From the young Fremantle midfielder who should sign on the dotted line to how West Coast can turn Liam Ryan into a first-round pick, The West Australian’s Mitch Woodcock takes a look at the round of footy...

Erasmus Should Stay Put

Neil Erasmus was patient but now is the time for him to back himself and remain at Fremantle for at least the next few years.

The Dockers midfielder is unsigned beyond 2025 and has no shortage of suitors including West Coast and the Western Bulldogs both reportedly interested in the first-round draftee.

Erasmus has struggled for regular opportunities in his four seasons at the Dockers but now he looks ready to be part of their best 22 week-in, week-out.

The 21-year-old may have had better games statistically, but there are few better for impact than his 20 touches (12 contested), six clearances and a goal in Fremantle’s final round 15-point win over the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

Erasmus proved he can not only be a part of the Dockers’ midfielder but a pivotal one who can help drive this team forward.

He should retain his spot in the side for their elimination final and beyond if the Dockers go deep in finals based on that performance.

And there is going to be greater opportunities at the club next year. Nat Fyfe is retiring so there will no longer be that shadow hanging over him of whenever the dual Brownlow medallist is fit, he is going to lose his spot.

Erasmus spent so much time showing patience to break into Fremantle’s best side, he should re-sign at the club and be part of the exciting times ahead.

If Ryan Goes Flyin’

Should Liam Ryan request a trade to St Kilda in the coming days, West Coast need to get savvy and turn it into another top 10 pick to draft a player that could fill their need for class off half-back.

Ryan is still signed on at the Eagles for next year but a longer offer at the Saints could turn his head. And while it would be a blow for the inexperienced Eagles there is an opportunity for them to turn the situation into a good draft hand.

St Kilda don’t have a second-round pick and a straight swap for their first-round pick — which sits at No.7 — in exchange for Ryan isn’t going to get that deal done.

But the Eagles could look to swan Ryan and the first-round pick they obtained from Hawthorn — which could blow out to the late teens come the end of September — for pick No.7 and a later selection.

Add the compensation for losing free agent Oscar Allen to Brisbane and the Eagles could walk into this year’s draft with picks 1, 2 and 7.

This would allow West Coast to bolster their list by drafting exciting ruck prospect Cooper Duff-Tytler and utility Willem Duursma with the first two picks as well as damaging defender Josh Lindsay.

Lindsay is a skilful, left-footed half-back from the Geelong Falcons football factory who is likely to land around the middle of the first round.

West Coast need a lot on their list, but a damaging half-back is one of their biggest and Lindsay could be an excellent long-term player for the Eagles.

The best teams in the AFL right now have half-backs who can set up and hurt you out of defence.

West Coast have plenty of developing tall forwards in Jobe Shanahan and Archer Reid and some good young midfielders in Harley Reid, Elijah Hewett and Tom Gross.

But they need to find the next star ruckman and the best kick in the draft. If they lose Ryan, then West Coast must find a way to get another first-round pick this year and use it to bring Lindsay west.

O’Driscoll Hunt

West Coast are targeting plenty of mature midfielders but one they should look to get out of Fremantle is excitement machine Nathan O’Driscoll.

The Eagles are desperate for a hard-running wingman and O’Driscoll would be an ideal addition to their line-up.

O’Driscoll was squeezed out of the Dockers’ side for their must-win game against the Western Bulldogs because of poor form and responded accordingly, kicking three goals from 25 touches and five inside 50s for Peel Thunder at the weekend.

The 23-year-old is a goal-kicking midfielder who has a penetrating left foot and opens the ground up with his attacking intent.

O’Driscoll on one wing and Campbell Chesser on the other would be a great combination, giving the Eagles two aggressive weapons on either side of the ground.

For O’Driscoll, it would mean he gets regular AFL opportunities with Jeremy Sharp not going anywhere with reports he is set to sign on at Fremantle for at least another year.

And then there is Matt Johnson who also needs to be squeezed back into the team when he returns from injury.

O’Driscoll only has one more year left on his deal at Fremantle, so it shouldn’t cost the Eagles too much at the trade table.

It would be a smart list decision if the Eagles could get a guy like O’Driscoll across to add some speed and flair to their developing side.

Dillon Dissection

The AFL must come up with clear penalty matrix for homophobic incidents, so we do not have a farce such as that seen this week around Izak Rankine.

It took way too long and the process way too secretive before the Adelaide forward was handed a four-match ban for his use of homophobic language against a Collingwood opponent.

And it was even more embarrassing when chief executive Andrew Dillon fronted the media he was unable to fully explain why Rankine only received a four-match suspension.

It came after a week of everyone debating as to what the penalty should whenever the elongated investigation was finished.

This was not an isolated incident, we have seen several incidents of players being suspended for homophobic slurs in the past few years.

The AFL were caught napping by not having a proper framework in place where they could quickly hand down a penalty to Rankine or any other perpetrator.

A simple matrix would easily accomplish this and leave no guessing as to why one player gets a certain penalty, and another player gets a lesser one.

The entire situation was embarrassing for the AFL and they must be better than this.

They need to learn from it and be better prepared for situations that arise. We cannot have another farcical situation like this ever again.