TOPIC:

After a solid but unspectacular win against what was really a very poor EP outfit, we face a much sterner test against WP. Much has been said about our inability to match WP and it is difficult to see that changing this weekend. If we lose, and Peel win, we will be only one game clear of WP and PT. Anyway, I see Henderson has come into an extended squad which may suggest a tagging role on either Black or Nelson. Smith lucky to hold his spot. The key for us is keeping a lid on WP's prime movers as best we can: Black, Nelson, Stryk, Knott, Keitel, Lourey, Manzone. Then there is the issue of finding enough goals, which has dogged us for a while now. While I remain hopeful, I really can't analyse this game in any way that can predict a win for Perth.

True, our form over the last six weeks has left a bit to be desired. One difference might be our tackling. We need to rediscover that ferocious attack on the ball and the opposition. Next, which is no surprise, we need to find goals. We need to score 15-16 goals to beat WP if the deck is dry. This is the difference between us and other top 5 teams. We can’t rely on regular 4-5 goal contributions from a handful of forwards. We need Bennell to kick 6-7 and our mids to contribute. Though with Byrne out we don’t have our best goal kicking mid. Ninja needs to stand up. As does Langdon. And, I know it’s a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, but I’d have Leggett in the forward line deep alongside Bennell and Langdon. I think we can win but we need to tackle hard and take our goal scoring opportunities. Has Narrier left the club?

I agree, our tackle count is way down on what it was.
And it was a focus of the Coach early on.
I hope he is pushing them to rediscover that part of our game.
Our highest count for the year was 110, I think it was against Claremont.
We were averaging 20 per quarter.

PD, Narrier is named in the reserves. He had a minor knee injury after the Peel game. It seems Garstone is injured again. Hopefully it's not too bad, otherwise, you'd have to think he might give it away. Scotney appears to have left the club. Does anyone know why? With the review recommending a focus on developing home grown talent, we really can't afford to lose good young players like Scotney and Levien.

Huge game this one. We win and West Coast beat Peel we're 3 games clear of 6th. We lose and Peel win then we are really up against it as far as making the finals. WP seem to have too many danger men for mine. Who's going to play on Stryck and Knott who killed us last time. I would bring in Henderson as a tight tag on Nelson or Black.

We need to start playing consistently like a team sitting in 4th and that starts this weekend playing and beating WP.
Lose and the slide down the ladder begins.

Just imagine if ninj or magic kicked 6 or more. Has to happen sometime doesn’t it? Could be tomorrow, fining up nicely. And although playing 2s imagine if Gordy said ‘I want this!!!’. He could line up on the wing in a gf!!!

Massive game today we all know what's at stake. I see Nicholas has come in for Hansen.

Ted Nugent wrote: PD, Narrier is named in the reserves. He had a minor knee injury after the Peel game. It seems Garstone is injured again. Hopefully it's not too bad, otherwise, you'd have to think he might give it away. Scotney appears to have left the club. Does anyone know why? With the review recommending a focus on developing home grown talent, we really can't afford to lose good young players like Scotney and Levien.

Could not agree more, Scotney and Levien IMO were going to be great players for us for many years to come. The question needs to be asked why don't they? The only answer to that question I can think of is opportunity. Early last year Scotney looked like her was going to mark everything that went anywhere near him and if he had learned to kick straight would have been our leading goal kicker. Which brings me to another question - 2 years ago the club announced they were going to bring in a specialist goal kicking expert (like Subiaco) - I guess we are still waiting on that one, even though we have one of the best ever kicks at goal watching training every week. We seem to recruit the odd semi average to slightly above average player from outside our zone to the detriment of developing our own boys only to lose them. Looks like Levien, Scotney will be the next in a very long line of players. I wouldn't be surprised if Roe, Marlin, Horan, Narrier, Dakota BW, Josh Burke and Blake Johnson all depart in the next year or 2 as well and for the same reasons.

22 points up late in the second qrt and we haven’t turned up at all in the second half.

A lot was at stake today and it’s disappointing that we capitulated so badly in the second half. Back with the rest of the pack now.