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Better than Judd: Eagles great says Harley Reid worth $24m
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Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
One top pick out, one top pick in! Chesser set for return
Out-of-contract West Coast midfielder Campbell Chesser will play his first AFL game of the season this weekend when the one-win Eagles take on Melbourne at Marvel Stadium. It comes as the Eagles prepare to take on seven-time All-Australian ruckman Matt Gawn without their No.1 man Matt Flynn who has been dropped leaving Bailey Williams as the solo ruck. The West Australian revealed Chesser would be named in Saturday's line-up to take on the Demons, having featured in the past seven games for the club's WAFL outfit after an ankle injury in February hindered his start to the season. Chesser had 20 disposals in Sunday's defeat to Peel to put his hand up for his first senior game this season. After being West Coast's top draft selection at pick 14 in 2021, Chesser has been luckless throughout his career at West Coast, playing only 32 games in his four seasons. The 22-year-old midfielder last featured at AFL level in round 24 last year. Chesser's most recent AFL win — and one of only six for his career — came against Melbourne at Optus Stadium last May. 'He's had some challenging years and he's been able to build a platform of eight or 10 games of WAFL football and given himself a chance to finish off the year really strongly so yeah, he gets his opportunity,' Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said. Chesser in action last season. Credit: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images 'There was a period where he just had to play, that was important for him just to string some games together. And then, you know, when he started mid-year, he hadn't played under the way that we're playing our wing roll at the moment. 'So he's learnt that, he's improved in that understanding of the game, and it was a bit about continuity and then building up his form from there.' It comes as top draftee Tom Gross is also set to return to the side to help cover the loss of superstar Harley Reid after his season was ended by a syndesmosis injury he sustained in the western derby. Gross has played six games since he was drafted with pick No.46 last season, with the last of those coming in the round 11 defeat to Adelaide. The 18-year-old is coming off a strong game in the WAFL, kicking two goals from 23 disposals as well as recording five clearances in the loss to Peel. Chesser's pending inclusion means the Eagles will have used 37 players this year. Just three players on West Coast's list are yet to debut at the top level: Lucca Grego, Coen Livingstone and mid-season draftee Jacob Newton. He was joined on the plane by out-of-contract pair Jack Petruccelle and Loch Rawlinson however, both have been named as emergencies. Instead, Hamish Davis and 200cm defender Harry Edwards, who was a late out from the derby on Saturday because of a hamstring concern, have returned to the line-up. Jack Petruccelle is back in the Eagles squad. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian It will be Davis' first game since round seven while defender, Sandy Brock and Jack Hutchinson, join Reid out of the team that lost the western derby to Fremantle. WEST COAST v MELBOURNE Saturday, Marvel, 11.20am EAGLES B: R Ginbey H Edwards T Cole HB: L Duggan R Bazzo T McCarthy C: R Maric B Hough C Hall' HF: J Cripps J Shanahan E Hewett F: T Borckman A Reid L Ryan FOLL: B Williams T Kelly L Baker I/C: M Owies C Chesser T Gross H Davis T Dewar EMG: J Petruccelle M Flynn L Rawlinson IN: H Edwards C Chesser T Gross H Davis OUT: S Brock (omitted) J Hutchinson (omitted) M Flynn (omitted) H Reid (injured) DEMONS B: J Bowey T McDonald J McVee HB: C Windsor D Turner B Howes C: K Chandler C Petracca H Langford HF: J Viney B Fritsch T Sparrow F: J Melksham H Petty K Pickett FOLL: M Gawn T Rivers E Langdon I/C: J van Rooyen C Salem C Oliver H Sharp J Culley EMG: X Lindsay J Adams T Campbell IN: H Sharp J Culley OUT: X Lindsay (managed) C Spargo (omitted)
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Eagles coach Andrew McQualter says club deserves draft help as Harley Reid returns home
Rookie West Coast coach Andrew McQualter is all-in on his club's pursuit of draft help, including a priority pick, declaring he is 'in a rush to get better'. Premiers as recently as 2018, and with a monster $20m offer on the table for gun youngster Harley Reid, the Eagles' request for help has raised some eyebrows around the AFL. McQualter confirmed that Reid had returned home to Tongala in country Victoria after his season-ending ankle syndesmosis injury without a firm decision on his future. He's out of contract at the end of 2026. But after West Coast chief executive Don Pyke confirmed the club would lodge an application for AFL draft assistance, McQualter fell in behind the boss, declaring the battling outfit would take any available steps to improve its list as quickly as possible. The Eagles have won just a single game this season, McQualter's first at the helm, and just 11 across their past four and are set to collect a second wooden spoon in three years. 'We're in a rush to get better and historically, the ways to get better are draft, trade, free agent and priority bids, that's part of the rules,' McQualter said. 'So we need to explore all the options we can and whatever it lands us, whether it's more picks, a high pick, wherever, if it's an opportunity for us to get better, we'll take it. 'We're aligned that we're in a position where we think we can apply for it, and then the AFL will look at it and they decide. 'We're in a rush to get better and if that's a way that we can get better, we're willing to look and apply for it.' The Eagles are still in discussions about what form of draft help they would seek. Any assistance package would have to be ticked off by the AFL Commission. After winning just 12 games over a four-year period between 2020-23, North Melbourne was given three end-of-first round selections across the 2023 and 2024 drafts as well as extra rookie list spots. 'I haven't been involved in the actual application. I've been across it but not involved in it, so I'm not sure the answer to it,' McQualter said. 'We'll just apply and see where it lands.' McQualter said the Eagles would also go after more experienced players, having lured Richmond premiership pair Liam Baker and Jack Graham to the club this season. 'Potentially, for sure, we're looking at that as well. That's an option. I think we've said it really publicly, where we're open to every avenue,' he said. 'And that will be draft this year that we'll target and we'll also target trade and free agency.' McQualter said 20-year-old Reid had returned home, in a moon boot, to see his family after hurting himself last Saturday but would return to Perth to complete his rehab. 'We do that with all of our players. Harley's not going to play again this season, and this week of rehab is not going to be much,' McQualter said. 'He's in a moon boot still, so when you get an opportunity to send players back to their home states, we always support that. ''Harls' is in that position. Bo Allan went back to his home in Mandurah when he hurt his ankle last week, so that's common practice for us and we support it. 'It won't be for the rest of the season, so he'll come back next week and start his rehab process.'
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Fantastic Fever hit the road bound for grand final glory
The 'Green Machine' has hit the road as they look to win the war that is set to be the Super Netball grand final. It comes as Super Netball announced the decider was officially a sell-out, with more than 14,000 tickets sold in what is set to break the grand final attendance record set in Perth in 2022. West Coast Fever flew out to Melbourne on Thursday morning as they prepare to take on the Melbourne Vixens in this year's decider at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday afternoon. Fever players were all smiles as they left in pursuit of their second premiership in four seasons having won a league-record 13 consecutive games on the way to their fourth decider in club history. Kadie-Ann Dehaney with a fan. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian But none at the Virgin terminal were happier than Margaret and Jeffrey Byrd — dressed in their Fever merchandise — who were shocked when they walked into Virgin terminal to discover they were on the same flight as the Fever who they were going to watch play in the grand final. Fever players stopped to take photos with the couple with Margaret determined to get a selfie with defender Fran Williams. 'I hoped because I'd seen them before coming to the airport, it's a stroke of luck,' Margaret said. Fran Williams takes a selfie with Margaret Byrd. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian 'We booked tickets when they first came out. We we're going anyway but it's awesome for them to be in the final,' Jeffrey said. One player not on the plane with them is defender Ruth Aryang, who was sidelined for the season with a ruptured Achilles she sustained in April. But she remains firmly in the team's thoughts, with players and coach Dan Ryan taking small laminated bag tags reading 'We Run For Ruth'. A 'Run for Ruth' bag tag on the bag of coach Dan Ryan. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ryan said they wanted fans to get around the game and enjoy every moment. 'Make as much noise as possible, as much green as we can possibly see around the city,' he said. Jeffrey and Margaret Byrd with West Coast Fever players Caitlyn Brown, Jess Anstiss, Sloan Burton, Sunday Aryang, Jordan Cransberg and Fran Williams. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian 'To all those that will be in the stadium there at Rod Laver Arena, we're going to need your voice, we're going to need your energy. So make sure we can see you and make sure we can hear you.' Jhaneile Fowler-Nembhard. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian
