West Coast have conceded they will not lure Sam Kerr away from soccer but are hopeful of using the Matildas superstar in an advisory role when they enter an expanded AFLW competition next year.

Kerr, the younger sister of Eagles premiership hero Daniel Kerr, has long been linked to the club as an ideal marquee recruit for their inaugural women’s squad.

The 25-year-old played junior football and is an avid West Coast fan, who idolised livewire forward Ashley Sampi as a child.

Eagles officials have been in regular contact with Kerr since the club was awarded an AFLW license for 2020 last year.

But West Coast female player development and pathways manager Jan Cooper believed the Perth Glory striker would commit herself to the world game long-term.

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“If we could (lure Kerr away from soccer), it would be fantastic,” Cooper said.

“There have been conversations had with Sam and she does love her AFL.

“We’ve got the brother on the side encouraging her.

“But also, to be fair to her, why would you jump from a global sport where you’re actually the best in the world at what you do?

“If she could stay injury free and there was any capacity at all to have her, we would jump at the chance to involve her.”

Kerr is the all-time top goal-scorer in Australia’s W-League and the NWSL, America’s premier women’s soccer competition.

She has represented Australia at the Olympics, been part of an Asian Cup-winning squad and shapes as a crucial piece of the puzzle for the Matildas’ World Cup campaign in France this year.

It is a widely held belief in AFLW circles that Kerr’s speed, awareness and foot skills would translate well to the indigenous game.

However, Kerr has regularly swatted away questions about AFLW in recent years and is on record as saying there is “really no comparison” between international soccer and domestic football.

Cooper said West Coast had floated the idea of using Kerr in an off-field capacity as a mentor and role model for their players.

“Even if she wasn’t that capable of (playing) AFLW, just to have her leadership and elite practices, I think the young players would really benefit from having someone of her ilk around the club,” Cooper said.

West Coast this week signed WA under-18 representatives Mikayla Bowen and Rosie Deegan as their first AFLW players.