West Coast Eagles training notes: Malakai Champion emerges at training, looks to have dodged major injury

Young West Coast forward Malakai Champion looks to have dodged a serious knee injury after making a surprise return to the field at Friday’s pre-season session at Mineral Resources Park. The Eagles rookie jogged half laps and even completed short run-throughs as the club waits on the results of scans. While he did not join in the main session and looked sore, the fact he was out there at all suggests the injury is on the lesser scale. The 19-year-old fell to the turf in pain and clutched at his right knee during innocuous handball drill on Wednesday. The excitement small forward is on a one-year contract as a Category B rookie after playing two games late in the season on the back of 16 games for West Coast’s WAFL team. Brisbane recruit Deven Robertson ran laps with assistant Harry Taylor. Bo Allan recovered from recent illness and take part in the main session, although he was sporting arm guard. WILLEM’S WAY Victorian country recruit Willem Duursma looked every bit a No. 1 draft pick during match simulation. The elite teen not only looks like he already has the tank, he runs to the right spots. One lace-out pass to Jake Waterman from the Gippsland Power prodigy now wearing the Eagles No. 1 jumper would have had Eagles coach Andrew McQualter salivating over a player who should be a walk-up into the team. Mid-season 2025 draft find Tom McCarthy, wearing a new No. 18, also looks set for more time in the midfield this season, where he has been a regular during match practice. His elite kicking and ability to find the ball will give McQualter an extra layer alongside Harley Reid, Jack Graham, Elijah Hewett, Eliot Yeo, Liam Baker and Brandon Starcevich. Yeo did not train with the main group on Friday as he prepares for his wedding to long-time partner Jess this weekend. STARC REALITY Dual Brisbane premiership defender Starcevich has long coveted more time in the middle and he may now get his chance at the Eagles. He was busy in match simulation on Friday, getting on the end of one sharp passage of player the started with left-footed draftee Josh Lindsay, who found Harley Reid. Lindsay, taken with pick 15 from Geelong Falcons, is already a good size and his rapier left foot will no doubt be seen across half-back at AFL level next season. COOPER FULL STRENGTH West Coast’s other to-ender Cooper Duff-Tytler looks, well, like a top ender. The No. 4 draft pick spent periods in the ruck and key forward during match simulation. A lot has been made of his ability below his knees, but he clearly has an elite work ethic too, as evidenced by one passage of play where he hit the contest hard and followed up an equally impressive second effort. Duff-Tytler will be among the players fighting for spots as tall forwards with All-Australian Waterman, Jobe Shanahan, Archer Reid and Jack Williams. Reid looks to have put on even more size, while Waterman looks on track, leading and marking confidently in match simulation, off major shoulder surgery that prematurely ended his 2025 season.