West Coast Eagles’ five burning off-season questions including Harley Reid, Oscar Allan and pick 12

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West Coast Eagles’ five burning off-season questions including Harley Reid, Oscar Allan and pick 12

As their rebuild ramps up with a new coach and some new stars locked in, this summer looms as one of the most important off-seasons in West Coast’s history.

The West ***********’s Aaron Kirby has five burning questions for the Eagles’ next few months.

1. How do West Coast ensure Harley Reid doesn’t leave?

The biggest question at West Coast since they drafted 19-year-old sensation Harley Reid in last year’s draft has been whether he will stay in the west and what the Eagles can do to make sure that happens?

Reid has been lapping up life back home in Melbourne after the players were dismissed for a break. So much so, it must make the club at least a little bit nervous.

His worth to the Eagles well and truly extends off the field. He is a beacon of hope to the fans as the club works through an extensive rebuild and can help them draw talent back to the club. So, how do they ensure he sticks around?

The answer is obvious but unhelpful for West Coast. Win and win fast. Unfortunately, that’s just not likely next season. It really leaves West Coast with behind-the-scenes work. Can they make sure he lives his best life off-field and becomes close friends with his teammates? They also need to consider the draft carefully. Are there any youngsters in there with a connection like Finn O’Sullivan? He and Reid played underage footy together and became mates, but with the Eagles using pick three as part of a deal to land Liam Baker, the chances of landing the well-rounded youngster are slim.

However, the best thing they can do besides future planning is to create a game plan and style that makes Reid its focal point and leans into his strengths. Make sure he feels valued and that the club knows how good he can be. And there will never be a better time than now as Andrew McQualter takes over ahead of his first season.

Camera IconHarley Reid. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images2. What do they do with pick 12?

Fans were left outraged when the Eagles let go of pick three to get a deal for Liam Baker and Mitch Owies over the line after they were outmaneuvered by Hawthorn early in discussions for Tom Barrass. However, that needs to be quickly left behind, with West Coast now left to ponder how they can get the most bang for their buck.

They could split the pick and back calls that the top 20 prospects are all high-calibre talents, or they could look to use some of their future picks to entice a club in the top 10 to give up their position for this year. That may be unlikely, though, with the future picks they got from Hawthorn for Barrass putting them in the box seat to lure Swans star Chad Warner back to WA during next year’s off-season.

Luring Warner would also help with question one. If they settle for taking a player with pick 12, they may have their sights on Peel Thunder defender Bo Allan, but there is no guarantee he slips that far, and the Eagles pick could fall as far as 15 after father-son and academy bids up the order.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconPeel Thunder player and AFL draft prospect Bo Allan. Credit: Andrew Ritchie/The West Australian3. Can they lock in a fresh contract for Oscar Allen?

West Coast’s star forward Oscar Allen could be the biggest free agent in the game by the end of the 2025 season.

The Eagles’ co-captain is one of the best forwards in the league and is central to his side regaining competitiveness. However, key forwards who kick bags are a hot commodity, and many teams will be — and are already — willing to sell the farm to lure Allan away from the nest.

It means West Coast need to do everything they can to ensure Allen’s contract situation doesn’t make it to the opening game, let alone free agency. List manager Matthew Clarke has said talks with Allen are progressing, and the club feels positive, but with the off-season they’ve had to date, locking Allan into a long-term, big-money contract would be a major win and just the energy they need to bounce into next year.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconOscar Allen. Credit: Steve Bell/Getty Images4. Can they find a competitive game style?

There’s little doubt 2024 was a step in the right direction for the Eagles. When they were on, they looked as good as anyone playing fast footy, knocking off Fremantle and Melbourne with stunning performances. But it didn’t take much for that to come undone.

In the final years of Adam Simpson’s reign, the side really battled to find their tempo.

And the club’s fitness has not been up to scratch, but that has not entirely been their fault, considering injuries.

However, Andrew McQualter likes his players to be able to run and do it in defence and *******, which should make elite fitness a baseline.

His biggest question will be finding a style that works for his stars but isn’t compromised by young players learning their way in the bright lights or by the guys who are just are not up to the level.

He also needs to address the Eagles’ lack of ability to win centre clearances and stop the opposition waltzing away because, with Oscar Allan, Jake Waterman, Jack Williams, Jamie Cripps and Liam Ryan up forward, they still have one of the competition’s most potent forward lines.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconLiam Ryan. Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos5. Can they get Elliot Yeo and Tim Kelly injury-free?

Since 2020, barely a season has gone by without a star West Coast midfielder suffering long-term injuries. Elliot Yeo strung together his best season in years in 2024, playing 20 games for the first time since 2019.

His trademark power and burst were important in the Eagles’ early wins, but as his body became more battered in the back half, he struggled to make significant impacts. Tim Kelly played much of 2024 with hip and lower leg complaints.

Finding a way to manage their games alongside their health will be no mean feat. But maybe it’s time to use the pair a little more sparingly around the contest.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconTim Kelly. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

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