West Perth in the mix to sign Mark Hutchings, Luke Meadows for 2022 WAFL season after adding Ben Johnson

West Perth are in the box seat to lure West Coast premiership tagger Mark Hutchings and Luke Meadows back to the club for 2022. The Falcons met with Hutchings earlier this month, with HBF Arena his likely destination should another AFL opportunity not present itself during the off-season. The 30-year-old, who won West Perth’s fairest-and-best in 2012 and a grand final Simpson Medal and flag in 2013, was de-listed by the Eagles at season’s end after 120 AFL appearances in nine seasons. Hutchings dominated in the WAFL this season, averaging more than 25 possessions per game, but struggled to break into West Coast’s best 22, featuring just four times at AFL level. “We met with him last week but he’s still working through this trade period and hopeful of getting picked up,” West Perth coach Geoff Valentine told The West Australian. “We’ll be patient and let Mark work his way through that, but he knows where we are and we’re really keen to get him. “I’m confident it will fall that way if he doesn’t get picked up, but until it’s done it’s never done.” The Falcons are set to further bolster their already impressive midfield, which includes Sandover medallist Aaron Black and fellow ball magnet Shane Nelson, with Meadows’ signature. The 26-year-old, who has played 99 games for the club, spent the season playing for Williamstown in the VFL but is keen to get back home to WA. The club could announced Meadows’ signing as early as this month. The big-bodied on-baller had a tough few years in Victoria, with COVID cancellations restricting him to 28 games across three seasons and Williamstown and Box Hill, including nine this year. He last played for West Perth in 2020 when the entire VFL season was called off. “He’s trying to get himself back to WA, there’s obviously border issues with Victoria but hopefully that comes to fruition as well,” Valentine said. It comes after the club announced the signing of former player Ben Johnson, who was cut by West Coast after two seasons without playing an AFL match. Valentine plans to not only use Johnson, who made his league debut for the Falcons back in 2019, in defence, with hopes he can also play on a wing. “We’re keen to use his leg speed and kicking skills, those are areas we need to improve in and he brings both of those traits so he’ll bring some real value to the team,” Valentine said. “It’s been a tough couple of years for him, with no WAFL footy in his first year because of COVID and the Eagles having a tough season this year, so we’ll give him every opportunity to settle in and enjoy his footy.”