WA Player Watch: Collingwood’s Will Hayes the fifth WA draftee from last year to make his debut in 2025

It was the West Australian crop labelled so ‘bad’, there might not be a single player drafted. Now, five of the eight WA products taken in last year’s national draft have already made their debut. HIGH FIVE Will Hayes made it a handful when Collingwood called on him to face North Melbourne on Saturday night, having impressed for the club’s VFL side all season. Hayes, who just turned 19 earlier this month, laid six tackles in his first game, just shy of his seven disposals. It wasn’t a debut that set the world on fire but it gave the small forward a taste of the top level, something that is hard to come by when you play for the ladder-leading Pies. It also proved the unnamed recruiter from the now-infamous Herald Sun article wrong. “I don’t think there will be a West Australian legitimately drafted this year — that’s how bad WA is at the moment,” the quote published in May last year said. Hayes’ debut comes after Hamish Davis (West Coast), Bo Allan (West Coast), Hugh Boxshall (St Kilda) and Cody Angove (Greater Western Sydney) this season. It also marks the fourth Claremont product to make their debut, with Hayes, Davis, Boxshall and Angove all hailing from the Tigers. Kayle Gerreyn (Essendon), Luke Urquart (North Melbourne) and Jaren Carr (Fremantle) are the remaining trio from the national draft, while Malakai Champion (West Coast) and Aiden Riddle (Fremantle) were rookie selections. Not bad for a “bad” crop. CAT KICKS FIVE It can be hard to make a name for yourself as a key forward when you’re stuck behind Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron, but Shannon Neale announced himself on Thursday night as the big Cat clawed his way to a career-high five goals. The South Fremantle product credited the now-retired Hawkins for his apprenticeship but proved he is ready to take on the job in partnering Cameron, who kicked a game-high six goals against the Western Bulldogs. KOZZY’S STOCKS RISE Kysaiah Pickett continues to raise his asking price, kicking a game-high five goals in Melbourne’s demolition of Sydney. The Demons premiership star also had 24 touches and six clearances in the 53-point win at the MCG. MARTIN’S MEDAL Nic Martin was unanimously voted best on ground in Essendon’s Dreamtime clash victory over Richmond. The 24-year-old became the first West Aussie to win the Yiooken Trophy since Shai Bolton for the Tigers in 2020. He polled a maximum 12 votes for his 35 disposals and two goals. EARNING THEIR STRIPES Now in his third season at Collingwood, eight-gamer Ed Allan notched up career-high numbers against the Roos. The son of inaugural Dockers captain Ben, the 20-year-old appeared to hit his stride at the top level with 24 disposals and eight tackles. For North Melbourne, defender Riley Hardeman also had career-best numbers with 28 disposals, 10 marks and 776 metres-gained in a losing side.