Chad Warner’s meeting with Kieren Jack and Don Pike should worry Sydney Swans and Fremantle Dockers.

On a beautiful sunny Sunday in Perth in late November, three old work colleagues went out for a round of golf.

No doubt, laughing at old times, war stories, reminiscing about life.

It’s OK. There’s nothing to see here.

Except it could make a huge difference.

Don Pike, Kieren Jack and Chad Warner were three old work colleagues.

Pike, of course, is the executive director of the West Coast Eagles.

Jack is the Eagles’ head of strategy and innovation, a role that is itself shrouded in mystery. I think it’s like Red from Shawshank – a guy who finds certain things from time to time.

Warner is a Sydney Swans superstar who is out of contract in 12 months.

Three AFL champions have achieved success. It was a surprise to no one (except them) that they were noticed through the links.

Like in some excerpt from Monty Python – “we are the three wise men.”

“So what are you doing hanging around the barn at two in the morning? This doesn’t seem very reasonable to me.”

Guys, this is Perth. If an AFL player gets a cup of coffee, people get excited. Chad Warner playing golf with the Eagles’ CEO and head of strategy and innovation won’t go unnoticed.

Perhaps Don, Kieren and Chad had forgotten that they were no longer in Sydney, a place where an AFL player could go to the toilet on the steps of the Opera House and no one would blink.

At least put on a false mustache or something like that.

It may not mean anything. Pike and Jack are mentors of sorts for Chad, so being able to catch up while he’s in Perth makes sense.

But let’s not pretend that a couple of Eagles wouldn’t love to make it a weekly event, join the local club as a trio and get matching polo shirts with “best bros 4eva” embroidered on the lapel.

They want Chad. Everyone does it. He’s a star.

The West Coast has made it clear privately (and publicly) that he is on their radar.

We did an interview in June of this year and Pike didn’t shy away from the competition.

“Obviously I was involved with Chad and coached Chad and his development,” he said.

“Of course he is a player we will be interested in.”

Former Geelong star and current commentator Cam Mooney hated Best Buddies Golf Day.

“Sorry, I think it looks really bad. I’m a bit dirty if I’m Chad’s teammate,” he told SEN Breakfast.

“People will come to me and say they are friends and they can do that, but Don Pike is the general manager of the club who essentially opens the door for you.

“No. Sorry. That’s a bad look. I wouldn’t be happy being Chad’s teammate if he was playing golf with Don Pike.”

Cam, if you thought Patrick Dangerfield or Jeremy Cameron’s arrival at the cattery was as pure as a newborn kitten, I have bad news for you.

Clayton Oliver’s recent visit to Geelong was not to explore the botanic gardens.

This happens all the time.

Just this year Sam Mitchell flew to Perth – during the season – to meet Tom Barruss, who has now become a hockey stalwart.

Clubs need to plan for such raids months, even years in advance. The more expensive the player, the earlier it is necessary to formulate such a plan.

You need to stock up on draft picks and money too.

You can’t wait for Warner to get out of contract, see if you have $1.4 million under your couch cushion, and then call him. By then the ship will have entered Sydney or Freo harbor.

We might wish the system were more virtuous and more loyal, but the reality is that it’s an arms race and the AFL is big business.

Unlike Mooney’s cohort, players of this generation are not as sensitive to these things. They want their teammates to stay and help them win, but most of the time they want them to be happy, get paid, and understand that it’s all fluctuations and workarounds.

Mooney also had a chance against Pike.

“Even for “Pikey” to do it. It’s terrible, it looks terrible, and I’d be pissed if I was his teammate.”

It may have required a little more discretion, but I can tell you that if Pike didn’t play golf, drink coffee, drink beer, and damn sure wink at potential recruits, he wouldn’t be doing his job.

If you’re an Eagles fan, you’re excited about this. He is aggressive, proactive and a little cocky.

And don’t think for a second that the Dockers aren’t putting their own work into Warner like they did with Luke Jackson and Shy Bolton.

Anyone who has spent five minutes with Chad Warner knows that he is a laid-back, laid-back guy who just loves football and family.

Wherever he is in 2026, he’ll be paid obscene amounts of money, he’ll be playing great, and he’ll probably be very happy.

Playing golf doesn’t mean he’ll become a West Coast Eagle. Dining at Crown doesn’t mean he’ll become a dock worker.

But if you don’t have a swing, you’ll play with a slight disadvantage, and unlike golf, that’s not a good thing in soccer.