Eagles eye Waterman jr
West Coast will be keeping an Eagle eye on potential father-son selection Alec Waterman as he prepares for his second year in the national under-18s championships, beginning next month.
The son of dual premiership Eagle Chris Waterman has burst out of the blocks in the colts this season, gathering 64 disposals in his past two games, and looms as an important cog for WA at the national carnival after impressing last year.
The 17-year-old and his family met the Eagles during the pre-season but haven't received any firm commitments from the club.
_The Weekend West _understands at least eight other clubs, including Fremantle, have contacted Waterman, although rival recruiters admit they would be "staggered" if the Eagles didn't nominate him for the next national draft in November.
Chris Waterman said the meeting with West Coast confirmed what the family already knew, that the onus was on Alec to earn his spot.
"They were just saying 'we'll be watching him, we watch all the young kids and we'll be watching you Alec because you're a chance to become father-son'," he said.
"We didn't expect anything more than that.
"The ball's in his court if he's prepared to work hard and put himself in that position."
A similar build to his father, Waterman has made his name in colts and State ranks as a versatile midfielder with leadership potential.
He's shown that he doesn't mind the big games, winning the Mel Whinnen Medal as best on ground in Claremont's colts premiership last year and starring for WA in a loss to Vic Metro at Patersons Stadium in front of recruiters from every AFL club.
The Eagles have until October 3 to decide whether to nominate Waterman as a father-son selection.
Other clubs would be free to bid on the player at an AFL meeting on October 6.
As it stands, he is expected to go late in the second round or early in the third round of the national draft, although a strong under- 18s championships could see his value rise.
The 2014 national draft represents the start of a potential bonanza for West Coast, with a father-son selection becoming available in each of the next three years.
Along with Waterman this year, the Eagles will have first dibs on Jordan Matera, son of Peter, in 2015 followed by Waterman's younger brother Jake in 2016. Matera is playing for TAC Cup team Sandringham this year.
"The ball's in his court if he's prepared to work hard and put himself in that position."" *Chris Waterman * on his son Alec
