Harris proud of WAFL commitment as Big V clash loomsTuesday, June 14, 2016 - 10:15 AM - by Chris Pike

WESTERN Australia coach Darren Harris was proud of how seriously the players took their responsibility to represent the WAFL and WA in Saturday's record state match win over Tasmania ahead of an expected clash in Melbourne with Victoria next year.

WA won a fourth straight state match beating Tasmania by a record 134 points at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday on the back of victories against the VFL, NEAFL and SANFL the past three years.

Harris coached WA for a second straight season with the West Perth premiership captain and coach tremendously impressed with the attitude of all the players who represented the WAFL to come away with the dominant victory.

Harris has no doubt state football continues to be something all the players in the WAFL strive for and he's glad that their performance on Saturday proved just how seriously it is taken by everyone involved in the competition.

"The players genuinely enjoyed each other's company, the best came together and I've got no doubt they will go back to their clubs and become quality players for their clubs on the back of state footy as well," Harris said.

"They get to mingle with the players, train with them and play with them. State footy is not about us, it's about a state. You represent a competition and it's an Australian-wide competition. That's four in-a-row for the state which makes us the best.

"We take that responsibility really seriously. We turned up prepared as well as we could for what Tasmania were going to give us and we were at our best, and got the rest. That's all we can control and again it's a great honour to be involved in it but we know the responsibility that comes with it."

WA is now likely to play the VFL in Melbourne next year for the first time since 2007.

Despite some talking about Victoria and South Australia playing one another annually, Harris wants the current system to remain in place and is confident it will do so.

And while WA's wins the last four years at home to Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, and against the NEAFL in Sydney have been impressive, he has no doubt that a win over the Big V in Melbourne would cement the Black Swans as the standout state side.

"I don’t think that anyone is going to change the fact that the three football states Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia deserve to play each other every second year I hope that continues," he said.

"At the moment we've been able to beat Victoria and we've been able to beat South Australia, and we'll go over to Victoria next year and I'm sure with the buy in to state footy that we'll go over and have another great crack at it.

"Imagine going over there and winning five in-a-row, it would stand us apart from the rest of the nation."

There can be no doubt about the outstanding job Harris has done as WA coach the past two years with the former Falcons great, and West Coast and Carlton AFL assistant enjoying the chance to guide his own team again even if on a short-term basis.

But he is happy with the current WAFL system of offering the state role to the premiership coach of the previous season. If that means he doesn’t coach the WAFL team next year then he is fine with that, but if the opportunity comes up again he would be happy to put his hand up.

"The rules are that the coach who coaches the grand final winning side will be offered the role," Harris said.

"I've been fortunate enough that two years in-a-row the coaches who have been offered it have knocked it back and I've been the lucky recipient of it.

"I'm sure it will stay the same and if it came around again, and I had the time, I would probably put my hand up because it's been absolutely enjoyable.