Perhaps the key point has been missed. It is not whether interstate players will or will not want to go home - eventually - but whether or not they are good enough for a Club to be willing to invest everything possible to keep them. I have no doubt that if say, a Vickery, a Heyne, a Sidebottom, etc., was comfortable being picked up by either of our local AFL Clubs, then they will be definitely selected by these clubs. Its the very best players both teams want (and need), not just local players who they can count on to stay but who may be inferior in quality.

Given the concerns in the recent past over The Eagles ill-discipline and the continuing failures of The Dockers, the hardest task facing our local AFL Clubs is to convince quality young players (and their parents) that they will prosper and enjoy their time in WA.

It will be a big mistake if the local AFL Clubs don't select the best players they can - irrespective of where they come from. There are a lot of promising players in this year's draft and it is the last draft where the very best players will be available for the existing clubs.

Do we seriously doubt that Melbourne, for example, would rule out selecting either Naitanui or Rich simply because they are from interstate??