FALCONS GEAR UP FOR PREMIERSHIP DEFENCE

WEST Perth has not rested on its laurels since winning the 2013 WAFL premiership making some impressive signings to add to a young group that still has plenty of natural improvement left in it.

The greatest strength of the West Perth team of 2013 that ended up beating East Perth in the grand final was its evenness of talent right across the field, and the depth that the club developed with the reserves also making the grand final.

That has meant that the need for change was minimal looking ahead to the 2014 WAFL campaign that also sees the Falcons take part in the Foxtel Cup knockout competition for the second time.

From the 2013 premiership team, only captain Jason Salecic, former Fremantle forward Josh Mellington and West Coast midfielder Mark Hutchings won't be going around again in 2014.

Luke Tedesco and Jay van Berlo will be co-captains of West Perth in 2014 following the retirement of the inspirational premiership skipper Salecic.

When you consider that premiership players Aaron Black, Shane Nelson, Kody Manning, Nick Rodda and Laine Rasmussen are still in the infancy of their senior football careers, then there is further natural growth there.

Then there are players from the reserves grand final team of 2013 like Brayden Antonio, James Batterham, James Embley, Matt Johnson, Aidan Lynch, Trent Manzone, Ben McNamara, Mitch McPhee, Luke Meadows, Drew Rohde, Tom Shadbolt, Kris Shannon, Jack Thrum and Mitch van Berlo who can all push for more league appearances in 2014.

There are also several players who were hindered by injuries in 2013 who will return strongly next year most notably developing big men Shayne Zanetti and Josh Donaldson.

There is enough natural improvement there amongst that group that would already have had West Perth a tremendous chance of defending its WAFL premiership in 2014, but the Falcons have also secured the services of some handy recruits.

The biggest name of course is the signing of former Richmond and Collingwood 135-game AFL player Andrew Krakouer.

Upon his AFL career ending at Collingwood, Krakouer decided to join West Perth for the next two seasons rather than return to Swan Districts where in 2010 he was a premiership star, Simpson, Swan and Sandover Medal winner.

The 30-year-old has plenty of exciting football left in him as well and will be a tremendous addition both to West Perth midfield and forward-line, and as a strong leader given his quality and experience.

Krakouer isn’t the only new arrival at Arena Joondalup though.

Krakouer will be joined by his 2010 premiership teammate from Swan Districts Matthew Spencer.

The 28-year-old Spencer will further strengthen the Falcons' back-line and help cover the departure of Michael Pettigrew, and team with Dan Hunt to ensure West Perth has two strong, experienced key defenders.

Spencer was a huge part of Swan Districts' premiership of 2010 when he was outstanding at centre half-back, but he moved on from Swans after that but still brings 45 games of WAFL experience with him to West Perth on top of his two AFL matches with Geelong back in 2006.

Former Subiaco ruckman Seva Martin arrives to provide some support to premiership big man Chris Keunen.

Martin is a natural ruckman with the 22-year-old having already played 36 reserves games for Subiaco where he has averaged 22 hit outs along with four league appearances averaging 29 hit outs.

In 2013 alone, he had 331 hit outs in 11 reserves games for Subiaco and 102 in three league matches with the Lions.

The Falcons' big men stocks have also been further boosted with the arrival of 19-year-old ruckman and key position player Ben Jenkins from Toodyay.

Former Swan Districts' half-forward Marcus Adams is also another arrival who could provide another goal scoring option for the Falcons and help to fill in the void left by the departures from the forward-line by Salecic and Mellington.

The 20-year-old strongly built half-forward came through the colts ranks at Swan Districts before playing two league matches in 2011.

However, he left the club at the end of that year despite playing two reserves games in 2013 and now arrives at West Perth ready to show what he can do as a WAFL footballer.

Ben King is a 21-year-old running half-back from Gingin while Tamati Young is a 22-year-old forward from New Zealand who is an interesting proposition.

He has represented New Zealand at the AFL's International Carnival but has recently moved to Perth and will now give it his best shot to show what he can do in the WAFL.

Corey Higgins will also add some depth to the West Perth midfield. Originally from Toodyay, the 21-year-old previously played 10 colts game for Perth in 2011.

BY CHRIS PIKE