Livewire small forward Malakai Champion will become West Coast’s eighth debutant for 2025 in Friday night’s clash against Greater Western Sydney at Optus Stadium.
A highly skilled and dynamic goalsneak, Champion plays with zest and energy that will add spark to West Coast’s forward line.
The 19-year-old has kicked seven goals in 11 WAFL Eagles games this year and brought defensive pressure, highlighted by an 11-tackle game against Peel recently.
"It's a really special story with Malakai. He's been on a journey and we took him as part of our Next Generation Academy," coach Andrew McQualter said.
"He came to the Club at the start of this year and probably wasn't ready for AFL footy. He'd be the first to admit that, but he's worked really hard this year and really hard on his game.
"He's got himself fit, he's really consistent with the role he's playing at WAFL level, and he's just put consistent performances together, so it's a great opportunity for him to play.”
Champion, who played senior football for Subiaco during his draft year, joins fellow 2025 debutants Archer Reid, Sandy Brock, Hamish Davis, Tom Gross, Bo Allan, Tom McCarthy and Jobe Shanahan.
He is also the fifth member of last year’s draft intake to debut, a week after Jobe Shanahan’s impressive first outing against Collingwood.
“Super excited. I couldn’t really sleep last night when I saw my name in the team squad,” Champion said.
“Very grateful to be the fifth debutant for this amazing and legendary club.
“Thing I’m most excited about is my family, myself, the things we went through, everyone involved in my journey to make it to the AFL.”
Eagles teammate Liam Ryan announced the news Champion was making his debut in an emotional moment during Thursday morning’s team meeting.
“There was something off about Liam this morning. He was talking a lot and I was like ‘there’s something he wants to tell me, but he can’t’,” Champion said.
“I was really emotional. I nearly started crying. I couldn’t speak to the boys.
“I hope the boys actually know how much they mean to me.”
Fittingly, in a week when Dom Sheed - also a Kalgoorlie kid from Mines Rovers - hung up his boots, another will take his first step into the big time.
“It’s actually kind of worked out like a fairytale,” Champion said.
“I watched the 2018 Grand Final in Kalgoorlie and obviously Dom kicked probably the greatest goal of all time. It was pretty emotional to see him retire.
“I hope Dom is proud of me.”
