WEST COAST coach Adam Simpson has called for exciting junior Harley Reid to be given space in the lead-up to the AFL Draft while underlining the Eagles' ability to retain talent from outside Western Australia. 

Reid is considered certain to be the first player picked in this year's draft, but reports this week have suggested he is either reluctant to join West Coast or move to a club outside Victoria. 

If the Eagles remain in 18th, they face a decision between either drafting Reid, who has drawn comparisons with Richmond champion Dustin Martin, or trading pick No.1 for a suite of selections that can fast-track their rebuild. 

While emphasising that anyone who entered the draft needed to be willing to travel to start their AFL career, Simpson said the public scrutiny on Reid was not right.  

"Just leave the kid alone … it's a little bit unfair to be putting this much pressure on someone so young, albeit he's a very talented player," he said. 

"When you're up the top end of the draft, you're going to go to a side that's at the bottom end of the ladder. 

"One thing I do know about West Coast is their finals percentage is probably top three or four in the last 30 years, four premierships, most financially stable club in the country, and we've just ticked over 100,000 members.

"So, it's not the worst club to go to, and we don't lose too many players once we get them.

"But I don't think it's fair to push him on this or his management. I feel sorry for the situation because he's got a big career ahead of him."

West Coast has a strong record of retaining players from outside WA, with its past two captains – Luke Shuey (Victoria) and Shannon Hurn (South Australia) – enjoying long careers alongside Victorians Andrew Gaff, Liam Duggan, Tom Cole and others.  

Dual Brownlow medallist and premiership captain Chris Judd is considered the only Eagle the club was desperate to retain who opted to continue his career outside WA after starting with West Coast. 

"I think anyone who's in the draft has got to be willing to go anywhere in the country," Simpson said. 

"That's the way the draft works. Of course, you've got a preference to stay home. I didn't want to get drafted to Brisbane in 1993. But I would have gone. 

"So, it's not a big issue … I'm not stressed about it."

The Eagles face a massive challenge this week when they travel to take on Carlton at Marvel Stadium having lost their past 15 games, including their most recent four on the road by a combined 490 points. 

Simpson said Gaff would come into the Eagles' 22 after starting as the substitute against Richmond last Sunday and impressing after replacing injured midfielder Reuben Ginbey. 

"Sometimes you just need a circuit breaker and making him the sub seems to have worked for that particular game," he said. 

"Playing on the wing at the moment, across the board, is a difficult one to have impact, because the game has changed a little bit. 

"(Blake) Acres is probably the one who's doing it the best at the moment, so the ability to amass possessions and contribute out there all day is challenging." 

Simpson said key defender Tom Barrass and leading goalkicker Oscar Allen would both travel before being assessed after the captains run having pulled up sore this week. 

With ruckman Nic Naitanui facing a long rehabilitation after recent surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon, Simpson said he remained hopeful the dual club champion would return to play in 2024.  

"We'll work through Nic and his recovery in the next month or two. I think list lodgements … that's in end of October," he said. 

"Hopefully he comes back and plays and gets through the recovery and does everything he can to play.

"That's the plan at the moment. That's all I'm hoping for."