnett may have the South Australian placed to compete as West Coast's No,1 ruckman as early as 2024, with Nic Naitanui now looking to mentor his likely successor.

But the Eagles don't seem to have an obvious name in the queue behind Allen and Darling, with young forward Jack Williams far from a starting product in the blue and gold.

Adding in Naughton gives West Coast another superstar target in attack that can help lead the club back toward premiership contention and keep them at the top for a long time.