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Freezin wrote:

Very true JL, pretty sure EF fans would like EF to bake solely for the WAFL too.....but sadly someone has to......not by choice though.....it is what it is....hopefully the wheel will turn one day and Subi will upgrade their baking prowess to AFL standard and EF can down grade their baking prowess to WAFL standard......really not sure how Subi have dodged the AFL drafting drain during their 15 odd years of domination TBH......

EF  have been a AFL production house first and foremost for decades now, its no secret WAFL success just inst on their admin radar. They dont recruit aggresively outside for league success and havent done for decades.

I think EF have recruited very aggressively in recent years. WAFL clubs don't get transfer fees from AFL clubs anymore do they? EF would be rolling in it.

Bazza wrote:

Freezin wrote:

Very true JL, pretty sure EF fans would like EF to bake solely for the WAFL too.....but sadly someone has to......not by choice though.....it is what it is....hopefully the wheel will turn one day and Subi will upgrade their baking prowess to AFL standard and EF can down grade their baking prowess to WAFL standard......really not sure how Subi have dodged the AFL drafting drain during their 15 odd years of domination TBH......

EF  have been a AFL production house first and foremost for decades now, its no secret WAFL success just inst on their admin radar. They dont recruit aggresively outside for league success and havent done for decades.

Gee wiz I am not sure about the bolded in regards to EF.
In the last few years alone they have targeted and got former AFL players that were originally at other WAFL clubs- 
Boekhorst (SD)
Schoenfeld (PT)
English (PE)
Tucker (PT)
Kommer (EP)
Loersch (PT)

They have also had their own developed ex afl boys return in-
Snadden
Eardley
Marsh
Strnadica
Jansen
O'Reilly
Griffin
Perham
Schofield
Taylor (1 game)

Picked up handy recruits from other WAFL clubs in-
Chalmers (WP)
Leggett (EF)
Davies (CL)
Winton (PT)
Bray (PT)
Tassone (PT)
Hampson (SU)
Mills (WP)
Manning (WP)

Then throw in ex Docker via (TAS) Dixon, big Watson (ex Carlton), Crichton (ex Freo) and others and you would have to say EF have been anything but idle in the recruiting department trying to improve their position and playing stocks!
 

Yeah, not sure I buy this "East freo aren't really trying to win premierships" line. 

Bazza....what you on about mate? On paper that is some pretty aggressive recruiting I reckon from EF, yeah on the footy field, some have fallen short, but I guess that's the risk you take......pretty sure EF has little say in who the AFL draft, so not sure what you mean about the EF SMT only interested in EFFC being an AFL production line first.....just highlights the distinct gap between EF top layer of  talent and the next level down within its zone....

Perhaps a couple of those cashed up  South West clubs playing in the strong Bunbury comp, could help with realigning the WAFL pecking order, by tempting a few of those Subi boys to join them next year......time for the likes of Bunbury, South Bunbury, Carey Park or Harvey Brunswick to start flashing their cash......

From email to the WAFL where I asked about zones.

Thanks for the email.
In terms of zone reviews these are done approximately every 10 years.
The last full review was undertaken in 2009 with a partial realignment also being done in 2014.
This is something that I know the WAFL is currently working on with the WAFL clubs, who will all provide input into the process.

Kind Regards 
Troy Kirkham
Executive ManagerJunior, Youth and Community Football 

East Perth-West Coast Eagles alignment to re-start with Royals to host interstate players

East Perth are poised to agree to a deal with West Coast that would see interstate Eagles play at the WAFL club next season.

Between three and eight Eagles are expected to be available to play each week.

And Perth have not ruled out a similar arrangement despite their recent reluctance to strike a deal with their Mineral Resources Park co-tenant.

As East Perth premiership coach Tony Micale is set to return to the club as a mentor and coaching director for senior coach Jeremy Barnard, the Royals are negotiating to host fringe Eagles without links to other WAFL clubs.

But chief executive Dean Turner was adamant the arrangement would not constitute an alignment like the two contentious deals this century that left the Royals cashed-up but cost them players, members and identity.

And Turner said it could be up to a month before the matter was settled.

“It is up to the WA Football Commission and I don’t think it will be sorted for another fortnight to four weeks,” he said.

“All parties still have to work out what it looks like.

“The WAFC told us that the Eagles would not have a team and they wanted to put all their players back to local clubs while East Perth and Perth got their interstate players.”

West Coast decision to abandon their reserves team next year meant they had to find homes for the players not required for AFL duties.

Their 22 West Australian locals will return to their original WAFL clubs but their current 13 interstate recruits – before any are added at the various national drafts – are set to be housed at one or two clubs.

An average of eight interstate recruits played each game for the club’s WAFL team in 2019 before dropping to just three a match this season.

While Perth appeared to provide a natural fit given their ground-sharing relationship and absence of any local Eagles on their list, East Perth have been more amenable to negotiations with the Eagles.

Turner said East Perth should not be penalised with cuts to their salary cap or player points balance if they agreed to take extra Eagles.

“Most clubs will get a couple of players back so I don’t see why we should be penalised if we get a couple as well,” he said.

“We have spent three years rebuilding after the last alignment and we will continue to rebuild.” The Royals have already signed former West Coast midfielder Hamish Brayshaw and will regain defender Damon Greaves from Hawthorn but are set to lose mercurial forward Mitch Dobson to West Perth and ruckman Ajang Ajang to Subiaco.

Perth president Bob Shields would not comment on a potential deal with the Eagles.

“This has got a long way to go,” he said. “But our focus is on finding players to bolster our playing stocks.”