WAFL club East Perth Royals have added a trifecta of former AFL-listed stars to their roster in the hope they can go one step further and secure a premiership in 2025.
Cooper Stephens (Hawthorn), Sebit Kuek (Fremantle) and Jordyn Baker (West Coast) all joined the Royals.
Stephens was originally drafted to Geelong but was involved in a three-club trade with the Hawks and Collingwood, which saw Tom Mitchell join the Pies, and Ollie Henry join the Cats.
The 23-year-old was selected with Pick 16 in the 2019 National Draft and played seven matches for Geelong but could not make the same impact at Hawthorn.
The Royals shared their excitement of signing the former first-round pick.
"The East Perth Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of AFL player Cooper Stephens," the statement said.
"Stephens is a big-bodied midfielder who we're sure will thrive off Jones' ruck dominance and work with the likes of Brayshaw, Ameduri, Tedesco, and Scott to continue the Royals' WAFL midfield dominance in 2025 - we can't wait to see what he brings to the table next season."
Joining Stephens is Kuek, who was recently delisted by the Dockers after being taken with Pick 15 in the 2022 Mid-Season Draft.
Despite developing into an impressive young, key forward, the Kenyan footballer will return to his original club (Perth) without an AFL game under his belt.
Kuek injured his ACL, which derailed his 2024 season, but he is ready to make an impact at WAFL level.
West Coast NGA product Jordyn Baker was also recently delisted after the 2024 campaign.
Baker signed at the Eagles as a Category B Rookie in 2022 but didn't feature at the elite level.
The athletic wingman will be a handy inclusion for the Royals.
East Perth were impressive in 2024, finishing on top of the ladder in the 10-team competition.
Winning in week one of the finals against Swan Districts, the Royals secured a spot in the decider, which they faced Fremantle-affiliate Peel Thunder at Optus Stadium.
Unfortunately, East Perth couldn't cap off a dominant season, going down by 33 points.