AFL Legend Leigh Matthews wants AFL to give West Coast Eagles a priority pick in the national draft
The Eagles' 83-point loss to Melbourne on Saturday guaranteed they will finish on the bottom of the ladder this year and the club is preparing a request for draft assistance from the AFL after winning just 11 matches across the last four seasons.
Matthews said it was vital that the competition didn't have one team that simply couldn't compete.
'If you're ever going to give a priority pick again, they have been bad enough for long enough,' Matthew said on Fox Footy's On The Couch.
'I know they won the premiership in 2018 and that's in the back of your mind. But if you are that bad, the first choice in the draft this year might go the Eagles and he'll think 'terrific, I've got to be down the bottom of the ladder.' You've got to try to make sure equalisation works so the draft works.
'They're rich and they're powerful but you can't buy a premiership in modern footy, which is a good thing. But they are going to have to draft really well.
'I look back at the Suns. Remember the Suns were down the bottom about six years ago and they got a priority pick. They got Rowell and they got Anderson. Great ability, great character and they stayed. The Suns have sort of built their team off the back of their example.
'This is what the Eagles' challenge is to be. You've got to do free agency to elevate yourself but you've got to draft really good character that stays the journey.'
The AFL Commission will be responsible for making the decision around West Coast's application but the club's recent success will also be taken into account. The Eagles won the premiership in 2018 and played in the 2015 grand final.
Gold Coast had missed the finals for their first nine seasons, finished in the bottom four seven times, were still on the bottom of the ladder and had struggled to retain players.
When asked if West Coast's premiership should count against West Coast's application, Matthews agreed it would be a problem.
'That is an interesting point,' he said.
'Maybe if you've won a premiership in the last decade, you become ineligible. But they've won 11 games in the last five seasons. If you're really bad, you can stay bad, but the competition is based on its equalisation pillar.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
2 minutes ago
- Perth Now
AFL champ details abusive upbringing with ‘violent' father
Former AFL star-turned-media personality Jimmy Bartel has lifted the lid on his troubled childhood at the hands of his 'violent' father, and revealed why he believes the game's first openly gay men's player is yet to come forward. In a candid interview with Sarah Grynberg on the A Life of Greatness podcast, Bartel revealed that behind the three-time premiership player and Brownlow medallist was a man who had endured his fair share of personal challenges. Largely raised in Geelong, the ex-Cat's parents separated when he was just one-year-old, recalling a pivotal moment in his relationship with his father after spending school holidays with him aged 14. 'I'm pretty guarded and reserved, and I remember coming home, I went straight to my bedroom and then Mum comes in and goes, 'What's wrong?'' Bartel recalled, responding, 'I just don't think he's the person I think he is'. 'I didn't have a great time up there with him and had a pretty average night, one night with him, which (was) pretty scary for myself. He had been heavily drinking and things like that, he got pretty physical with myself, sort of stuff that you'd put away and seen earlier, that sort of all came to the surface.' Bartel shares sons Henley and Aston with ex-wife Nadia Bartel, and young daughter Paloma with girlfriend Amelia Shepperd. Jimmy Bartel and partner Amelia Shepperd. Credit: Jimmy Bartel / IG He added it was difficult to see his father, who had battled alcoholism, turn on his charm and charisma around friends but cut a totally different figure in the presence of loved ones. At one particularly low point, the former player revealed his father threatened to end his mother's life if she didn't allow him more time with Bartel and his two sisters. Jimmy Bartel and his sons Henley and Aston. Credit: Jiimmy Bartel/IG / IG Despite his parents' separation, Bartel said his father would 'come around home and my mum had placed an AVO (Apprehended Violence Order) on him, he came around and told her to lift the AVO or else he was going to take mum'. 'I remember looking out the lounge room window and he was taking my mum and I only found out until I was older, he was taking mum out to the back of Geelong and pretty much gave her the ultimatum, either remove the AVO or this is the end for you. 'And so it was a tough decision for my mum, do you leave three kids with no mum or you come back home and you remove the AVO and you try and manage things a different way?' Sharing much of his playing career with fellow club legend Joel Selwood, the 41-year-old said it was difficult to watch his close friend suffer the tragedy of two premature family deaths in brothers Troy and Adam earlier this year. And with more than just his personal connection to the Selwoods, Bartel said his mother had also drawn close to Bryce and Marie Selwood after sharing the locker room with their son for more than 13 years. Geelong v St Kilda in the Grand Final at the MCG; Joel Selwood, Joel Corey, Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel and Cameron Ling with the cup. Credit: Mal Fairclough / WA News 'I think the most difficult thing is, like, what do you say? And I know that's the minor end of the problem, but you just want to make it all better for them,' Bartel said. 'But then you want them to know that you're still always there, even after the phone call, the message, or seeing them in person. And the resilience of that family is extraordinary. I still can't get my head around it. 'I think it gets put into laser focus, you know, with when you have your own kids losing one child.' Joel Selwood, Adam Selwood and Scott Selwood embrace during Troy Selwood's Funeral Service at GMHBA Stadium on February 14, 2025 in Geelong. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos / AFL Photos via Getty Images Having met all types of AFL players in his time, Bartel shared what he believed might be holding back the game's first ever openly gay male player from coming out. Describing modern AFL locker rooms as 'open-minded', Bartel suggested clubs are better placed than ever to support such a player. And it's just as likely an accomplished star feels forced to mask their sexuality as someone on the fringe. 'One of the factors I think might be holding back a player, a male player of coming out is that'll be all they'll be referenced as for the rest of their life… he might be a four-time Brownlow medal winner, five time Premiership player, won every award in the game, 300 games, a legend. But if they were the first player, that would be how they'd describe them,' he said. 'And I think it diminishes what they've done incredibly well in the game. Not that it should, but I reckon there'd be some who might be thinking, you know, do I want that always attached to me? And again, that's only an opinion of someone who's never walked a mile in that person's shoes.' Retiring in 2016 after 305 games, Bartel has since become heavily involved in AFL media across TV and radio as an analyst.
News.com.au
8 minutes ago
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Collingwood weighs up two changes to its backline for Hawthorn
Collingwood will regain veteran defender Jeremy Howe but Bobby Hill is in doubt for Thursday night's crunch clash with Hawthorn as the Magpies look to avoid a fourth loss in five games. Howe is set to return from injury, while Billy Frampton is also in consideration to boost the Collingwood defence after a fortnight of football in the VFL. Norm Smith medallist Hill, however, is battling gastro and is in doubt to play against the Hawks after completing his first game back in a month last week. Nick Daicos also didn't complete main training on Tuesday, but Collingwood coach Craig McRae ensured the star on-baller would be selected. McRae said Frampton, who had become reliable in defence for the Magpies prior to injury, had posed 'some question marks' for the match committee. 'Nick will play, his loads are being managed, we've been gradually doing it more and more throughout the week because his GPS is really high on match day,' McRae said. 'Bobby has got gastro, it's a bugger, we'd love to keep him moving, so it's unfortunate. 'He may be in doubt, we'll have to see how he goes in the next 24 hours. I know we're only 48 hours from playing, so he'll be in doubt you'd think – fingers crossed. 'Jeremy will definitely play, he got through today well and is excited to play. Billy's name will come up in consideration, I loved his game in the VFL 'The week before was about getting minutes, this week was about performance and he performed well. He'll put some question marks around match committee.' The Magpies have lost three of their past four matches, playing contrasting football to the side that netted a 10-point gap on top of the ladder six weeks ago. McRae said the cause of losses had been 'fractional little things' and was confident his side could rectify them before the top-eight-shaping match. 'You'd argue it was contest last week but the week before our contest was strong, so it's probably a week-to-week thing' he said. 'Opposition last week smashed us at contest and clearance, mainly in the second half, so that became a cost for us to lose territory. 'We got a bit stuck with our ball movement, we look at and go, 'We can fix that, we can fix that'. 'The good thing about our group is we've got strong leaders who want to get better every day – they drive agendas around that and then we've got coaches hungry to improve.' The Magpies are yet to get top return out of All-Australian Dan Houston since his trade from Port Adelaide last year. Houston gathered just 11 disposals in Saturday night's loss to Brisbane, three of which were kick-ins. McRae said the Magpies would look at ways they could get Houston more involved but referenced the first year of Lachie Schultz as proof that adjustment takes time. 'We want the ball in (Houston's) hands, whether you watched training today, he was significant in that, we went through him a lot,' McRae said. 'There's some of that on him and us, some of the way we played at times. If you play straight down the line, kick it to our keys, he's not going to touch the ball much. We've got to look at ways we can change that. 'I think it's subtle, the way we move the ball. It becomes boring to play and boring to watch, but Dan's not going to touch it much.
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
Port champion Boak hangs up boots shy of 400-game milestone
Port Adelaide veteran Travis Boak won't join the rare 400-game club after opting to retire as his club's games record holder at the end of the season following an elite career. Boak, 37, has racked up a mammoth 384 games but has called time with the prospect of joining the 400 club not enough to keep him going on for another year. The three-time All Australian, two-time club best and fairest winner and Port's longest-serving captain sits seventh on the all-time VFL/AFL list for matches played. He broke Port Adelaide legend Russell Ebert's club games record, which were all played in the SANFL, earlier this year. 'After 19 years at AFL level, it feels like now is the right time to finish my career,' Boak said. 'I'm incredibly grateful to have had the career I've had and at a club I truly love. Being a one-club player is really special to me, and it's certainly not lost on me how lucky I have been. Travis Boak has announced is retirement. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images 'I have played alongside some of the greatest footballers, and people, I could have hoped to meet. From Robbie Gray to Ollie Wines, Sam Powell-Pepper, to the new generation in Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis, it's been an incredible ride. 'Thank you to the club, to my family, my teammates and my coaches for the memories over the years. The highs and lows are what makes footy exciting, and those moments are what connect a group in a significant and authentic way. 'More than football, I hope to be remembered as someone who always carried myself in the right way and gave people my time. A human being first and an athlete second. 'The Port Adelaide fans are loud, passionate, and supportive. They demand success. And while I haven't been able to help deliver them an elusive second AFL premiership, I can't wait to sit back and watch on as this club does that for them. 'I'll forever be a Port Adelaide person, and I'll forever be grateful for this part of my life.' Port coach Ken Hinkley said Boak was 'a person and leader who embodies everything Port Adelaide stands for'. 'He's someone who is selfless, caring, courageous and never satisfied,' Hinkley said. 'Coaching Travis has been one of the great privileges of my career. He's taught me as much as I've taught him. Watching him grow from player to captain to a modern-day club legend has been a privilege, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of that journey.' Read related topics: Adelaide
