Claremont’s Declan Mountford and Subiaco’s Angus Dewar named as COVID top-up players for West Coast Eagles

Former North Melbourne midfielder and Claremont vice-captain Declan Mountford has joined the West Coast Eagles as a COVID top-up player for the upcoming AFL season. All AFL clubs will get 20-player COVID-19 contingency lists to draw on during 2022 if their team is affected by the virus. Mountford is joined by Ongerup-raised footballer Angus Dewar and Brookton-Pingelly’s Tom Blechynden, all taken by the Eagles as clubs across the country locked in their 20-player contingency lists this week. Mountford played 12 AFL games for the Kangaroos before returning to WA to ply his trade with Claremont in the WAFL. The North Albany junior was one of two Claremont players taken by the Eagles and five were selected in total from his club, with Jye Bolton, Bailey Rogers and Ronin O’Connor joining Fremantle. The 25-year-old was co-captain of the Tigers last year and was thrilled to learn of his selection. “Obviously unusual circumstances and I think even the AFL and Eagles are working it out as they go,” Mountford said. “Personally it’s always good to be recognised as someone that may be able to offer them something if the situation arose. “It’s not going to change my day-to-day and I will still continue with my studies and work and Claremont commitments but physically I have a really good, uninterrupted pre-season so I will be ready to compete at whatever level if I need to be.” Ongerup product and three-time Subiaco premiership defender Dewar, like Mountford, may get another chance at AFL level after he was also named on the Eagles’ contingency list. Dewar played 25 games with Hawthorn before he was delisted at the end of 2016, and has been a star with Subiaco in the WAFL since returning home to WA. The 29-year-old, who spent time playing for Albany and Royals as a junior, and Subiaco teammate Stefan Giro, were taken by the Eagles. Upper Great Southern product and emerging South Fremantle midfielder Tom Blechynden was also selected by the Eagles. Blechynden spent time training with the Eagles in the pre-season as he pressed his claims for a spot on their list in the supplemental selection period. The 22-year-old from Brookton-Pingelly enjoyed a breakout WAFL season with the Bulldogs last year.