West Coast secured Melbourne duo Trent Rivers and Jack Viney on the stroke of the AFL trade deadline on Wednesday night.
In Jack Viney, they gained a heart-and-soul warrior whose off-field leadership could well be as crucial as his on-field impact.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Trent Rivers and Chad Warner’s pre-draft bromance
In Rivers, they got a classy defender who uses the ball well coming out of half back.
But that’s not all Rivers could be to the Eagles, who will be at the front of the queue for Sydney star Chad Warner if he chooses to leave the Swans when becomes a free agent at the end of next year.
Western Australia-born pair Rivers and Warner were best mates growing up in Perth, having played for East Fremantle together in the WAFL.
They also worked together, surfed together, and spent countless hours with each other outside of footy before they were drafted to different parts of the country.
Rivers was taken by Melbourne and became a premiership player — ironically in Perth during the COVID-affected season of 2021 — and Warner went to Sydney, going on to become one of the competition’s premier midfielders.
There was speculation throughout 2025 that Warner could be headed home to WA at the end of that year before he re-committed to the Swans on a two-year deal that takes him through until free agency.
Next year, it is set to ramp up again, with the two WA teams still keen to lure the 25-year-old home.
And now the Eagles have Rivers to try to help convince Warner to come across.
Lifelong Eagles fan Rivers said he shed a few tears when his trade finally went through.
“We’re both so excited for it, so to get (the trade) all ticked off and everything falling into place is exactly what we asked for,” Rivers said of he and Viney’s move.
“I’m ecstatic to be honest. I was sitting there watching the countdown with my partner and finally got the call that the trade went through.
“There were a few tears shed, but all happy, and I can’t wait to get across and get started.
“Massive Eagles fan. Mark LeCras was my guy growing up, I was a massive fan of him and Josh Kennedy as well.
“I was just an absolute fanatic supporter and got to the 2018 grand final after playing a futures game so I was pretty excited about that.
“I bled the colours and I’m so excited to get back and wear the guernsey properly.”
Speculation surrounding Warner might only be shadowed by that which is certain to follow Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera at St Kilda.
Wanganeen-Milera rejected major interest from the South Australian clubs in 2025 to sign the AFL’s first ever $2m contract, but comes out of contract again at the end of next year.
At Wednesday night’s end to the trade period, St Kilda football boss Lenny Hayes fielded questions about what might happen to Wanganeen-Milera in a year’s time.
He and Max Hall are major re-signing priorities for the Saints. Hall finished third and Wanganeen-Milera was fourth this season in club best-and-fairest voting.
St Kilda said at the time — and Hayes repeated it on Wednesday night — that it was up to the club to convince players including Wanganeen-Milera and Hall they should stay at Moorabbin.
The Saints finished 11th this season and the pressure is building for a finals return under coach Ross Lyon.
A deal with Wanganeen-Milera was not struck until late in the 2025 season.
“We’re really comfortable where those (current) discussions are,” Hayes said.
“We’re not going to put a timeline on that and Max Hall is probably the other one. They’re obviously going to be priorities for us.
“I’m really confident that both of those guys believe in the direction of our footy club.”
Hayes was asked about the inevitable interest again from Port Adelaide and Adelaide in Wanganeen-Milera.
“Like any of our good players, there are going to be other clubs interested,” Hayes said.
“Nas is one of the best players in the competition.”
Meanwhile, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie admits there was a risk in having traded to secure injury-plagued Essendon defender Jordan Ridley.
He only managed seven games this season but when fit, Ridley is a damaging player off half-back.
Geelong were again major players in the trade period, recruiting GWS captain Toby Greene as a free agent and giving up draft pick No.14 for St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall.
“Clearly there have been injury issues ... hopefully a change of scenery can really help that,” Mackie said of Ridley.
“At times, it’s simple as you go to a different environment and things change.
“There’s an element of risk ... it’s hard to know, there’s a body of work that will need to go into setting himself up for the remaining part of his career.
“He’s only 27, so if we get it right, we feel there’s plenty of footy left in him.”
With AAP