TOPIC:

I was surprised that Kieren Hug was with the Reserves squad

Not much positivity from the regulars

Demons Forever wrote: No what I am saying is a lot of phone calls were probably made.

I Didn't get a call DF. Did you AFL? Did you DF? Maybe 30+ could let us know if he got a call.

All superstition me thinks

Demon Strate wrote: I was surprised that Kieren Hug was with the Reserves squad

So was I. I thought he was having a reasonable preseason from the training sessions and scratch matches I saw. Definitely looks like he's been on the gym. I'd like to see him, Brent Latch, Whitey and J Morton all play league this week.

I'm sorry I can't join the general doom and gloom just yet. Just a couple of things to remember from the weekend:

1. Subi were playing there second proper pre-season match, and when you've played one and the other team have played none that makes a big difference.

2. We had far from our best available 22 on the park. The regulars who were missing and played reserves should play next week in preparation for round 1.

3. It's a scratch match. Traditionally, these count for nought (anyone remember Eastaugh's first season? We beat West Perth at Lathlain by 100 points in our first pre-season match that year. West Perth went on to make the finals.) The idea is to try new ideas - with a new coach this is even more to be expected - and try new players. We know Dene White can play etc. So, no doubt the day served it's purpose, even if it was to tell ES just how far some guys are away.

In any case, I reckon the round 1 line up is now taking better shape.

FB: Johnston Billings Gianatti
HB: Morton Latch Payne
C: Wolfenden Sinclair McKenna
HF: Lawrence Power Florio
FF: Morton Stack Collard
Ruck: Eyres White Tropiano

Res: Bateman Hug O'Sullivan Irons

Emerg: Keast, Gartlett, Arangio, Walley, Ironmonger, Ransted, Brown, Leggett, Wellburn.

If we've lost Boyle that's a shocker. Can anyone confirm?

I'll wait to at least Round 5 until I come to some sort of initial judgement on where we sit. I'll give ES a season to find his feet with this new group of players. What I won't accept at any stage of the season is an uncompetitive effort.

Can anyone tell me whether Siegert or Jones played colts? How did they go? Heard they may be boys to watch for this season.

You mean Chapman Jones? Yes he played.

On the league team, Gianatti played forward for the entire game, seemed to be playing as a defensive forward. Florio looks like he's being set to play as a rebounding half back this season. Earl had a fair chat with him at quarter and three-quarter time about his role. Sinclair spent a bit of time in the middle where he looked good. Hayden Tanner looked good in the back line and he deserves a start in Round 1 on that effort. Jacob Payne was everywhere in the first quarter but didn't reappear after that.

Yes the 100 point flogging of WP. I remember that one. Tendai Mzungu's first game if I recall. Earl said at three quarter time this is a practice match, we've got an inexperienced team out there and we've got some footage to look at next week to highlight where things are going wrong. Don't tear your nighties off just yet fellas.

Billings in leadership group. Hope he can stay out of the umpires view for 20 games this year. They have a special relationship with him

Unfortunately for Perth scratch matches whether we win or lose the results during the season proper are generally the same,i agree they are no guide but for me they are no guide in a different way.

Subi would have played there fair share of youngsters and would have had quite a few of there stars out as well,1 game extra imo shouldnt have meant a flogging like that on your home deck,scratch match or not.

I reckon that result and margin wouldnt have shocked many Perth supporters.

That likely line-up of yours PD i think the bench needs a bit more imagination,those 4 are all the same type,height etc...
We at least need a ruckman on the bench.

I wouldnt be playing Power at CHF just because he's a tall.
For mine he would be a total waste of time there.
Its clear to all that we just dont have the tall KP's so i would be inclined to play a mature aged smart footballer there that does at least know where the big sticks are so i would gamble with Mitch Morton at CHF.

Billings in my opinion is not a Key backman,i would not play him at full back!

Can we afford to have White and Tropiano on the ball at the same time??
I dont think we can.

Thanks for the update D. Interesting use of Florio, good news about Tanner. Billings is for the third tall I'd imagine; with the possibility of swinging forward. I'm worried that Mitch Morton didn't play last week. Question is who will act as back-up for Eyres. I thought Power was 2nd choice, but do others consider Ironmonger a better option. We need to know status of a few blokes: Dennis, Walley x2, Stevenson, the other ruckman etc. Here's a revised lineup:

FB: Tanner Johnston Billings
HB: Payne Latch Florio
C: Wolfenden Sinclair McKenna
HF: Lawrence M. Morton J.Morton
FF: Gianati Stack Collard
Ruck: Eyres White Tropiano

Res: Bateman Power O'Sullivan Irons

Emerg: Hug, Keast, Gartlett, Arangio, Walley, Ironmonger, Ransted, Brown, Leggett, Wellburn.

The problem, of course, is that we have about 10 pockets and flankers of a similar type. I really think all I would have liked to have seen recruiting wise is a bloke who could play CHF. I know we tried one or two but deals fell through. To be honest, this is the first year in my memory, except for maybe 1998, where we didn't get one potential "star" recruit. It leaves us looking a bit the same across the board. Still, there's hope that that team can be competitive and give us a few wins. Other than that, and just erring on the side of realism, I hope we can improve the younger blokes, Sinclair, Hug, Tanner etc., unearth a few others who've not yet played league, Brown and Leggett etc, and have one or two that come up via colts by the end of the season.