AFL Draft: West Coast add classy defender Josh Lindsay with pick 19 after trade and matched academy bids
West Coast have added classy defender Josh Lindsay with their third selection in the 2025 AFL draft — after both a trade and another pair of matched academy bids.
Lindsay‘s selection came after the Eagles executed a trade with Hawthorn to move one spot up the draft board, giving up St Kilda’s 2026 second-round pick — which they received in the Liam Ryan trade — in the process.
West Coast’s initial move with their third pick was to bid on two more academy players, as they did with their second selection before taking key position prospect Cooper Duff-Tytler.
Both of their bids came on Gold Coast prospects Jai Murray and Beau Addinsall but the Suns opted to retain the pair, as they did when the Eagles tried to prize one of the draft’s top prospects Zeke Uwland out of Queensland earlier in the night.
The Eagles were initially slated to have pick 13 but Lindsay was eventually taken at No.19 after their selection slid back six spots due to both the trade and the litany of matched academy bids.
If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings.
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.
Lindsay joins a growing contingent of country Victoria products at the Eagles, including rising superstar Harley Reid and 2025 No.1 selection Willem Duursma.
He produced a hugely impressive performance against WA in the under-18 national championships in June, winning a game-high 28 disposals.
Speaking from his home in Geelong, Lindsay said he had chatted with the Eagles regularly throughout his draft year.
“It’s definitely exciting. I’ve always wanted to chase this dream and if that’s moving to West Coast or whatever, I’m happy either way,” he told Fox Footy.
Camera IconJosh Lindsay is another country Victorian product. Credit: Riley Lockett/AFL Photos
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do my whole life. Seeing Duurs and Duff go to the Eagles, spending it with them, it’s going to be really, really cool.”
Renowned as one of the best kicks in the draft, Lindsay paid credit to his family for helping him work on his skills.
“I think I’ve always been pretty natural, but Dad’s been huge for me, ever since a young age, we’ve always been going down to the oval, and even my brother as well, we go down all the time,” he said.
“I’ve definitely worked hard at it.”
