West Coast Eagle U23’s take on SAAFLWednesday, June 4, 2014 - 10:38 AM

THE West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s are set to take on the South Australian Amateur Football League this Saturday at the Kingsway Sporting Complex, Madeley.

After eight weeks preparation, the West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s aim to keep the win on home soil after facing narrow defeat against SAAFL when they last played in WA in 2010.

Having lost against the WA Country Football League last Friday at Anning Park, the West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s will be looking to win the focus game of the program.

Unfortunately the bigger bodied WACFL side outplayed the team, defeating the West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s 9.5 (59) to 15.6 (96).

This weekend will bring a different level of football again, with the South Australians looking to make their travel worthwhile and take bragging rights into the 2015 Australian Amateur Football Council Carnival held in Tasmania.

The last time the West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s played the SAAFL was in the 2011 AAFC Carnival, where the West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s were victorious in the 2x 20minute half set-up beating SAAFL 3.5 (23) to 0.6 (6).

This year, Head Coach Wayne Langborne, happy with how the team handled themselves against a solid WACFL side, is confident the final 23 players will put up a tough fight against the SAAFL.

 “It’s a good mix of strong marking talls and quick smalls and seeing their resilience last Friday night I’ve no doubt we’ll put in a decent performance on Saturday.

“We rested five boys on Friday who will come into the side and provide more size and experience. Langborne said.

“We have a game style that won’t change but the idea is that we just get better at it.” 

The full team is as follows: Gordon Alone (North Beach), Leigh Ashby (West Coast), Matthew Bluett (Whitford), Christian Bottecchia – (North Beach), Jarrod Brunskill (Kalamunda), Thomas Curtin (University), Chaz Flint (University), Mitchell Gill (Kalamunda), Lachlan Hall (Hamersley Carine), Dale Hart (Maddington), Brody Haskell (Fremantle CBC), Michael Hutchings (Kingsway), James Lee (North Beach), Brent Luckman (West Coast), David MacLeay (University), Matthew Mant (Kingsley), Zac McCarrey (Wesley Curtin), Tim O'Hara (University), Matthew Outridge (Kalamunda), Luke Shepherd (Kingsway), Todd Stevenson (Fremantle CBC), Brett van Groningen (Kalamunda), Rick Wallis (Willetton), Patrick Wilson (University) and Alex Wyatt (Fremantle CBC).

In a lead-up to the main game on Saturday, there will be two games of Integrated Football taking place from 3.45 promoting the intellectual disabled football program.

The West Coast Eagles State Amateur Colts side will also take to the field this Saturday, looking for a win from their first game of the 2014 Colts program against the State 16’s at 2.45pm Medibank Stadium.

Following the State 16’s game on Saturday, the West Coast Eagles State Amateur Colts will then verse the WACFL on June 14^th at Patersons Stadium, in a curtain raiser before the AFL West Coast Eagles v Gold Coast Suns game.

Bounce down for the West Coast Eagles State Amateur U23’s game against the SAAFL is at 6.00pm, with pre-game entertainment from 3.45pm, following the West Coast Eagles State Amateur Colts game at Medibank Stadium from 2.45pm.

Round 7 A Grade Results

Swan Athletic 10.10 (70) defeated by Trinity Aquinas 12.8 (80)
Mt Lawley 17.10 (112) defeated University 10.7 (67)
Whitford 9.10 (64) defeated by Fremantle CBC 10.16 (76)
North Beach 13.10 (88) defeated West Coast 10.8 (68)
Kalamunda 9.6 (60) defeated by Wesley Curtin 12.11 (83)