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Live sport on SN this weekend“Disaster”: The star recruit West Coast must retain
Jaiden Sciberras • August 7th, 2026 5:30 pm
West Coast’s mid-season draftee Marcus Herbert has starred since joining the club, and it could come at the expense of none other than the Eagles themselves.
Selected with the 13th overall pick in the mid-season draft, Herbert has excelled at AFL level, averaging 23 disposals after mounting 70 touches in two games off the back flank.
A Geelong VFL best and fairest winner, 23-year-old Herbert signed a six-month contract with the Eagles and is certain to have earned himself a lengthy career at AFL level.
However, reports have stated that West Coast themselves have only tabled a one-year deal for Herbert, whose six-month deal expires at the end of this year.
And unfortunately for last year’s wooden spooners, interest in Herbert has spread far and wide, with a number of teams set to table lucrative multi-year deals for the Eagle.
While Peter Bell thinks it’s unlikely that Herbert will move on, he and Tim Gossage have stated the importance of retaining their newest star man.
“I can’t think of another player taken in the mid-season draft who when offered a contract by the club that’s drafted him, has not extended,” Bell told SEN WA Breakfast.
“I think it is highly unlikely (that he leaves), but it’s been reported that a number of clubs have been contacting Marcus’ management and are keen to see if they can wrench him out of the West Coast Eagles.”
Gossage: “I hope I’m wrong, but if what I’m reading is correct, they’ve offered him a one-year deal.
“Milan Murdock has been offered two years. No disrespect, but I’d be picking Marcus Herbert over Milan Murdock.
“This is not a crack at Milan, but if you are offering Milan Murdock two, Marcus Herbert is two, MINIMUM from what we’ve seen in the last month.”
Bell: “We can only go off of what’s been reported, but if those reports are correct and there’s that level of interest in Marcus from numerous clubs, you would feel like his management would be able to leverage that interest into a longer contract than one year.”
Gossage: “If West Coast’s list manager doesn’t sign him up for an extended contract, and they keep some of the players on their list who play in his position and he goes and plays for another team, nothing will save the governor general.
“Losing Herbert would be a disaster.”
Bell: “I’d be shocked if he goes somewhere else. I’d be shocked if that (one year offer) doesn’t move.”
Herbert will look to continue his elite form as the Eagles face Collingwood at Optus Stadium this Sunday afternoon.
