Claremont forward Jack Buller is firming as a mid-season draft candidate after a strong start to the WAFL season.
Averaging 17.7 disposals, 9.7 marks and two goals a game, the 199cm 21-year-old looks like he could earn a place on an AFL list in the coming months.
The West Australian’s Jordan McArdle believes Fremantle may look at the local product given their struggles up forward.
“(Up forward) is an area they (Fremantle) might look at in the mid-season draft, they obviously left that position open,” McArdle told SEN WA Mornings.
“They trialled Sam Stubbs and, and the younger Serong, Liam Serong, without giving either of those a go (in the pre-season).
“So maybe they look at someone like a Jack Buller who's flying at the moment in the WAFL.
“He obviously missed at the weekend with a minor issue.
“But I think if West Coast don't draft Jack Buller, I think it's something that should be right up Freo’s alley because they need that extra big body up forward who provides the contest.
“Their other forwards up there are pretty young and inexperienced at the moment like (Jye) Amiss, (Sam) Sturt and even (Josh) Treacy if he comes back in.”
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While the Dockers may be targeting a player like Buller, McArdle says he wouldn’t be surprised if West Coast took him before their crosstown rivals after they and St Kilda showed interest in the off-season.
Given his status as a likely pick up, McArdle was asked if it was near a certainty that he’d join an AFL list.
“I think so,” McArdle replied.
“It was St Kilda and West Coast that showed the most interest last year.
“I'm almost certain both of those clubs interviewed him before the National and Rookie draft.
“So it wouldn't surprise me if West Coast pulled the trigger with well, they've got pick one at the moment for the second year in a row (in the mid-season draft).”
While McArdle thinks West Coast is a potential landing spot, they don’t have a list spot available.
To overcome this hurdle, McArdle says the Eagles could place a player on the long-term injury list as he expects both WA clubs to be active during the mid-season draft.
“They don’t (have a spot) at the moment,” McArdle said.
“But you'd say with a lot of their long term injuries, do they put Nic Natanui on the long term injury list? Who knows whether he's going to be back.
“The messaging is already that he's going to play the second half of the season at best.
“Do they they put him on ice? Then there's probably a few other ones that they could look at, Tom Cole potentially, even someone like a Jamie Cripps will be lucky to play again this year.
“It feels like they could easily open up, one or two spots at least looking at their injury list.
“I'd expect they will be active, same with Freo, they’ve definitely got the one spot there, so I expect both WA clubs to be active in that (mid-season draft) space.”
The 2023 mid-season draft will take place on Wednesday, May 13, between Round 11 and 12 of the home and away season.