TOPIC:

After yet another close loss (sounds like a broken record) to go 0-2 this week we head to Lathlain Park to take on the Demons who will be smarting.
I am not even going to bother predicting any changes as this year anything can happen right up until bouncedown as we saw last week with 5 late outs with Covid for the League side, not that the local Fish & Chip wrapper even acknowledged that.
It is a twilight night game under lights starting at 5.10pm.

 

Pretty hard to predict anything in the WAFL at the moment, who knows what will happen in any club on any given weekend with COVID. Fair to say that both teams will be desperate for the 4 points, Swans to get on the board and Perth to erase memories of their flogging last week. Our recent record at Lathlain is very good with 10 wins out of the last 12 games with the most recent one being last years 50 point win in a twilight game.  The players need to learn to sustain their efforts for longer in a match. They have demonstrated an ability to score multiple goals quickly but then drift out of games for long periods. 
I doubt if the 5 guys who pulled out last minute on Saturday will be able to play this week (unless they got a mild dose or were close contacts) so we may be down on big man strength again as Ireland was the guy doing the ruck work when Germs needed a break. Not too sure who Perth have in the ruck division but we have to work out a way of getting our share of midfield clearances. East Fremantle's dominance at the centre bouncedowns eventually wore us down last week, even though the general play was pretty even for most of the game
 

All you need to do to beat Perth is run. Run hard and spread when you get the ball, and you will slice through us because we are too lazy/undisciplined/unfit/poorly coached to match any team that runs and has fast ball movement. When we have the ball, we tend to be very stagnant. We look to the corridor, but in a way that is slow and transparent and easy to shut down. That results in us either trying a risky kick or just bombing it down the line. Shut down Byrne or Clarke, but let Ainsworth run free because he won't hurt you. The rest of the midfield is just very slow and kick 30m lobs. I don't recall us winning a single centre break against EP. You really can't lose. 

You sound like a forward scout Ted.
 

TN not sure if you have seen the ladder currently but we are 0-2, so we are hardly "flying" either!

Just found out that the Peel v WCER match is a curtain raiser (2.10pm) for the Swans v Perth game so the ressies and colts will be on at the usual times.

Another 5 out of last weeks team and unless they are injured you would have to assume they are COVID outs.  Aiden Clarke and Pina particularly are massive blows and our midfield looks very vulnerable without those two. Could be another tough day at the office for the team.

Mikeh, covid is reeking havoc in some teams, Subi then Claremont, a bit up at Joondy now you guys, it does throw the comp out of balance. Strange that over at Leederville, Subi have had a heap out with Covid but so far EP appear to have escaped it, maybe their turn is coming, but I dont wish it on any team.

Looks like another 8 changes (mostly covid related) today on top of the first 2 games where we have had a handful missing for both.
This season will be done and dusted before it ever got started at this rate.

Senior Seagull wrote:

Mikeh, covid is reeking havoc in some teams, Subi then Claremont, a bit up at Joondy now you guys, it does throw the comp out of balance. Strange that over at Leederville, Subi have had a heap out with Covid but so far EP appear to have escaped it, maybe their turn is coming, but I dont wish it on any team.

West Perth only had 23 players in a pre season game.East Perth played a couple of 35 a side pre season games which i presume was because of covid.You do need  a bit of good fortune with injuries to make finals  but covid is creating headaches for all clubs.