Tuesday's Questions and Answers (14.07.2026)

**SPEAKER_1** (0:01)
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**Mark Duffield** (0:35)
Yeah, it's time for today's Questions and Answers. And of course, they're brought to you today thanks to New Age Caravans WA. The MY25 Crusader Caravan Clearance Sale is on now with massive deals at Cannington's RV Centre. Paul Heath.

**Paul Heath** (0:52)
First, a comment from Gregor Mindari saying, Electric moment was Pete Vlahos inventing a new word. Bolton swang it onto his boot. Definitely.

**Mark Duffield** (0:59)
Yeah, I'm happy with swing.

**Paul Heath** (1:00)
Yeah, don't mind it.

**Mark Duffield** (1:01)
I think that'll end up in the dictionary one day.

**Paul Heath** (1:03)
It's got a bit about it, that one. Swang. Brent are saying, Thoughts on Elijah Hewitt's resigning? And is Bailey Williams and Rhett Basso close to contract resignings? I'm not sure where they're at with Bailey Williams and Rhett Basso.

**Mark Duffield** (1:16)
I think Elijah Hewitt is a good resigning. I think that what has happened with Elijah Hewitt over the last two seasons is that he's had injuries, he's had no continuity, and when he's come into the team, he's basically not been in a position to show us what he's capable of. So what Elijah Hewitt needs more than anything, and whether he plays in the AFL or not, and if he keeps on getting 28 and five inside 50s in the waffle, you'd suspect he's going to end up back in the AFL before the end of the season. But whether he plays in the AFL or not this year, just to play footy and get continuity and start to feel good about his ability again, let's not forget this guy was the captain of the W18s. He was one of the standout players at National 18s Championships. He's an elite talent. I mean, I think he's not Shea Bolton. He can't take hangers and he can't move like the Indian rubber man. But he has that capacity to get through traffic and away from stoppage at a forward 50 stoppage, which I think is a rare gift amongst AFL players and makes you a very valuable commodity.
The four years, I think that's a big show of faith. But I do think that Elijah Hewitt is a player of enormous talent.

**Paul Heath** (2:33)
We have seen what he can do in Eagles Colors as well, but just getting that confidence in the body. And like you say, the continuity is the biggest one there for him.
Bailey Williams one is interesting because he's already in the top, however many of Eagles earners on their contract list. But then we seem to hear that there's too much money coming for him. Perhaps in the New Deal. But how much more could it be when he's already in the top 10 earners at the club?

**Mark Duffield** (2:58)
It's a good question.

**Paul Heath** (2:59)
So it's a much of a much less, isn't it?

**Mark Duffield** (3:01)
The thing about Bailey is that the new ruck rule set up for Bailey, and the way the game is played sets up for Bailey. He's a mobile big man. It is the age of the mobile big man. I think it's a credit to Max Gorn that he's been able to transition from being the dominant player in the previous year to be the dominant player in this year. Same to Brodie Grundy. And of course, Luke Jackson was a very good player under previous playing conditions and now is an absolutely exceptional player now. So the rule set up for Bailey Williams to be a very valuable ruckman in the AFL competition.
West Coast has invested a lot of time and faith in Bailey Williams, so you'd expect him to be at the club next year.

**Paul Heath** (3:43)
And it's still there for him to be number one, isn't it? He doesn't have to really go and get into a contest with anyone to try and say, who's the number one ruck or anything like that. He can just be West Coast number one ruck.

**Mark Duffield** (3:53)
Well, Cooper Duff-Titler is going to be the long-term prospect for West Coast in the ruck. And if you look at the career trajectories of someone of his ilk, so say Luke Jackson, he may play a lot of AFL football next year. He's played a considerable amount of AFL football this year for a young big man. He might play as much if not more AFL football next year, but he's not going to be stumped up as the number one ruckman next year. He's going to be the number two. He's going to play forward a bit. He's going to play in the ruck a bit.