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Has become a joke!!!! By Brendon Foster on WA Today

The West Coast Eagles and East Perth alignment has become a joke.

As someone who is passionately devoted to both teams, that isn't an easy thing to blurt out.

East Perth's Craig Wulff became the Royals game record breaker on the weekend.
East Perth's Craig Wulff became the Royals game record breaker on the weekend. Photo: Belinda Pike
The relationship was always going to be a tense balancing act, when East Perth became the only feeder club to 'big brother' West Coast in 2014.

And that partnership became a little more peculiar when Jaymie Graham - who is also the development coach of the Eagles - became East Perth's new coach this year.

The Eagles before last year's grand final.
The Eagles before last year's grand final. Photo: Scott Barbour
But on the weekend that partnership surely soured, after East Perth got thumped by 76 points against Claremont - despite the Royals fielding 14 West Coast-listed players.

Of those 14, I would say only Jack Redden, Mark Hutchings and Dom Sheed could line-up for the Eagles against the Lions in their season opener on Sunday.

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With West Coast not having a game last weekend there is no doubt the Eagles used the Royals game as a "hit-out" for some of their players to get touch before the season proper starts.

But it appeared at times some of the Eagles fringe players running around seemed more content playing bruise-free footy, than playing for the Royals' jumper.

Mark Hutchings was forced to move from West Perth to East Perth under the new alignment rules.
Mark Hutchings was forced to move from West Perth to East Perth under the new alignment rules. Photo: Belinda Pike.
And despite some of the Eagles rookie-listed players that turned out for East Perth on the weekend not being up to WAFL standard yet, East Perth are "forced" to play them.

I don't claim to know the intricate details of the "contract" between West Coast and East Perth, but clearly the Royals are also restricted where the club can play Eagles'players.

But where does that leave the integrity of the WAFL if East Perth have descended to nothing more than a "play thing" for the Eagles?

After it was announced East Perth would again become the feeder club to West Coast, most of the other WAFL clubs were outraged as they believed the Royals would dominate the competition.

But the Royals have not won a flag since becoming aligned with the Eagles in 2014.

And if you believe West Perth president Brett Raponi, clubs relish meeting the Royals in the finals if the Eagles are still in the September mix.

Raponi claimed the Eagles let some of their fringe players play in the preliminary final last year between the Royals and the Falcons so they could get "touch".

Likewise for Peel Thunder - which is aligned with Fremantle - whose premiership chances were undermined by the Dockers decision to rest 11 players in the club's maiden finals appearance last season.

There is no denying now the alignment between West Coast and East Perth has shifted too much in favour of the Eagles. And the Royals are stuck with that for now.

East Perth's game against the Tigers should've been one of celebration, as Royals' great Craig Wulff became the club's all-time record game holder when he played his 270th game.

But, for a hard nut like Wulff - who epitomises the once-working class spirit of East Perth - it must have been a bittersweet moment, introducing himself to some of his teammates before the game.

Jeepers, who would have thought????

Always two sides to every story though isn't there. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Wasn't that long ago Viceroy Nisbett was saying it was a marriage made in heaven and West Coast wanted to see it last for a 1000 years

Yes. And apparently the alignments were also going to dramatically increase Wafl attendances. The so called 'commission' told everyone.

Inside 2 years there will be no alignments - the scumbags will will each have their own teams operating out of Lathlain & Cockburn

That is 100% kocher & bonafide

Southerner wrote: Inside 2 years there will be no alignments - the scumbags will will each have their own teams operating out of Lathlain & Cockburn

That is 100% kocher & bonafide

I think that is fine but they don't play for premiership points or finals, let's face it they use it as a training ground so it's no big deal, the WAFL clubs will still give them a hitout but can rest players as they see fit.
If the Eagles and Dockers are both in finals then their reserves sides can have a hitout with each other weekly through that period.

Greatwhiteshark wrote:

Southerner wrote: Inside 2 years there will be no alignments - the scumbags will will each have their own teams operating out of Lathlain & Cockburn

That is 100% kocher & bonafide

I think that is fine but they don't play for premiership points or finals, let's face it they use it as a training ground so it's no big deal, the WAFL clubs will still give them a hitout but can rest players as they see fit.
If the Eagles and Dockers are both in finals then their reserves sides can have a hitout with each other weekly through that period.

Ridiculous scenario...

You can bet your bottom dollar they'll be playing for points - and they'll get top-up players from around the state too , maybe even from the rest of us if they get their way

I would rather put up with the alignment to be honest; if they have teams in the competition they will have even more power and influence.

Well I would 100 times rather WC get their own team then align with Perth when they move to Lathlain. What's happened at East Perth is an out and out disgrace but not unexpected. Who wrote that article? None of that was news. Of course WC players will play bruise free footy. They couldn't give a fat rats arse about the jumper and most of the players probably don't even know who Craig Wulff is. The situation is a shambles and an embarrassment. I think the best thing is for Freo to continue with Peel because they are irrelevant and WC bring their own team in to even the comp up to 10 teams and EP can eventually get some pride and respect back

There's no ïf" - this is all about getting their own AFL sides in

Look at SA and start preparing for the worst - there will be infiltration

There will be players drafted in as top-ups we may lose our colts to them or even our reserves lads