Jayden Hunt on the outer as Eagles turn to youth
Champion, who came through West Coast's Next Generation academy program, will make his debut as the sub in Friday night's clash with GWS at Optus Stadium.
The 19-year-old has kicked seven goals in 11 WAFL Eagles games this year, with his defensive pressure highlighted by an 11-tackle effort against Peel recently.
Champion's debut comes just a week after West Coast unveiled swingman Jobe Shanahan, who impressed with a goal and three marks from eight disposals in a 29-point loss to Collingwood.
The recent retirements of Jeremy McGovern (concussion) and grand final hero Dom Sheed (knee) - plus injuries to Elliot Yeo, Oscar Allen and Jake Waterman - have further accelerated West Coast's move to generation next.
Jamie Cripps, Allen, Hunt, Campbell Chesser, Jack Petruccelle and Tom Cole are among the more notable names who are coming out of contract at the end of this season.
Allen is being widely tipped to join either Brisbane or Hawthorn as a restricted free agent, but the rest of the players mentioned face a nervous wait to see if they will be offered a new deal.
It means Hunt's dramatic drop in form has come at the worst possible time, with the former Demon to be axed for the clash with GWS.
The 30-year-old tallied just one disposal from 14 per cent playing time as the sub last Saturday, which followed on from a two-disposal effort a week earlier against Carlton.
Remember the name ✍️ pic.twitter.com/ntxOMZbjCN
— West Coast Eagles (@WestCoastEagles) July 3, 2025
"Form can get everyone at different times," Eagles coach Andrew McQualter said.
"We're going to send Hunty back (to the WAFL) and build his game again, like we've done with other players this year."
McQualter praised Malakai for his rapid progress this year.
And with the likes of Harley Reid, Bo Allan, Tyrell Dewar, Reuben Ginbey, Tom Gross, Clay Hall, Elijah Hewett, Sandy Brock, Archer Reid, Jack Williams, Shanahan and Tom McCarthy either having already made their mark or shown flashes of their potential, there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel in West Coast's rebuild.
GWS (9-6) beat West Coast by 81 points earlier this year and will be aiming to post another percentage-boosting win.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Garry Ringrose's brave decision causes midfield rethink as Lions target series win
If ever Andy Farrell wanted a story of selflessness to underline the team-first mentality he demands of his side, then Garry Ringrose has given him one. This week had been shaping as a special one in the life of the Ireland centre, a perhaps overdue Test appearance in a British and Irish Lions shirt finally set to arrive after being named in the starting side for Saturday's clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But in training on Thursday, Ringrose knew something wasn't right. The Irishman had been ruled out of the first Test through concussion and returned to action on Tuesday against the First Nations & Pasifika XV; there had been no second head contact or setback since, but at the end of the Lions' session, Ringrose went to Farrell and asked to be stood down. It was a brave call that not all might have made. Plenty of players, past and present, would have kept quiet and hoped to get better, prepared to risk the possible consequences. 'To play with him and get to know him over the last couple of months has been a real privilege and honour,' Maro Itoje said of the centre. 'I'm gutted for him that he's in this position. But, also, it shows the measure of the man to be so selfless. All we ask of all of us is to be selfless and put the team first. When push comes to shove, you see who really does it. Garry is a man who really did it.' It may be that Ringrose's series is over. It is not yet clear when he would be able to return to action, having served the mandatory 12-day stand down after failing his head injury assessment (HIA) during the Brumbies game and progressing through the return-to-play protocols. His situation shows again how much is unknown and unclear about brain injuries. His absence grants a reprieve for Huw Jones, who had been slated to spend Saturday with a watching brief. 'It's a good place to be sometimes,' Farrell said of the Scot. '[When] these things happen in the warm-up of any game, the pressure is off and people tend to play freely because of that type of situation. Huw won't miss a beat in that regard." Farrell is believed to have already decided to ally Bundee Aki and Ringrose before Sione Tuipulotu reported a tight hamstring, with the Irish duo thought to have been the preferred pairing for the first Test before Ringrose's first concussion issue forced a rethink. It is nonetheless a huge blow for Tuipulotu to miss out, a native Melburnian who had spoken with such pride about what it would mean to play his home city. But, as Farrell said, and Ringrose can attest: 'That's rugby. The fairytale is not always written.' Indeed, there has been no room for undue sentiment in the head coach's selection on this tour. The presence of Jac Morgan on the bench for the second Test comes purely on the basis of the flanker's form rather than any desire to ensure representation from all four corners; likewise, Owen Farrell's inclusion reflects the impact he has had as a leader as he makes a first Test appearance since the 2023 World Cup. Blair Kinghorn's availability means that Marcus Smith's capacity to cover 15 is of less value – with the versatility of the bench pair and Tommy Freeman, all backline bases are covered. The Irish thread running through the side is hardly a surprise. Nine in the starting side, including seven from Leinster, would have been 10 if not for Ringrose's issue and probably 11, had Joe McCarthy's plantar fascia injury pulled up better. Given the value Farrell places on familiarity and trust, a heavy green tinge was to be expected. There are, perhaps, shades of Warren Gatland choosing 10 Welsh starters for the series decider in 2013; his head coaching successor will be hoping for a similarly effective performance. There was frustration in the Lions camp that they did not fully finish the job in Brisbane, a red-hot first 42 minutes let down by a lukewarm last 38. Ever since assembling for the first time after the squad naming, head coach Farrell and his group have talked about the chance of making history and establishing themselves as the greatest Lions side in history – with the chance to really make a statement to start the series, they did not quite deliver. 'During victory, you get an opportunity to be unbelievably honest and show each other just how much you can improve,' Farrell explained. 'There has been nothing but that this week. We know the game we want to play, we just need to keep understanding what it takes to get better.' British and Irish Lions XV to face Australia at the MCG (11am BST, Saturday 26 July): 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong; 4 Maro Itoje (capt.), 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Jack Conan; 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 10 Finn Russell; 11 James Lowe, 12 Bundee Aki, 13 Huw Jones, 14 Tommy Freeman; 15 Hugo Keenan. : 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 James Ryan, 20 Jac Morgan; 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Blair Kinghorn. Australia XV: 1 James Slipper, 2 David Porecki, 3 Allan Alaalatoa; 4 Nick Frost, 5 Will Skelton; 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (capt.); 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Tom Lynagh; 11 Harry Potter, 12 Len Ikitau, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14 Max Jorgensen; 15 Tom Wright. : 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Carlo Tizzano; 22 Tate McDermott, 23 Ben Donaldson.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wallabies lose key figure to injury in blow ahead of third Lions Test
Australia prop Allan Alaalatoa has been ruled out of the third Test against the British and Irish Lions in a major blow for the Wallabies. The vastly experienced tighthead had started the first two games of the three-match series but will miss the final encounter at Sydney's Accor Stadium this weekend. Alaalatoa was taken off at half time of the second Test at the MCG having sustained a shoulder injury that will prevent his participation in the third encounter. Wing Harry Potter also looks set to miss the match after suffering a hamstring injury last weekend. Prop Aidan Ross, capped once by the All Blacks in 2022 but now eligible for the land of his birth, has been summoned to the Australia squad in Sydney and could press for a Wallabies debut in Alaalatoa's absence. Tom Robertson has provided back-up to Alaalatoa off the bench so far in the series, while Taniela Tupou and Zane Nonggorr will also hope to come into consideration having been unused by Joe Schmidt thus far. The Wallabies trail 2-0 and will be playing for only pride on Saturday, but lock Nick Frost says the side are ready to use their 'fire in the belly' to prevent the tourists completing a clean sweep. 'Any game you play, especially for your country, any Test match is big to get up for. So we're really looking forward to the weekend," Frost said. "There's a bit of fire in the belly from the last couple of games, and you're playing in Sydney, for a lot of the boys, that's [their] hometown. You're playing for your nation, playing for your family first and foremost too."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
World Rugby hits back at Joe Schmidt over criticism of controversial decision in second Lions Test
World Rugby have leapt to the defence of referee Andrea Piardi and his officiating team and said that some of Australia head coach Joe Schmidt's criticism in the wake of the second Test was 'disappointing'. Wallabies boss Schmidt accused the officials of not fully considering player welfare when deciding not to penalise Jac Morgan for a clearout on Carlo Tizzano in the move that led to Hugo Keenan's series-securing score at the MCG. The incident has provoked significant debate online subsequently with the rugby world split on a moment that again illustrated the shades of grey within the game's lawbook, particularly around the ruck area. World Rugby have confirmed that Piardi and the officials have been reviewing the game both amongst themselves and in combination with coaches from both teams, as is standard after any international clash. They will not, however, be releasing the outcome of any of those discussions publicly as they bid to protect their referees and avoid a repeat of the abuse suffered by Nic Berry after the first Test in South Africa. Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus was given a ban and apologised to Berry after a video was leaked in which he criticised the decision-making of the referee, which the Australian official said had threatened his reputation. Wayne Barnes, meanwhile, faced death threats after taking charge of the 2023 Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand, which the Springboks won 12-11. Schmidt will not face a sanction for his comments but Alan Gilpin, the chief executive of World Rugby, felt they were misplaced and that the game must continue to support officials. 'I think it is disappointing when the reaction is one of, 'this means player welfare isn't taken seriously', because we have worked really hard on that narrative,' Gilpin said. 'Everyone knows we are putting player welfare, in its broadest sense, at the top of the agenda. You can see that from what we are doing with the instrumented mouthguards, all the research, the science, the investigations. 'You'll all recall, three years ago in the last Lions series in South Africa, when the match official in the first test was very heavily criticised, the mental health challenges. [Former referee] Wayne Barnes has talked about it – we've got match officials who, when they're criticised publicly, having their families targeted outside the school gates, that's not good, that's not fair, and that's not right, so we've got to support these guys. 'We won't talk publicly about that decision. The decision's happened, the game's finished, we'll move on, we'll share, and we do share, with Joe and the coaching team why the match official's made that decision. Joe's got a view about what was wrong with that decision making, and there'll be a debate between them about that, so that Joe and his players can go into the next Test, understanding how that game's going to be officiated.' Gilpin has talked to Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh, who had also questioned the decision, with the pair both present in Sydney at the launch of ticketing packages for the 2027 Rugby World Cup which will be held Down Under. The Morgan and Tizzano incident has led to discussions about how the sport may be simplified, with the high intensity, complex contacts around the ruck area an area of concern. 'We are reviewing the way the game is officiated and played all the time,' Gilpin explained. 'You know, we do an annual shape of the game conference that includes players, coaches, high-performance experts, match officials, fan input, broadcaster input, so all of that is a concern, but if we oversimplify rugby, it wouldn't be rugby, right? 'The breakdown is one of the toughest areas. We know that. We'll continue to work really hard with the match officials group to get consistency in the way that those key areas are officiated, and that provides, hopefully, the clarity to players and coaches. But like in any high-level sport, coaches are always looking for the edge with their teams, and we respect that.' Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli, who was an assistant to Piardi in Melbourne, will be in charge of the third Test in Sydney this weekend.
