West Coast Eagles recruits and rising stars push for round 1 selection in practice game against Fremantle

West Coast are shaping to blood the most club debutants in a season opener for a quarter of a century, with as many as seven fresh faces set to stamp the club’s new-look come Round 1. High-end draftees Willem Duursma, Cooper Duff-Tytler and Josh Lindsay are all considered likely to feature in the March 15 clash against Gold Coast, while off-season recruits Brandon Starcevich, Tylar Young and Deven Robertson are set for their first taste in blue-and-gold. Ex-Crow Harry Schoenberg is also set to be in the mix. Not since the first game of the 2001 campaign - when the Eagles had eight club debutants - has there been more than four new names in a West Coast season opener. Robertson appears to be the frontrunner in the race among West Coast’s mature-aged midfield recruits for a round 1 place. The nephew of club great Darren Glass lined up in the first centre bounce of a 28-point loss to Fremantle in a practice game on Saturday alongside Harley Reid and Tom McCarthy and was among his side’s most impressive performers through the middle of the ground. While hailing Robertson’s start to life at the club, West Coast midfield coach Sam Radford said the composition of his group for their clash with Gold Coast on March 15 remained in flux. “There’s still three weeks to go,” Radford said. “Dev’s had a fantastic pre-season as one of our midfielders, whether that’s inside mid or on a wing. Dev’s pretty versatile, to be able to play both roles. “He works incredibly hard and he’s got a good defensive mindset. “Dev’s certainly in the mix, along with the other midfielders.” Schoenberg shuffled between the wing and half-forward line against the Dockers while fellow new face Finlay Macrae did not feature in the first four quarters of the game, instead competing later alongside some of the club’s other fringe players and top-ups from the WAFL. Young, who was recruited from Richmond over the off-season, played the first half of the game before sitting out of the second alongside fellow key defender Harry Edwards in a pre-planned move. Young overcame a minor shin issue to take on the Dockers after having his training loads limited by shoulder surgery earlier in the summer. A selection squeeze is also on amongst the club’s small forwards, with last year’s No.4 draft pick Duff-Tytler backing up a five-goal haul in an internal practice game earlier this month with another impressive effort against Fremantle. Duff-Tytler and Jobe Shanahan — who hauled in a number of impressive contested marks — kicked one goal apiece in very windy conditions as third-year forward-ruck Archer Reid battled for influence. Radford said the trio would be hugely helped by the inclusion of Jake Waterman after the 2024 All Australian missed the back end of last season due to a shoulder injury. “Cooper, Archer and Jobe are three really young, promising, exciting players. I think supporters should be really excited for the future, seeing those boys down there,” he said. “They’ll take a little time to develop, but they’re certainly working hard on their game.” Shanahan said he had been hugely impressed by what he had seen from the club’s trio of first-round selections from last year’s draft in Duff-Tytler, No.1 pick Duursma and half-back Lindsay. “Duff was really good in the ruck and went forward and had a presence,” Shanahan told club media. “Linners was really good out of the back half, used his foot skills well. “Duurs was really good out on the wing, obviously used his foot skills well as well. “I love playing with them.” Another Eagle to press their claims for a place against the Suns was 2024 mid-season draftee Jacob Newton, who featured in a pair of AFL games at the back end of last season. The small forward produced a lively performance, with a perfectly-executed goal from beyond the 50-metre arc using the aid of a considerable breeze the major highlight. Radford said Newton had the athletic traits to be a long-time footballer at the top level. “He’s extremely powerful, he can compete in the air and on the ground,” he said. “He’s still relatively new to the game and learning his game, but he’s dynamic and he’s explosive. We’re excited by what Jacob can do.” Where West Coast’s recruits and rising stars sit in selection race Deven Robertson: Appears the odds-on favourites among the club’s midfield recruits to feature in round one. Disposal was not always clean but he shone with his defensive work, allowing Reid and McCarthy to focus on what they do best. Harry Schoenberg: Opportunities in his preferred inside midfield role were limited but he did start on the wing and spend time across the half-forward line, suggesting he has been earmarked for a role in the AFL side. Finlay Macrae: Named in a 30-player squad for the practice game but did not feature until fringe players and WAFL top-ups were introduced later. Tylar Young: Cycled through opponents including Pat Voss and Shai Bolton in the first half before sitting out of the second in a pre-planned move. Willem Duursma: If there was any doubt over his round 1 place, the No.1 pick erased it with a fine showing which included the game’s opening goal from beyond the 50-metre arc. Josh Lindsay: Was one of a number of players to have their ball use affected by very windy conditions but did his chances of lining up against Gold Coast no harm. Cooper Duff-Tytler: Clearly has huge potential and is already showing off the capability to do special things at his size. Backed up his five goals in an intraclub scratch match with one more. Jobe Shanahan: Marked most inside-50 entries which came his way, even as he dealt with multiple opponents. Archer Reid: Battled for influence in the forward line and Duff-Tytler was preferred to handle the back-up ruck work. Jacob Newton: Repeat speed is all the rage in the AFL these days and the 2024 mid-season draftee showed plenty while also adding a goal in an industrious half-forward performance.