It's a derby

by LES EVERETT

WEST PERTH had the bye and managed, one way or another, to avoid the carnage of round 11 of the WAFL season last week.

At present the Falcons hold the middle ground in the competition - in fifth place two games from fourth placed Claremont and two ahead of sixth team East Perth. They're the one team yet to declare itself either a contender or an also-ran in 2005. That declaration could come on Monday in the Perth derby.

Meanwhile it appears the most supporters of the Royals can hope for is that their team will be a menace. And what better way to start making a nuisance of yourself than by ruining the faint finals hopes of the old enemy.

East Perth was the least thrashed team last week in going down by 35 points to Claremont.

A lack of pace in the midfield has been the killer for the Royals this year - it was a wet May but the kind of boggy grounds that would suit this team aren't on offer too often on this side of the country.

Midfielders Michael Swan and Brent Cowell have been as honest as ever, Tim Lyster has been a revelation in the ruck and Paul Ridley has kicked 27 goals but it's emerging youth that is the way forward for the Royals. Matthew Seal and Matthew Selby look particularly promising and there's hope too in the initial WA State 18s training squad. Seal is among seven East Perth players in the squad which also includes Shawn Colbung, Rhoan Glass, Gary Moss, Jarrod Oakley-Nicholls, James Kendall and Matthew Leuenberger.

That gives hope for the future but for now we need only to look a few days ahead.

East Perth vs West Perth, Leederville Oval, Monday June 6 from 2.15pm.

From Voice News.

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