Former Tiger Patrick Naish could secure a last-minute AFL lifeline after dashing across the Nullarbor to start axjmtzyw trial with West Coast.
The 23-year-old winger just finished a brief training stint with St Kilda, which opted to instead sign SANFL star Jack Hayes in the pre-season supplemental selection period.
Naish, the son of Richmond forward Chris, played only nine games for the Tigers before being delisted last year and has chased another opportunity ever since.
Coach Adam Simpson’s beleaguered Eagles offer his best chance yet, given they are down to 26 fit players after an extraordinary summer – but the SSP deadline is next Wednesday, March 9.
After arriving in Perth on Thursday, Naish could play for West Coast in its Community Series clash with Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Sunday night.
Ex-Lion Tom Joyce and former Docker Luke Strnadica are also training with the Eagles in the hope of winning a list spot.
“It’s unprecedented, really, what we’re going through. We’re probably missing 10 of our starting 18, so we could feel sorry for ourselves, or we can get on with it,” Simpson said.
“I’d like to have a look at (Naish). I think he’s arrived this morning, so he could be playing on the weekend. That’s not a joke either … we’ll see what he brings.”
The Eagles already signed ex-Fremantle key forward Hugh Dixon, who made a strong impression against his old side in a practice match last week that ended in a 97-point Fremantle victory.
Simpson remains no clearer on whether Jack Darling intends to get vaccinated against Covid-19 – their last contact was by text “a week or two ago” – while Oscar Allen (foot) will be sidelined for an extended period.
Dixon will play on Sunday night and is a round 1 contender as well, the coach said.
“It’s just an unfortunate position we’re in (but) fortunate for Hugh that he’s got another opportunity,” Simpson said.
“He can’t wait to get into it. I think he was probably our best player at the weekend. In terms of an audition, he kicked a couple of goals and played ruck a little bit, so he’s got a bit of back-up nature for us, in that sense.”
Simpson is resigned to not having Darling for round 1 against Gold Coast on March 20.
He wanted to give Tom Barrass another try up forward until fellow key defender Harry Edwards entered the AFL’s health and safety protocols this week as a close contact of a positive case.
Simpson and the rest of the football department chose to distance themselves from the Darling saga in the hope of not getting distracted but his frustration is obvious.
“I would have liked to have known (what Darling was doing) five weeks ago, to be honest,” he said.
“That’s why I can’t worry about it and we can’t as a team. We’ve just got to move forward and if it turns in our favour and it all works out well, that’s great. If it doesn’t, we’ve already moved on.
“We’ve just got to get our head in the right space.”
Luke Shuey (hamstring) may return in time for the Suns game, while Liam Duggan (knee) is aiming to be back in the early rounds, but many of West Coast’s injuries are long term.
