"In both of those games we lost we were in winning positions and you really don’t want those games to cost us at the end of the year. You want to win those close games in such an even competition and we lost to Souths late last year which cost us a spot in the second semi, so we just have to keep backing it up week after week and hopefully end up playing finals at the end of the year."

McGough is no stranger to Anzac Day having starred on the day for Collingwood against Essendon back in 2002 and he is glad to now see the WAFL do a terrific job of honouring the occasion as well.

East Fremantle beat South Fremantle by 29 points at Fremantle Oval last Thursday and McGough was proud of the effort from his side.

"It was a very important win with the way the season is shaping in terms of where other teams are placed and we just need to keep winning. We knew that with South being zip and five they would come out and give it everything on a big day like Anzac Day," he said.

"We had to be switched on for the four quarters and we were able to do that with them not scoring a goal in the last quarter and-a-half, which was pleasing.

"It's obviously hugely different to being in a warzone, but we take some of the values of mateship, spirit and trust from that when we got out to play so Anzac Day really brings that.

"The WAFL is now doing a much better job of it and Legacy is doing a really good job of helping widows and people coming back from wars. Hopefully a fair bit of money was raised for them."

East Fremantle's three most potent forwards for most of last year's run towards the grand final were Brock O'Brien, Rob Young and Jack Perham.

Those three haven’t seen much action so far in 2013 but McGough has been impressed with how others have stepped up particularly Ryan Lester-Smith and Mitch Boyle.

Cameron Symonds and Fraser MacDougall are also developing nicely in the ruck in the absence of Young, Jonathon Griffin and Russell Gabriel.

"We've pretty much had to have five small men in the forward-line with the one key forward to the way they've been able to compete and keep the ball has helped us kick winning scores so we have coped fairly well," he said.

"Our stoppage work has been pretty good as well and both our guys are developing nicely. The boys battled well against Tighe on Anzac Day and that's all we ask. Boyle and Lester-Smith are two guys you love playing with because of their defensive pressure.

"That's one area that Lester-Smith has really improved in and Boyley's always been really good at. We just ask them to defend hard in the forward-line and if they kick goals it's a bonus."