West Coast's Clarke on Viney, Warner, Hill & more

West Coast’s list manager and recruiting boss Matt Clarke has spoken with AFL Trade Radio’s The Late Trade on Friday afternoon to discuss some of their plans during the Trade Period.

Going into their third season with Andrew McQualter in charge, the Eagles are looking to improve upon their 16th-placed finish and push towards the top 10.

With one of the younger lists in the AFL, West Coast have been looking for more experience, having been connected with a move for Melbourne’s Jack Viney.

They also hold a strong draft hand with Pick No. 3 as their first pick.

On the club’s interest in signing Melbourne’s Jack Viney

“(It’s been) well documented that he's been over in Perth for a few days,” Clarke said.

“So, it's a bit more of a presentation to him about us, to be fair. We're trying to sell what he could offer to us as a group, as a footy club and as the playing list.

“Jack is back in Melbourne, so I'm sure it'll take a little bit of time to assess what he's been through the last few days.

“We understand we might have something to chat about early next week potentially, so we'll give him the time that he needs and there may be some extra work we need to do to talk him around.”

On whether they are ahead of Essendon for Viney:

“That's hard to know.

“That will be up for his management once we've spoken to them, and I haven't spoken to the TGI guys since Jack's return.

“We could put together a pretty good package for him, on field and off field, and where he fits into our group.

“Andrew (McQualter) obviously has a connection to him through his days at Melbourne and Sam Radford as well.”

“We feel like we're well placed. We know what Jack can bring to us, for our playing group and also the footy club. We'll wait to see what pans out in the next few days.”

On what qualities Viney brings:

“We obviously know that Jack, at his very best, his football is at a really strong level.

“He's a great contest player. He's a great pressure player. We think he can complement some of our younger guys, but also some of the veterans we've got on our list, as it stands right now.

“He was obviously one of the better leaders you'll come across. So, we think we’ve filled in that space in the last two or three trade periods and free agency through some of the players we've brought in from other clubs from really successful environments.

“Jack's definitely one of those, so that's where we sit at the moment.”

On whether the deal could incorporate a coaching element with the Eagles after his playing career:

“I think there's some potential there.

“Jack has obviously dipped his toe in the water with some local junior coaching this year.

“But at this stage, we're more looking around what it looks like from a playing perspective.

“On field, obviously he brings an element of leadership that we'll add to our group that we need as a young emerging group.

“We haven't really delved into the other space just yet, but that may come when we speak to his management group and him, maybe early next week.”

On their interest in Trent Rivers and Gryan Miers:

“We've spoken to both management groups about those guys.

“Probably Gryan first; we sort of touched base. I think James Pitcher (Miers’ player agent) may have discussed that (on Friday) morning, early in the year, as most clubs do when guys are potentially out of the team for various reasons, and he's pretty sure that Gryan’s keen to stay at Geelong.

“He's a very loyal guy. He really enjoys it. The contract for another couple of years, so I think that's where it sits at the moment with Geelong. I don't expect a lot of movement there, to be fair, but we're obviously trying to bolster the front half of our ground to increase our scoring power and our connection.

“But yeah, we haven't had discussions with Geelong.

“And Trent is another player, obviously a WA boy. He's played some pretty good footy for the Demons over the years. He's a premiership player, could add to our mix of our age profile as a 25, 26-year-old as well, so there's a bit to play out.

“Trent is also a free agent at the end of next year, so there's a little bit to work through with that.”

On making a meaningful offer for Chad Warner during this trade period:

“For Chad Warner, I don't think so.

“Our understanding from his management group and they (had) pretty strong conversations with Sydney, that he's a required player, and he's very happy where he is right now.

“So I don't expect any movement from our end. We'll obviously do our due diligence and ask the question about obviously scenarios that have played out in the last couple of months. But from where we sit right now, Chad will be playing for Sydney next year.”

On whether they would pursue him next Trade Period if he hasn’t re-signed:

“I think all clubs are probably looking at what every free agent list looks like year on year and obviously Chad is one of those.

“I'm sure Sydney are really keen to have him stay beyond that (existing contract), and they'll be trying to do the same. We'll assess it probably in the next 12 months (and) see where it sits.

“At this stage, he'll play for Sydney next year, and we'll see what happens from there.”

On whether the Eagles will take a best available or needs fit approach with their first pick:

“You feel like you want to go best available.

“We feel like we've sort of done that in the last two or three drafts, and obviously in the draft before I arrived with Harley (Reid) that we may tend to go for a positional need as long as the guys have an elite talent.

“If there's a slight difference in their talent rating and they're a different position, we may go for the position type, so I think that gives us some flexibility now at (pick) three.

“But likely is probably going to be (pick) five, you would think with a couple of players aligned in front of us.

“We think there's a good group around our pick, maybe three to five players that'll come into the mix for that pick for us.

“At this stage, I think there's some talent that'll fill the middle of the ground at that pick, so we'll probably look to go that way.

“You never say never to moving the pick, but (it would be) highly unlikely that we move three; we think we're gonna get a really good player at that pick as most clubs would.”

On giving consideration to Bobby Hill:

“Every club will speak to their management group when you consider someone who's as high-end talented as Bobby is or has been and has done it on the biggest stage that there is.

“There's always a question asked, and I think it's great to see Bobby's trying to help turn his life around. He's trying to get himself fit.

“I think it's unlikely, but every club will speak to his management group and ask the question and see where that's at, but it's not a priority for us right now.”

On whether they would consider trading future picks with Tasmania’s entry looming:

“Yeah, I think so.

“I think most clubs are keen if they can, and obviously, we think there'll be a natural improvement for us next year.

“But I mean, an early pick is always an early pick in any draft.

“I think you'll find at the start of this year where there'll be some players that'll go in the first, maybe six to eight players that clubs may not have had rated in the first 20 this year.

“So there'll be players emerge next year, and moving a pick into this year's draft for another high-end talent.

“We'll definitely consider that with our future pick.”