West Coast confirm interest in rival trio: AFL trade news

“We’d like to bring him to the footy club. We’ve had some discussions with his management.”

West Coast Eagles list manager Rohan O’Brien has confirmed his club’s interest in a trio of trade targets ahead of the opening of the 2023 player movement period.

The Eagles could be in for a busy few weeks as clubs potentially prepare offers for Pick 1 – an asset that could headline this year’s trade period dealings.

MORE: 5 Potential Trades for West Coast’s Pick #1

On the personnehttps://bbcsportss.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/maxresdefault-4.jpgl front, West Coast will be keen to bring in emerging and low-priced players for later draft picks as they continue to work through their list rebuild off the back of a wooden spoon finish.

The Eagles have already opened up nine list spots for 2024 through retirements and delistings, with all of Greg Clark (delisted), Luke Foley (delisted), Shannon Hurn (retired), Nic Naitanui (retired), Xavier O’Neill (delisted), Sam Petrevski-Seton (delisted), Luke Shuey (retired), Connor West (delisted), Isiah Winder (delisted) departing the club since the end of their recent campaign.

While West Coast will be busy come the National Draft, they could bring in as many as three players through the incoming trade and free agency windows.

The Eagles are keen on acquiring GWS ruckman Matt Flynn, who is eligible for free agency, while Hawthorn small forward Tyler Brockman has requested a move to West Coast as he looks to return to his home state of Western Australia.

Lions midfielder Deven Robertson is another WA product and has garnered interest from the Eagles, however a desire to don the royal blue and gold hasn’t been declared by the onballer, who recently took part in Brisbane’s grand final loss to Collingwood over the weekend.

West Coast are expected to have some competition from Melbourne in their pursuit of Flynn, who has been granted the opportunity to find a new home by the Giants this off-season.

Speaking on Trade Radio, O’Brien said discussions with Flynn’s management have been positive.

“I think discussions are going pretty well. We’ve been talking with Matt’s management for a little while now and we feel we can provide a good opportunity for him,”

“We gave him a bit of space during the final series while the Giants were still going and he was trying to get his spot back in the team. But now that that’s finished, I think we can move forward again quickly and it feels quite positive at the minute.

“[The ruck spot] is an area of the ground that we really value. With Nic (Naitanui’s) retirement, and Bailey Williams made some great improvements this year, but we feel he’s got some good flexibility and maybe might be better suited as a forward-ruck. So someone like Matt we think can really help us and hopefully it lands our way.

Brockman is also off-contract but is ineligible for free agency, meaning the Eagles will need to open trade discussions with the Hawks to acquire the young forward.

While keen to get a deal done via the trade period, O’Brien said the Pre-Season Draft, where West Coast will hold the opening selection, could be used to get access to Brockman if negotiations fall through.

“We think Tyler can add a lot to our group. He’s the right age the right quality. Clearly we’re trying to rejuvenate the list and Tyler with his with his age and his quality around the footy can add something to our group,” O’Brien said.

“It wasn’t something that early in the year we were expecting but he’s request for a trade has largely been around family circumstance. So when the opportunity came, we were certainly keen to get involved and happy that he’s chosen us.

“In a perfect world, we’d like to get the deals done and get the players in as early as possible. The Pre-Season Draft is there and that is an option for us, no doubt if we can’t get the deals done, but at this point in time our aim is to try and get those boys through the door in the trade period.”

Robertson is less likely to find himself at Lathlain Park in 2024 but still has a decision to make on his future as the Eagles circle.

Having been starved of opportunities in Brisbane’s stacked midfielder at times this year, Robertson could slot into a starting role under Adam Simpson via a move to West Coast, who again would need to broker a deal with the Lions to acquire the onballer.

“We’d like to bring him to the footy club. We’ve had some discussions with his management,” O’Brien revealed.

“His sole focus has been on getting through Brisbane’s finals campaign, understandably, he wanted to park everything until that was done.

“Now that the season is finished, we’ll revisit all that and talk with him in the coming days… we think we can come to a resolution fairly quickly.

“We’re hopeful at this stage but as I said we’ve been respectful and given him the space he needs. We’ll have some more detailed discussions in the coming days.

“Brisbane are trying to retain him as well. So Dev’s got a decision to make there and his focus has been on playing and getting through to the grand final.”

West Coast hold Picks 1, 20, 34, 39, 53 and 58 for this year’s National Draft.