Eagles draft trio firmly in mix for round one debuts

West Coast won’t rely solely on reputation when they pick their team for the round one clash with North Melbourne on March 18. Eagles coach Adam Simpson has flagged form will be rewarded.

“It’s whoever deserves it,” Simpson said. “A few years ago we played three or four debutants in round one (Jake Waterman, Liam Ryan and Daniel Venables in round one 2018) … things can turn

pretty quickly when you get that young talent through, but we won’t rush it,” Simpson said. “But if their form is good enough we will play them.” First-round draftees Reuben Ginbey, pick

nine in the 2022 national draft, Elijah Hewett (14), pre-season standout Noah Long (58), and Jayden Hunt, who the Eagles secured from Melbourne as an unrestricted free agent, will all be

seriously considered to take on the Roos. Campbell Chesser, a first-round draft pick from 2021 who missed last year through injury, is expected to push into the AFL side later in the season,

but will get an early chance to impress with more minutes in Friday’s intra-club game. Liam Duggan and Shannon Hurn, who had limited minutes in last week’s intra-club, will also play at

least a half on Friday. Simpson said everyone on the list would “get a look” in a six-quarter match simulation against Port Adelaide the following week, followed by a hit-out against the

Crows. “We’ll do the same against Adelaide,” he said. “Then we have a week off, then it’s round one. We have to take a deep breath, everyone. It is not grand final week this week.” Hewett

has been trialling as a forward and pinch hitting on ball, and Ginbey on ball and at half back, while Long has impressed at half-forward. “That suits him at the moment with his young body

and young tank,” Simpson said of Hewett, while adding Ginbey and Long would be allowed to grow in “positions they played in junior football”. “That is where we will start them and see where

they develop,” he said. There will be a logjam jostling for spots in the defensive half, with captain Luke Shuey expecting to spend more time there and Tom Cole returning after a 12-month

absence. “I haven’t had that problem for three years with availability. That is the best problem to have. I will look forward to that in a couple of weeks when we get to that decision-making

process,” Simpson said. Jamaine Jones has been used in defence, but with Junior Rioli crossing to Port Adelaide and Jack Petrucelle’s pre-season compromised by an ankle injury, he might be

shifted forward. “Losing Junior has probably pushed him back in our forward line,” Simpson said. “Although when we do match sim and put him back he looks pretty good across the half-back

line. So once again we will cross that bridge when we get to it. “Having more flexibility in our side, you have probably seen that happening already, compared to traditionally what we look

like where guys don’t really move from their roles. “I feel like we have seven or eight players who can play in different roles and that will be part of what we do moving forward and that is

where the game is.” Simpson said it was the most “anxious” time of the year for AFL coaches and was relieved key forward Jack Darling avoided a serious ankle injury. “We are pretty healthy

at the moment. We are on our way, definitely ahead of last year at this time with what we went through, but it is an anxious time,” he said. “Our S and C (strength and conditioning) guys

have done a power of work to prepare the boys as best we can. “We are looking to have pretty good numbers, not far off our full list, by round one.” The Eagles have a fan day on Saturday

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