West Coast Eagles Priority Pick (2024)

[Cam Payne]

And several of those players would still be playing if not retired early. And we wouldn't be this bad.

THATs the point and one of the factors why this list has bottomed out hard.

You'd still have your second highest goal scorer if you didn't get rid of him.

 

[windyhill]

How many games did the Bombers win before all the injuries derailed their season.

Season ? I'm talking decades.

 

[BarbieITFC]

I'm totally bemused at the angst from other fans on here. It's the most half pregnant nonsense of assistance the AFL could come up with. Even with the Allen compo this is going to do nothing to shift the dial - have you seen the state of the West Coast list??

This does little to nothing and all that will happen is we'll be back here again next year after another 1-2 win season debating whether more assistance is needed and somehow aghast that a pick in the mid-20s and some rookie space didn't start to solve the problem.

This is the worst performed team over four seasons in AFL/VFL history - so either do it properly or don't do it at all.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

I'm totally bemused at the angst from other fans on here. It's the most half pregnant nonsense of assistance the AFL could come up with. Even with the Allen compo this is going to do nothing to shift the dial - have you seen the state of the West Coast list??

This does little to nothing and all that will happen is we'll be back here again next year after another 1-2 win season debating whether more assistance is needed and somehow aghast that a pick in the mid-20s and some rookie space didn't start to solve the problem.

This is the worst performed team over four seasons in AFL/VFL history - so either do it properly or don't do it at all.

So what? The AFL is one of the only leagues in the world that rewards a team for shitting the bed. You finish last in our comp, you get pick 1. This year the Eagles will get pick 1 and 2 + a ton of cap space, how and why do they deserve an end of first round compo pick on top of that?

It's not like they've had a decade + in the wilderness here either, they won a flag 7 years ago. They had the chance to extend Barrass/Allen, but they decided they wanted to hit the draft. To me it makes little sense to reward a team that has put themselves in this position by making terrible decisons (Kelly, Barrass, Allen).

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

So what? The AFL is one of the only leagues in the world that rewards a team for shitting the bed. You finish last in our comp, you get pick 1. This year the Eagles will get pick 1 and 2 + a ton of cap space, how and why do they deserve an end of first round compo pick on top of that?

It's not like they've had a decade + in the wilderness here either, they won a flag 7 years ago. They had the chance to extend Barrass/Allen, but they decided they wanted to hit the draft. To me it makes little sense to reward a team that has put themselves in this position by making terrible decisons (Kelly, Barrass, Allen).

Are we getting pick 1? Or would we prefer Annable, Patterson, or Uweland?

And it's a bit ridiculous to be getting angry about trading out players for picks - two years ago we were being lectured for not doing so.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Are we getting pick 1? Or would we prefer Annable, Patterson, or Uweland?

And it's a bit ridiculous to be getting angry about trading out players for picks - two years ago we were being lectured for not doing so.

Its just a bit rich to push players out the door for picks and then complain to the AFL that you aren't competitive.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Its just a bit rich to push players out the door for picks and then complain to the AFL that you aren't competitive.

It's really not, given that one of the players you're complaining about us pushing out is literally still on our list.

And Barrass wasn't pushed, he jumped. Was even still in contract.

 

[JackOutback]

So what? The AFL is one of the only leagues in the world that rewards a team for shitting the bed. You finish last in our comp, you get pick 1. This year the Eagles will get pick 1 and 2 + a ton of cap space, how and why do they deserve an end of first round compo pick on top of that?

It's not like they've had a decade + in the wilderness here either, they won a flag 7 years ago. They had the chance to extend Barrass/Allen, but they decided they wanted to hit the draft. To me it makes little sense to reward a team that has put themselves in this position by making terrible decisons (Kelly, Barrass, Allen).

The AFL is also the only league in the world that has an equalisation policy in place to help teams rise off the bottom, then bastardises the system to reward teams already at the top. I would be happy to use the draft only, if pick 19 hadn't been pushed out to pick 30 just as we were around the bottom. You wanna go full Premier League, where the rich clubs dominate? We'd support that, would never be down the bottom again.

 

[Dockeroo]

And there it is. One of the more impressive rorts Greg Swann and Brisbane in recent years in this joke of a league.

They might as well have gone one step further and given the priority pick straight to the lions and save everyone the hassle

 

[BarbieITFC]

So what? The AFL is one of the only leagues in the world that rewards a team for shitting the bed. You finish last in our comp, you get pick 1. This year the Eagles will get pick 1 and 2 + a ton of cap space, how and why do they deserve an end of first round compo pick on top of that?

It's not like they've had a decade + in the wilderness here either, they won a flag 7 years ago. They had the chance to extend Barrass/Allen, but they decided they wanted to hit the draft. To me it makes little sense to reward a team that has put themselves in this position by making terrible decisons (Kelly, Barrass, Allen).

Yes the AFL does have an equalisation policy and what they are doing is applying it (badly in my view).

But give me that every day over the mess that European soccer has become where only the richest teams can compete and everyone else is just making up the numbers.

Sure, the Eagles have made a monumental mess of their list over 5-6 years. They’ve also had a (somewhat overstated) run of terrible luck with injuries. They may have won a flag 7 years ago - but with the league expanding to 19 clubs and with the draft compromised to the extent it has been, no one in their right mind can expect them to be making the eight until early 2030s - assuming they don’t stuff up the rebuild.

They’re already the historically worst team ever in VFL/AFL history and highly likely (subject to Essendon’s continued demise) to have more wooden spoons than flags by the end of the decade. So the flag in 2018 is moot - they will have been bottom four for the whole of the 2020s by the time they start to rise again.

 

[carndapies]

Yes the AFL does have an equalisation policy and what they are doing is applying it (badly in my view).

But give me that every day over the mess that European soccer has become where only the richest teams can compete and everyone else is just making up the numbers.

Sure, the Eagles have made a monumental mess of their list over 5-6 years. They’ve also had a (somewhat overstated) run of terrible luck with injuries. They may have won a flag 7 years ago - but with the league expanding to 19 clubs and with the draft compromised to the extent it has been, no one in their right mind can expect them to be making the eight until early 2030s - assuming they don’t stuff up the rebuild.

They’re already the historically worst team ever in VFL/AFL history and highly likely (subject to Essendon’s continued demise) to have more wooden spoons than flags by the end of the decade. So the flag in 2018 is moot - they will have been bottom four for the whole of the 2020s by the time they start to rise again.

The Eagles’ terrible list management, toxic culture and lack of professionalism will mean they’re going to be stuck at the bottom of the ladder for a long time. Honestly, I’ve never seen a club run this badly.

Handing them assistance packages is only going to reward their mediocrity and encourage other badly run clubs to do the same just to chase draft picks. At this point, the AFL should probably just take over the Eagles’ admin themselves — they wouldn’t want their cash cow crippled forever.

 

[Big_Birdy]

The Eagles’ terrible list management, toxic culture and lack of professionalism will mean they’re going to be stuck at the bottom of the ladder for a long time. Honestly, I’ve never seen a club run this badly.

Handing them assistance packages is only going to reward their mediocrity and encourage other badly run clubs to do the same just to chase draft picks. At this point, the AFL should probably just take over the Eagles’ admin themselves — they wouldn’t want their cash cow crippled forever.

Not sure we have hit the levels of giving up first rounders for Lachie Schultz and Dan Houston yet.

Or re-signing 37 years olds.

All while rolling out the oldest team in the history of the sport.

Anyway, hopefully you get a good one with pick 35.

 

[oak79]

So what? The AFL is one of the only leagues in the world that rewards a team for shitting the bed. You finish last in our comp, you get pick 1. This year the Eagles will get pick 1 and 2 + a ton of cap space, how and why do they deserve an end of first round compo pick on top of that?

It's not like they've had a decade + in the wilderness here either, they won a flag 7 years ago. They had the chance to extend Barrass/Allen, but they decided they wanted to hit the draft. To me it makes little sense to reward a team that has put themselves in this position by making terrible decisons (Kelly, Barrass, Allen).

Sometimes its like talking to a brick wall on here. Look at the actual facts.

You finish last, you get pick 1, then pick 19.

The Eagles have NOT been getting pick 19 when finishing last because the draft is broken - this package doesn't even balance that out. There is 0 reason to be outraged by this package.

I don't think we should get pick 2 for Allen either, if the system wasn't broken - but we have also been disadvantaged by other clubs getting high compo picks. Don't hate the Eagles for it, hate the System - the AFL.

What the AFL should be doing is fixing the draft, with the underlying principle round 2 starts at 19.

Ideally PPs and FA compo shouldn't exist at all, and NGA & FS require R1 picks for R1 players.

 

[oak79]

The Eagles’ terrible list management, toxic culture and lack of professionalism will mean they’re going to be stuck at the bottom of the ladder for a long time. Honestly, I’ve never seen a club run this badly.

Handing them assistance packages is only going to reward their mediocrity and encourage other badly run clubs to do the same just to chase draft picks. At this point, the AFL should probably just take over the Eagles’ admin themselves — they wouldn’t want their cash cow crippled forever.

Again, ignoring a heap of actual facts. Not blame, but facts. Worst injury crisis in AFL history, unprecedented pandamic (which we handled poorly), multiple concussion retirements, an approach that we could compete for a flag IF players were fit (which most clubs take same approach) that backfired. A draft which is fundamentally broken with top clubs getting the top picks via FS and NGA pick stacking - which undermines the whole concept of clubs rebuilding via the draft.

There's not a "toxic culture" - look at clubs like Melb for that.

They Eagles made some terrible decisions, and they should own them - as do ALL clubs that end up with a spoon - but at least acknowledge the whole picture.

 

[Corkintheocean]

And there it is. One of the more impressive rorts Greg Swann and Brisbane in recent years in this joke of a league.

They might as well have gone one step further and given the priority pick straight to the lions and save everyone the hassle

Can see it happening. Brisbane get pick 19 for a player who is retired with CTE during a preseason scratch match in March 26. Surely the risk that he medically retires means he's nowhere near an end of first round pick. Joke league.

 

[hammer180]

Realistically if Richmond finish bottom 3 the next 2 yrs, they'll have to qualify for this. Which is pretty funny. Wont be able to use the argument they won a flag 7 yrs ago either.
This feels like Pandora's box

 

[Cam Payne]

Realistically if Richmond finish bottom 3 the next 2 yrs, they'll have to qualify for this. Which is pretty funny. Wont be able to use the argument they won a flag 7 yrs ago either.
This feels like Pandora's box

Yep.

 

[bzparkes]

You finish last in our comp, you get pick 1.

Lol, what?

In the past 4 drafts, which players do you reckon would've gone number 1 if not for father son/academy picks?

When has the start of 2nd round been pushed out to pick 30+ before?

 

[bzparkes]

They’ve also had a (somewhat overstated) run of terrible luck with injuries.

You know we had to field WAFL top ups in number of games right? There were also occasions where we had one listed player in the WAFL.

So not being able to field a best 22 for THE AFL is 'overstated'.

I'd hate to see what you think 'understated' means...

 

[bzparkes]

The Eagles’ terrible list management, toxic culture and lack of professionalism will mean they’re going to be stuck at the bottom of the ladder for a long time. Honestly, I’ve never seen a club run this badly.

Handing them assistance packages is only going to reward their mediocrity and encourage other badly run clubs to do the same just to chase draft picks. At this point, the AFL should probably just take over the Eagles’ admin themselves — they wouldn’t want their cash cow crippled forever.

Toxic culture?

Also, we have 108k members, so there's no worry of the AFL''s cash cow losing money anytime soon, like other recent premiers whose supporters are falling off the bandwagon after a drop down the ladder.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Could be worse, a certain unnamed team won a flag in 2000 and 6 years later got a priority pick in 2006

Can you believe it, 6 years!

And the system that awarded it - automatically - was scrapped because it was ridiculous.

And yet here we are again.

 

[carndapies]

Toxic culture?

Also, we have 108k members, so there's no worry of the AFL''s cash cow losing money anytime soon, like other recent premiers whose supporters are falling off the bandwagon after a drop down the ladder.

If a third AFL club were established in Western Australia within the next decade, the impact on the West Coast Eagles could be devastating.

Should the Eagles remain stuck at the bottom of the ladder under the constant banner of “rebuilding,” it’s conceivable that a significant portion of their membership base would look for greener pastures. More than half could be drawn to the excitement of a new and competitive WA club, while others might walk away from the game altogether. Unless West Coast can turn their fortunes around, the outlook for the club appears increasingly bleak.

bzparkes may even turn to a new WA club of choice.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Realistically if Richmond finish bottom 3 the next 2 yrs, they'll have to qualify for this. Which is pretty funny. Wont be able to use the argument they won a flag 7 yrs ago either.
This feels like Pandora's box

If you're at the point of only having 11 wins in four seasons, then yes.

 

[BarbieITFC]

You know we had to field WAFL top ups in number of games right? There were also occasions where we had one listed player in the WAFL.

So not being able to field a best 22 for THE AFL is 'overstated'.

I'd hate to see what you think 'understated' means...

That was in 2022. You were also impacted in 2023 to a reasonable extent.

Champion Data rated West Coast the fifth most impacted team in 2024 by injuries and not in the top six most impacted by injuries in 2025.

So yes, to say injuries were a major factor in the last couple of years is an overstatement.

 

[bzparkes]

That was in 2022. You were also impacted in 2023 to a reasonable extent.

Champion Data rated West Coast the fifth most impacted team in 2024 by injuries and not in the top six most impacted by injuries in 2025.

So yes, to say injuries were a major factor in the last couple of years is an overstatement.

Yep, we got a new fitness boss to fix the issues but by then, all our senior players were cooked, despite not being that old compared to other teams.

We'd be way more competitive if we didn't have those issues in 2022 and 2023 and there's be no discussion around help from the AFL but here we are.

The issue now is the players are young and don't have the fitness base to run out 4 quarters, which is the next thing to address.