West Coast have landed Melbourne premiership duo Trent Rivers and Jack Viney in the dying minutes of the AFL trade period on Wednesday.
The Eagles have given up pick No.45 in this year’s draft as well as second round picks in 2027 and 2028 and a fourth round pick for next season, to the Demons in exchange for Viney and Rivers as well as a second-round pick in 2028 and a fourth-round pick next year after a full day of negotiations. The deal was agreed to around 15 minutes before Wednesday’s trade deadline.
It means the Eagles hold onto pick No.23, which was heavily courted by the Demons primarily to land Rivers who now heads to the Eagles with a year to run on his contract at Melbourne, heading back to WA after 140 matches in seven seasons.
The 25-year-old would have been a free agent as of next year, but will now head to Mineral Resources Park where he will add versatility across half-back and in the midfield.
Rivers’ recruitment could prove pivotal to also to recruiting Sydney superstar Chad Warner as a free agent next season, with the pair former teammates both at East Fremantle and for the WA under-18 side before they were picked up in the 2019 draft.
Viney joins the WA club after 238 games in 14 seasons at the Demons, having been told by the club to explore his options because they could not guarantee him a spot in their best 23 next season.
The 32-year-old lands in the Eagles’ nest to add leadership and experience around the young midfield led by recently-crowned club champion Harley Reid and fellow No.1 draftee Willem Duursma.
WEST COAST’S TRADE DETAILS
- IN: Trent Rivers, Jack Viney, 2028 Second-Round Pick
- OUT: Pick No.45, 2027 Second-Round Pick, 2028 Second-Round Pick and a 2027 Fourth-Round Pick
Viney had two years left on a contract at the Victorian club. But he will now move his young family to Western Australia for the final stretch of a career that includes a premiership in 2021 and two best-and-fairest awards at Melbourne, most recently in 2024.
It continues the Eagles’ trend of bringing in experienced players in recent years, having added the likes of Liam Baker, Jack Graham, Tylar Young (all Richmond), Brandon Starcevich and Deven Robertson (both Brisbane) and Matt Owies (Carlton) to strengthen their squad alongside a plethora of draftees.
West Coast now hold picks three, 23, 58, 64, 73 and 82 in next month’s draft.
Melbourne on sent pick No.45 to Brisbane for uncontracted forward Will McLachlan not long after the deal was agreed to.
MOST GAMES FOR RIVAL AFL CLUBS BEFORE JOINING WEST COAST
- Drew Petrie 316
- Sam Mitchell 307
- Jack Viney 238
- Ross Glendinning 190
- Daniel Chick 149
- Trent Rivers 140
- Brandon Starcevich 132
- Jack Graham 131
- Jack Redden 129
- Liam Baker 128
Bold = recruited in the past two years