Eagles' chance to call on Clem
The odds of Clem Smith landing at West Coast in this month's national draft are shortening, with the bruising Perth defender continuing to slide in draft calculations.
Smith began the year as a possible top-10 draft pick after earning All-Australian honours as an under-age player in 2013.
However, the 18-year-old's stocks fell after he struggled to hit the same heights in his second under-18 season.
Smith is proving to be one of the hardest players to assess in this season's draft, with most expecting him to be picked up somewhere in the second round.
St Kilda and Greater Western Sydney have shown interest in the Thornlie product and could swoop on him with one of their selections, from picks 21 to 24.
But if both clubs pass on him at that mark, he could fall as far as the Eagles' second pick, No.32.
Smith trained with the Eagles earlier this year as part of his AIS-AFL scholarship, following in the footsteps of Dom Sheed, the club's first pick in last year's draft.
West Coast recruiters have been in constant contact with Smith and his family during the year.
Should he drop to their second selection, they will be very tempted to nominate him, especially with Fremantle looming two picks later.
As tough as any player to come through the draft in a decade, Smith has made his name in junior circles by hitting hard in defence and setting up attacks with his pace and skill.
He tested better in agility than any other player at last month's national combine and also recorded a top-10 finish in kicking accuracy.
Since then he has continued training with the aim of improving his endurance and hitting the pre- season head-on.
WA is expected to have up to five players selected in the first two rounds of the draft despite a disappointing year in the U18 championships.
South Fremantle's Jarrod Pickett is odds-on to be the first local picked, currently linked to the Giants at pick No.7 and Gold Coast at No.8.
Fellow Bulldogs runner Jarrod Garlett, Swan Districts midfielder Connor Blakely and tall East Perth utility player Tyler Keitel are the others in the mix.
