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Jake Waterman at the draft combine on Friday.Credit:Pat Scala

The impact of the news hit the family hard,Jake says."It's been really heartbreaking for my mum. She loves footy. She was born into a footy family as well. My dad takes more of a quiet approach as well. It's been heartbreaking for everyone."

Jake is sympathetic towards his brother,but says there are lessons to be learnt from his axing. He suggests Alec could have been more diligent early in his time at the club."Seeing him go through what he's gone through is just a reminder to not go through the motions and to be as professional as you can. He probably wasn't up there at the start of his career and I'm sure he regrets it now because potentially his AFL career's just gone like that."

Then there was Alec's illness. His glandular fever led to adrenal fatigue,and the youngster was granted indefinite leave from the club last year. Highlighting the sometimes contradictory nature of football,it was trying too hard rather than than not ticking all the boxes that Jake says hurt Alec in May 2015."He should have just rested straight away. I think he was under a bit of pressure,"Jake says.

"He was playing good WAFL footy.[West Coast coach] Adam Simpson told him that he was really in the mix[for senior selection]. When you get to that stage you want to keep impressing people."

Alec Waterman in his under 18s days.Credit:Michael Willson

Jake is a lively forward whose long-term aim is to become a regular AFL midfielder. He has represented Western Australia at under 18s level,has been part of the AFL academy,and last month starred as his club Claremont completed back-to-back WAFL colts premierships. Eerily Jake won the Mel Whinnen medal for best afield in the grand final,the same honour bestowed on Alec three years earlier. While Jake was inevitably going to be linked to the Eagles,he denies that he'll certainly follow his dad and brother to the club."Things haven't been finalised,so I'm pretty open-minded. A lot of people think it's a shoo-in that I'm going to go there,but it's not at all."

Alec's delisting could well have strained the relationship between family and club,but Jake understands why the Eagles acted as they did,and is able to compartmentalise his own aspirations from his brother's disappointment. It's a bit touchy but it's something they had to do. People see it different ways. It's definitely tricky. But there's a business side of footy."

Chris Waterman during his playing days.Credit:Tony McDonough

If this has all been too hard for the Watermans,they can at least take solace from the fact that the third and youngest Waterman boy — Ben — doesn't play football. That's not to say he isn't into sport. Ben is described by Jake as a"fitness freak."He just swum some of the English Channel."He goes swimming in the morning at 6am for a couple of hours then comes home and gets on the treadmill."Jake tips he'll be an Ironman."He's a fit little bugger."Given the roller-coaster of the last two years,the family could probably do with something different.

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