West Coast Eagles have secured Melbourne premiership players Trent Rivers and Jack Viney in a deal completed just 15 minutes before the AFL trade deadline.
The Eagles will send pick 45 in this year’s draft, along with second-round selections in 2027 and 2028, to Melbourne. In return, they will receive Rivers, Viney and a future second-round pick.
The agreement means West Coast retain pick 23, which had been strongly pursued by the Demons, primarily as part of their efforts to recruit Rivers.
Rivers, 25, has one year remaining on his Melbourne contract and will return to Western Australia after 140 matches in seven seasons. He is capable of playing across half-back and in the midfield, and would otherwise have become a free agent next year.
His move to the Eagles could also assist their prospects of signing Sydney star Chad Warner as a free agent next season. Rivers and Warner were former team-mates at East Fremantle and with the Western Australia under-18 side before both were selected in the 2019 draft.
Jack Viney adds experience to West Coast midfield
Viney, 32, joins West Coast after 238 games across 14 seasons with Melbourne. He had two years remaining on his contract but was told by the Demons to consider his options after the club could not guarantee him a place in its best 23 next season.
The midfielder will relocate to Western Australia with his young family, bringing premiership experience from Melbourne’s 2021 triumph and two best-and-fairest awards, the most recent in 2024.
Viney is expected to add leadership around a young West Coast midfield led by club champion Harley Reid and fellow No. 1 draft pick Willem Duursma.
West Coast now hold picks three, 23, 58, 64, 73 and 82 in next month’s draft. Melbourne later sent pick 45 to Brisbane for uncontracted forward Will McLachlan.
