FORMER WA National Party leader Brendon Grylls has nominated for pre-selection to re-contest his State seat of Pilbara at the next State election, scheduled for March 2017.
The move will quell speculation that the one-time king-maker was considering running for the Federal seat of Durack currently held by Liberal MP Melissa Price, at this year's Federal Government election.
Talk of Mr Gryll's ascent to Canberra over the past year or more has seen him rated a short-priced favourite to become the National Party's next Federal leader, just behind current deputy leader Barnaby Joyce.
Mr Joyce has also been in talks urging Mr Grylls to enter Federal politics but the WA MP has resisted the move saying the Federal party would first need to become more independent from their Liberal Coalition partners, like the WA Nationals.
Mr Joyce said this week he had been selfish in always wanting Mr Grylls to go into Federal politics and to have him sit in the National's party room in Canberra.
"However, it seems Brendon is going to look after his people in the State electorate of Pilbara but I remain in the hope that he will eventually move into the Federal arena," he said.
Mr Grylls was contacted for comment but did not return calls before deadline.
Former Federal MP Tony Crook has also nominated for pre-selection in the WA State seat of Kalgoorlie for the WA Nationals, ending speculation he was looking to take another shot at the Federal electorate of O'Connor that he won at the 2010 election.
Mr Crook stood down ahead of the 2013 Federal poll after one term, citing family reasons and pressures related to the Canberra role's ongoing extensive travel regime.
But he confirmed he was now seeking to enter the WA parliament with incumbent National MP Wendy Duncan's retirement in Kalgoorlie.
"It's public knowledge now that I've nominated for Kalgoorlie but I won't be saying anything more publicly until after the pre-selection is held at the State Council meeting in Perth on February 20," he said.
Mr Crook first contested Kalgoorlie in 2008, but lost that battle to former State Labor MP-turned-independent John Bowler, who subsequently supported the WA Nationals to form a minority government after the election.
Mr Crook then used the campaigning experience he gained at the 2008 State election to defeat outspoken veteran Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey at the 2010 Federal poll for the seat of O'Connor.
His vote was boosted by Mr Grylls' high profile and momentum generated by the WA National Party's whirlwind 2008 State campaign where they claimed the balance of power and used it to form government with the WA Liberals, in a deal to implement the multi-billion dollar Royalties for Regions policy.
However, after Mr Crook's resignation, the WA Nationals lost O'Connor to Katanning farmer and Liberal MP Rick Wilson in 2013, who is now tipped to retain the seat at this year's Federal election.
Mr Crook praised retiring Kalgoorlie MP Wendy Duncan's record as the WA National Party's first female president who replaced Murray Criddle in 2008 in the Upper House before winning Kalgoorlie in 2013 following a tight battle against Ms Price.
"I would not have stood in Kalgoorlie, if not for Wendy Duncan retiring," he said,
"She's done an outstanding job and backed Brendon Grylls after the 2008 election and did an enormous amount of work to ensure Royalties for Regions happened and in my firm view, regional WA owes her an enormous debt of gratitude.
"I was considering having another go at O'Connor but I think representing a State seat provides greater opportunity to deliver outcomes for the region."