What the once-mighty AFL club must do to avoid having more wooden spoons than premiership cups

I vehemently disagree with that approach, not because the Eagles are making more bank than any other club in the AFL (although it isn’t dissimilar to Rupert Murdoch asking for a discount on ink).

West Coast doesn’t warrant any concessions from the AFL because the Eagles’ current dumpster fire is of their own making.

It’s overly simplistic to claim West Coast’s ongoing calamities are solely because the club “sold the farm” to get Tim Kelly.

The Eagles have consistently struggled at the bargaining table, and some of their list management decisions have been more shortsighted than the visually impaired cartoon character Mr Magoo.

Whatever the reasons, the Eagles have become trapped in a subterranean rebuild that might take years to emerge from.

But with the club holding the first pick in the national draft, the Eagles’ main priority should be the exciting young ruckman Cooper Duff-Tytler.

The Calder Cannons product, who is a leading contender to be chosen first in November’s draft, has already been compared to Fremantle’s Mr Versatile – Luke Jackson – because of his clean hands, aerial skills, and freakish athleticism.

But even if Duff-Tytler doesn’t go number one, the club still has a few bargaining chips it could throw on the table.

With co-captain Oscar Allen eyeing off real estate up the road from the Gabba after telling the club he wanted to be traded to Brisbane, the Eagles could snag pick two in the upcoming draft as compensation for the key forward heading to the Lions.

If highly touted midfielder Willem Duursma is selected first by West Coast, the club might still be able to acquire Duff-Tytler with its second pick without selling its best china.

Duursma could be the ideal sidekick for wunderkind Harley Reid.

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Although, if you believe the rumours, Reid has been connected to just about every club in the AFL – and even some European football teams.

Despite the $20-25 million price tag on his head, it seems likely he’ll accept a two or three-year deal with West Coast.

If Andrew McQualter can keep Reid, he will believe there is some upside to his current list. But at present, the positives read shorter than William Carlos Williams’ famous haiku, The Red Wheelbarrow.

Several youngsters such as Elijah Hewett, Brady Hough, Jack Hutchinson, Clay Hall, and Archer Reid, have shown glimpses of brilliance, but none of them have consistently delivered that same level.

However, electrifying young forward Jobe Shanahan has shown he has all the potential to be a superstar of the game.

And Reuben Ginbey has done a remarkable job down back, despite giving away a few inches and about a dozen kilograms to most of the power forwards in the competition.

McQualter has spoken about recruiting some older players to add experience to his youthful brigade, but that appears straight out of the playbook of a fledgling franchise club, not an AFL powerhouse.

Although mature-age recruit Liam Baker has brought much-needed grit and bite around the ball, and will undoubtedly dominate in the John Worsfold Medal.

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There are reports that the Eagles are keeping an eye on Brisbane Lions free agent Brandon Starcevich. The WA-born back man would be a handy replacement for the retired Jeremy McGovern.

Starcevich’s premiership teammate Callum Ah Chee is also in West Coast’s sights.

The Brisbane duo would add some serious mileage to an Eagles outfit that is currently the second-youngest in the competition in terms of games and experience.

And Ah Chee would be a decent pick-up if mercurial forward Liam Ryan decides to join St Kilda.

There is no denying that West Coast’s form over the past four years has been extraordinarily poor. And there isn’t much to suggest that will change anytime soon.

The only way the Eagles will emerge from the quagmire is by being ruthless and unforgiving in their recruitment and assessment of their list.

If the once-mighty club doesn’t act, it may soon have more wooden spoons than premiership cups.

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