West Coast Eagles · 9 notes
Jack Viney on Melbourne letting him go: "a new coach wanted to go in a different direction... I can respect the decision whilst I might not understand." He's "really confident in my body" after a disrupted year, and spoke to Essendon, but the Eagles were his first choice.
West Coast kept picks to chase a second top draft selection during peak trading, list boss Matt Clarke said. More premiership players like Jack Viney and Trent Rivers are the aim: "We've still got some targets over the next 12 months, 24 months, 36 months."
Trent Rivers and Jack Viney went to West Coast as one package. Melbourne was open to splitting them, Tim Lamb said, but "we were happy to keep them together." Bodie Ryan's deadline-day move from Hawthorn hinged on the Rivers deal: "He was nice and tough... he's a good kick."
West Coast's Jack Viney trade with Melbourne is done, though Matt Clarke said it "went along a lot longer than what we wanted". With Jeremy McGovern and Jamie Cripps retired, Viney adds experience, and his "physicality and his pressure" will back Harley Reid's young midfield.
Melbourne told Jack Viney straight how it saw his playing future. "We wanted to be really honest with Jack and give him that information," Tim Lamb said. Viney then made inquiries with other clubs and chose West Coast, where he felt he could add extra value.
Jack Viney to West Coast is "pretty close" but "nothing locked away as yet", Matt Clarke said. Melbourne still has to agree, and he wants it done early in the trade period's final five days. The pitch: "help us on field, but also accelerate the development of our young guys".
Trent Rivers "still hasn't indicated he actually wants to make that move" to West Coast, Matt Clarke said, and the Eagles haven't had strong dialogue with Melbourne. Clarke called it separate from the Viney deal; Rivers' age profile suits the club, but there's a bit to play out.
Jack Viney, still contracted, is weighing West Coast and Essendon after Steven King told him Melbourne's young midfielders left "limited opportunity" for him there next year. Tim Lamb said Viney thanked the club for its honesty and will decide within days.
Jack Viney is weighing Melbourne against West Coast and Essendon after coach Steven King laid out next year's midfield mix and how it could affect his role. "We felt we needed to be 100% honest with Jack," list boss Tim Lamb said. Lamb's best guess: a decision within days.