Harris wants WA players to have experience to rememberFriday, June 10, 2016 - 2:01 PM - by Chris Pike

WESTERN Australia coach Darren Harris couldn’t be happier with the preparation for Saturday's state match against Tasmania and with the blend of youth and experienced players he has in his final team.

The WAFL representative side will take on the best of the Tasmania State League at Bassendean's Steel Blue Oval on Saturday.

Harris, a West Perth premiership captain and coach, is coaching the WA team for a second straight year after being in charge of the side that beat the SANFL by 45 points last year at Lathlain Park.

While there have been some challenges to work around leading into this year's clash with Tasmania with injuries and the three WA Day WAFL games this week, Harris couldn’t be happier with the preparation and the final 23 he will send out against Tasmania.

The group all got to have a run at Steel Blue Oval on Thursday night and Harris is confident they are ready to fire on Saturday with the WAFL looking for a fourth successive state game victory having beaten the VFL, NEAFL and SANFL the past three years.

"It was a great session last night. It was the first time we've had a chance to train together in a session really because before that we've had Monday night training which have been recovery sessions, and then the Monday games this week," Harris told 91.3 SportFM.

"The boys love training together when you've got that amount of elite WAFL players that are highly skilled, it's a quality session and it was good fun for all. We had a fairly sharp session and got the heart rate right up so I think they'll be right to go."

There is a good blend of youth and experience in the WAFL team as well starting in the back-line which will be made up of Nick Rodda, Aaron Heal, Josh Bootsma, Andrew Stephen, Andrew Strijk and Luke Meadows.

Captain Paul Johnson will again carry the ruck with support from Tony Notte, with the midfield led by Clint Jones, Shane Nelson, Ashton Hams, Aaron Black, Tim Kelly and Jay van Berlo.

The forward-line will then include Ryan Neates and Ryan Cook playing as high half-forwards with Ben Saunders and Darcy Cameron the targets with Brett Peake at their feet.

Harris is pleased with the overall mix in the squad and in terms of the forward-line, he is looking forward to seeing how Cameron, Saunders and Peake all combine together. One of the joys of being state coach is providing state debuts even to veterans of more than 100 AFL and WAFL games.

"It's a really good blend of young and old. There's that AFL experience in amongst it but the great thing from my point of view is how much players want to play for their state," he said.

"They are really excited and Brett Peake is going to play his first state game after so many years of footy at age 33. He is like a kid in a candy store.

"Ben Saunders, Darcy Cameron and Peakey are three of the leading goal kickers in the competition so they will all work closely together, and we've obviously got Tony Notte who has been a stalwart and a great state player.

"There's some really good firepower down there and we'll also use a lot of different midfielders through those half-forward roles.

"We hope the rain eases a bit to give Cameron a chance to mark the ball above his head because he has great hands but with Saunders it won't matter what the conditions are like. He just finds a way to kick goals and Peakey has obviously been in great touch as well."

From last year's WAFL state side that beat South Australia, Ryan Davis (Gold Coast) and Shane Yarran (Fremantle) went on to be drafted to the AFL. Harris has no doubt that the likes of Kelly and Cameron could benefit from starring on the same stage again this time around.

"It's a great opportunity for blokes who might want a second chance like Josh Bootsma but also for guys like Cameron, Luke Meadows who is an outstanding player from West Perth who no doubt will be looked at and Tim Kelly is another one who has been close for a few years and will be looked at," he said.

"It just gives them an extra chance to get that exposure. Last year Yarran was drafted and he played well in the state game and Ryan Davis won the Simpson Medal and now he's at the Suns. It does give players a great opportunity to be looked at."

Despite WA heading into the state game as warm favourites, there is no way Harris is taking Tasmania lightly and he will make sure the players don't either to make sure they have an experience to remember.

While the talents of former AFL players Ian Callinan and Mitch Thorp are known, Harris knows Tasmania plenty more players to watch out for.

"Both teams will really want to win and I played in two state games, and I remember one and I don’t remember the other. The one I remember we won in South Australia in '94 and I'll never forget that. Winning is really important," Harris said.

"We have been able to get our own little bit of information and we are under no illusions at all that when that ball bounces at the start of the game there will be two teams having an absolute crack at each other.

"We've had a look at them and we know they'll have a couple of big inside mids that are quality players. Jobi Harper has been a very good player and has played in the VFL, and we know about Callinan and Thorpe but they've got some class finishers.

"Harry Walters finds a lot of space and punishes you with excellent skills, Rhys Mott is also highly skilled. We know they have picked a team who is a running team and we just have to go head to head with them to match them.