“We’re not giving away the farm”: Eagles CEO set on holding draft capital amid influx of trade rumours

West Coast Eagles CEO Don Pyke has expressed his views on the upcoming wave of trade movement expected at the club.

With several top tier players linked to and from the club, West Coast’s hand at the table, including both trade and draft capital, has sparked a number of debates as to how the club will navigate what has grown into a vital trade period for the future of the Eagles.

Tom Barrass, 28, who won the 2022 best and fairest, was first on the cards following his request to join Hawthorn recently.

The key defender played 18 games through the home and away season in 2024, averaging over 13 disposals, seven marks and nearly eight intercepts per game.

The Eagles are expected to charge a high price, with conversations suggesting that two first-round draft picks may be demanded by the club.

Pyke says the club is seeking fair compensation for what he believes to be one of the best defenders in the AFL.

“Our feeling has on prominence been the same,” he said on SEN WA Mornings.

“He has obviously expressed interest to leave, and we suggested that we will try and assist in doing that, but we want to make sure that we get fair compensation for the club.

“It’s hard to argue what Tom has been able to do for us and as a guy who’s probably regarded as one of the better backs, if not in the top half dozen backs in the comp, and is going across to Hawthorn, that we just want fair compensation for what we believe is a really good player.

“We have had those early conversations with Hawthorn, we will continue to talk and negotiate with them to ensure that if Tom wants to get his wish to go to Hawthorn, that we just get fair compensation.

“I don’t think that’s unreasonable.”

This year’s trade period has seen an influx of West Australians seeking a route back home, with the likes of Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Jack Graham all set to leave Richmond, alongside the rumours surrounding Sydney's WA-born star Chad Warner.

The Eagles have recently acquired confirmation that both Baker and Graham would like to join the club, in part due to their Tigers connection with newly implemented coach Andrew McQualter.

With several deals likely to be discussed in the very near future, Pyke is adamant that the club will not clear out their draft capital, seeming particularly set on maintaining the rights to their third overall pick in the upcoming draft.

“That’s all part of the mix now,” Pyke continued.

“I haven’t caught up with our list manager (Matthew Clarke) yet around exactly where we are sitting with the two, in Liam and Jack.

“We will weigh up what that looks like in terms of our draft capital and how that plays, it’s probably too early to say, there’s going to be a lot of water to go under the bridge before we finalise deals.

“We were still really mindful, and we’ve been pretty consistent on this stuff.

“We want to go into the draft with a good enough hand to bring in some young talent, because we understand where we are."

The Eagles currently hold three picks in what is said to be an extremely deep pool in next month's national draft. Headlined by pick three, the Eagles also hold 23 and 59, while a likely deal with Hawthorn for the aforementioned Barrass may bolster their hand.

“We need to continue to add that young talent," he continued.

“If there are opportunities that present with the free agency and trade we will want to do them, but we want to get the balance right.

“We’re not giving away the farm for people, we’re making sure we’ve actually still got enough picks.

“But if we’ve got an opportunity to bring in some guys through that 23 to 27-year-old bracket where we don’t have a lot of depth in those areas, then we will look to do it.

“We just have to weigh up exactly the currency that we’ve got and how we play with it to get ourselves the best of both worlds.”

26-year-old Liam Baker averaged 20 disposals in his 18 games in 2024, and was last night awarded equal fifth in the Tigers’ Best and Fairest, equal with Bolton who is eager to return home.

Graham only managed 14 games due to quad concerns early in the season, averaging 17 and four tackles across the year.

There is plenty to unfold out west as the Eagles look to build on their 16th placed finish in 2024 under a new coach.