'Absolutely against this': Essendon champion Tim Watson slams Eagles draft handout

An assistance package from the AFL has been given to West Coast ahead of this year's draft, but it hasn't been well received around the competition.

Just seven years on from winning a premiership, the Eagles have been stuck in a dismal state, winning just nine games over the past three seasons.

They only won once in 2025, finishing the season with the most losses of any team in a single season in AFL history.

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The AFL informed the Eagles of their handouts on Tuesday afternoon. West Coast will receive four additional rookie list spots over the next three seasons along with an extra draft pick at the end of the first round of the 2025 draft.

The league doesn't hand out compensation picks often. North Melbourne received a similar package in 2023, except they received three end of first round picks.

Gold Coast meanwhile was handed the No.1 pick in the 2019 draft (which turned into 2025 Brownlow Medal winner Matt Rowell) when they hit rock bottom, as part of the largest handout ever dished out.

Former Essendon captain Tim Watson however wonders why other clubs' draft positions are being impacted by the Eagles' own failings.

"We can give the Eagles assistance, but I think we do it in other ways," he told SEN.

"I don't think the rest of the competition should pay because they have been inept and haven't been able to manage their football club with the decisions they have made over time given they're one of the most powerful financial clubs in the competition.

"Rather than make every other club shuffle back one place for talent in the comp by giving them a pick at the end of the first round, why don't we give them more money to go approach and nurture other players so in their soft cap spend they can bring another development coach in.

"They're getting all those early draft picks, they have the capital there to go to the market and find the best kids, develop them, turn them into players and make them work like everyone else in the competition has to work to make success.

"I am absolutely against this. It is tough enough to secure a talented player in the draft let alone be shuffled back one more place because there is a team out there that hasn't been able to administer themselves."

The Eagles' struggles date back to their poor planning as they fell out of premiership contention at the end of the 2010s.

Rather than bring in young talent, they consistently topped up with veterans, trading out draft picks and hoping injured veterans could get back to their best.

AFL executive general manager of football performance Greg Swann confirmed the league would have the right to review or alter the provision of support in 2027 and 2028 "should there be material change" to the club's circumstances.

"It is important that we have a competitively balanced competition and that fans can feel that on any day, in any game, their team can win," Swann said in a statement.

"The Eagles have won only nine games in the past three seasons and finished in the bottom three of the ladder in the past four seasons.

"We have been working with the club on how assistance can improve their on-field performance to return to being competitive."

Eagles CEO Don Pyke admitted the assistance request was not a "decision we took lightly" but said it would ultimately help the club in the long run.

"We sincerely appreciate the AFL's engagement, consideration and approval of the club's request," Pyke said.

"... The club accepts and takes responsibility for previous decisions which contributed to our current situation."

West Coast is hoping to bring in Brisbane pair Brandon Starcevich and Devon Robertson in the upcoming trade period.