Sydney keen on dumped Eagle
Axed West Coast defender Blayne Wilson will fly out on Monday to train with beaten grand finalists Sydney as he chases an AFL lifeline in Wednesday's rookie draft.
Wilson, 22, was de-listed by the Eagles last month after playing nine AFL games in three seasons.
The dumping came despite Wilson being one of East Perth's best in this year's WAFL grand final loss to Subiaco and taking 10 marks opposed to St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt in his AFL debut last year.
The 188cm back man from Halls Head will be desperate to impress the Swans in a last- minute bid to be redrafted.
Sydney have flagged being active in this year's rookie draft, with a minimum of four picks as they seek to replenish their list while an AFL-imposed trade ban remains in place.
Wilson will sign with South Fremantle if he is overlooked.
WA is tipped to add to the nine players taken in the national draft, with Swan Districts teenager Ethan Hughes and East Perth's Tyler Keitel among the strongest rookie prospects.
Fremantle are considering 19-year-old Hughes in the rookie draft. If picked he would reunite with fellow Swans player Connor Blakely, who was snared by the Dockers in Thursday's national draft. But they may have to strike early, with interest from North Melbourne, Richmond and Carlton. Fremantle have committed to redrafting defender Tanner Smith as a rookie after cutting him last month.
The 194cm Keitel is expected to win an AFL rookie spot after emerging as one of WA's best utility players in this year's under-18 championships, with St Kilda and Adelaide interested.
Swan Districts could have as many as three rookies taken in Wednesday's draft, with Blakely and Blaine Boekhorst (Carlton) already drafted. Ricky Cary, 23, and midfielder Aidan Anderson, 18, join Hughes as their main contenders.
Cary finished third in the WAFL's goal-kicking with 44 and at 196cm has plenty of X-factor.
The one major drawback is his 75kg frame.
Swans coach Greg Harding labelled Cary as an ideal rookie.
"He's a genuine talent," Harding said.
"There's question marks over parts of his game but the beauty about Ricky is he hasn't topped out in terms of where he's going."
Claremont duo Brenden Abbott and Francis Watson, South Fremantle tall Cameron Loersch, East Fremantle key forward Jack Cripps and Subiaco's Shane Yarran remain in the hunt for a rookie-list spot.
