He might not be a champion of the club yet, but West Coast small forward Malakai Champion has made a step in the right direction by signing a one-year contract extension.
The Eagles announced Champion's new deal on Thursday, with the 20-year-old now locked in at the club until the end of 2027.
Champion said he was excited to continue his career at West Coast after coming through the club's academy.
"I was really keen to stay. As a kid, you dream of getting the opportunity to play AFL, and West Coast gave me that chance, so I'll always be grateful to the club," Champion said.
"I'm really excited about where we're heading and I feel like there's something special building here.
"The club is moving in a really positive direction and I'm grateful that God has blessed me with another opportunity to keep living out my dream."
The speedy Eagles small forward played eight games and kicked four goals in 2026 to take his career tally to 10 matches.
Champion will look to cement his place in an exciting West Coast forward line that has emerging key forwards Jobe Shanahan, Cooper Duff-Tytler and Archer Reid, but a gap in the market for talented smalls.
Eagles list manager Matt Clarke said he was excited to see what Champion was capable of in his third season at the club
“Malakai has shown strong growth across his two years at the club, and we're excited to see where his development can take him,” Clarke said.
“He's worked hard to improve his game, embraced every opportunity, and continues to build towards becoming the best player he can be.
“We're pleased to extend his contract for another year and look forward to seeing his continued progress in 2027.”
