Four WAFL players will begin training stints with West Coast on Monday as the club continues trialling Pre-season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP) prospects.
South Fremantle duo Tom Blechynden and Toby McQuilkin, plus West Perth forward Tyler Keitel (pictured above) and East Fremantle tall Hugh Dixon, will all join the Eagles’ squad for training blocks at Mineral Resources Park.
Blechynden is a 186cm midfielder who can play inside or outside and was runner-up in the Bulldogs’ best and fairest last year.
The 22-year-old has played 32 senior games for South Fremantle, including the 2021 Grand Final defeat to Subiaco when he gathered 19 disposals and kicked a goal.
McQuilkin is a 184cm half-back who made his League debut for South against the WAFL Eagles in round eight last season.
The 21-year-old went on to play 16 games and had 20 disposals in the Grand Final.
A two-time Bernie Naylor medallist as the WAFL’s leading goalkicker, Keitel bagged 70 majors from 19 games last season.
The 25-year-old, 196cm spearhead has booted 224 majors from 124 appearances in his West Perth career.
Tall forward Dixon, 22, played one AFL match for Fremantle in 2019 and spent three seasons on the Dockers’ list before joining East Fremantle last year.
He kicked 19 goals in nine games for the Sharks and averaged 6.4 marks.
The quartet of new train-on players will follow fellow SSP hopefuls Luke Strnadica, Kade Dittmar, Logan Young and Tom Joyce by training with the Eagles squad this pre-season.
West Coast currently has one rookie spot available. Another spot will become available as retired defender Brad Sheppard will be moved to the inactive list.
Clubs can sign SSP players to their rookie list up until March 9.
The Eagles also have the option of holding any list spots open until the Mid-Season Rookie Draft on June 1.
*Main photo: Gary Day/WAFC
