Despite being given until the end of June to formally decide, West Coast are expected to recommit their reserves side to the WAFL – a decision that could spell the end of talk on a national AFL reserves competition.

Although a final deadline on their stance isn’t due before June 30, CODE Sports’ Mark Duffield reports that all indications lead to the Eagles renewing their licence with the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC) until the end of 2026.

The cost of flying a team interstate at least three hours one-way would be far greater than that of other reserves sides based on the east coast, and even South Australia – a geographical issue impossible to overcome.

Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

And should they stay, among the Eagles’ requests would be greater access to recruiting concessions to help strengthen their WAFL side, given their poor form in recent years.

Ideally, the club would source the players from interstate in an attempt to prevent poaching mature-aged players from other clubs. Another of the biggest disincentives for West Coast voting in favour of a national reserves competition, is the idea of flying out semi-professional top-up players across the country essentially every second week of the season; hardly a feasible concept when many of them have full-time jobs.

Speaking to Duffield, Roberts was expecting a final decision soon; perhaps even before the deadline.

“We are expecting them to put something to us pretty soon that we can then make a decision on … I am pretty solid on the thought that they will be staying with us for at least the next two years,” Roberts told CODE Sports.

“Like we are seeing with the South Australian clubs – I don’t think the AFL are welcoming with open arms and throwing heaps of resources behind clubs that aren’t in the VFL at the moment.

“I think they have worked out that it is a good option to stay here … or the better option, so it is just around what they think they need to be more competitive in the competition.

“Hopefully that is imminent and we can get it all sorted before the end of the month which was their deadline anyway – they might be a week or two ahead of that.”

The Eagles’ reserves won just one game across 2022 and 2023, scraping together just two points all season last year with a draw against Perth in Round 13.

The expected decision comes with cross-town rivals Fremantle having distanced themselves from the idea of a national reserves competition all season, as exclusively revealed by Foxfooty.com.au earlier this year.

Their alignment with the Peel Thunder is one the Dockers are extremely comfortable with, and while the Peel Thunder have before been on the record welcoming the idea of the AFL side detaching from their club, they will not be disbanding anytime soon.

“As a Club we are very proud of our alignment with Peel Thunder in the WAFL competition,” Fremantle told this masthead in early April.

“We will always review what is best for our players in terms of preparing them for AFL football and as it stands the current arrangement is best for our program.”

The stance of both West Australian clubs has left Port Adelaide and Adelaide high and dry, given the South Australian clubs have been vocal on their want for a national reserves league.

Subsequently, it looks all but certain the Power and Crows will continue to play their reserve sides in the SANFL, while 14 of the 18 AFL clubs – all located on the east coast – will compete against each other in the VFL.