Royals well placed for third straight crack at grand finalFriday, September 18, 2015 - 6:14 PM - by Chris Pike

EAST Perth coach Brian Dawson couldn’t fault his team's preparation and form entering Sunday's WAFL preliminary final against West Perth at HBF Arena as the Royals chase a third straight grand final appearance, but he knows it counts for nought once the ball is bounced.

Coming off playing in the last two grand finals, and subsequently losing to West Perth in 2013 and Subiaco in 2014, East Perth was left with plenty of work to do just to make the finals again in 2015 having won just three of their first eight, and six of 14 games.

However, the Royals then turned things around and had a terrific finish to the home and away season winning five of the last six matches, and then overcame Claremont in the elimination final and Peel Thunder in last Sunday's first semi-final.

That brings East Perth into Sunday's preliminary final up against West Perth with a place in next Sunday's grand final on the line against Subiaco.

East Perth's form has turned around on the back of a mix of senior players led by Brendan Lee, Paul Johnson, Craig Wulff, Garry Moss, Steven Payne, Kyle Anderson, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls and Nathan Blee leading the way with help from West Coast-listed players like Kane Lucas, Tom Barrass, Tom Lamb, Corey Adamson and Rowen Powell, and the emerging Mitch Fraser and Mitch Howlett. 

"We've had a good patch and we needed to have a good patch. Week by week all we can do is keep building on that and keeping taking on the challenges as they come," Dawson said.

"They've all been cut-throat finals for us and we knew that was the occasion, and it's a simple equation for us knowing that we win or don’t keep going. We've had a good patch but it doesn't count for much in a cut-throat game when you win and go on, or lose and go away."

East Perth's co-captains Lee and Wulff continue to lead the Royals from the front with the former in outstanding form in the second half of the season in the midfield, while the latter continues to be an inspirational leader whatever role he's asked to pay.

Wulff will also equal Derek Chadwick's East Perth record 269 games on Sunday and a win to enter the grand final will see him advance to the grand final to break the record, but Dawson can't imagine Wulff would be focused on that in the slightest.

"They've been excellent players for us across the season and in recent times have been very strong contributors. They are very important players for our group, they drive the group and organise things very well on the park. We will be looking for similar performances from them on Sunday," he said.

"Derek Chadwick has held the record for a long time and it's more about breaking the record even though equalling it is great. Wulffy would be the first one to say that it's one of those personal milestones that are probably more important when you retire and can reflect back on it.

"But right now it's all about team success and trying to win a game of footy so we can progress into a grand final."

Another fascinating case in the East Perth team throughout 2015 has been the development of former baseballer Adamson.

West Coast took the punt on the 23-year-old as a rookie and he has developed tremendously over the course of the season. He played the first 11 games in the reserves but has now found his feet at league level in the 10 matches since and Dawson has been delighted with his progress.

"He has worked his way into the team on merit and done a good job since he came in. It's a massive learning curve for him to come from a sport that's not very good in terms of transferring the skills into football, but he has picked it up really well," Dawson said.

"He played the game as a junior so that gives him some help but his progression has been very good across the season.

"He's a strong body and a bit more mature, he's not an 18-year-old so he's been around the park a bit in terms of understanding what has required at the professional level. All that helps and his progression has been very good so credit to him."