Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls is another who has been in tremendous form for the Royals having kicked nine goals in the previous four matches prior to last week's win over Swan Districts. He will be out for East Perth on Saturday against West Perth.

Jack Redden and Eric Mackenzie have been called into the West Coast squad to face Carlton at the MCG on Sunday but it remains to be seen if they make the final 22 of the Eagles. Tom Cole does also go out of the East Perth team from the one that beat Swans last Saturday.

Callum Hart, Tom Hodgson, Asher Samelko, David Roche, Shayne Hille, Will Maginness and Luke Partington are all in the mix to play for the Royals following strong reserves form as well.

Last week against Swans, Hart had 19 possessions, Hodgson 22 disposals, Samelko 16 touches, Roche 18 possessions, Hille 16 disposals, Maginness 22 touches and Partington 26 possessions and a goal.

West Perth might lose in-form small forward Steve Potente with key defender Nick Rodda still absent, but spots are getting tight at the Falcons with four key players all returning this Saturday to take on East Perth at Medibank Stadium.

Midfielder Aidan Lynch, small defender Laine Rasmussen and state half-back Luke Meadows all missed last week's win over Peel Thunder and come straight back into the line-up, while Kody Manning returns having been sidelined since Round 12 after battling persistent quad injuries.

EAST FREMANTLE (7-7, 4th) v PEEL THUNDER (7-7, 6th) – ATOM STADIUM, SATURDAY 2.15PM
Selected teams 
Broadcast – KIX Digital, 107.3HFM

East Fremantle and Peel Thunder might both enter Saturday's clash at ATOM Stadium struggling for form but that doesn’t take away from the importance of the contest with there being every chance that the finals of 2016 only has room for one of them.

The Sharks and Thunder both come into the game on three-game losing runs but they had done well enough up until that point where East Fremantle remains in fourth position with Peel Thunder only behind in sixth courtesy of percentage.

East Fremantle and Peel both sit on 7-7 records with the Sharks ahead with a percentage of 106 with the Thunder's 98.

However, with Subiaco, South Fremantle and West Perth now well clear in the top three positions and with East Perth in winning form with plenty of momentum, it might be difficult for both clubs to play finals in 2016 making Saturday's game all the more important.

East Fremantle had great form and momentum when beating South Fremantle in the WA Day Foundation Derby by 39 points at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, but since the state game things have turned sour for Sharks.

East Fremantle lost key players Liam Anthony, Cameron Eardley and George Hampson, and as a result lost to Subiaco by 78 points and then Perth by 11. That trio returned prior to last week's bye against West Perth but didn’t help enough with the Sharks going down by 70 points.

Peel, meanwhile, went on a three-game winning run prior to the state game beating East Perth, East Fremantle and Subiaco but the Thunder too are yet to win since losing to South Fremantle by 32 points, Swan Districts by 39 and West Perth by 44 on the back of losing the majority of its Fremantle-listed AFL players.

The two teams have already met twice this season with Peel snatching a three-point win at Bendigo Bank Stadium in Round 2 with two late goals to Alex Pearce before the Thunder won more comfortably by 26 points in Round 11 also at ATOM Stadium.

Both East Fremantle and Peel have been fast starting teams this season with the Thunder outscoring their opponents in first quarters by 64 points, and the Sharks theirs by 47.

But Peel has been outscored in all three other quarters and East Fremantle in the second, and narrowly being on top in the second halves so far in 2016.

East Fremantle has done some soul searching with the bye last weekend following the 70-point loss to West Perth and coach Rob Wiley has made some big calls at selection.

Fairest and best winning state defender Andrew Stephen is among the casualties and will have his run towards 150 games and life membership interrupted with a week in the reserves.

He will be joined by Mitch Boyle who has averaged under 14 possessions and kicked just three goals all season as a small forward. Dylan Winton is another who has played some good football as a key defender but he hasn’t held his place in East Fremantle's side.

Young ruckman Jake Solomon also goes out of the Sharks team with Jack Perham the other player to miss the game for East Fremantle.

Wiley will be backing in players who have performed well in the reserves to try to make the difference with Jesse Adamini, Tyler Chalwell, Josh Cuneo, Miles Franklin, Jacob Green, Fraser Perry, Jake Schleicher and Andrew Stokes all in contention to come into the side.

Chalwell and Stokes could come in to carry the ruck duties while in the reserves two weeks ago against West Perth, Adamini had 21 possessions and three goals, Cuneo 17 disposals and seven marks, Franklin 12 touches, Green 20 possessions and four goals and Schleicher 22 disposals.

Peel did regain some Fremantle-listed players last week against West Perth and will be further strengthened on Saturday against East Fremantle.

Ruckman Jack Hannath, defender Alex Silvagni and midfielder Clancee Pearce will all be back for the Thunder and provide quality and depth in three distinct areas of the field.

Darcy Tucker could also return after being omitted by Peel Thunder and if he, Zac Clarke and Matt De Boer are all not required as emergencies for Fremantle on Friday night against Geelong at Domain Stadium, the trio will all play on Saturday.

The only Fremantle player the Thunder will lose for Saturday is Irishman Sean Hurley after he made his first appearance of the season last week against West Perth. Nathan Fahey is also out of the Peel line-up.

Blair Bell should also be an important return for Peel with the bustling half-forward having a tremendous debut season. Kieran May, Michael Humble and Jake Dowding are other Peel players in the mix for a call up